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Encourage pollinators to visit your sustainable landscaping with plants that attract bees, butterflies, and others. Photo: Flickr/Creative Commons

Planting for Pollinators

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Plants and insects need each other to survive. Nature provides checks and balances in a garden. You can attract insects and creatures that help maintain the healthy balance of a garden without pesticides.  

Flowering plants rely on insects for pollination, and thus reproduction. In turn plants feed and house insects. Some bugs eat too much, destroying their plant hosts and spreading disease. Other beneficial insects fight off the destructive species, eating them or disrupting their reproductive process. 

Birds, bats and lizards help too, consuming pests both large and small.  

Actively cultivating a diversity of plants in the landscape that flower at different times of the year attracts helpful insects and predators. It also improves the resilience of gardens and reduces the need for chemicals.  

To attract more garden helpers, like mason bees and lizards, create habitat for them. Consider getting establishing a nesting box for bees. Leave a small rock pile for lizards to inhabit. Put a large tree branch in the garden and let it decompose naturally.   

Plant a Butterfly Garden 

Many specific of native Verbenas are excellent choices to attract pollinators to your sustainable landscaping. Photo: WIkimedia Commons

Many specific of native Verbenas are excellent choices to attract pollinators to your sustainable landscaping. Photo: WIkimedia Commons

There are many plants that support the lifecycle of butterflies. Try to use several in your garden to boost larvae and caterpillars as well as the full-grown, nectar seeking adults. Some good choices: 

Narrow Leaf Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) 

Island Alum Root (Heuchera maxima) 

San Miguel Island Buckwheat (Eriogonum grande var. rubescens) 

Cedros Island Verbena (Verbena lilacina) 

Island Bush Snapdragon (Gambelia speciosa)  

Got Bees? 

Not all ground needs to be covered in mulch. Try designating a five- to ten-square-foot patch of open ground for ground-nesting bees and insects, especially if your garden contains San Diego native plants.  

 

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.    

 

 

  

Fruit trees, especially citrus, thrive in San Diego County’s climates with just a little bit of care. The Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana) is a good choice with spectacular blooms. Photo: WIkimedia/Creative Commons License Edible Plants climate zone

Incredible Edibles In Your Sustainable Landscaping

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You don’t have to be a farmer to enjoy edible plants in your sustainable landscaping. Many native plants and herbs have fruit and leaves you can harvest. They can be mixed into any climate-appropriate planting design.

Organic growing methods including sheet mulching (as explained in an earlier post) and integrated pest management ensure the health of the soil, crops, and people who enjoy them.

It’s smart to position edible plants together in your landscaping to take advantage of their irrigation needs in a limited area. If the rest of the landscaping is using minimal water, you can spare a little more for your fruits and veggies in their specific zone. Be sure to irrigate with the most efficient system possible.

Five fruit trees to enjoy

Improved Meyer Lemon trees (Citrus ‘Improved Meyer’) are popular sustainable landscaping features in San Diego County gardens. Photo: Wikimedia/Creative Commons

Improved Meyer Lemon trees (Citrus ‘Improved Meyer’) are popular sustainable landscaping features in San Diego County gardens. Photo: Wikimedia/Creative Commons

Fruit trees, especially citrus, thrive in San Diego County’s climates with just a little bit of care. Some top choices include:

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Chinese Date (Ziziphus jujuba)

Santa Rosa Plum (Prunus salicina)

Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana)

Improved Meyer Lemon (Citrus ‘Improved Meyer’)

 

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.

 

 

The Desert Museum Palo Verde tree is an ideal low water use choice for Southern California landscaping. Photo: Danielle Bardgette/Creative Commons-Flickr trees

More Trees, Please

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Planting trees improves water quality by reducing runoff and soil erosion. It’s also good for the wallet. Healthy, mature trees can add an average of 10 percent to a property’s overall value. 

Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent, and can save 20 to 50 percent of the energy used for heating. 

Consider the mature size of the three when you first plant it. At the store, it’s probably in a 15-gallon container, but a small tree will grow into a 30-foot tall tree with a 30-foot wide canopy of branches in a few years. If you have selected a large tree, it could be 70 feet tall and equally as wide.  

