Planting and Watering Under Local Restrictions

How to water during local water restrictions in a drought.

Buchloe dactyloides 'Legacy®'Buffalo Grass
Item # 27050 		Buchloe dactyloides Legacy®
Legacy® Buffalo Grass

1 to 3 flats $44.95
4 to 12 flats $42.95
13 to 24 flats $40.95
25 or more $38.95
Achillea x 'Paprika'
Item # 10090 		Achillea 'Paprika'
Paprika Yarrow

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59

50% off! $4.00
Achillea ageratifolia
Item # 10010 		Achillea ageratifolia
Greek Yarrow

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more plants $7.59

30% Off! $5.59
Yum Yum Mix® - 12 lb. bag
Item # H0018 		Yum Yum Mix® 2-1-1 Organic Fertilizer: Earth Food

each $16.95
Buchloe dactyloides 'UC Verde™' Buffalo Grass
Item # 27058 		Buchloe dactyloides UC Verde™
UC Verde™ Buffalo Grass

1 to 3 flats $44.95
4 to 12 flats $42.95
13 to 24 flats $40.95
25 or more $38.95
New Mexico Privot
Item # 52550 		Forestiera neomexicana
New Mexico Privet

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Cercocarpus ledifolius
Item # 34340 		Cercocarpus ledifolius
Curl-Leaf or Evergreen Mahogany

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Mahonia haematocarpa
Item # 69435 		Mahonia haematocarpa
Red Berry Mahonia

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59
Buchloe dactyloides 'Prestige™'Buffalo Grass
Item # 27053 		Buchloe dactyloides Prestige™ Buffalo Grass
Prestige™ Buffalo Grass

1 to 3 flats $44.95
4 to 12 flats $42.95
13 to 24 flats $40.95
25 or more $38.95
Deep Water Ollas - Small pot 3/4 quart approx.
Item # 99805 		Deep Water Bottle Ollas (Oy-yas)

each $19.95
2 or more $17.95
SUPERthrive Vitamin/Hormone Plant Growth Stimulant - 2 oz bottle
Item # 99721 		SUPERthrive Vitamin/Hormone Plant Growth Stimulant

each $9.95
Saltwater Farms Sea Com-PGR Organic Seaweed Concentrate - 8 oz
Item # 99724 		Saltwater Farms Sea Com-PGR
Organic Seaweed Concentrate

each $12.95
Hot Combo #5
Item # 99575 		Achillea & Delosperma Combo

Combo $29.94
Soil Mender Composted Cotton Burrs
Item # H0035 		Soil Mender Composted Cotton Burrs
Soil Mender Mulch

each $9.95
  • Topic: Watering
  • Keywords: drought, water restrictions, water conservation, Watering
  • Date: April 2002

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New Plantings—Watering Requirements

  • Some very xeric native shrubs/trees will establish on one day per week potable water irrigation. Our nursery and perennial sales staff can provide you with this information. As a general rule of thumb, a 5- gallon potted, very xeric shrub/tree needs 5 gallons of water applied one time per week.
  • Most trees/shrubs and xeric perennials will establish on two days per week irrigation. This includes one time from a faucet (potable water) and one time from gray water or rain barrel water. Gray water and harvested water can be used anytime. There are no restrictions on the use of this water. As a general rule of thumb a 5-gallon potted tree/shrubs will require 5 gallons of water applied two times per week. A 10-gallon tree/shrub needs 10 gallons of water applied two times per week. Large balled-in-burlap trees and evergreens will need approximately 20 gallons of water applied two times per week. (Very sandy soils may require extra amounts of water.) Most perennials will need 1 to 2 gallons of water applied two times per week.
  • Container gardens (pots, hanging baskets, window boxes and whiskey barrels) may be planted and watered as needed. They are not subject to the once per week potable watering rule. This will be the most water efficient way to grow annuals and vegetables. Containers use much less water overall than annuals and vegetables planted in the ground.

