If your sprinklers are slumbering, well done — because your lawn is still hibernating too. And that’s a good thing since we’re starting off 2025 still under watering rules.
Occasional showers in December were a welcome relief, but they didn’t put an end to the ongoing drought. Back-to-back years of record heat paired with a severe lack of rainfall continue to challenge the Edwards Aquifer. This means Stage 3 watering rules are still in effect.
As a reminder, Stage 3 watering hours for sprinklers — in-ground and hose-end — are 5-10 a.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight on your once-a-week watering day.
You can still water with a hand-held hose any time, any day. And you may even enjoy it! Our typically mild winters are ideal for getting outside and doing some prep work for a great spring garden.
Here’s what you can tend to now.
- Clean up struggling or diseased plants. Leave the rest in place to enrich soil, reduce erosion and provide winter habitat for slumbering pollinators.
- Remove invasive weeds that may have taken hold over the growing season. Use a trowel or small shovel to remove the entire root.
- Prune freeze-damaged perennials but leave damaged vegetation as wildlife shelter and seed meals for overwintering birds. Avoid pruning most evergreen shrubs.
- Replenish mulch to help regulate soil temperature and moisture and provide a buffer against a rare hard frost or freezing weather.
- Clean and sharpen tools to extend their lifespan.
Remember to visit GardenStyleSA.com for weekly watering advice and landscaping tips.
