As summer winds down and the days get shorter, it’s a great time to start planning for a landscape makeover. The Water Authority offers free landscape makeover classes to help you get started. Resources include a site visit from a landscape specialist, a professionally-drawn site plan, and one-on-one coaching.

Cooler fall weather is an ideal time for establishing new plants. The cooler temperatures allow them to retain more water and grow deeper roots. The deep network of roots will help plants stay healthy through the winter and into spring.

Are you ready to makeover your landscape?

The WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program series consists of four classes. In the classes you’ll gain valuable knowledge about how to remove your current lawn or turf and replace it with water-efficient groundcover, irrigation systems, and the best types of climate-appropriate plants.

Choose a makeover series close to your neighborhood

The next four class series are open for enrollment:

El Cajon: Wednesday evenings September 4, 11, 18, 25

San Diego (Balboa Park): Monday evenings September 9, 16, 23, 30

Encinitas: Wednesday evenings October 2, 9, 16, 23

Escondido: Saturday mornings October 19, 26, November 2, 9

If you can’t commit to a four-class series, there are also free, three-hour workshops available. The workshops provide a condensed version of landscape makeover basics. The workshops are held at locations throughout San Diego County. Topics include soil design, turf removal, and plant selection, irrigation. Register for an upcoming workshop.

If you can’t attend a class in person, you can also watch online videos on demand.

For more water-use efficiency tips and resources, go to WaterSmartSD.org.