As I remember last year’s garden, it seems like I was shocked by my water bill. Is there some kind of garden that wouldn’t require all that water? TK

Water is usually something we don’t really think about when planning or planting our gardens but somewhere in July or August we are usually reminded of how much water it takes to keep our plants alive. For those of us that want to conserve as much as we can, you might consider something called xeriscape gardening.

Xeriscape gardening is an approach to your landscape and garden in which you not only choose plants that have a reduced need for water but also create the landscape in a way that maximizes the use of naturally delivered water resources like rain or water runoff. You might have heard it called zero-scaping but that would be incorrect. Oftentimes people have the misconception that xeriscape gardens consist of cactus and rocks but that is not necessarily the case.

OSU has done research in which they found that up to 50% of our summer water usage is used on our outdoor landscapes. Xeriscaping is a way for us to better use our water resources while providing you with an interesting landscape in the process.

There are seven basic principles to xeriscaping: planning and design, soil testing, turf selection, plant selections, use of mulches, and good maintenance practices.

In the planning and design phase, try to select plants that need less water such as native plants, but also group those plants according to their water needs. This practice allows you to adjust your irrigation system’s water delivery to match the needs of the plants. Plants with lower needs get less water while plants with higher needs get more water rather than just watering each area the same amount of time.

Soil testing helps you understand what you need to do to improve your soil health. Good healthy soil with lots of organic matter will naturally increase the ability of your soil to absorb and retain water. Granted adding organic matter to your soil is more easily accomplished in the garden than the lawn, but using a mulching mower can help add organic matter back into the lawn area as well.

Fescue and Bermuda grasses are our primary turf grasses here in Oklahoma, but when trying to reduce water needs consider Zoysia or buffalo grass. For most of us, that ship has sailed but if you are making decisions for a new landscape, these are good choices.

Native plants are great choices for a xeriscape garden since they tend to have lower water needs, fewer pest problems, and require less fertilizer. Many of you have likely seen comparative photos of some of the native prairie grasses and how deep their roots go into the soil. On the flower side of the scale, liatris roots can extend 10 to 15 feet deep into the soil. These deep roots help them extract moisture from the depths rather than needing a constant supply from above.

And as we always say, mulch is a great addition to your garden. Not only will it reduce your need to weed the garden as often, but it will help increase water retention and reduce evaporation. It also helps keep soil temperatures more consistent.

We have a link to a fact sheet from Oklahoma State University on our website that lists low water usage plants that would be appropriate for xeriscape landscapes. You can find that under the Hot Topics section of our website (www.tulsamastergardeners.org).

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo: OK State Ag Communications