Make sure the placement of the tree is sufficiently far away from homes and other structures. Small trees (30 feet wide or less at maturity) should be placed no closer than 10 feet. Large trees (70 feet wide or more at maturity) should be planted at least 20 feet from houses.  

Five low water landscape trees 

The Desert Museum Palo Verde tree is an ideal low water use choice for Southern California landscaping. Photo: Danielle Bardgette/Creative Commons-Flickr trees

The Desert Museum Palo Verde tree is an ideal low water use choice for Southern California landscaping. Photo: Danielle Bardgette/Creative Commons-Flickr

Not sure which trees are smart water-wise choices for the San Diego region? These are five favorites. 

Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) 

Desert Museum Palo Verde (Parkinsonia ‘Desert Museum’) 

CA Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) 

Catalina Ironwood (Lyonothamus floribundus) 

Hybrid Strawberry Tree (Arbutus ‘Manna’)  

Consider large shrubs as alternative choices 

California Mountain Lilac grows as a native plan throughout California. It attracts butterflies and other insects. Photo: Wanderingnome/Creative Commons-Flickr trees

California Mountain Lilac grows as a native plan throughout California. It attracts butterflies and other insects. Photo: Wanderingnome/Creative Commons-Flickr

Large shrubs can be good choices for screening unwanted views. But be considerate of the viewshed of your neighborhood. Will the shrubs block a special view for others?  

Several of the best low-water trees and shrubs for screening are:  

Catalina Cherry (Prunus iliofolia ssp. Lyonii) 

Pacific Was Myrtle (Myrica california)  

Torrey Pine (Pinus torreyana) 

Tecate Cypress (Cuppressus forbesii) 

California Mountain Lilac (Ceanothus ‘Ray Hartman’)  

 

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.    

 

 

  

Hold Onto Your Hillsides and Slopes

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Many San Diego County residents live near canyons, which are valuable natural resources. Native canyon hillsides should be not be disturbed.  

When planting in previously disturbed or built slopes and hillsides, low-water plants, trees, deep-rooted native plant species, and climate-appropriate plants with strong root structures should be selected. Their powerful root systems can help hold the soil together.  

If your slope is gentle with a 33 percent grade or less, coarse compost and mulch can be applied directly to hillside and slope surfaces. That will provide protection from rainfall and shade exposed soils. With occasional and gentle irrigation, mulch will “knit” together. 

Compost blankets are another type of erosion control mat applied that can protect and preserve soil surfaces. They can be used alone, with coir mats or other organic-engineered material with biodegradable grids for stabilization. Mats allow water to penetrate to the underlying soils while retaining loose soil and debris, preventing erosion. You can plant right through them, or use pre-seeded products.  

Hillside irrigation tips 

When preparing a hillside for planting, determine how you plan to irrigate before doing any work. Low-volume rotating spray heads are ideal for sloped areas, if the space is large and the groundcover is uniform. Inline emitter drip tubing can also be effective, especially for shrubs and trees spaced farther apart. 

Water can be applied in repeated short periods during any given day, so that it can be fully absorbed between applications. Runoff, erosion and efficient deep watering are always important issues to keep in mind, but especially on hillsides. 

NOTE: When using a drip irrigation system, emitters should be placed above the plant basin. Spray systems should have check valves in all lower heads to avoid low point runoff. Irrigation for the top of the slope and bottom of the slope should be on separate valves. 

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.    

 

 

  

Outside its native African habitat, fountain grasses are an invasive species. In California it has no natural enemies and outcompetes native plant species. Photo: UCRiverside/Center for Invasive Species Research Invasive Plants

Avoid ‘Takeover Artists’ in Your Landscaping

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Just like people, many non-native plants love everything about San Diego County and choose to make it their home. They love it so much these invasive plants have moved in, stretched out, and are doing their best to take over.  

They do what they can to make room by hurting native plant species. They drain precious rainwater and soil nutrients away from the native plants, which are not as aggressive. Other invaders overrun habitat and keep other species out. Many, such as fountain grasses, have no natural enemies outside their native habitat to keep them in check.

