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Southern Sierran
Waterwise LandscapingBY MADDALENA SERRA
Conservation Coordinator
Many
circumstances may affect your landscaping decisions, and since we are
now officially in a drought, lack of water and possible water rationing
might be one of these circumstances. Cost is also one of the reasons to
start considering your landscaping options: 50 percent of household
water is used for the yard and garden. David Lightfoot of Irrigation
Management says that “Most home irrigation systems use two to three
times the water needed - sometimes doubling the house water bill. Even
thirsty lawns and tropical plants are often overwatered. In the cooler
months with shorter days and lower sun angles and temperatures, our
irrigation controllers are still delivering water at the same pace. An
understanding of evaporation from plants and the soil leads balanced
irrigation systems replacing just the amount of water needed for
healthy plants. Mulch and organic amendment help conserve that water.”
With water costs predicted to rise 10 to 14 % or more it might be time
to start thinking about other landscape options.
I do like a
lush green garden but, having a very large garden, I realized soon
enough that my water bill was becoming very steep. Then a dog dug up
all my plants, a mad gopher seemed to prefer specifically juicy plants
roots, and my environmental conscience made me decide to start making
my garden a more water efficient one.
 | | A flowering California native shares a rock garden with rosemary and sage, PHOTO BY MADDALENA SERRA |
There
are many ways to approach a water wise landscape. You can create
various areas some with drought tolerant, some with natives, a rock
garden with succulents and cactuses in very dry areas mingled with
grasses. You can also start growing an edible landscape. Although food
crops do need water, they do require a lot less water than turf grass
or other thirsty landscape plants, they can be watered with very
efficient drip systems that place water on the soil next to the plants
only, not promoting evaporation but actually promoting efficient use of
water. Besides you are improving your health and reducing your carbon
footprint by growing your own organic and delicious food!
Changing
your landscape does need a bit of ground work especially if you are
planning to do it yourself. Read about drought tolerant plants and
landscaping, visit native plants nurseries and then slowly start
replacing the water hogs, stressed or dead plants with some natives. It
is not necessary to replace all the plants at once or even all the
plants. You can start by looking at your garden and noticing the shady
areas, the sunny areas and observing the drainage patterns and slope.
Not all drought tolerant plants either native or not like sunny spots,
but most of them do not like poor draining soils. Pick an area where
the needs of the plants that you are going to plant are met. You can
intersperse natives with established plants or even fruit trees, but
you need to group plant with similar needs to create so called “hydro
zones”. Drought tolerant or California native plants do need water
until they are established. Some natives tend to go somewhat dormant in
summer. Planting natives during the hot season stresses the plants and
success is difficult. The fall or early spring is the best time to
plant natives because they take advantage of the seasonal rains and
cooler climate.
The practice of xeriscaping, (landscaping with
drought tolerant plants), varies from area to area even within Los
Angeles County. Plants which are appropriate in one area may not be
suitable in another. For example not all drought tolerant plants will
do well on the coastal areas. There are many planting zones in southern
California and the conditions in these zones may vary tremendously due
to many microclimates. Water, cold, heat, wind, fog and air pollution
can also affect your planting choices. Landscapes need to be planned to
be compatible with the characteristics of the location, including
water, soil types and sunlight.
While indigenous plants are
naturally accustomed to local climates and are therefore good choices
for water and waste efficient landscapes, xeriscaping doesn’t mean
planting California native plants only. For example, one could draw
from many colorful drought tolerant plants native to other
Mediterranean climates such as Southern Europe, North Africa, Western
Asia, South Africa, and Australia. Los Angeles County website has a
list of plants that are deemed suitable for Southern California and are
non invasive. Sometimes small steps are all you need to make your
landscape more water efficient.
Xeriscaping conserves water,
povides lots of attractive planting options, has minimal pest and
disease problems, attracts birds and wildlife, needs little or no
fertilization, requires low pruning and maintenance and saves valuable
landfill space. Lightfoot also urges gardeners to consider mulch and
organic compost. “We look to our garden plants as the cause of excess
water consumption when the problem lies in the way we apply and
conserve water. If mulch and organic compost were as available as
water, we would have healthy waterwise gardens. Weather-based
irrigation controllers, used for years by farmers, keep pace with
weather and maintain savings throughout the year. Now, with water
issues looming on the horizon, the technology is being applied to home
gardens.”
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