Sioux Empire Today

As we enter the hot summer season, the City of Sioux Falls offers important lawn care reminders and tips for Sioux Falls property owners.

• Follow the lawn watering schedule. Sioux Falls follows a stage schedule for lawn watering, and we are currently in stage 1. This means lawn watering for all residential, commercial, industrial, and City facilities use the following schedule:
  • Watering lawns is prohibited from 12 noon to 5 p.m.
  • Property owners with even-numbered addresses may water lawns on even-numbered calendar dates.
  • Property owners with odd-numbered addresses may water lawns on odd-numbered calendar dates.
  • Hand watering vegetation such as shrubbery, trees, ground covers, plants, vines, gardens, vegetables, and flowers is permitted any time of day if the water is applied by a hose that does not leak and has a handheld nozzle that automatically shuts off when released.
  The lawn watering schedule is required by City ordinance. More information is available at www.siouxfalls.org/public-works/water-conservation/schedule.
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• Do not waste water. Wasting water (e.g., running a hose unattended for long periods) is not allowed. Properly adjust sprinklers and make sure they are pointed at the lawn and not on any hardscapes like streets, driveways, or sidewalks. Always promptly turn off the water when done.
• Prevent overgrown grass and nuisance vegetation. Grass and noxious weeds should be no taller than 8 inches in yards and lots within city limits, per City ordinance. Noxious weeds include Canada thistle, Russian knapweed, hoary cress, purple loosestrife, perennial sow thistle, leafy spurge, and salt cedar. Dandelions are not considered noxious. Notify the City of overgrown grass or nuisance vegetation at www.siouxfalls.org/report or call 605-978-6900.
• Prepare for new lawns. Permits are required for newly installed lawns. Contact Public Works at 605-367-8600 for permit information. As a reminder, new sod requires a significant amount of water, especially during the hot summer months. Because of the extra water usage, residents should be prepared for their monthly water bill to increase.

• Water your lawn in the morning to reduce evaporation and growth of lawn diseases.
• Avoid cutting your lawn too short. Instead, aim for slightly longer grass that can encourage a deeper root system, better absorption of moisture and nutrients, and better stress tolerance.
• Watering more volume less often forces grass roots to grow deeper, resulting in healthy root systems.
• Make a rain barrel. Capturing rainwater and reusing it to water your lawn or landscaping can reduce your household’s water usage and save money. Check out the City’s rain barrel instructions here: Garbage Can into a Rain Barrel Instructions—City of Sioux Falls.
• Plant a Prairie and Pollinator Garden. The Prairie and Pollinator Garden kits, created in partnership with the Minnehaha Conservation District and the City of Sioux Falls, are newly available to area residents who want to incorporate native wildflowers and grasses into their landscaping, and by doing so, protect water resources, support pollinators, and conserve South Dakota’s native plant heritage. Kits include an instructional guide to assist from preparation to maintenance, a seed packet curated to contain wildflowers and grasses native to South Dakota capable of planting a 100-square-foot area, and an educational sign to place beside your garden for the community to know more about the garden and its importance. Kits are $15 and available while supplies last. To purchase or get more information, contact the Minnehaha Conservation District at minnehaha.urbanconservation@gmail.com or call 605-595-8052.

Original source can be found here.