Updated: Nov 13, 2020
Living in our beautiful state has its challenges with water. Luckily, our climate allows for a wide variety of native plants as well as plants from other similar regions. The key to thriving plants is great irrigation.
Once you know your soil is conducive to the plants your are planting, making sure your irrigation is working right and has these elements for top efficiency and thriving plants:
Good complete coverage of area
Watering at the roots
Minimum runoff
A smart controller
Existing Systems Can be updated Without Being Replaced
Automatic controllers can waste water because they always come on, despite conditions, unless managed. Switching it out for a smart one that can sense when to water can make a big difference in saving water and helping plants to thrive by not being over watered.
Sprinkler heads can also be updated to spray with less evaporation and more direct control. Rotators can help let water absorb while watering other areas. Drip systems are a great way to get to the roots with as little waste as possible.
Updating your system with these elements will make a huge difference in your water bill and your plants will thrive!
Conserving water has become woven into our lives and striving for the perfect amount for your landscape is essential in helping it thrive, and keeping water costs down.
Here are ten simple ways from the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources to insure you don't use more than you need when it comes to watering your landscape:
1. Select water-efficient plants that grow well in your climate and microclimate
2. ‘Hydrozone’: Place plants with similar water needs together and irrigate them accordingly (high, medium, low, and very low zones)
3. Let roots of established plants dry out between irrigations, water deeply and infrequently slightly below the root zone
4. If you do not use or enjoy your lawn consider replacing it with drought-tolerant plants
5. Mix soil amendments (compost, etc.) evenly and deeply into sandy and clay soils (40% or more by volume) before planting
6. Spread a 2 - 3” layer of mulch on top of soil around garden plants and trees
7. Water early in the morning
8. Control weeds
9. Avoid over-fertilizing
10. Sweep walkways and driveways , do not hose them down with water
These steps can make a difference in your water consumption. Adding smart irrigation systems, updating sprinkler heads and using drip irrigation can really help too! Need an expert? Call us at 661-222-7525 or contact us through here.
Updated: Sep 10, 2020
Good drainage is one of the most important elements of a well landscaped area. Without proper drainage, plants will not thrive and no one wants puddles of water around their property either. Making sure the ground drains properly is the first step to creating an efficient garden.
First figure out what kind of conditions you currently have. Not many places in California have to deal with high water tables, which can cause poor drainage because the ground water level is already high. Lots of clay can also impede soil drainage and extra drainage is required. Lastly, the ground being too tightly compacted, common in new building sites, can also be an issue and loosening the dirt is a good idea before landscaping.
Hillsides that are poorly graded creates water run off. Grading slopped areas is an important step. By terracing flat levels into a slope, water won't run off as fast and have a chance to soak in. Planting grass on a steep slope without good terracing and drainage can lead to brown spots because the water runs off too fast and does not adequately water areas evenly on steep areas. Ground covers would be a better bet for a steep slope where terracing is not implemented.
Smart irrigation and slow drip systems can also help in making sure your landscape is not overly watered and the water given can soak in. Avoiding run off and overspray is important when implementing a watering system and today's smart controllers monitor the ground and only water when needed.
If you would like help with your landscape project, contact us! Our award-winning experts can help with every stage of the landscaping process and maintenance!
