How much sprinkling?

[mapleme]

We have a lovely fun new outside toy that hooks up to the hose and gives oodles of entertainment to both kids. But the hose is basically running at full blast the whole time and I get all pearl clutchy at how much water we're running through. Vermont has no water shortage (in fact we have a surplus). But still. How much running water/sprinkler time do you give your kids? Should I just calm down and enjoy myself? Or should I meter it's usage?

[critter015]

We don't have sprinklers that water our lawn, so it starts getting a little crispy in the summer. I just try to move the kid's sprinkler to different parts of yard to get dual benefit from it. They usually lose interest after an hour or so anyway and we move on to something else.

[rugger]

Jun 11, 2017 15:47:30 GMT -6 critter015 said:

We don't have sprinklers that water our lawn, so it starts getting a little crispy in the summer. I just try to move the kid's sprinkler to different parts of yard to get dual benefit from it. They usually lose interest after an hour or so anyway and we move on to something else.

This

[ovenrack]

I am jealous. We never had our outdoor watering ban from last summer lifted. On May 1st, they officially changed it to no outdoor watering between 5am and 9pm (by the end of last summer, in the drought, it was no outdoor watering AT ALL, not for anything, except food crops).

I admit, I do use our a little, turned very low, because we have a 500 gallon cistern which we use for watering plants/vegetables.

If I were you, I'd go for it, and try to move it around so all the lawn/plants enjoy it. I also place basins under our sprinkler so when the kids are done I use them to water houseplants (if the basins haven't been dumped).

[mapleme]

Jun 11, 2017 17:57:44 GMT -6 ovenrack said:

I am jealous. We never had our outdoor watering ban from last summer lifted. On May 1st, they officially changed it to no outdoor watering between 5am and 9pm (by the end of last summer, in the drought, it was no outdoor watering AT ALL, not for anything, except food crops).

I admit, I do use our a little, turned very low, because we have a 500 gallon cistern which we use for watering plants/vegetables.

If I were you, I'd go for it, and try to move it around so all the lawn/plants enjoy it. I also place basins under our sprinkler so when the kids are done I use them to water houseplants (if the basins haven't been dumped).

I was surprised to hear about your watering ban because we just have so much water here. It was so weird when I moved here and folks would just leave the water running while brushing their teeth. And on really cold nights you're supposed to leave your water dripping so that the pipes don't freeze.

Our lawn/plants basically need no extra water besides the rain. But we do water a couple pots and sometimes the raised bed. But I do like the idea of collecting some water for those plants. And M would love to deliver the water to them.

[milano]

Jun 11, 2017 17:49:22 GMT -6 rugger said:

Jun 11, 2017 15:47:30 GMT -6 critter015 said:

We don't have sprinklers that water our lawn, so it starts getting a little crispy in the summer. I just try to move the kid's sprinkler to different parts of yard to get dual benefit from it. They usually lose interest after an hour or so anyway and we move on to something else.

This

Here too.

[ovenrack]

Jun 11, 2017 18:04:28 GMT -6 mapleme said:

Jun 11, 2017 17:57:44 GMT -6 ovenrack said:

I am jealous. We never had our outdoor watering ban from last summer lifted. On May 1st, they officially changed it to no outdoor watering between 5am and 9pm (by the end of last summer, in the drought, it was no outdoor watering AT ALL, not for anything, except food crops).

I admit, I do use our a little, turned very low, because we have a 500 gallon cistern which we use for watering plants/vegetables.

If I were you, I'd go for it, and try to move it around so all the lawn/plants enjoy it. I also place basins under our sprinkler so when the kids are done I use them to water houseplants (if the basins haven't been dumped).

I was surprised to hear about your watering ban because we just have so much water here. It was so weird when I moved here and folks would just leave the water running while brushing their teeth. And on really cold nights you're supposed to leave your water dripping so that the pipes don't freeze.

Our lawn/plants basically need no extra water besides the rain. But we do water a couple pots and sometimes the raised bed. But I do like the idea of collecting some water for those plants. And M would love to deliver the water to them.

We do the dripping faucets too!  But luckily, we don't seem to have any pipes in our new house that are susceptible to freezing.  

[tj]

This is... not where I thought this post was going.

[mapleme]

Jun 11, 2017 19:10:11 GMT -6 tj said:

This is... not where I thought this post was going.

Doughnuts? Baby showers? Golden showers? Pixie dust? There are so many possibilities.

[ovenrack]

[mapleme]

Jun 11, 2017 19:26:28 GMT -6 ovenrack said:

He (she?) looks like a enthused harpist.

