Go native with plants:

Nature’s solution for water conservation

Have you always yearned for outdoor areas that are useful, beautiful and low maintenance? Do you think your longing for a natural landscape just isn’t feasible with all the water conservation policies being enacted? If so, native plants might be the answer to your landscape concerns. A water-efficient landscape has functional lawn areas that retain moisture properly and  have plants grouped according to their water needs. Plants native to our region can help with landscape water conservation because they are adapted to our climate, and they can be watered less frequently than landscape plants native to other climatic zones.

Many of the diverse selection of native trees, shrubs and perennials can help communities tackle issues with too much or too little water. The utilization of Native plants are one of the vital and necessary aspects with regards to the ongoing struggle to deal with climate change. They can also be part of the solution to another problem – storms that dump heavy rainfall and overwhelm the infrastructure for dealing with storm water. By implementing into the landscape plants such as marsh milkweed, cardinal flower, bloodroot, and great blue lobelia, you provide a natural means to soak up the excess before it can run off.

Some natives have incredible root systems that support the plants in times of drought. Compared with the roots of most non-native plants, warm-season grasses and flowers have a deep, extensive root system that helps absorb moisture and prevent erosion. Many species of native plants have roots that extend four to eight feet into the soil, while cool-season non-native grasses, such as Kentucky blue grass extend only a few inches into the soil. (Which is why after a few days of not watering a lawn in summer you see a coloration change.) Deep roots allow native plants to withstand long periods of dry weather and so they require little or no watering after they are established.

Native plantings within woodland gardens as well as rain gardens set in a residential landscape design are much more effective than lawn grass in slowing down stormwater and filtering out chemicals and harmful pesticides that can be found within. The deep roots of many native species are able to absorb, hold, and gradually release this water—water that would otherwise rush into nearby bodies of water, eroding their banks and delivering pollution.

Native plants are trees, shrubs, and wildflowers that grow in a specific region where they have evolved over time, adapting to the prevalent environmental conditions. Because of this, they can conserve water resources more efficiently than nonnative plants, which are naturally adapted to other climates.

Check Your Soil: Good gardening begins with healthy soil. What kind of soil do you have? Sandy soil allows water to pass through it quickly, which means you’ll have to water your plants more often because they won’t have enough time to adequately absorb the moisture. Fill your soil with organic matter like compost or composted manure to improve its texture and ability to hold water. Not only will you use less water, but your plants will be healthier, too.

Water the Roots: Many people use a regular sprinkler system, which is only 40 to 50 percent efficient. Focusing your watering efforts on the roots guarantees that your plants will get the water where they need it most instead of losing it to evaporation. Soaker hoses saturate the area around the plants with moisture, drip irrigation systems drop water slowly around the roots.

Mulch: Mulching ensures that the soil stays moist by reducing evaporation and prevents weeds from growing and competing with your plants for nutrients. Use chopped or shredded leaves, straw, compost, grass clippings, etc. to keep the moisture where the plants can get it.

Timing is Everything: Connect a timer to your current irrigation system to control how often and for how long your plants receive water. Save even more water by installing an automatic rain sensor, which will shut off your sprinklers when it detects rain.

Place a Rain Gauge in the Yard: This will help you see how much precipitation your area is receiving each and every week. If you get about an inch, you can often skip watering for that week, especially if you’ve planted native plants.