South Texas typically experiences many months of very low rainfall, and during the summer, water is in the news almost daily.

In urban areas, where as much as 40 to 60 percent of water is used for maintenance of yards and landscapes, we need to become water conservationists. We must find more efficient ways of watering, plan our landscapes better, and find plants and flowers that need less water.

Xeriscaping doesn’t mean planting just cactus and yucca or otherwise turning your yard into desert scenery. Xeriscape principles can help you change a traditional turf-dominated property to a water- and energy-efficient – and beautiful – landscape.

Let’s look at six basic principles of a xeriscape or low-water-use landscape: Planning and Design

In terms of where to start, a good idea is to visit public xeriscape gardens. For instance, San Antonio Botanical Center, Austin’s Zilker Park, or Landa Park in New Braunfels have extensive areas that show how to plant for low maintenance and low water use. Local nurseries should have examples of plants that are native or that are adapted to hot, dry summers and alkaline soils.
Sketch out your yard’s current flowerbed dimensions with existing trees, shrubs and foundation measurements. Note the location of public areas, private spaces and service or work areas.

Effective Use of Grass

Plan to eliminate or reduce high water needs of grass by introducing patios, decks and pathways. Large areas of drought-tolerant groundcovers use less water than turf. Choose tougher varieties of grass like Bermuda and zoysia as alternatives to St. Augustine.

Proper Soil Preparation

Now that you have a plan, figure out where you can convert turf areas into ground cover or massed shrub areas. Bed and soil preparation of new planting areas should not be where you pinch your pennies. Generous amounts of organic matter, such as compost and mulches, will reward you with years of fertile, healthy beds and turf areas that save you time and money. Mulch all beds with 3-4 inches of mulch or compost. Bare soils dry out quickly and invite weed growth.

Efficient Watering

Even xeriscape plants need a year or two to get established. During the early months, these plants need to be watered in like all new plants. However, once established, hardy native plants require watering only during the most severe droughts.

Group together plants that have similar water needs. Hand water whenever possible. This is the least costly method of watering, and you can control where every drop goes. When using rotary sprinklers, water from early morning until about 9 a.m. Adjust heads to low angles, which will in turn reduce evaporation. Keep sprinklers and hoses in good repair. A leaky hose or water connection wastes everyone’s valuable water resource.

Ordinances restricting use of sprinklers to night-time and early morning hours typically don’t apply to drip or soaker hose systems. These devices put the water right at the ground level where it is needed.

Use of Adapted and Native Plants

Finding well-adapted xeriscape plants is really the fun part of landscaping. You can recognize well-adapted plants by their ability to survive and remain beautiful in landscapes year after year.

Some of my favorite drought busters include:

• Vines – coral honeysuckle and trumpet vine
• Groundcovers – prostrate rosemary, Santolina, skullcap
• Perennials – Salvia (most varieties), Lantana, Lindheimer’s Gaura, Mexican oregano, rosemary, southernwood
• Ornamental grasses – Lindheimer muhly, Sideoats Grama, bluestem
• Shrubs – hollies, Nandina, Texas sage, Viburnum
• Trees – Texas mountain laurel, Mexican buckeye, evergreen sumac, Desert Willow, Vitex, Mexican plum, Mexican redbud, Chinquapin oak

Mulching

Mulching is the last, but possibly the most important, step in xeriscaping your beds. Mulching provides cooler soil temperatures, weed prevention, erosion control, and especially water conservation. Mulches can save up to 50% of your garden water usage, while giving earthworms, lizards and toads a place to live and prosper.

Mulch is any material that covers and insulates the soil without interfering with air and water absorption. Shredded bark or tree chips are just two of many different kinds of mulches that conserve water and recycle nutrients back to the soil.

Depending on where you live, use the most available materials to mulch your flowers, trees and shrubs. Oyster shells, pecan shells, cypress chips or cedar bark are surplus organic materials that would normally be dumped in landfills if not used as mulch.

Visit any of these sites for more information:

Sabot.org
NBTexas.org
ZilkerGarden.org