Make plans this winter to create a lush landscape with less water

By Dana Cook
WSU Chelan/Douglas County Master Gardener

Trail through Xeriscape Garden.
Incorporating drought-tolerant plants adapted to the local environment into your landscape will go a long way toward reducing your water use. Seen here is the Xeriscape Garden in Riverfront Park; the garden is maintained by WSU Chelan-Douglas Master Gardener volunteers. – Provided photo/Teresa Marshall
Dana Cook
Dana Cook – WSU Master Gardener. – Provided photo/WSU Master Gardeners

September temperatures ranked as the warmest on record in Wenatchee, with average temps 5.5 degrees higher than normal. Precipitation was 13% of normal. The U.S. Drought Monitor map shows Chelan County in a severe drought.

Climate prediction models expect this pattern of hotter, drier weather to continue. My response to our changing climate is to spend the winter planning to replace most of my lawn next spring.

There are ways to create a lush, beautiful landscape while conserving water, a finite resource. Xeriscaping is a style of landscaping that does just that – it reduces the need for irrigation. Now is a great time to consider what changes you can make in your landscape to conserve water. Keep in mind plant selection, design aspects, soil management and smart irrigation when practicing water-wise gardening.

Water-wise gardening depends on incorporating native and drought-tolerant plants adapted to our local environment. Native plants also don’t need a lot of soil amendments to be happy. Have a stroll through the Xeric Garden along the Riverfront Park section of the Apple Capital Loop Trail for some good ideas for plant selection.

When designing your landscape, consider grouping plants according to their water needs (hydrozoning). Another design consideration is using shade to decrease water needs. Create shade by using shade cloth or placing taller plants to shade smaller ones. Put your heat-loving, most drought-tolerant plants in the hottest areas of your landscape. Look at how natives exist in the wild for ideas on how to plant them in your landscape.

Improving your soil with organic material is a smart water-wise move. Adding 3-4 inches of compost and 2-3 inches of mulch will improve water infiltration of sandy or clay soil. Other amendments include aged manure or coconut coir (a sustainable alternative to peat moss). Is there soil compaction from new construction or high activity? Repair this to avoid water runoff.

Review your irrigation methods. While automatic irrigation systems make our lives easier, they are not set-it-and-forget-it. Are poorly placed sprinkler heads watering sidewalks or other hardscape features? Use drip irrigation for planting beds to direct water exactly where needed. Water deeply and as infrequently as your plants will tolerate. Water between midnight and 6 a.m. to avoid evaporation. Consider installing a “smart” irrigation controller that adjusts watering based on rainfall, soil moisture evaporation and plant needs. Prevent runoff by using a “cycle and soak” method. For example, run your irrigation system for three 5-minute intervals at one time, allowing the water time to soak into the soil.

Break up great expanses of lawn with planting beds. Use turf only for functional spaces rather than the main feature of your landscape. Allow the grass to grow a little higher during the summer months to decrease water evaporation. Consider turf alternatives – clover, creeping thyme, native seed mixes.

Becoming water-wise in our changing climate doesn’t mean you need to tackle a complete landscape overhaul. Start with one planting bed, or one corner, front or back yard. Or start with incorporating smart irrigation. Even if you have irrigation rights rather than city water, consider becoming more water-wise.

A WSU Chelan and Douglas County Master Gardener column appears weekly in The Wenatchee World. To learn more, visit bit.ly/MGchelandouglas or call (509) 667-6540.