Tips for a Water Wise Garden

BeWaterWise Rep · Post by **BeWaterWise Rep** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:10 am

Fresh water levels in Southern California has gone down significantly since July 2006. The region is facing a water shortage problem. Hence many people avoid watering their lawns to conserve water. However, here are some tips by which you can not only save water but also maintain a beautiful landscape:

Use California Friendly Plants.

Use Mulch around your plants to reduce evaporation of water from the soil.

Plant trees. Trees help to lower air and soil temperatures, reducing plant and soil moisture loss.

You can find more tips on water wise gardening at the Bewaterwise website.

In case you have figured out any new method to reduce water consumption in your garden please discuss it with all of us at this forum!

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:29 am

BeWaterWise Rep;1172167 wrote: In case you have figured out any new method to reduce water consumption in your garden please discuss it with all of us at this forum!

There are lots of ways to reduce water usage, start at:

http://www.water.ca.gov/drought/assist/ ... tdoors.cfm

and:

http://www.water.ca.gov/drought/docs/Wa ... ngTips.pdf

Links off that site, and far more only a simple search away - although, quite frankly, if the use of such things as lawn sprinklers is still allowed, I wouldn't say that the drought is all that severe.

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:04 pm

mulch is just fabulous as it holds in moisture........we have it around our trees and shrubs.

I also water my gardens first thing in the morning.......that way the water sinks right down...if you do it in high temps,

the water just evaporates.

We have 3 rain barrels....great way to water and it doesn't cost anything....they are at the back of garage, under the eaves and you cannot see them.

when watering hanging pots...take them down and water thoroughly......come back in 5 minutes and water them again.

once is not enough as it runs right out.........not a way to save water, tis just a hint........again, to save water, apply mulch.

ade901 · Post by **ade901** » Sun Jul 26, 2009 11:16 am

Don't use detergents and run the wastepipes from your bath and basin to barrels in the garden.

If you cut your grass, throw the clippings on to the beds straight away - they keep the moisture in.

Weed more - weeds take moisture out of the ground

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 3:55 am

ade901;1221544 wrote: Don't use detergents and run the wastepipes from your bath and basin to barrels in the garden.

If you cut your grass, throw the clippings on to the beds straight away - they keep the moisture in.

Correct on the second point ............but please don't tell people not to use their grey water. The only reason not to do this on a canstant basis is the risk of drying out your water pipes that run into the sewers. At least twice a week run your grey water into the sewers.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:48 am

Feeling really ignorant right now. Is soap a detergent?

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:43 am

Odie;1172444 wrote: mulch is just fabulous as it holds in moisture........we have it around our trees and shrubs.

Wheres the mulch coming from?

Trees !

Post by **Sunshine** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 7:53 am

Nomad;1227230 wrote: Wheres the mulch coming from?

Trees !

Yes, that is where it comes from Nomad. I also use mulch around my plants and in my gardens but I get it from a local recycling location. Most of what I use is what has been recycled from dicarded christmas trees and from the branches that the power company trims away from around the power lines.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 8:36 am

Sunshine;1227235 wrote: Yes, that is where it comes from Nomad. I also use mulch around my plants and in my gardens but I get it from a local recycling location. Most of what I use is what has been recycled from dicarded christmas trees and from the branches that the power company trims away from around the power lines.

Thats great but Im sure Oddy is using imported rain forest tree mulch.

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 2:18 pm

Sunshine;1227235 wrote: Yes, that is where it comes from Nomad. I also use mulch around my plants and in my gardens but I get it from a local recycling location. Most of what I use is what has been recycled from dicarded christmas trees and from the branches that the power company trims away from around the power lines.

Wev'e got that at our refuse centre. Basically you bring a trailer load of tree cuttings and clippings and they swap you with the trailer load of mulch. GOOD SYSTEM!!!

My mulch comes from my own property so I'm quite safe in terms of impuritys

EdisonCheug · Post by **EdisonCheug** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 1:47 am

well, well.. whatever, it is more important to point out that we should save water than that how we save.