Gardening with Limited Water

Water-efficient plants. Click to enlarge.

Most of the water used at home is used outdoors, so even small steps to save water can yield big savings. Little things like fixing a broken sprinkler or making sure that you are running them in the cool of the early morning rather than the afternoon can save lots of water. You can conserve even more by shrinking the amount of lawn you have, planting water-efficient plants, installing a drip irrigation system or adding a weather-based smart controller.

Saving water is not hard. We simply need to be smart about using what we have. Low water use landscapes can be beautiful while using minimal amounts of water.

10 Tips for Saving Water in the Home Landscape

Prioritize your plants Determine which plants are most susceptible to water stress. High on the list should be plants that are valuable in terms of replacement cost, prominence in the landscape and enjoyment.

High Priority - trees and shrubs (especially those that are young and planted in an exposed site). Large, mature shade trees and shrubs can be left alone unless the drought is severe and the trees begin to wilt, or the root systems have been recently disturbed.

Medium to High Priority - perennials, fruit and nut trees, small fruits and vegetables; turf that is less than one year old.

Low Priority - annual flowers and herbs, ornamental grasses, established turf. These are usually less expensive and more easily replaced.
Irrigate early Less water loss occurs from evaporation and wind drift in the early morning hours because temperatures are cooler and there is less wind early in the day.
Know your soil The type of soil in your landscape largely determines how often you should water. Clay soils hold more water than sandier ones they can go longer between waterings than sandy soils.
Mulch Apply 2 to 4 inches of mulch around plants to keep weeds down, conserve soil moisture and moderate soil temperatures. Mulching minimizes water evaporation from the soil surface, reducing the need to irrigate. Keep mulch 3 to 4 inches away from the trunk or stem of the plant to prevent rot.
Control weeds Weeds can out-compete cultivated garden plants for water and nutrients.
Add organic matter When possible, add organic matter (compost) to your soil. This will improve the water-holding capacity during dry weather and promote good drainage during wet weather.
Don't fertilize Or if you do, apply a low-nitrogen fertilizer. Fertilizing stimulates growth which increases water needs.
Avoid runoff and puddling by cycling irrigations. Let sprinklers run for 10 minutes then shut them off for 10 minutes, allowing the ground to absorb the water.
Use a broom to clean driveways, sidewalks and steps. Using a hose to clean can waste hundreds of gallons of water.
Select water-efficient plants When buying new plants, use some of the resources below to choose low water users adapted to our climate. Keep in mind that all plants require regular watering to become established, including California natives.

Resources

The resources below provide more information about how to create a water-efficient landscape and how to deal with drought conditions in your garden.

Note: PDF files open in a new window/tab.

Landscapes

Sustainable Landscaping in California (PDF) - UC ANR publication that describes steps to take to beautify your home landscape while conserving resources; it also includes information about using graywater.
Landscape water management - UC Center for Landscape & Urban Horticulture, includes questions and answers regarding water conservation and dealing with drought in the landscape.
Water Conservation Tips for the Home Lawn and Garden (PDF 93kb) - UC ANR publication that describes how to reduce water use and at the same time have a lovely and enjoyable garden.
Keep various plantings alive (PDF 93kb) - California Master Gardener Handbook discusses how to care for gardens under drought conditions or water restrictions.
Healthy soil Video (3:42 min) - California Water Boards. Healthy soil builds healthy plants and saves water too.
7 Tips for Landscape Survival during Drought - UC Davis Arboretum staff.
Save Water in Your Garden and Landscape (PDF 11kb) - UC environmental horticulturists.
Landscape Management During Drought (PDF 19kb) - Colorado State University information also applies to our California drought conditions.

Water-efficient plants

WEL garden plant list (PDF 106kb) - Sacramento Master Gardeners list the plants growing in the Water-Efficient Landscape demonstration garden areas at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center.
California native plants (PDF 120kb) - List of plants growing in the Water-Efficient Landscape at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center.
Arboretum All-Stars - 100 easy to grow, water-efficient plants selected and tested by the UC Davis Arboretum horticultural staff for our region.
UC Landscape Plant Irrigation - includes results of field trials by UC Davis horticulturists to evaluate landscape plants with the potential to be good performers in low-water use gardens

Vegetable gardens

Home Vegetable Garden Management During a Drought (PDF 20kb) - Colorado State University information also applies to our California drought conditions.
Some Vegetables Require Less Water (PDF 8kb) - Oregon State University describes which ones to consider for your vegetable garden when water use is limited.

Trees

Save our Water and Our Trees - ReLeaf California.

Lawns

Lawn Removal Methods - Sacramento Master Gardeners will help you go beyond lawn to a more water-efficient garden.
Irrigating established lawns - UC IPM Online describes how, when, and how often to water your turfgrass.
Lawn Watering - UC IPM Online, the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program.
Managing Turfgrasses During Drought (PDF 421kb) - UC Ag and Natural Resources.

Irrigation

Irrigation scheduling - information for turfgrass from the UC Guide to Healthy Lawns tells how to determine the amount of water and how long to irrigate a lawn.
Irrigating established lawns - UC Guide to Healthy Lawns.
Plan your irrigation system - UC IPM Online.

Helpful websites

UC Guide to Healthy Lawns - UC IPM Online, the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program.
Sacramento Tree Foundation - offers in-depth tree planting and watering guidance for our area.
Water-Wise Gardening in the Gold Country Region - Regional Water Authority offers extensive information about garden design, plant selection, and watering tips.
WUCOLS IV (Water Use Classification of Landscape Species) - provides guidance in the selection and care of landscape plants relative to their water needs.