H&R Lawn and Landscape

THE MASTER GARDENER

Xeriscaping: Drought Resistant Landscaping

by Robin Milliken

Creating a landscape with the goal to reduce water usage is called xeriscaping. Xeriscaping uses plants requiring little or no watering or those that can survive droughts. Cultural practices such as soil preparation and mulching are also used extensively in xeriscaping. Xeriscaping DOES NOT mean using no water in the landscape. It implies the managed use of water; in other words, the effort to reduce the amount of water that homeowners need to supply in additional to typical rainfalls.

Why Conserve Water?
Our climate has long dry spells, with fluctuations in groundwater supply from year to year, and “droughts” every summer. Careful use of water is important. In the average household, water usage doubles in the summer, primarily due to landscape irrigation. But water conservation does not have to mean a dry, brown landscape.

Some Myths about Drought Resistant Landscaping

1. Drought tolerant landscaping isn’t colorful.

In truth, many drought tolerant plants are prolific bloomers. In addition, by carefully choosing foliage colors and textures for contrast, color interest can be brought to the garden year round.

2. Only native plants are drought tolerant.

A great deal has been written lately about the use of natives but actually many good drought tolerant plants are available to us from other similar climates around the world.

3. Drought tolerant landscaping doesn’t require any water at all.

Even drought resistant plants require some initial watering to become established. However, once they are established, drought resistant plants will get by on considerably less water than we have been accustomed to lavishing on our landscape.

How to Conserve Water in Your Garden

Use a variety of attractive low water using plants.

Try a drip irrigation system to apply water slowly, reducing run-off and promoting deep rooting. Automatic timing devices allow efficient watering on a schedule suited to each area of the landscape.

Mulch can be made from readily available wood chips or leaf mold and acts as a blanket to keep in moisture. Mulch also helps prevent erosion, soil compression, and weeds.

Weeds can use more water than all your ornamental plants combined.

Preserve existing trees. Established plants are often adapted to low water conditions.

Porous paving materials such as brick, decomposed granite, or gravel used in patios and walkways help keep water in the garden, not the gutter.

Water in the cool parts of the day to cut down on evaporation.

Add compost to your soil to improve its water holding capacity.

Check for and repair leaky hose connections and sprinkler valves. Small leaks can be very wasteful.

Ask your nursery person about turf that uses little water and raise your lawnmower cutting height. Longer grass blades help shade each other and cut down on evaporation.

Don’t overwater — water only when the soil is dry.

When planting, remember that smaller size container plants require less water to become established.

Water trees and shrubs which have deep root systems longer and less frequently than shallow-rooted plants which require smaller amounts of water more often.

Drought-resistant annuals include amaranth, pimpernel, nicotiana, geranium, marigold, petunia, spider flower, annual phlox, cosmos, rose moss, annual pink, gloriosa daisy, dusty miller, annual baby’s breath, strawflower, verbena, lantana and zinnia. Perennials that do well in dry conditions are yarrow, butterflyweed, indigo, coreopsis, gaillardia, daylily, ageratum, liatris, flax, lupine, poppy, ground phlox, rudbeckia, soapwort, sedum, prickly pear cactus and many kinds of ornamental grasses.

Robin Milliken is a Landscape Specialist and Master Gardener
The Master Gardener appears monthly in The Olathe Daily News.
© H&R Lawn and Landscape

Links to other monthly columns:

Landscape Lighting For the Finishing Touch - January

Grow and Maintain a Healthy Birch Tree - January

Indoor Houseplant Gardening - February

In Anticipation of Daffodils - February

Shade Loving Plants - March

Secrets of a Master List Maker& Garden Putterer - March

European Black Pine - April

Plant a Flowering Shrub Border - Part I - April

Plant a Flowering Shrub Border - Part II - May

Create a Butterfly Garden - May

Summer Garden Activities - June

Subtractive Gardening or Less is More - June