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Waterwise Gardening
Xeriscaping (Planting to use less water in your garden and
landscape.)
Terry L. Yockey
 Many assume that Minnesota, "the land of 10,000 lakes," is inundated
with bountiful rainfall. Unfortunately, that isn't generally true.
Most lawns and gardens need at least an inch of water every week and
there are usually periods where we don't receive adequate rainfall to
meet their moisture requirements.
Xeriscaping is one way to cut down on water usage while still having a
beautiful low-maintenance yard and garden. (Xeros is the Greek work
for "dry"). You don't have to make your entire area drought-resistant,
but if you place all your thirsty plants in one section, you will
concentrate your watering needs and save time as well as water.
Another good way to cut down on watering is to reduce the size of your
lawn. You can either plant more drought-tolerant groundcovers or
increase the size of your hardscapes such as patios and decks. When
beginning any new landscaping or gardening project start with a soil
test. Your local extension office will give you a bag to collect soil
samples and for a very modest fee you will get an analysis which will
tell you exactly which amendments your particular soil needs. Good,
rich, organic soil is fundamental in retaining moisture and making
your garden more drought-resistant. Heavy clay will hold moisture but
most plants will do poorly due to lack of oxygen to their roots. Sandy
soil has very poor water-holding capacity and is usually very low in
minerals. Both need to be amended with compost, manure or peat moss,
before you can plant your garden.
 Mulching is also an important part of xeriscaping. It not only helps
retain moisture, but keeps weed seeds from sprouting and using
valuable water. I use my own compost around all my plants because it
adds to the overall structure as it shades the soil. You can also buy
packaged mulches at the garden center--although I don't recommend
using peat moss as mulch because it tends to cake and shed water
Rock gardens can be an attractive way to xeriscape. Most rock garden
plants are accustomed to dry, windy places and perform well in less
then perfect situations. Rock gardens take a little more time and
thought to do well, but are worth the extra effort when you do get it
right. There are many flowering perennials that are drought resistant.
One way to tell if a plant is a good choice for your xeriscape is the
color of its foliage. Plants with a silvery foliage such as many of
the herbs, are almost always drought-tolerant. Some examples of these
are the artemisias, catmint, and perovskia (Russian Sage).
Other
perennials that can also be included in your xeriscape are: Baby's breath (Gypsophila) Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Butterfly weed (Asclepias) Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Coreopsis
'Moonbeam' and 'Sunray' Daylily False Indigo (Baptisia australis)
Gayfeather (Liatris) Iris (bearded) Penstemon Peony Poppy (oriental)
Sedum (stonecrop) Spurge (euphorbia) Yarrow (Achillea) Shadier
SpotsBleeding heart (Dicentra) Candytuft (Iberis) Columbine
(Aquilegia) Gas plant (Dictamnus) Harebell (Campanula) Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla)
Monkshood (Aconitum) Obedient Plant (Physostegia) Violet Links to Fact
Sheets on Xeriscaping
Some require an Acrobat reader to view.Xeriscaping (Univ. of Nebraska,
Lincoln) Xeriscape Plant Selections and Ideas (North Dakota State
University) Xeriscaping: garden flowers (Colorado State University)
Xeriscaping: water conservation through creative landscaping (Colorado
State University) Conserving Water in the Garden: Growing a Vegetable
Garden (Oregon State University)
You can produce a Water-Wise Garden by following
these tips:
Planning and Design: Zone your garden into areas of high
moisture and drought-tolerant use.
Soil Preparation: Mix in a 2" to 4" layer of
organic matter such as peat moss, compost, or manures to improve the
soil's water and air holding capacities. Additionally, soil analysis
can determine your lime and fertilizer needs.
Practical Turf Areas: grass is beautiful, but it requires more
water and maintenance than any other part of the landscape. Use grass
sparingly. Replace grassy areas with mulched beds, groundcovers, or
other low water users. Select a turf grass that is adapted to the site
and is drought resistant.
Appropriate Plant Selection: select plants
that fit the site and the environmental stresses. Take growth rates,
mature size, and temperature tolerances into consideration. Native
Plants are best.
Use of Mulches: mulches hold in moisture while reducing weeds,
cooling the soil, slowing erosion, and providing landscape interest.
Replacing turf with mulched plant beds is a great way to lower water
use. Use organic, non-matting mulches such as pine straw, bark mulch,
shredded hardwood bark, or cypress mulch.
Appropriate Maintenance: Avoid plant stress by mowing properly,
thinning shrubs and controlling weeds and pests. |
