conservative watering with efficiency

May 1, 2009 at 3:47 am · Filed under Drought Tolerance

What with the new changing weather patterns due to global warming, we are now facing a water shortage, and rainy season which is much reduced over the more traditional winter rain patterns we have been accustomed to. Here are some tips to try.
We all like to have wonderful lush gardens, but some of us face water restrictions, rationing, etc. What to do? Do we just plant drought tolerant species and then have a less colorful season during the summer month? Not necessarily so if you think wisely about your landscape areas.
If you have a blank empty space, it is worth it to consider passive solar design in your planting scheme. This is simply explained as growing plants that will help you reduce your exposure to the sun in summer and allow that same sun’s warmth into your house in winter. This is easily done by planting leaf losing(deciduous) plants to shade the facade of the building during the summer and when the leaves fall in winter, they allow light to warm the structure. Small trees and shrubs(deciduous) can fit this bill nicely and provide a wonderful seasonal show depending on species selected. (This also can be applied to established landscapes by adding a tree or shrub to do the shading job.)
If you choose water conservative plant material, then that is wise for future water needs.
You might also consider planting a more drought tolerant landscape in the majority of the out areas, and then concentrate your thirstier plants closer to the house, or closer to each other. By doing this, you can have your lush garden area and still be water conscious with the rest of the landscape.

A simple technique to use when watering is familiar to many of us. That is the occasional deeper watering which wets those deeper roots. Thorough watering is much more effective and efficient than shallower watering at shorter intervals. With deeper watering, you are encouraging the plant to grow roots deeper. With more frequent watering with shorter intervals, you are encouraging shallow rooting. The plant simply cannot tap into subsoil moisture if the roots have not grown deep.
Another technique is to double water. Let me explain. This is especially nice if you water containers. You water your plant as always, letting the excess run out of the drain hole freely. Then you wait for perhaps 10-20 minutes and then water that same plant again. What happens is that the soil is wetted the first time and the plant roots begin to absorb the water. Now the soil is moist and you apply water again and that wets any soil in the container which was not wet the first time, and also allows the plant to take up more moister after the first watering. You will see a marked improvement in your plants if you water this way.
The added benefit is that now you can go at longer intervals of watering since the plant is thoroughly hydrated and can now go longer between waterings.
This also works in the landscape. Just make sure to check your drainage so that roots are not waterlogged and probe with a shovel to see how deep and effective your watering with this technique is when you begin.
Commercial growers have used this little known technique for some time, finding that their crops benefit from the more thorough watering.
Of course if the plants are wilting, water them! Don’t wait until the scheduled interval day. Pay attention to the weather conditions and condition o fthe plant always!

A fundamentally important thing is to check your sprinklers regulary and fix any which are broken, or broken irrigation lines, drip emiters, etc.
Also check your timers/controllers and make sure you are not wasting water by applying too much so that excess sheets off the area and into gutters, etc. You can usually program your timer to water at several shorter intervals to apply the same amount of water and have that water go into the soil, instead of flooding away, wasted.
A tip for ease of maintenance is to get controller that you can feel comfortable with when you need to use it/ change a program. If you buy a simple one which is more costly than a cheap one, but is easier to use than the cheap model, you will make yourself much happier in the years to follow.

Drought tolerant plants, xeriscape and mediterranean climate plants, native plants(not all are drought tolerant) are headings under which you can find a large and varied plant materials listing. Besides that, you can plant many bulbs(spring, winter flowering bulbs may need zero watering since they are dormant during the summer) and annuals(choose from among the wildflower mixes, etc.)
Suuculent type plants are also resistant to droughts and most cactus species are too. If you have an inclination to the rare, unusual, choose from the caudex/caudiciform plant species. Many conifers are also less thirsty species.

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Drought Tolerant and Native Plants

May 1, 2009 at 3:32 am · Filed under Drought Tolerance

As the fall season turns into winter and the rains have begun, take this opportunity to plant native species which are drought tolerant and drought tolerant plants.
Now is the time those plants make root growth and become established before the coming spring season and subsequent summertime dry period.
With certain plant families such as poppies, you need to be careful not to disturb the roots too much, but with most other plants, open the root ball either by teasing open the outer circling roots or cutting the root ball by scoring the root mass to free up tightly growing roots. This will encourage new roots to grow out into the native soil and become established by spring-summer next year.
It is also important to plant the root ball at the same level or slightly higher than surrounding soil grade. Most plants do not like to be planted deeper than the root crown. You can mulch the soil around the roots in the spring to help conserve moisture and lessen higher soil temperatures in summer.
In the prepration of your planting hole, you can amend the backfill soil with organic matter if it is heavy or poor in nutrients. It is better to make the hole wider than the root ball and just a bit less in depth of the root ball. That way, as the soil settles after waterings, the plant will eventually rest at the correct soil level.With native plant speices, it is important to plant slightly high since many are intolerant of poor drainage and appreciate the higher planting as they grow.
All native plant and drought tolerant species need regular watering in the first year or two to get them established. Remember that they are coming from a nursery environment which means they have had the best of care and are well watered with good soil drainage. Those roots need to go down deep in order to tap into lower ground level water before they can cope with severe drought and it takes a little time for the plant to get established. The plant will need regular watering until that time.

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