Water Wise Landscaping: Using Less, Getting More

We can learn a lot from the persistent droughts in the state of California. California water shortages have led Governor Jerry Brown to impose watering restrictions including a 25% reduction in water consumption. He also asked for local governments to help to replace residential lawns with drought tolerant landscaping. Many California residents have used this as a time to save money and remove their grassy lawns completely in order to replace them with drought-tolerant landscaping.

While the water situation may not be the same where you live, there is a lot of wisdom to using less water to care for your existing landscaping. In addition, there are a number of changes that you can make to reduce your water usage even further. In this article, we’ll look at some suggestions for using less water in landscaping. 

Planning

Working with a landscape professional to evaluate your yard may open your eyes to options you may never have considered before. Raised beds, mulching around plantings, mixing plantings to create pockets of shade, and native plants added to your landscape design are simple ways to reduce the amount of water you use in your yard. 

Water Smart

Watering plants and lawns in the morning or in the evening is one very simple way to make the most of the water that you use. This makes sure that less water is lost to evaporation during the day. When you water your plants, water them by hand rather than by using a sprinkler. It also helps if you water deeply instead of shallowly. Deep watering encourages roots to grow deeper, while shallow watering forces roots to grow closer to the surface; making them more susceptible to dry conditions. 

Little or No Grass

We love our lawns, but they use up a lot of our time and water. Another good option to save money is to use little or no grass. While you might not want to get rid of your lawn entirely, you can certainly reduce the amount of grass on it. By choosing low-maintenance plants to cover your lawn area instead of grass, you will use less water and spend less time on maintaining your lawn. 

Drought Tolerant Plants

When people hear a plant is ‘drought tolerant,’ they typically think of cactuses. However, there are many lush and beautiful shrubs, bushes, and even flowering plants that also need much less water to thrive. In American southwest it is not uncommon to see cactuses in people’s yards. However, if you don’t live in that region you might not want to start digging up your old lawn in order to plant cactuses everywhere. Different types of ‘drought tolerant’ plants might be a better option for you.

Native Plants

Plants and grasses that are native to your region are naturally acclimated to the conditions where you live. When cultivated in your yard, native plants can help you to reduce the total amount of water that you use. Check with a local garden center or landscaper to learn more about the types of native plants in your area.

Hardscaping

When driving through the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona you will see many hardscaped areas. Hardscaping is when grass is replaced with stone, brick, and gravel. Patios or walkways made from brick or stone can be attractive and require no watering. Hardscaping can create a look of variety, while reducing water usage in some areas of your yard.

A Lovely Yard with Less Water

There are a number of ways to reduce your water usage and save money and time on lawn care. While you might not be able to completely re-do your lawn, you could choose one or two things on this list and make it your goal to use less water to care for your landscaping.

Written by Clark Jones, owner of Tree Frog Complete Grounds Maintenance. Tree Frog is the best company for landscaping Columbia MO has to offer.

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