The worst invasion plant offenders 

You may have unknowingly planted a few of these common plants in your yard. They are still sold commercially. Very few non-native species offer any benefits to our region’s environment. Local animals and insects are not interested in them. 

Vinca major (big periwinkle) is a spreading perennial vine or ground cover. In California, periwinkle has escaped from garden plantings, and lowers species diversity and disrupts native plant communities. Photo: Ghostcage/Pixabay - Creative Commons License

Vinca major (big periwinkle) is a spreading perennial vine or ground cover. In California, periwinkle has escaped from garden plantings, and lowers species diversity and disrupts native plant communities. Photo: Ghostcage/Pixabay – Creative Commons License

Here are some common problems: 

  • African Fountain Grass 
  • Mexican Feather Grass 
  • Brazilian Pepper Tree 
  • Scotch Broom
  • Periwinkle  

Invasive species and species that act like invasive plants should be removed from your landscaping. They should also be removed from commercial nursery stock, and shouldn’t ever be planted in the first place. Remove them at the soonest opportunity.  

How to identify non-native plants  

The California Invasive Plant Council maintains a list of invasive plants that cause problems through the state, though the list may miss regionally problematic plants. For more, go to the Plant Right website.

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.    

 

 

  

Coral Aloe will protect your property from wildfire while it brightens your sustainable landscape. Photo: Don Graham/Flickr-Creative Commons license Firefighting plants

Call On These Five Firefighting Plants

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Wildfire is a real and constant threat in San Diego County year-round, but particularly in the late summer and fall months. This is especially true in wildland interface areas where homes are right next to the backcountry. Landscape design, plant selection, and maintenance must be done in accordance with fire-safe guidelines. 

Wildfire is a real and consistent threat 

Plan your landscaping according to principles governing three different zones:  

Zone 1: Through smart design elements and plant selection, landscapes should resist ignition and provide 35 feet of actively maintained defensible space around structures and access areas. This maximizes fire prevention and allows access by crews to protect your property from fire, if necessary. 

Zone 2: Your landscape should reduce the chances of airborne embers from catching fire through a careful thinning of native vegetation for at least 65 additional feet — a total of 100 feet of defensible space.  

Zone 3: Many of San Diego County’s native plant communities including chaparral can survive and recover from infrequent wildfires. Some plants use fire as a signal to begin growth and start the germination process after a fire.  

When fires occur too frequently, the ability to survive is disrupted for even the most well-adapted plants. Invasive, non-native plant species have made fires more frequent, of longer duration, and hotter. It is critical to remove invasive plants in fire-prone areas.

Use plants that resist ignition 

Some native plants have the ability to prevent airborne plant embers. They have a high salt or water content and low volatile oil content in their leaves. For instance, agaves, aloes, crassulas, and other succulents store extra water in their fleshy leaves.  

Five firefighting plant choices include: 

  • Daylily hybrids 
  • Coral Aloe 
  • Indian Mallow
  • Bush Morning Glory 
  • California Sycamore trees 

Avoid plants that can fuel wildfires  

Messy, oily trees and shrubs, such as eucalyptus and junipers, do the opposite. They ignite quickly, burning hot and long, releasing embers into the air and contributing to the spread of wildfire. 

Preventative maintenance includes regularly removing dry grass, thatch, brush, weeds, litter, waste, and dead and dying vegetation. Trees should be properly pruned. Shrubs should be thinned, with dead branches and leaves routinely removed. Leave root structures intact to avoid erosion. Dead leaves and branches are especially flammable on evergreen shrubs and vines such as bougainvillea. Avoid planting these close to homes or other structures. 

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.    

 

 

  

Match your plant choices to the different microclimate areas in your landscaping. A microclimate map helps you make good choices. Photo: Water Authority

Sustainable Landscapes Takes Root in San Diego

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More than 225 San Diego County homeowners have transformed their landscapes into beautiful, climate-appropriate mini-watersheds through the Sustainable Landscapes Incentive Program developed by the San Diego County Water Authority and its partners.

Since the program launched in October 2016, more than 354,000 square feet of turf has been removed and replaced with sustainable landscaping. Approximately 100 projects are still under way, though the program isn’t taking new applications.

