Garden tip: Tips for conserving water

Here are some water conservation tips:

• On hot days, do your hand watering early in the morning. Be sure sprinklers don’t spray up into the air. Valuable water may be lost through evaporation.

• Add a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch to keep the soil from drying out between watering. Use whatever appeals to you (and your budget): shredded bark, rice straw or cocoa hulls.

• How do you know your plants are getting enough (or too much) water? There is a simple solution: buy a soil moisture meter and use it.

A soil moisture meter is simple to read (wet, moist or dry) and requires no batteries or electricity. Just stick the probe in the ground to take a reading.

If you’re overwatering, you may need to reset your irrigation system. This simple device will save water, time and money.

— Katie Martin, UC Marin master gardener