Water Wise Landscaping for Your Garden

What are the two biggest users of water in your home? Toilets and landscape watering. In fact, during the summer, half of all household water use can be for the lawn and garden. However, it's possible to dramatically reduce your water consumption, lower your water bill and still have a beautiful, productive garden if you institute water wise landscaping. Just follow these eight steps:

Water deeply & Add organic matter to your soil.

Work in 3 to 4 inches of organic matter such as well-rotted manure or finished compost. Mulch around your plants with leaves, wood chips, bark, hay or straw. Mulch retains moisture and cools the soil. Add at least 2 inches of organic matter each year. Grow cover crops or green manures.

Deliver water to the root-zone.

Soaker hoses ensure that up to 90 percent of the water you apply to your garden is actually available to your plants. Sprinklers can claim only a 40 to 50 percent efficiency. Drip irrigation and soaker hoses minimize evaporation loss and keep the areas between plants dry, which also helps limit weed growth.

Cover bare soil - Use mulch to retain water.

Image result for use mulch for water retentionwww.fix.com Mulch is any type of material applied to the top of the soil to increase water retention, to decrease the growth of weeds and, in some cases, to enrich the soil. It works to conserve moisture by blocking the sun, helping the soil beneath to stay cooler and minimizing evaporation.

Harvest the rain - Use free water

It's true that tap water has been treated with chlorine and other chemicals to make it safe to drink, but for nondrinking uses, rainwater is a good, wholesome choice. Besides being natural, rainwater is usually soft, which makes it a good option for watering your flowers and plants.

Choose plants carefully

A plant that's satisfied getting most of the water it needs from natural rainfall will require a lot less work from you. For drought-tolerant perennials, choose varieties that are native to your area (or a region with a similar climate). These plants will have adapted to your climate and soils. For example, a plant that thrives in the Pacific northwest will likely require lots of additional water in the much drier conditions of Colorado.

Reduce your lawn

The bad news: It's a lot easier to put in grass than to take it out. In evolutionary terms, grass is a pioneer plant that can establish almost anywhere. Its roots have tenacious survival mechanisms. It can root in a crack in the sidewalk. It's quick to set seed. Those seeds sail on wind, hitch rides on animals, and insinuate themselves into the soles of shoes. Some grasses don't even need seed to spread. They clone themselves from the roots.

Plan before you plant

By planning your garden before you plant, you can take advantage of the characteristics of your site, such as sun, shade, wind and soil. Group plants with similar water needs. Also consider how your plants will get the water they need. Will you need to carry water to demanding plants in a remote corner of your yard? Planning will save you time and energy down the road. For more plants that are well-suited to your area, call your local cooperative extension or talk to someone at a local garden center.

Take care of your plants

Healthy plants need less water, fertilizer and pest controls than stressed plants. By keeping on top of tasks — such as weeding, thinning, pruning and monitoring pests — you'll water less frequently.

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