Til the Well Runs Dry: How Xeriscaping Helps Conserve Water

Til the Well Runs Dry: HOW XERISCAPING HELPS Conserve WATER U.S. is no stranger to droughts, and as of January 2014, declared a state of emergency in California. About 99.8% of the state is experiencing a severe drought, making it everyone's responsibility to conserve this precious natural resource. Weste ernor Jerry Brown The good news: saving water not only helps the environment, but also keeps money in your wallet. One of the greatest ways to save water is through xeriscaping. WHAT IS XERISCAPING? Xeriscape xeros + scape (dry) (view) Coined by Denver's water department during a harsh drought period in the 70s and '80s, xeriscaping is a landscaping concept that combines native, drought-resistant plants, irrigation methods, and strategic arrangements to conserve water. WHY XERISCAPE Reduce water use by at least 60% Minimize pollution by eliminating the need for gas mowers Increase the value of Eliminate the need for your property up to 15% chemical fertilizers and pesticides Low watering requirements means less maintenance 7 ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF XERISCAPING 1 Planning and design O Sketch an outline of your landscape, structures, paths, and existing foliage. Note where you can implement xeriscape elements, whether it's removing certain plants or implementing new turf areas. 2 Choosing the right plants O Choose plants indigenous to your area. Foreign vegetation has a harder time adapting and needs more water. Choose drought-resistant plants, which often have leaves that are thick, small, glossy, fuzzy, or silver-grey. Trees can reduce evaporation by providing shade and blocking wind. O Plants that need more sun should be placed on the western side of your landscape. 3 Creating turf areas Limit your turf areas as much as possible. O Determine where grass would be useful and where it might take away from other plants. Find out which type of grass is best suited to your environment. 4 Improving soil Your soil should ideally store water and drain quickly to prevent stagnation. O Increase the amount of organic material (compost) in your soil. O Keep your soil aerated. Add bonemeal, rock phosphate, and glacial rock dust to replenish nutrients and minerals. Irrigation O Avoid overwatering by using a drip-irrigation system or soaker hose. O Keep water low to the ground. Water deeply but less frequently. OA typical sprinkler system can produce 250 to 500 gallons of water runoff a day. Use a water reclamation system, which is designed to collect runoff from sprinklers and rain, clean it, and recycle it. Mulch Mulch is designed to: O Prevent erosion Maintain moisture and temperature * Eliminate competing weeds Cover the soil around plants with mulch. Use leaves, pine needles, wood chips, bark, gravel, or coarse compost. The layer of mulch should be several inches thick. 7 Maintenance O While xeriscaping is low maintenance, you still have to do basic plant grooming. Pull out any weeds. Thicken the mulch when necessary. Brought to you by Murray Lampert Design, Build, Remodel | murraylampert.com Resources: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-In-severe-drought-california-20140 818-story.html http://home.howstuffworks.com/lawn-garden/professional-landscaping/altern ative-methods/xeriscaping1.htm http://eartheasy.com/grow_xeriscape.htm http://www.palmdalewater.org/Xeriscape.aspx http://www.wresy.com/solution.html.