Homeowners Guide To Landscaping
Northern California has grown rapidly over the past 20 years and is still developing. What does this mean? A high percentage of new homes have little to no shade in a state that is in a drought. This forces us to make tactical garden choices when landscaping our yards. While some may opt for drought tolerant plants that look like they belong in the desert - not a bad option but it isn’t for everyone - we’re here to share some alternatives that will help you celebrate the horticulture and history of California gardens.
When high water or full shade plants encounter sun and drought, you can let them struggle and die, or try to keep them alive through intense irrigation. This typically results in paying to replace your plants, paying fines for “over” water usage, or a dead garden that looks like it belongs on the set of a horror movie. When you design your garden and choose plants that require little water, you can meaningfully impact water consumption, save yourself time, upkeep, and expense to boot.
3 Garden Categories to keep in Mind:
Irrigation Options
Water in the Morning: You can save when you water your plants in the cool of the early morning rather than the afternoon or heat of the evening. The warmer it gets, the harder it is for the soil to soak up the nutrient water provides. This means you need to water your plants for a longer duration, which wastes more water and costs you more on your monthly utility bill.
Irrigation Timers: Installing and connecting irrigation timers allow you to customize your automatic irrigation system to your needs. This includes creating designated water zones that determine when and how much your lawn is watered. If you have a large area of grass or plants that need watering, this could be a great solution for you. These timers range in price depending on your needs and can even be set to follow local water restrictions.
Drip Systems: Installing a drip system reduces water usage by directly targeting the root zone so water isn’t wasted on areas that won’t benefit the plant. They don’t require a lot of leveling and drainage that typical irrigation setups require to prevent standing water. With drip irrigation this isn’t as necessary since less water is being used and the water is being directed at the root system.
They also create healthier foliage because the water doesn’t get on the leaves and burn the plant as it drys. With drip irrigation, the plants leaves remain relatively dry, preventing discoloring and spotting from fungus caused by wet leaves. Have you ever used a hose to water your plants and noticed how the soil breaks apart and creates a muddy pit? This is call soil erosion and it can hurt your plants. When there’s a large volume of water running off the soils surface, it depletes much needed nutrients in the soil. Since drip irrigation reduces runoff it minimizes the loss of nutrients.
While drip systems are a great choice for busy homeowners, it is important to note that they do require occasional maintenance. If you have a dog who loves to dig, you may want to consider other options or you can get crafty and sprinkle chili powder across the system to keep them from destroying it. Don’t worry, this won't harm your pet but it will prevent them from chewing your system. The overall benefits of a drip system far outweigh the cons.
Planting In Groups Matter: Another thing to keep in mind when you plan your yard is to place plants that have similar water needs together. This means researching plants that need similar amounts of water. You can either research this online, go to your local nursery and check the tags, or consult a horticultural specialist such as UCCE Master Gardner. https://sacmg.ucanr.edu
Plants & Plant Materials:
Drought Tolerant Plants: For a list of plants that need minimal water, we’ve included a link to UCCE’s WATER-EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE PLANT LIST.
Sod Alternatives: If you are impartial to grass and don’t mind alternatives, installing artificial turf may be a good option for you. While turf requires some upkeep, it is nothing compared to the amount of money, water, and time wasted keeping your lawn alive during hot California summers.
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.
Trees: Water-wise shade trees use little or no water once established and can cut down utility bills if they shade your home during the heat of the day. Some city’s even offer rebates or programs to incentivise homeowners to plant shade trees. You can typically find these rebates on your city or county website.
Architectural Features:
Walkways: Creating designated walkways out of pavers, gravel, or cement can welcome and create a unique experience for guests to experience that invite them into your garden. It also cuts down on the need for watering, saving you time, upkeep, and costs in the long run.
Entertaining Spaces: Installing entertaining spaces with architectural elements throughout the yard can minimize the need to water. Decks, stone patios, and cement areas can create an entertaining paradise while simultaneously cutting down on areas you need to water. Installing covered patios or pergolas can also provide much needed shade to plants along the perimeter.
Contained Garden Areas: When you design your garden with mow strips, pathways, raised garden beds, and other architectural features, you not only create a flow to your garden but you can designate contained garden areas. This makes watering more manageable and can improve the visual dimension of your landscape.
Tips to Keep In Mind Before You Start:
Adjust Sprinkler Heads & Fix Leaks: Saves 12–15 gallons each time you water and a leak about as small as the tip of a ballpoint pen can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month!
Plan out irrigation BEFORE you plant anything. The last thing you want to do is waste money by having to rip out the softscape or hardscape that you just installed because you didn’t account for irrigation.
Privacy Planning: In a day and age where cameras are everywhere, you may want to find ways to create privacy in your yard. Most of the homes in the greater Sacramento region have yards that are overlooked by neighbors. But when you’re planning your garden, there are a range of garden privacy ideas that will make your outdoor space feel more intimate.
Start Small: Bigger doesn’t always mean better when it comes to landscaping. If you’re new to gardening, or if you have limited time to devote to your garden, only commit to a small space or minimal amount of plants that won’t overwhelm you. If you're into farm to fork, concentrate on a SMALL selection of vegetables or fruit you like to eat that are also easy to grow.
Pay Attention to Your Soil: Gardens grow best in nutrient-rich, well-drained, weedless, and non-compacted soils. Before you plant each spring, take the time to enrich your soil with quality compost or other organic matter if you want to boost your soil’s fertility and your garden’s production. Mulch also adds valuable nutrients to the soil and will cut down significantly on your need to weed.
Grow What You Love: What’s the point of growing plants or even vegetables if your don’t enjoy them? Let your 4 senses (touch, taste, smell, and sight) dictate your choices when choosing plants. You can also try a few new plants each year to freshen up your garden.
Pollinators: Keep in mind what types of bugs you want or don’t want in your garden when choosing plants. Pollinators move pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower. This helps to fertilize the flower and make it grow. If you enjoy bees, humming birds or other pollinators in your garden, choose plants that they are attracted to.
Research and Choose a Garden Style that fits your ascetic by experiencing or finding photos of garden spaces you love and recreating them with your own spin. To learn more about garden styles, visit our blog post here: link to garden style post
