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Designing a new landscape can be exciting – and with a bit of planning, it can yield a water-efficient garden of your dreams.  Spring is a great time to design and plant a new landscape and it is important to know the water needs of the types of plants you intend to grow to maximize [...]

The texture of naturally occurring soils in the greater Southwestern United States can range from clay to sandy, both of which are often devoid of oxygen, organic matter and nitrogen – elements which are all needed for plant growth.  Clay soils can be so compact that very little water is able to penetrate, whereas sandy [...]

Installing a rain water gauge on your property will help you determine how many inches of rain have fallen.  Knowing the average weekly precipitation amount helps gardeners apply the correct amount of water with automatic irrigation systems.  Drought stress can hurt landscape plants, but over-watering can also kill plants by depriving the roots of oxygen. [...]

Most households continue to produce yard waste during the winter season, which can be recycled into compost for use in landscapes and gardens in the spring.  Using compost in the landscape improves the nutrient profile and structure of the soil, and reduces plant diseases and pests.  Healthy soil and plants reduce the need for water, [...]

Mulch is any covering placed around plants. Mulch conserves water because and prevents erosion by slowing runoff and permitting your landscape to better absorb and retain water from winter rains. Mulch also suppresses weed growth, shelters the soil from temperature extremes and improves appearance of your landscape. Viewer Tip: Apply a two- to three-inch layer [...]

Weather-based irrigation controllers can easily save 25 percent or more of the water applied to your landscape.  The arrival of fall means cooler temperatures and the onset of rain, and typically gardens and landscapes need to be watered less frequently, if at all.  A weather-based irrigation controller equipped with a rain sensor will prevent your [...]

Drip irrigation can save up to 50 percent on your outside water usage. Water applied using drip irrigation is applied more slowly than other methods, such as overhead spray and hand-watering.  The water is absorbed into the soil rather than running off onto sidewalks and ultimately into storm drains. Drip irrigation is great for watering [...]