Two years ago when rationing was first threatened, the prospect of our water use being slashed in half came as a shock. Experienced local professionals had recently redone all our landscaping with drip irrigation and drought-tolerant plants, so our improvement options seemed limited and our investments at risk. Incredulously, our local water district was one… Read More Six stages of adaptation
Half a century ago, enterprising owners terraced our hillside. They built a home on level land with brick stairs down to a 42′ x 140′ plane cut into the slope for lawn. Fast forward to 2014 – year 3 of the drought and year 1 of our sustainability transformation – and this turf became a… Read More Grass be gone #3
Dry-climate landscaping in general, amid a drought in particular, perpetuates a surprising number of myths and misconceptions. Ten of the most common ones are listed below, followed by the facts with links to more details. The sooner these myths are debunked, the sooner more gardens will become sustainable. Myth #1. The current weather pattern is… Read More Top 10 myths, dispelled
Goof plugs, designed to repair holes in drip lines where emitters are removed, are notoriously leak-prone. Conversely, smart plugs, the term coined for a new creation borne of sustainability, are leak-proof. Goof plugs fail often and fail big. The 2nd worst drip irrigation leak, they can pop from a drip line to boldly spray 125… Read More Say no to goof, yes to smart
In March 2013 we installed 1,200 plugs of Carex flacca – Blue Sedge by the pool area right outside our door. Ostensibly a beautiful, low-water alternative to grass that could take foot traffic, it did not live up to its billing. It used just 25% less water than turfgrass and was unsightly up close. Walking… Read More Grass be gone #2
While most expert sources recommend extra emitters on thirstier plants, many claim a system’s emitters must all have the same flow rate. In fact, as I discovered last year, tailoring emitter number AND flow rate is a conservation and horticulture win-win. Plants, exposure, and soil vary markedly within residential irrigation zones. As WUCOLS III (Water… Read More Tailor emitter flow rates too
Plant removal is a savvy, albeit unorthodox, sustainability move. Some plants make you smile, and some bestow privacy or structure. Others take resources week in and week out, giving little in return. We have too little water for competing needs. That imbalance is analogous to too little income for clashing expenses, or too few hours… Read More Purge the garden
“Let me count the ways” is Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s tribute to love, and my lament to leaks. I have counted far too many leaks since early 2014’s rationing, and their waste is stupefying. They make water-saving opportunities like showers and toilets look like child’s play. Conservation guides detail conversions of ubiquitous lawns and thirsty plants… Read More Stop irrigation leaks
Ever wonder why some plants survive and even thrive with little water, high heat, and intense sun, while others struggle and die? The answer lies in their anatomical characteristics. Plants dubbed ‘’drought-tolerant,’ or what Sunset Western Gardening Book terms ‘water-wise,’ need little supplemental watering. Broadly speaking, these troopers have adapted their biology to: store water… Read More Choose wise plants wisely
The United States Environmental Protection Agency reports that landscape irrigation accounts for almost one-third of all residential water use, with families in dry climates such as the Southwest using twice that of their counterparts. Irrigating our lawns and gardens consumes nearly 9 billion gallons/day, of which an astonishing 50% is wasted due to inefficiency: The… Read More Water, water, where are you?
Landscaping Water Wise 