80 little things and one great big thing you can do to save water in the garden - includes related article on saving water and getting rid of unused lawn

Sunset, May, 1990

After four dry years, many gardeners in the West--particularly Californians who get their water from Coast Range reservoirs--are facing another summer of limited water supplies. Here we list 80 small ways and one big way (see THE GREAT BIG THING: Getting rid of unused lawn) to save water in the garden. For even more strategies and landscaping ideas, consult the Sunset book on Waterwise Gardening (Lane Publishing Co., Menlo Park, Calif., 1989; $6.95). In areas to severest restrictions, you may have to avoid planting altogether this year--or limit yourself to a few pots of color or a few tomato plants. Even if that's the case, you can use the interval to rethink your landscape, developing a long-range garden plan that incorporates lessons learned during these dry years.

THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN

1. Do landscape planting in fall (in snowy-winter climates, do it in early September). Choose plants suited to semiarid conditions. If your community has landscape guidelines, follow them. 2. Improve soil structure. Before planting annuals and vegetables, work in generous amounts of organic matter. 3. Get rid of weeds. Pull or hoe them so they won't compete with ornamentals for the limited water. 4. Mulch. Ground bark, compost, or leaf mold keeps soil cooler, reduces evaporation, and discourages weed growth. 5. Collect indoor water in buckets as you wait for it to heat up. Use clear water left over from cooking to water outdoor plants. 6. Water early in the morning or in the evening when the air is still and evaporation is minimal. 7. Protect tender plants, such as

young Japanese maples, from hot sun by covering them with shadecloth. 8. Shield plants from drying wind. Construct temporary windbreaks around especially valuable plants. 9. Sweep driveways, sidewalks, and paths, rather than hosing them off. 10. Control runoff on slopes. Use headers or make basins downslope from plants. 11. Use buckets to hand-water pots and landscape plants wherever possible. 12. Be a good gardener. Observe your plants carefully, dig into the soil to check moisture, and apply water efficiently and only when plants need it. Adjust watering schedules according to the weather.

IRRIGATION

13. Install drip irrigation where possible. 14. Use soaker hoses where drip isn't practical. They're less efficient but inexpensive and easy to use. 15. Automate sprinkler systems. Used properly, electronic or mechanical timers and soil moisture sensors help you water more efficiently. 16. Time watering. If your irrigation system isn't automated, use a kitchen timer to remind you when to turn off drip systems, sprinkles, or hoses. 17. Use hose-end shutoff valves for hand watering. Turn off the water as you move the hose from plant to plant. 18. Repair leaks. Fix leaky faucets or bad hose connections. 19. Clean clogged sprinkler heads. 20. Replace broken sprinkles or risers. 21. Adjust sprinkler so they don't wet sidewalks or driveways. 22. Periodically check drip systems for clogged or broken tubing or emitters.

VEGETABLE PATCH

23. Start plants from seed, if possible. Direct-sown squash, melons, and corn usually develop stronger and deeper root systems. 24. Buy small transplants. Avoid seedlings that are obviously rootbound. 25. Plant in furrow bottoms. Dig furrows 6 to 8 inches deep, then sow or plant on the bottom of the trench, not on the sides or top of the furrow. 26. Build basins around vegetables that need wide spacing--such as squash, melons, and tomatoes. 27. Plant tomato seedlings deep, with just the top two sets of leaves exposed; they'll develop better root systems. 28. Plant closer together. Space plants so foliage will eventually touch; this will shade the soil and discourage weeds. 29. Plant early-ripening varieties, since they'll need fewer irrigations. 30. Shade seedbeds to cut surface drying.

FLOWER BEDS

31.Plant for quick effects. Use blooming plants from 4-inch pots or 1-gallon cans to dress up the garden instantly. 32.Limit plantings of annuals to only the most important display areas. 33.Choose less thirsty varieties. Celosia, cosmos, gaillardia, marigolds, nicotiana, petunias, portulaca, and verbena need less water than any others. 34.Don't waste water on scruffy perennials. If they're old, woody, and blooming poorly, they're probably not worth saving. 35.Inland, plant sun-loving plants in light shade to reduce water loss.

ROSE GARDEN

36. Cut back on watering after spring blooom. Many established rose bushes--especially old shrub and species roses--can get by with surprisingly little water. 37. Mulch heavily, using at least 3 to 4 inches of coarse organic matter. 38. Remove suckers, but do no other pruning until next winter. 39. Let hips develop to suppress plant growth; don't deadhead.

ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS

40. Build basins around small ones. Direct water to roots and avoid runoff. 41. Deep-water big trees if soil beneath them is dry 6 to 8 inches down. Use a ring of drip emitters, a soaker hose, a deep root irrigator, or a slow-trickling hose that you shift from spot to spot 42. Wet only the root zone. Water shrubs 1 to 2 feet deep, trees 3 to 4 feet deep. Use a soil probe or dig a small hole to check penetration. 43. Keep grass at least 2 to 3 feet away from trunks of young trees so it doesn't complete for moisture. 44. Use natural mulches. Don't rake fallen leaves or needles from under big trees 45. Do not feed trees or shrubs.