Xeriscaping

With the hot and dry conditions that have persisted in the area there has been an increased interest in alternative lawn and landscaping practices both in the area and across the country. These collective practices are commonly termed “xeriscaping” which was coined by a group in Colorado to describe landscaping where water conservation is the main focus. Whatever you chose to do in your lawn, make sure it follows all city codes and requirements.

Xeriscaping was coined from the Greek word “xeros” meaning dry and scape which means the pattern of landscape. A well planned out xeriscape will result in an attractive, sustainable landscape that conserves water and is based on sound horticultural principles. There are many ways to develop and create a water-wise landscape from reducing the amount of lawn area to auditing your watering practices to using mulches to cover the ground and finally using plants that tolerate heat and drought conditions. The first step to creating a water wise lawn is to start with a plan that balances your aesthetic needs as well as your desire to conserve resources. Just a reminder, xeriscaping means reduce water usage not zero maintenance.

One of the biggest aspects of xeriscaping is reducing the amount of irrigated turf in your yard through a couple options. Xeriscaping doesn’t mean no turf, just well thought out areas such as removing hard to irrigate locations and tight corners that are hard to mow. The first option is to convert turf areas into alternatives that require less water to maintain. Keep the lawn grass in areas where it is functional including spots that have fair amounts of traffic or areas for pets and children to play. Transition steep slopes that are harder to water to groundcovers instead of turf. The second option is to transition the lawn to a grass option such as buffalograss or bermudagrass that requires less moisture than the traditional bluegrass or fescue yard. Turfgrass has it’s benefits in a water-wise landscape including reducing run-off and environmental pollution while also moderating the temperature in the area. It’s also important to remember you don’t have to water the lawn unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Auditing your watering practices can make a big difference in the amount of water you are using as proper irrigation can reduce water usage by 30-80%. Consider transitioning to soaker hoses or drip irrigation in flower beds to only water the areas necessary rather than sprinklers. If you use a sprinkler system, make sure your system is adequately covering the area desired and adjust if necessary. If possible, change your irrigation system from watering everything to just watering in zones as some areas of the yard won’t need as much water as others. Remember to water deeply and infrequently rather than shallow watering, trees and shrubs should be watered to a depth of 12-18” while lawns should be watered do a depth of 6-8” each time.

In any landscaping make sure to cover as much of the ground as possible with some type of mulch to reduce evaporation and help keep the soil temperature cooler. If you need to improve your soil consider using an organic mulch such as bark chips or shredded mulch to add organic material to the soil. Rock and inorganic mulches will also work in most options. You will ultimately need to choose what works for you and is readily available in your area.

Have questions? Contact our office where our Horticulture Extension Agent will assist you with questions.

Phone: (316) 321-9660

Email: callae@ksu.edu