To Make New Plantings Water Efficient

  • Use Broadleaf P4 on all in ground and container plantings. Takes 4 to 8 weeks for roots to grow into the surrounding soil and begin extracting water stored in the P4 crystals.
  • Prepare the soil with ample Soil Mender Blend compost mix and other soil improvement ingredients as listed on our Planting Instruction Sheet to encourage strong root growth and help hold water in the root zone. This is particularly important in sandy soils.
  • Fortify the roots with the Root Stimulator Combo Pack. Liquid seaweed and SuperThrive work to encourage root growth and minimize transplanting shock. Add to your irrigation water 2 or 3 times at two-week intervals.
  • Mulch all your plantings. Perennials should be mulched to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Trees and shrubs to a depth of 3 to 4 inches (but no deeper!) Soil Mender Mulch, crushed pecan shells, bark mulch (trees and shrubs only), pine needles and crushed gravel.
  • Create a “well” for irrigation water around newly planted trees/shrubs with a circle of plastic edging, a ring of rocks or a ring cut from the top of a plastic nursery pot. This is highly preferable over a ring of soil. The ring of soil melts and holds less and less water over time. Fill the “well” twice when watering to completely saturate the soil and root ball. Not needed when putting plants on drip systems.
  • Use saucers under pots, hanging baskets and window boxes. This helps the containers re-absorb water that runs out of the bottom of the pot.
  • When using drip systems be sure at least one emitter is placed directly over the root ball. Other emitters should be placed off to the sides to moisten the surrounding soil. When running the system to water new plantings apply 5 gallons of water per 5-gallon sized plant, 10 gallons of water for each 10-gallon sized plant, etc.

Making Extra Water Available

  • Install low flow toilets. They consume approx. 40% of your indoor water and save up to 30 gal/day per toilet. Low flow showerheads also save a lot of additional water. This water can be put on your yard rather than down the drain and help you minimize overall water use.
  • Use rain barrels to capture roof runoff and store gray water. Use rain barrels to hold water collected in showers and sinks.

Maintaining Established Landscapes

  • Established landscapes (with the exception of Kentucky Blue Grass) can be successfully maintained with once a week watering.
  • Set drip system timers to thoroughly soak the soil once a week instead of running it for a short duration many times per week. Established trees and shrubs will need one 3 to 4 hour soaking per week. Perennials will need one 2 hour soaking per week.
  • Mulch all your plantings. Perennials should be mulched to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Trees and shrubs to a depth of 3 to 4 inches (but no deeper)! Soil Mender Mulch, crushed pecan shells, bark mulch (trees and shrubs only), pine needles and crushed gravel are all good choices.
  • Water established and mature trees/shrubs once every two to three weeks. Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses covered by a layer of mulch to apply water most efficiently. Soak deeply.
  • Kentucky Blue/Fescue turf grasses will struggle with a once per week irrigation. It will help a little if you use of a wetting agent sprayed over the lawn to improve water penetration. Rent an aerator to plug the lawn. Then top dress with a ½” layer of Soil Mender Compost to mulch the roots. Remember that non-native turf lawns use up to 75% of your landscape’s total water use. Save precious water for other parts of your yard. Grass can be replaced in a single planting season. Established trees and shrubs will take years to replace and re-grow.
  • Take this opportunity to prepare to install Legacy Buffalo grass. Let Kentucky Blue grass die out so it can be replaced with native grass in future years. Dead Bluegrass can have Buffalo grass plugs planted right through it, saving the effort of having to strip off the live sod or killing it with herbicides and roto-tilling the dead stuff under. These native grasses can survive with much less water (even no supplemental irrigation) once established.
  • Remember to water trees that are planted in lawns. (or have their roots under turf grass areas) even if you stop watering the lawn. Place sprinklers to water out to the drip line of the tree while leaving open areas of turf un-irrigated. Established trees need a soaking once every two weeks.
  • Use organic fertilizers like Soil Mender Compost, Yum Yum Mix and others that will fortify the soil, add organic matter to the soil (increasing its water holding capacity) and nourish plant roots.
  • Minimize drought stress with the “Root Stimulator Combo Pack”:. Saltwater Farms liquid seaweed and SuperThrive work to encourage root growth and minimize drought stress on established plants. Add them to your irrigation water once a month through the summer and fall.
  • Avoid fertilizing with high nitrogen, chemically derived fertilizers Fertilizing with high nitrogen formulations will result in rapid, thirsty new growth that is much more susceptible to injury from drought. (lawn fertilizers containing 28-4-4 are the worst offenders).