Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona

Did you know that a poorly managed drip irrigation system can be worse than no irrigation system at all? If you are, the following TOP TEN LIST is for you.

Are you also aware that a poorly managed drip irrigation system can waste money as well as water? Are you reluctant to tackle your drip system because you count yourself among the mechanically non-adept? Well relax, take a deep breath, look over these TOP TEN WAYS to handle your drip system, and give it a go. Scheduling and maintaining your home drip system is more foolproof than you think and you can save yourself some money.

10. Once a year, look at your plant growth patterns. With any luck at all, you will need to add emitters where plants have grown and now need additional water.

9. Each year, move emitters out at least as far as the branches of your trees extend, adding emitters if they are necessary.

8. Delete emitters where water is no longer needed. This probably means that you have killed a plant that was once there. The Plant Police will not pay you a visit, but you should try to determine just why the plant died and whether to replace it.

7. Check moisture levels regularly. Make sure you water long enough to saturate your plant’s root zones, but avoid waste by watering too deeply. You can use a screwdriver or longer metal probe to test how deep you are watering. The probe will stop when you hit dry soil.

A good rule of thumb is to water lawn, flowers and vegetables about one foot deep.

Water shrubs and groundcovers about two feet deep and water your trees about three feet deep. If you are a typical unsure waterer, you are most likely watering too often and not deep enough.

6. Leach toxic salts out of the root zone. Double or triple your irrigation time at least twice a year to flush salt buildup out of the root zone. This is best done during the warm months when the buildup is greatest. If you work with Mother Nature and leach your system during, or just following, a good rain, you can save lots of water.

5. Clean the filter twice a year. Open the filter canister and inspect the filter. If it is dirty, which it no doubt will be, rinse or scrub it lightly until clean.

4.Flush the system twice a year. To flush, simply remove the end cap closest to the valve and let the system run for 30 seconds, then put the cap back on. Work your way through the system until all end caps have been flushed.

3. Leave someone more responsible than your brother-in-law in charge of your landscape irrigation if you plan to be away from home for an extended period of time.

2. Check your system regularly, while it is running. While you are out enjoying your garden take a look at your irrigation effectiveness. See any water puddling? How about wilted or fallen leaves? If you see evidence of leaks, repair them right away. It’s easy to do and goof-plugs will build your confidence!

Inspect your emitters every month for signs of clogging, or worse yet, signs that you’ve got a nibbler at large.

1. Adjust your irrigation schedule monthly. This is the best pledge you can make to your plants and your pocketbook. If you don’t adjust your schedule with the seasonal changes, you are wasting water at certain times and stressing your plants at other times throughout the year.

As the seasons change and temperatures cool down or heat up, you need to lengthen or shorten the intervals between, but not the duration of, waterings. Slow, deep watering allows plant roots to grow deep, prevents blow-over of your trees and also minimizes salt buildup.

Until they are established, new plantings need to be watered often. Gradually cut back on watering frequency as they become established.

If David Letterman had made famous the Top Eleven Lists, we would have added: Get out in your garden, your yard, or your landscape and enjoy it to the fullest.

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A Three Year Plan

There’s no law that says you have to convert your water-thirsty yard to a water-thrifty yard all at once. The speed of conversion depends on how much money and time you want to spend. Many people call upon professional landscapers to design and install their new landscapes. You may also choose to convert your yard one step at a time as a “do-it-yourself” project. Either way, converting your yard to a xeriscape will take time, planning, and some investment. But you’ll enjoy the benefits of lower water bills, less maintenance, and a beautiful landscape that will enhance your home.

The following pages offer advice and examples of how to turn a traditional yard into a water-wise southwestern yard over three years.

Creating The Right Irrigation System

You may want to consult with an irrigation professional for advice on a new watering system to ensure that your trees, shrubs, plants and grasses receive the appropriate amounts of water.

If you convert one area or water zone of your landscape at a time, your irrigation system may have to be adapted to the different water needs of each area. Look at your existing irrigation system and determine whether it can be modified or whether it needs to be completely replaced.

Conventional lawn spray-heads may be converted to drop systems with multiple outlet adapters (“octopus head”) and spaghetti tubes. (However, a pressure-reducing valve may be needed to protect the drip system.) Soaker hoses and micro sprayers are other irrigation options.

Set up your drip system so that it drains properly to prevent freezing and can be cleaned or flushed out to prevent clogging. Make sure your irrigation system meets code regulations and has backflow preventers to protect your family’s safety.

Remember, you should not mix bubblers, drip emitters and lawn sprinklers on the same automatic zone. Irrigation companies, garden stores, or other professionals can provide valuable advice.

