Waterwise Gardening: Creating Your Own Xeriscape - Oregon State University

1. Waterwise Gardening:
Creating Your Own Xeriscape XERISCAPE
 water-smart or water-wise,
environmentally kind g
y gardening
g
 seven main components
Amy Jo Detweiler,
OSU-Department of Horticulture
MISCONCEPTIONS WHY XERISCAPE?
all natives  water conservation
few plant choices  easier maintenance
 better plant health
all low water use plants
 saves money
entire yard xeriscaped
 Reduce runoff
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2. 7 STEPS 1. PLANNING AND DESIGN
planning & efficient  assess your site – taking note of
design irrigation structures, topography, and
plant
mulching microclimates
selection
maintenance
soils
turf
1. PLANNING & DESIGN
 collect ideas
 consider your
budget
 do it yourself or
hire a
landscape
professional
1. PLANNING & DESIGN 4 HYDROZONES
(IRRIGATION ZONES)
 different hydrozones or High
adaptive irrigation uses
 Xeriscape 30-70% of the
Moderate
M d t supplemental
l t l
water
landscape
Low
 install in phases
Very low
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3. Hydrozone or Irrigation zone Approximate water use in inches Examples of plant material found
per week delivered within each within each zone indicative of water
zone use
high 1.5 to 2.0” turfgrass, willow, birches
moderate .75 – 1.0” crabapple, maples, oaks
low .5” or lower perennials, shrubs
very low natural precipitation native plants
2. PLANT SELECTION
 group plants with similar
water, soil
water soil, and exposure
needs
2. PLANT SELECTION
 site  adaptability
 mature size  non-invasive
 function  quality
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4. KNOW YOUR GARDENING KNOW YOUR GARDENING
ENVIRONMENT SPECIFICATIONS ENVIRONMENT SPECIFICATIONS
 USDA Hardiness
Zone  Microclimates
 Wind, shade, frost pockets,
 For use as a topography, drainage
guide only  Frost date
Spring and Fall
 Hardiness Zone is

not the same as  Annual precipitation
 Soil type
climate zone
PLANT FUNCTIONS
shade fall color
fruit texture
flower wind breaks
fragrance
HOW MUCH TIME, ENERGY, AND RESOURCES
ARE YOU WILLING TO EXPEND TO KEEP ANY PLANT QUALITY
ONE PLANT HEALTHY?
 overall appearance, check for
insects, disease, stress
 branch patterns
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5. 3. SOIL 3. SOIL
 Determine what type of
soil is native to your area.  Clay soil holds too much
 How would you amend
y moisture
clay type soils and why?  Add amendments to lighten soil (coconut coir)
Add 1/3 amendment to 2/3 native soil
 How would you amend

sandy type soils and why?
 Sandy soils drain too quickly
 Add amendments (compost)
 Add 1/3 amendment to 2/3 native soil
3. SOIL IMPROVEMENT 4. EFFICIENT IRRIGATION
 the goal is to create
an environment in  well planned system –
which roots are automatic more efficient if set
allowed to absorb up and managed right
water, nutrients, and  reduces water use up to 40%
air to sustain
healthy plants
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6. EVAPOTRANSPIRATION
(ET RATE)
 Soil water loss due to the
combination of evaporation
from the soil and transpiration
from the plant
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7. SMART CONTROLLERS
HOW SMART CONTROLLERS WORK… SMART CONTROLLERS THAT PASSED
TESTING WITH 100% IRRIGATION
EFFICIENCY AND 0% IRRIGATION EXCESS
 Irritrol Smart Dial
 Toro Intelli-Sense
 WeatherTRAK
 Rainbird ET Manager
WATERING PLANTS
SMART WATER APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY
(SWAT) PERFORMANCE REPORT:
(SHRUBS, TREES, PERENNIALS)
 water deeply (8-16”)
Irrigation Association
I i i A i i and l
d less often
ft
www.irrigation.org  new plants once a
week
 once established, as
needed
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8. Gallons per Square Foot per Year
20
18
18
16
14
12
10
10
8
7
r
6
5
4 3
2 1
0
Drip line Bluegrass Tall Fescue Wheat
Grasses
Moderate
Water
Low water
plantings
Very Low
water
Plantings plantings
Values taken from Denver Water Xeriscape™ Demonstration Garden
IRRIGATION TEST 5. MULCH
 dig down 6-8”  is anything that covers the soil,
 ball up soil including ground cover plants
 organic & inorganic types
If soil is saturated wait
to irrigate.
If soil is slightly moist
and stays in a ball
continue to water that
day.
5. USING MULCH 5. USING MULCH
 2-5” coverage  mulched beds
 properly apply – replenish as
 reduce weeds/evaporation
/ p
necessary
 prevent erosion
 Too much mulch (5”+) could
lead to root rot or make it
difficult for water to get to the
roots
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9. 6. USING TURF
 place where functional
 traditional: 90% turf
 xeriscapes: 60% turf or less
 choose alternative
plants or low water
use turf
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10. Alternatives to traditional
turf
Turf-type tall fescue Kentucky bluegrass
WATERING TURF 7. MAINTENANCE
 1-2x per week during summer  pruning
 early morning/day  weeding
 apply 1”- 1.5” per week  Fertilization
 Integrated pest management
 Winter watering
7. MAINTENANCE WHY TRY WATERWISE
LANDSCAPING?
planting
 water conservation
pruning
 reduce runoff/pollution
weeding  easier maintenance
fertilization  better plant health
 saves money
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11. HOW TO RETROFIT HOW TO RETROFIT
 reduce turf areas
adjust sprinkler
reduce turf areas 
system or irrigation
adjust sprinkler system or practices
ti
irrigation practices  Add a smart controller
 Add low water use
add low water use plants
plants and
to your landscape hardscaping
RESOURCES
 http://www.spokane-
county.wsu.edu/spokane/eas
tside/Waterwise_Landscapin
tside/Waterwise Landscapin
g/waterwise_landscaping.ht http://extension.oregonstate.
m edu/deschutes/sites/default
/files/xeri-all_1.pdf
http://extension.oregonstate.
edu/catalog/pdf/EC/EC1546
.pdf
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12. EXAMPLES OF
XERISCAPES
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13. 13

14. PLANT SELECTIONS
FOR
XERISCAPING
Woolly Thyme Woolly Thyme
Yellow Ice Plant Yellow Ice Plant
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15. Yellow Ice Plant Yellow Ice Plant
Mount
Atlas
Daisy
Purple Ice Plant
Mount Atlas Daisy Mount Atlas Daisy
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16. Partridge Feather Partridge Feather
Partridge Feather Pineleaf Penstemon
Pineleaf Penstemon Pineleaf Penstemon
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17. Pincushion Flower Pincushion Flower ‘ Butterfly Blue’
Clematis
‘Nelly Moser’
Pincushion Flower ‘Pink Mist’
Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’ Clematis ‘Jackmanii’
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18. Blue Avena Grass Compact American Cranberrybush Viburnum
Compact American Cranberrybush Viburnum Compact American Cranberrybush Viburnum
Compact American Cranberrybush Viburnum Compact American Cranberrybush Viburnum
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19. Serviceberry Serviceberry
Serviceberry
Serviceberry
Traditional Landscape
Blended Grass Mix or
Native Grasses
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20. AMY JO DETWEILER
541-548-6088
Amyjo.detweiler@oregonstate.edu
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