Xeriscaping is a gardening philosophy based on using plants that thrive in dry climates and arranging them in a way that requires little supplemental watering. Derived from the Greek term xeros, which means dry, xeriscaping was coined during the 1970s in Denver, Colo., to mean water-efficient landscaping. Well-designed xeriscapes can be enchanting and beautiful, and they can save you money!
There are several advantages to xeriscaping. Aside from lowering your water bills, xeriscaping can save water for other uses. It can also reduce maintenance time, which means little or no lawnmowing.
Xeriscape plants
These plants tend to take full advantage of rainfall, especially when they are part of a proper bed design. When water restrictions are implemented, xeriscape plants tend to survive. Finally, xeriscaping bolsters habitats for native bees, butterflies, and other fauna.
Using a lawn gauge
A lawn gauge can tell you how many inches of water per hour that your sprinkler applies. An hourly rate of 1/2 inch is ideal for proper soil absorption. Here are some simple steps for using the gauge to control your water usage in your xeriscape garden.
- Randomly place the gauge on your lawn and run the sprinkler for 15 minutes. Record the amount of water collected.
- Repeat and take measurements in three to four different locations around the lawn.
- Calculate the average and multiply by four.
Conservation is key
Knowing how much water your garden needs can help you avoid using too much. During the winter, almost all household water use occurs inside the home. In the summer, lawn watering and other outdoor uses account for 50% to 80%. As much as half of this outdoor use is wasted through poor watering practices. Changing small habits can have significant results.
In a xeriscape garden, saturate soil once to a depth of 4 to 6 inches, determining the depth the water reaches with a soil probe or screwdriver. For maintenance, 1 inch of water per week is usually adequate.
Conserving water outdoors
Use a soaker hose to water flowerbeds, shrubs, and trees more efficiently.
Check sprinklers frequently for directional aim and broken heads to prevent watering sidewalks, driveways, and streets.
Place a rain gauge in an open area to measure rainfall. Supplemental watering should only compensate for the rain you don't receive.
Avoid watering on a windy day, and only water in the early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation.
Conserve with mulches
Mulches are typically wood bark chips, wood grindings, pine needles, nutshells, small gravel, cottonseed hulls, and shredded landscape clippings.
Mulches reduce weed growth, prevent erosion, and assist soils in retaining moisture when applied and maintained at appropriate depths of 4 to 6 inches.
Mulches can be used where conditions are not adequate or conducive for growing quality turf or ground cover.
For more information about how you can save water, go to www.pgcd.us/water-iq.
