Save energy, water with ‘dryer’ landscaping method

Want to make your yard easier to maintain and less expensive to keep up? Consider Xeriscaping which reduces your lawn area and focuses on native plants so water consumption and maintenance are naturally lower. Xeros, a Greek word meaning dry, is the foundation of Xeriscaping (also called smart scaping, drought-tolerant landscaping and zero-scaping), a form of garden and yard design that originated in Denver to benefit areas lacking easily accessible, plentiful, or reliable fresh water. This environmentally-friendly method of landscaping has quickly gained acceptance in other areas. In the Spokane area, where we have the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer and no watering restrictions, it may be difficult to see benefits of water conservation. However, this environmentally-friendly method of landscaping is now gaining popularity in other areas which have plentiful water resources, such as Spokane and North Idaho, as the benefits don’t just pertain to conserving water, but to conserving energy and money as well.” “If you use too much water, it just ends up in the river…water that has been pumped to your home through infrastructure that has cost millions of dollars,” said Pat Munts, small farm and acreage coordinator for the Spokane Conservation District and WSU Spokane County Extension. Munts says a Xeric landscape will lessen demand on infrastructure, thus saving energy, placing less carbon dioxide in the air and creating financial savings for homeowners and municipalities. If you’re thinking about creating your own Xeriscape, visit the Green Zone campus at the WSU/Spokane County Cooperative Extension office, just outside the Spokane County Fairgrounds. Created in 1997, in conjunction with the Spokane County Conservation District, the Green Zone includes outdoor demonstration sites and indoor displays plus books and videos available for viewing on-site, and tours and workshops throughout the year. There are seven principles of Xeriscaping: * Plan and Design Determine the condition of your yard and garden, such as drainage, sunny/shady areas, views, soil types, existing plants, slope and water availability. By creating a rough map, you’ll more easily be able to prioritize areas in terms of water use. Xeriscapes can and should be colorful, interesting and varied. After you’ve established your plan, consider soliciting the help of the Green Zone and/or local landscapers. Think about how you’ll use your site: do you have kids and want it to be playful? Do you entertain a lot, and how and where in your yard would you like that to take place? Is there a particular view that you want to take advantage of? If you’re looking at doing your entire yard, definitely a daunting task, consider making the switch over several seasons. “Creating a (Xeriscape) in stages is often much more workable than trying to do it all at once,” says Munts. “Look at the areas that get ignored the most — outlying areas that really need attention — then work your way in,” said Munts. * Establish practical lawn areas Rethink your lawn with purpose and function in mind. How much time/money do you spend to keep it looking good compared with how much you actually use it? For areas where you want lawn, look for drought-tolerant turf grasses such as Fescue, Blue Gamma, and Buffalo grasses, which require less mowing, watering and fertilizing. Select appropriate native plants Native plants thrive in our region’s soil, climate, and elevation and usually require less maintenance and water than ornamental plants. Having adapted over a long time, they’ve learned to grow along with native insects, plant diseases, wildlife, fungi and other native plants. To take advantage of the Xeriscape design and purpose, group plants together – including groundcover, shrubs, flowers and trees — with similar soil, light and watering needs. Large areas of plants with low-water needs allow for maximum water conservation. Look at existing trees which may be suitable to your new landscaping plan. If the tree is healthy, can survive the stress of construction, fits your design, is compatible with the new environment, has compatible watering needs with the lower watering allotment for its zone in your new plan, and provides useful shade, then it’s worth saving and incorporating. (If you plan to move the tree, preserve all major roots in transport, provide adequate water, and maintain moisture en route to its new location.) Enrich your soil Starting with the richest soil possible is important for root development and water penetration and retention. Thoroughly till your soil to open it up to moisture and air and amend with organic matter, like compost or manure. Mulch Use mulch around plants to help reduce watering needs, reduce weed growth, slow erosion and help prevent soil temperature fluctuations. If you want to lay down a weed barrier, before your mulch, choose an environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic, such as layered newspaper and/or cardboard, thoroughly moistened. Mulches can include bark/wood chips, pine needles, and deciduous leaves. Irrigate Efficiently A Xeriscape can be irrigated efficiently by hand or with an automatic sprinkler system. Zone turf areas separately from other plantings and use the irrigation method that waters the plants in each area most efficiently. For grass, low-pressure, low-angle sprinklers irrigate best. Drip, spray or bubbler emitters are most efficient for watering trees, shrubs, flowers and groundcovers. Avoid oscillating sprinklers and other sprinklers that throw water high or release mist. The most efficient sprinklers release big drops close to the ground. Water deeply and infrequently to develop deep roots. Never water between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to reduce water loss to evaporation. If you have an automatic sprinkling system, adjust your controller monthly to accommodate weather conditions. Install a rain sensor to shut off irrigation when it rains. * Appropriate Maintenance Maintain your landscape routinely. Weeds take water intended for plants and can reduce the efficiency of your design. If you find a plant is growing poorly and consuming too much time and water, replace it with a more efficient plant. But avoid heavy pruning and your plants will require less water to maintain themselves.