Are There Any Ways of Conserving Water in Landscaping?
What plants are suitable for landscaping that would help save water, and stil beautify the lawn? Are there any preferred type of soil here? Does the soil still need any fertilizers? How to do this now- SAving water in ladscape?
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Tagged with: Fertilizers • Landscaping Help • Landscaping Plants • plants • preferred type • saving water • type of soil • Water Plants • Ways Of Conserving Water
Filed under: Your Garden Q and A
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if you really want to save water, ditch the lawn entirely. Lawns use way too much water. if you do not get rid of the lawn, don’t bother trying to save water elsewhere that’s like trying to bail out at sinking boat with a thimble.
oregon state university hort. dept is the best around…
If you have trees plant hosta’s all around them. They come in many different styles. Easy to plant, carefree. They do better tho in the shade. If you don’t have trees plant some, if you have room go for big trees, if not go for minatures or the mimosa is a wonderful choice. Ours has pink fluffy things all over them-flowers but not really, they are so delicate. They have long straight outcroppings with very thin but multitudes of leaves-good for shady/diffuse light.
You can conserve water by using a drip or slow release method. When water is forced into the air, it will evaporate. But, when you release it directly on to the soil, it will go in and you will save a lot of water. You can buy special hoses that do this or an irrigation contractor can install this type of watering system.
What you are really looking for is to Xeriscape your yard. Ditch the lawn, if you really need a green space, try astroturf, no water synthetic lawn, like at minigolf places, only you can get a much nicer quality. Or just limit the grass area to what you need if you have children or like to have a grassy area to play soccer or football in, keep what you need and will use loose what you dont.
Definately go to a local garden center and discuss your goals with them and try and choose local plants(including your grass if poss. or a drought tolerant kind like Buffalo Grass), and make sure you put them in an area appropriate for their growth full sun shade etc.
You may also want to check with your city see if they have any programs in place to help make your garden more water efficient, there are a lot of municiple programs in place especially in drought prone areas of North America.
Below is a great starters website.
As for grass, it is suppose to be long and lucious, we feed it a ton of water and fertilizer to grow, then as soon as it does we cut it. Thats a pretty big waste in my mind, especially if you arent every going to use it for anything but push a lawnmower over so loose the lawn, and go for something more intresting.
Another method you might want to employ is use of a "rain barrel". The kits are available at many online garden retailers. It’s basically a large bucket that ties into your gutter system. It stores rainwater for use in your garden, rather than using the public system or drying out your well.
Start with Native plants to that area.Talk to your local nurseryman (or woman) about whats available.Next get the pH in your soil balanced,and last but not least,mulch,mulch,mulch,and even more mulch.This helps keep the water from evaporating.
Some of the biggest water savers are things you put in the soil.
The best one is a crystal that turns into a gel when it contacts with water. It then releases the water as the lawn gets gets dried out. There are many companies that make it. http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=gel+water+soil&fr=yfp-t-447&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=water+absorbent+polymers&fr=yfp-t-447&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogel
And:
http://www.friendsofwater.com/Zeba_Amendment.html
Vermiculite and perlite are fairly inexpensive in large quantities but not as effective.
Difference between perlite and vemiculite:
"Perlite and vermiculite make excellent soil amendments"
http://homeharvest.com/soilamendmentsperlitevermiculite.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermiculite
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061124093439AA9Txlr
By the way, NASA is predicting severe future water shortages in the Southwest.
300,000 babies are born to illegal aliens each year. In just 20 years there won’t be enough water because all of the population growth.