Since all plants do not need the same amount of water to survive, the prior steps (planning & design, soil improvement, minimizing turf, and appropriate plant selection) help group the plants according to the quantity of water required (Landscape Design Advisor, 2007). By arranging the plants in accordance with those processes the least amount of water will be wasted from over watering and runoff. Typically, drip irrigation systems are the most efficient watering arrangements because it allows for the most control. Drip irrigation provides control over the amount and the time the plants receive water (Northern Garden Supply, 2007). This type of system is ideal because all plants require slightly more water the first few years before the have become established. After the plant matures, it needs slightly less water (Iannotti, 2008). “Xeriscape Gardening” Drip irrigation is a water conserving alternative to lawn sprinklers and has been called drip It runs at a low pressure to gradually and “subsurface irrigation”. precisely deliver water to the roots using plastic tubing (Shock, 2006). plant’s Not only does drip irrigation reduce the amount of water emitted from the irrigation system, but it reduces the amount of water wasted by runoff, evaporation, and overspray. Drip irrigation originated in areas without a large supply of water and has become popular in all types of climates to reduce the cost of irrigation (Northern Garden Supply, 2007). Figure : Diagram for a standard drip irrigation system (Shock, 2006) Use of Mulch Mulch can be anything from store-bought shredded bark and compost to naturally occurring leaves and debris (Landscape Design Advisor, 2007). The purpose of mulch is to moderate soil temperature, capture moisture, reduce erosion, and lessen the amount of weeds that could detract from the food plants’ and water supply (Beaulieu, 10 2008). Since the mulch gradually “Top Tips”
Since all plants do not need the same amount of water to survive, the prior steps (planning & design, soil improvement, minimizing turf, and appropriate plant selection) help group the plants according to the quantity of water required (Landscape Design Advisor, 2007). By arranging the plants in accordance with those processes the least amount of water will be wasted from over watering and runoff. Typically, drip irrigation systems are the most efficient watering arrangements because it allows for the most control. Drip irrigation provides control over the amount and the time the plants receive water (Northern Garden Supply, 2007). This type of system is ideal because all plants require slightly more water the first few years before the have become established. After the plant matures, it needs slightly less water (Iannotti, “Xeriscape Gardening” 2008). Drip irrigation is a water conserving alternative to lawn sprinklers and has been called “subsurface drip irrigation”. It runs at a low pressure to gradually and precisely deliver water to the plant’s roots using plastic tubing (Shock, 2006). Not only does drip irrigation reduce the amount of water emitted from the irrigation system, but it reduces the amount of water wasted by runoff, evaporation, and overspray. Drip irrigation originated in areas without a large supply of water and has become popular in all types of climates to reduce the cost of irrigation (Northern Garden Supply, 2007). Figure : Diagram for a standard drip irrigation system (Shock, 2006) Use of Mulch Mulch can be anything from store-bought shredded bark and compost to naturally occurring leaves and debris (Landscape Design Advisor, 2007). The purpose of mulch is to moderate soil temperature, capture moisture, reduce erosion, and lessen the amount of weeds that could detract from the plants’ food and water supply (Beaulieu, “Top 10 Tips” 2008). Since the mulch gradually