Pick An Area In Your Yard To Get Started

You may have a “brown spot” in the yard because the sprinkler doesn’t reach that area. This would be an ideal place to plant low water-use plants-especially if money and time are scarce.

A sloped area with grass is another good place to start. Remove the turk from the slope, grade or terrace the slope as necessary, and plant vines or groundcovers. (Remember to disconnect or cap sprinkler heads on the slope.)

Another good place to start is at the border where the lawn meets concrete. Dig up a 12″ strip of lawn and plant a flowering groundcover.

Before you plant, you’ll need to move the sprinkler head 12-18 inches in from the concrete. If the 12-inch-wide strip you’re planting will get some incidental spray from the sprinklers, you can plant Iceplant and Saponaria. If it will be dry, plant Rocky Mountain Zinnia and Desert Marigolds. You’ll not only save water, you’ll also enjoy an attractive, colorful border.

Helpful Tip:

Retrofit curved and irregularly shaped areas. Install low-water shrubs and perennials – and a drip system! To prevent water waste running into the streets, reduce more of the turf area from the “zone” closest to the street.

Conversion Year One

Much of the work on your new, water-saving landscape can be done in the first year.

• Make a plan
• Modify existing watering system or design a new system based on the new plan
• Determine method to remove high-water-use turf
• Start working on easy-to-accomplish or areas in need of new planting

Make a Plan

Take some time to develop an overall landscape design. There are many quality books about southwestern plants and design which you can use as resources. You may also choose to hire a landscape professional to redesign your yard to suit your needs.

Determine what kind of “look” you’re after. Some water-conserving landscapes resemble formal English gardens, while others create a much more “natural” look using strictly native plants.

Make a list of the activities you want to accommodate. Will you need a play area for kids? Is an outdoor eating area important to you? Think about traffic areas and the most likely paths people will use. Then sketch a basic landscape plan by blocking out the areas suited to your activities and needs.

Note that different parts of your yard may have different climatic characteristics. For instance the south side probably has a warmer microclimate than the cooler north side. West sides typically get lots of hot afternoon sun and are well suited for arid landscaping. East sides offer better environments for oasis zones.

Talk to nursery or landscape professionals about what time of year is best to remove turf and set new plants, and how much water is needed the first two years to get plants established.

Conversion Year Two

This is the establishment period for your new xeriscape. It’s also the time to introduce new design elements, work into Zone 2, and convert another section of your landscape to xeriscape.

Continue to install plants! If Year One was used to establish perennials, add some annuals this year to fill in the space while perennials get established. Add more mulch.

Concentrate on maintenance. Remove competitive plants and weeds. Take another look at the irrigation schedule and see if you can cut back on watering. Hand-water only the new plants, not the entire yard.

Remember – Low-Water-Use Plants Require Water to Get Established

Most plants need water at least the first year (and often the first two years) to get established. Thereafter, you can reduce supplemental watering or eliminate it altogether (depending upon the plant and the weather). Follow instructions from a garden center for each plant and look at the plant for cues to the water it needs.

Conversion Year Three

This is the year when plants are getting fully established. Determine whether more of the yard could be converted to low-water use plants. Move plants around and fill in empty areas.

Practice continued maintenance by weeding while plants get established. Again, look at the irrigation schedule and see if you can cut back on water.

Cost for Converting to Low-Water Landscaping

Naturally, the cost of converting your yard to xeriscaping will vary depending on the plants selected, the size of your yard, how much work is hired, and how much you do yourself.

If you hire a landscape designer and start from scratch, installing a low water landscape is not much more expensive than a high-water. (The price can be equivalent, or it can run 10-20% higher-usually an additional $1-$3 more per square foot).

Doing the work yourself can be a budget-wise option. Planting Buffalograss and Blue Grama by seed can cost 12-17 cents per square foot (much less expensive than sod). Buying perennials and shrubs in 1-gallon containers instead of 5-gallon containers will also save you money (be patient, they’ll grow!)

Paying someone to install your landscaping may cost from $1 to $4 a square foot – or more, depending upon the complexity of your job.

Plan on paying $0.60 or more per square foot to convert an existing irrigation system. It’s advisable to consult a professional to determine if your existing irrigation system can be used. For instance, it should be designed according to code requirements and include a back flow preventer installed at the valve.

Xeriscape Saves

Xeriscape Saves Water. Drought-tolerant plants don’t need to be watered frequently.

Xeriscape Saves Time. You’ll spend less time fertilizing, mowing and watering.

Xeriscape Saves Money. Enjoy lower water bills and lower maintenance costs!

Plant a (Water-Wise) Tree

In hot, dry climates such as ours, people appreciate cool retreats from the fiery sun. One well-placed shade tree can transform a patio or deck from a scorching hot spot to a shady oasis. Buildings shaded by trees also require less air conditioning!