[sak]

Do you have a well? The only time I start to restrict water is when I'm worried our well will run dry because then it's just inconvenient to me lol.
And because we have a well we don't pay for water, but the only other reason I'd turn it off is if if were costing me a million dollars a month to run the thing.
Otherwise, sprinkle on.

[Dramaphile]

Jun 11, 2017 18:04:28 GMT -6 mapleme said:

Jun 11, 2017 17:57:44 GMT -6 ovenrack said:

I am jealous. We never had our outdoor watering ban from last summer lifted. On May 1st, they officially changed it to no outdoor watering between 5am and 9pm (by the end of last summer, in the drought, it was no outdoor watering AT ALL, not for anything, except food crops).

I admit, I do use our a little, turned very low, because we have a 500 gallon cistern which we use for watering plants/vegetables.

If I were you, I'd go for it, and try to move it around so all the lawn/plants enjoy it. I also place basins under our sprinkler so when the kids are done I use them to water houseplants (if the basins haven't been dumped).

I was surprised to hear about your watering ban because we just have so much water here. It was so weird when I moved here and folks would just leave the water running while brushing their teeth. And on really cold nights you're supposed to leave your water dripping so that the pipes don't freeze.

Our lawn/plants basically need no extra water besides the rain. But we do water a couple pots and sometimes the raised bed. But I do like the idea of collecting some water for those plants. And M would love to deliver the water to them.

I had such culture shock about water (and electricity) when I moved to the East Coast from California!  My husband leaves the water running all the damn time, like he'll walk away from the sink while doing dishes and leave it running, and while he brushes his teeth.  And I grew up during the power crisis in California where we had brownouts and got obsessive about light switches.  Meanwhile, J leaves ceiling fans on in closed rooms all day and leaves the sound machine on in Nugget's room all day and the TV on when he's out of the room.  Drives me batty!

[ovenrack]

It's funny because I'm born and raised on the east coast, yet I was also taught to not waste water or electricity. Perhaps not as strictly as drought areas, but I don't understand how others in this region were taught to leave water running all the time?

[mapleme]

It drive DH nuts how I used to follow him around turning off faucets that he was still using. I've tried to not do that as much and he has tried to not leave the water running as much.

[critter015]

I struggle with my DH too. He has always left the water running the whole time he brushes he teeth/shaves, but it is even worse in our new house. We have had issues with our sewer line plugging up if we don't run enough water through it, and our well water has something in it that causes the water heater to make the water stink. DH's solution is to turn on the shower for 30 minutes before he actually gets in. This is especially annoying when I need to shower after him. There is no reasoning with the man though.

[brandiewine11]

Jun 11, 2017 17:57:44 GMT -6 ovenrack said:

I am jealous. We never had our outdoor watering ban from last summer lifted. On May 1st, they officially changed it to no outdoor watering between 5am and 9pm (by the end of last summer, in the drought, it was no outdoor watering AT ALL, not for anything, except food crops).

I admit, I do use our a little, turned very low, because we have a 500 gallon cistern which we use for watering plants/vegetables.

If I were you, I'd go for it, and try to move it around so all the lawn/plants enjoy it. I also place basins under our sprinkler so when the kids are done I use them to water houseplants (if the basins haven't been dumped).

Ours just got lifted a couple of weeks ago. I'm bitter because my garden died last year because our ban was with all outdoor use. Even food. Yet our stupid neighbors kept their sprinkler systems on. And our well was soooo low.

We are still being conservative but it's much better now.

[ovenrack]

Jun 12, 2017 8:48:41 GMT -6 brandiewine11 said:

Jun 11, 2017 17:57:44 GMT -6 ovenrack said:

I am jealous. We never had our outdoor watering ban from last summer lifted. On May 1st, they officially changed it to no outdoor watering between 5am and 9pm (by the end of last summer, in the drought, it was no outdoor watering AT ALL, not for anything, except food crops).

I admit, I do use our a little, turned very low, because we have a 500 gallon cistern which we use for watering plants/vegetables.

If I were you, I'd go for it, and try to move it around so all the lawn/plants enjoy it. I also place basins under our sprinkler so when the kids are done I use them to water houseplants (if the basins haven't been dumped).

Ours just got lifted a couple of weeks ago. I'm bitter because my garden died last year because our ban was with all outdoor use. Even food. Yet our stupid neighbors kept their sprinkler systems on. And our well was soooo low.

We are still being conservative but it's much better now.

Most people in my own didn't pay attention to the part about how edibles were exempt. Luckily, my cistern meant I didn't use a lot anyway. Your garden is so big, and that's your long-term house yes? I highly recommend a big big cistern.