Xeriscaping

1. #62

   Use porous material for walkways and patios to prevent wasteful runoff and keep water in your yard.

2. #63

   Group plants with the same watering needs together to avoid overwatering some while underwatering others.

3. #64

   Choose the right Arizona-friendly plants and watch them thrive in our desert environment.

4. #65

   Reduce the amount of lawn in your yard by planting shrubs and ground covers appropriate to your site and region.

5. #66

   Plant species native to your region.

6. #67

   Plant in the spring and fall, when the watering requirements are lower.

7. #68

   When sprucing up your front or backyard, consider xeriscaping. This landscape method uses low-water-use plants to limit your water use.

8. #69

   Consider attending a landscape class hosted by a water provider. Most workshops occur in the spring and fall.

9. #70

   Avoid planting grass in areas that are hard to water, such as steep inclines and isolated strips along sidewalks and driveways.

10. #71

    Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.

11. #72

    Start a compost pile. Using compost in your garden or flower beds adds water-holding organic matter to the soil.

12. #73

    Use a layer of organic mulch on the surface of your planting beds to minimize weed growth that competes for water.

13. #74

    Spreading a layer of organic mulch around plants helps them retain moisture, saving water, time and money.

14. #75

    Use 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.

15. #76

    Visit your local xeriscape garden to view plants that thrive in our hot desert environment.

16. #77

    Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low-water-use plant and save up to 550 gallons each year.

17. #78

    Call your local conservation office for more information about xeriscaping with water-thrifty trees, plants, and ground covers.

18. #79

    Collect water from your roof by installing gutters and downspouts. Direct the runoff to plants and trees.

19. #80

    For automatic water savings, direct water from rain gutters and HVAC systems to water-loving plants in your landscape.

20. #82

    Hire a Smartscape Certified professional landscaper who has received landscape training specific to the Sonoran Desert.