Instead, a new generation of rebates is available through the Landscape Transformation Program offered by the Water Authority and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Residential rebates start at $1 per square foot, up to $1,500 per year. In the Water Authority’s service area, participants can receive $2.75 to $4 per square foot, depending on their retail water agency and funding availability. For more information, go to SoCalWaterSmart.com.

“We are leaders in developing innovative initiatives like the Sustainable Landscapes Program, and we are pleased to see other programs embracing the same holistic approach,” said Carlos Michelon, who leads the Water Authority’s conservation team.

Removing turf grass is one of the best ways to reduce outdoor water use – but it’s just a piece of the larger movement toward sustainable landscapes. A holistic approach to environmental stewardship involves enhancements such as reducing or preventing wasteful runoff by using rainwater capture or filtration systems, along with other upgrades.

In San Diego County, the Sustainable Landscapes Program helped generate substantial interest, and it set the bar for similar efforts to include education, technical assistance and incentives.

“As with the initial Sustainable Landscapes Program, the new incentive program requires that homeowners incorporate the four key components of sustainable landscaping: healthy soils, high-efficiency irrigation, rainwater harvesting and climate-appropriate plants,” said Jana Vierola, a water resources specialist for the Water Authority.

“People are putting much more thought and care into their landscapes,” she said. “It’s not just gravel and two plants. People are creating sustainable designs for much more of a long-term commitment.”

An example of the upgrades inspired by the Sustainable Landscapes Program:

Before and after views of a landscaping project in San Diego. Photos: Water Authority. Sustainable landscaping

Before and after views of a landscaping project in San Diego. Photos: Water Authority.

Free WaterSmart classes help homeowners achieve successful results

Vierola said homeowners interested in sustainable landscaping should take advantage of the Water Authority’s free WaterSmart classes and other resources.

“Residents who participate in our classes and follow the guidebook tend to have more successful projects,” Vierola said. “Through these educational programs and resources, customers get a better understanding of best practices and recommendations for a watershed approach to landscaping.”

The next Three-Hour Landscape Design for Homeowners workshops are August 28 in Encinitas, September 8 in Fallbrook, September 22 in Oceanside, and October 27 in Vista. Click here for details.

 

Great Groundcovers To Consider as Lawn Substitutes

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You may have decided to replace your thirsty traditional lawn in your new sustainable landscape. What options are available for  some kind of natural plant element rather than covering the same area with hardscaping?  

Consider replacing the lawn with a groundcover type plant. There are many good choices that make good lawn substitutes and grow well in San Diego’s six climate zones. Several of them fall into the very low or low Plant Factor categories, which means they require less water than the same amount of grass.  

Very Low Plant Factor choices include: 

  • Silver Carpet (Dymondia margaretae) 
  • Bluff California Lilac (Ceanothus maritimus)

Low Plant Factor choices include:  

Lawn Substitutes groundcovers

Bee’s bliss sage also attracts valuable pollinators.

  • Pink Yarrow (Achillea millefolium rosea) 
  • Gold Coin Plant (Asteriscus maritumus) 
  • Sundrops (Calylophus hartwegii)
    Carmel Mountain ceanothus 
  • Dwarf Mat Rush (Lomandra longfolia) 
  • Bee’s Bliss Sage (Salvia) 
  • Wooly Thyme (Thymus pseudolanguinosus) 
  • Blue Chalksticks (Senecio serpens) 

Moderate Plant Factor choices include: 

Beach Strawberry lawn substitutes

Beach Strawberry makes an attractive lawn substitute.

  • Creeping Manzanita ‘Carmel Sur’ (Arctostaphylos edmunsii) 
  • Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) 
  • Pink yarrow, sages, and lilacs also support the lifecycle of butterflies, which are important pollinators.  

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.   

READ MORE: Inspiring Charge At The Water Conservation Garden

 

 

  

With a little thoughtful planning and good choices, lawn can still be a good choice in waterwise landscaping. Photo: Pixabay/Cromaconceptovisual Waterwise Lawns

When It Comes To Lawns, Use it or Lose It

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If you have a desire and a need to retain turf as part of your landscaping, consider adopting the most efficient and organic maintenance plan possible. Lawns that are maintained organically and with efficient irrigation can offer a cool, practical surface for active recreation, or just hanging out with your family.  

