Managing Your Curb Appeal with Less Water  

by Steven Swain, Environmental Horticulture Advisor to Marin and Sonoma Counties

Water has been a perennial issue in California, and nowhere more so than Marin County. Calendar year 2013 had the lowest level of rainfall ever recorded in California. April rains brought some respite, but we are still in danger. As of May 12, our local reservoir storage (Alpine, Bon Tempe, Kent, Lagunitas, Nicasio, Phoenix and Soulajule) is 8% below average capacity. If you have landscaping, here are a few things a business can do to save water, and (over time) money as well:  

• Check your irrigation system - Irrigation systems require periodic maintenance. Components clog, break, dislodge, or become knocked out of alignment. Valves leak. Correcting a few problems can go a long way to a better looking landscape and a lower water bill. Place emitters under mulch near the drip-line of woody plants, not at their bases.
• Mulch - Covering bare soil with mulch -- whether it's leaf litter, wood chips, or compost -- can have huge benefits in terms of reduced water losses. Over time, mulch can help with soil drainage, fertility, and weed control. Mulching is one of the most cost-effective things you can do to help your garden.
• Eliminate weeds - Weeds compete with your garden plants for water -- sometimes quite successfully.
• Hydrozone - Grouping plants with similar water needs is "hydrozoning." A drought-tolerant garden can have some water loving plants, but they should not be on the same irrigation valve as dry-summer plants.
• Watch your plants - Wilted, sunburned patches on leaf edges, curled or yellowed leaves are all signs of water stress.
• Triage - If the drought worsens and you have to prioritize, consider saving trees or other large, woody landscape plants. A lawn is relatively simple and inexpensive to replace while a 40-foot tree is not. To keep trees alive, wet the soil to a depth of about 10"-12" at least once a month. This method will not support a lawn, but it will allow most tree species to survive. High water users, like willows, may need to be watered twice per month or more, depending on the soil.