Irrigation System Tips

-Make sure plants with similar watering needs and rooting depths are placed together and are watered by the same irrigation valve.
-Always place your lawn on a separate valve from other plantings.
-If you plan to design and install your own irrigation system, ask for advice from an established retailer.
-Check your irrigation system regularly for broken sprinkler heads, leaks, clogged drip emitters or lines, and blocked sprinkler heads. Make needed repairs or modifications immediately.

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Are you tired of mowing, dethatching, fertilizing, and maintaining your Bermuda grass lawn? Are you tired of high water bills? By getting rid of your lawn, you can not only cut the time spent in your yard, but you can also save between 50 to 75% on your current water usage! However, remember that getting rid of your lawn is not a simple task. You need to use chemicals such as Roundup, Kleenup, or Doomsday, and use them safely; as plastic and felt paper are not effective ways to get rid of your lawn. See the Water CASA Publications button for a how-to brochure on getting rid of your lawn.

If you don’t have grass, but would rather a nice desert landscaping, one low water using idea is the use of mulch. There are many different types of mulch, both organic and inorganic. Organic mulch, such as bark chips, compost, and the plants own leaf litter are good in small planting areas, like planting beds. There are positives and negatives to having organic mulch. One great advantage is that it has the ability to absorb heat. However, it also decomposes over time and can float away if watered too heavily. Inorganic mulch, like rocks, granite, or cinders, can be more permanant and are better for large areas. These also help to reduce dust. Two of the most popular inorganic mulches in the southwest are river rocks and granite. Not only do these look more natural, but they are also easy to maintain. A yard vacuum or blower will remove debris, and raking occasionally will keep it smooth looking.

So, if you’re looking for a new look that saves money and time, or just want to get rid of that grass lawn, try a new approach that will save time, money, and water

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The weather is heating up, and winter rains have been all but non-existent this year. Don’t forget that your trees have to deal with this tough time just as you do! Are the leaves on your trees wilting? Do they have yellow foliage, brown tips, dead stems or branches? How about leaf drop? Any one of these symptoms may be your trees’ way of telling you that they need more water. Give your wonderful trees all the water they need, but not more than necessary. Try these water saving tips, as provided by the Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona (Water CASA):

• Always irrigate your plants slowly and deeply. Use a drip system, a soaker hose, or a hose turned on low volume, to apply the water over a period of several hours.
• For minimum evaporative water loss, be sure to irrigate early in the morning, preferably between 3:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. when it is coolest and winds are down.
• Be sure you are reaching the entire depth and width of your plants’ root zones

• Wait until half of the soil in the root zone is dried out before you re-irrigate.
• To help retain moisture and discourage weeds, apply three to six inches of compost, hay or forest mulch over your tree’s entire root zone.
• Forego fertilizing for now. It increases plant water use by encouraging new growth and increases the salt content of the soil.

With these helpful hints, your trees should be prepared for the dry season until the monsoons come to help out!

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Just because the monsoon rains have stopped, doesn’t mean you need to over- water your desert plants to compensate. The approach of cool winter weather naturally slows plant growth and, in general, decreases their water needs. Some desert-adapted plants prefer dry soils for long periods of time (ie: saguaros, creosote bushes, ocotillos).

You can give your plants and your water bill a break by following a few helpful hints from the Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona (Water CASA):

• Increase the days between watering. If you water every 3 days, water every six days for now. Then, lengthen the intervals as the temperatures get cooler and the days get shorter.
• Use the same amount of water you used for each summer watering, just water less often. A plant will maintain its deep and strong root system through the winter if irrigation times are longer and less frequent.
• Add mulch around your plants to help retain moisture. The protective layer will make the transition from frequent to infrequent irrigation easier.
• Fall is the perfect time to make irrigation system adjustments. Check drip emitters for leaks and other signs of damage after our turbulent summer storms.
• Add drip emitters to areas where plants have matured over the summer. Now is the best time to make changes before water demands increase next spring. Place enough emitters around the plant to cover its entire root system.
• Be consistent. Maintain soil moisture depth by using the same emitter output for each irrigation zone. Did you know that some emitters put out as little as 1/2 gallon per hour while others put out up to 2 gallons per hour?
• If the soil is wet, don’t water your plants. Check soil moisture with a makeshift moisture gauge. Insert a sharp metal rod (ie: long screwdriver or rebar) into the soil to test wetness depth. When the gauge stops, it has hit dry soil.
• Have fun! Southern Arizona is one of the only places in the country where we can enjoy our plants during the long winter months. Water CASA says, make the snowy- states ‘green’ with envy at your beautiful and water efficient yard.

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