Most lawns suffer from inefficient maintenance. They require too much water and energy. They become major sources of pollution from fertilizers and pesticide runoff. For these reasons, lawns should be limited to accessible, usable, high-functioning spaces like children’s play yards, sports fields, and picnicking areas. 

It’s smart to rethink the idea of lawns as all-purpose, wall-to-wall groundcover. In many cases, there is no need to maintain so much lawn. If you decide to keep your grass areas, follow these guidelines to maintain it organically. 

If you decide to keep your grass areas, follow these guidelines to maintain it organically. Photo: Alicja/Creative Commons Waterwise Lawns

If you decide to keep your grass areas, follow these guidelines to maintain it organically. Photo: Alicja/Creative Commo

  • Apply a thin layer of compost annually. 
  • Aerate and de-thatch your lawn annually. 
  • Manage your irrigation carefully. Control overspray and fix problems promptly. 
  • Mow less frequently. Maintain 3 to 4 inches of height on cool season grass, and 1.5 to 2 inches of height on warm season grass.  
  • Grass-cycle every time you mow. 
  • Don’t allow seed heads to form on the grass, and remove those that do form. 
  • Consider over-seeding with clover to help make the grass more interesting looking and more drought-tolerant. 
  • Eliminate chemical inputs to your grass. 

What’s the difference between Cool Season Grass and Warm Season Grass? 

Cool Season Grass: 

  • Needs more water than warm season grass and is considered a high use plant. 
  • Requires watering in hot summers to prevent it from going dormant and turning brown 
  • Grows typically as bunch grasses and propagates by seed or weak stolons. 
  • Cool season grass is easily smothered by sheet mulching.
  • Varieties include: Bent Grass (Agrostis), Fescue varieties (Festuca), Kentucky Bluegress (Poa pratensis), Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) 

Warm Season Grass: 

  • Is a moderate water use plant. 
  • Peaks when temperatures exceed 80 degrees, but it will go dormant (brown) in winter months when it is rainy and cool. 
  • Grows from sturdy rhizomes extending deep underground. Warm season grasses require physical removal and/or extensive sheet mulching (up to 12 inches).
  • Varieties inclue: Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylan), Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis), Buffalo Grass (Buchloe actyloides), St. Augustine Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), Zoysia, and Seashore Paspalum.  

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.   

READ MORE: Evapotranspiration – The Key To Watering Your Plants

 

  

When you compare how much water an efficient landscape design needs compared to your existing landscape, you can estimate your water savings. Landscape water savings

How Low Can Your Landscape Water Savings Go?

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In places like San Diego County where water is a very precious resource, landscape designs that use the least potable water necessary are a growing part of the regional ethic. That means property owners should think about the efficiency and sustainability they can achieve in their landscaping.  

As a general rule, it’s smart to maximize your ability to capture and use rainwater, and reduce, if not eliminate, your reliance on potable water for irrigation. When you compare how much water an efficient landscape design needs compared to your existing landscape, you can estimate your water savings.  

To calculate landscape water use, the four key variables are: 

  1. Landscape Area (LA) – the square feet of area being landscaped with plants that require irrigation 
  1. Evapotranspiration (ET) – this is the number in inches based on your San Diego Climate Zone
  1. Plant Factor (PF) – This is moderate, low, or very low depending on your plant selection 
  1. Irrigation Efficiency (IE) – There is no such thing as a perfect irrigation system. Many factors can limit efficiency and impact both your water use and the health of your plants. 

Let’s assume your landscaped area is 1,000 square feet, with an ET of 51 inches annually, and IE of 0.7. Now, look at the difference your plant selection can make in water use: 

Example 1: High Water Use plants (PF of 0.8) = 36,137 gallons of water per year 

Example 2: Moderate Water Use plants (PF of 0.5) = 22, 586 gallons of water per year 

Example 3: Low Water Use plants (PF of 0.2) = 9.034 gallons of water per year 

Example 4: Very Low Water Use plants (PF of 0.1) = 4,517 gallons of water per year 

 Based on these examples, you could save 17,103 gallons of water every single year by selecting very low water use plants instead of high water use plants.  

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.