Across the USA nearly 10 billion gallons of water are used to irrigate landscapes. It’s 2020 and water conservation continues to be a hot topic of conversation. But how can you help reduce the amount of water used across the US? Have you ever heard of a Xeriscape™? If you have you are more than likely thinking “Well I don’t want a rock lawn and cactus everywhere”. Good news! That is not your only option, you can still have a yard full of greenery and flowers all while saving water.
It’s a good idea to have a general plan of attack when overhauling your landscape, but for a Xeriscape™ it could be a matter of life or death…for your plants that is! Here are a few tips and things to consider before taking the Xeriscape™ dive!
Prepare your soil – A simple soil test will help you determine what type of soil you are dealing with. You may need to switch fertilizers, add more organic matter, or rethink your plant pallet. Organic matter is crucial to a healthy landscape because it increases the soil’s ability to absorb and store water.
Select the appropriate plants for your region – Choosing trees, shrubs, grasses, and groundcovers native to your region will do a lot more than conserve water. Native shrubs are less maintenance, naturally require less water and fertilizers, provide habitat for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife, and can withstand the hot Texas summers!
Water efficiency – Most homes in North Texas are equipped with some form of irrigation. However, many homeowners don’t realize they are wasting hundreds of gallons every year with their outdated or broken irrigation systems. This is something you will want to have inspected prior to your landscape renovation.
And finally, yes you can have a lawn- Turfgrass requires more water and maintenance than almost all other pants. Reducing the amount of open lawn will reduce the amount of water used, as well as picking a turf that is native to your region.