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Proper soil preparation is key to successful water conservation and growing in our area. If you are preparing a new lawn or bed area, add 3 cubic yards organic material for every 1,000 square feet of landscape area. Rototill to a depth of 8 inches. Add organic material to garden areas each year to improve and aerate the soil.
Change turf areas on steep slopes, hard-to-water areas and narrow strips to low-water ground covers such as
- Veronica,
- Thyme,
- Yarrow,
- Blue Fescue,
- Ice Plant
- Creeping Potentilla.
Replace lawn areas with perennial and shrub beds.
If you have a bluegrass lawn consider replacing it completely with a fescue or buffalo grass lawn. If you don't want to take it all out, consider limiting bluegrass to high use areas near the house. If you have a large lot, try using more drought tolerant grasses mixed with wildflowers for areas farther from the house.
In the spring, water twice a week with long, deep waterings to encourage healthy deep roots. Water approximately 20 to 30 minutes per zone. Avoid frequent shallow sprinklings that lead to shallow root development. Aerate in the spring to break up our compact soils; this will help your lawn and prevent runoff.
Irrigate only lawn areas with pop-up spray heads. Make sure they are adjusted properly to avoid watering patios, walks and driveways. Trees, shrubs and flowers in bed areas should be irrigated by a drip system. A good rule of thumb for drip systems is 4 drip emitters per tree, 2 per shrub and 1 per perennial.
Mulch your beds to a depth of 3 inches with organic material such as wood chips, bark or shredded aspen. Use weed barrier fabrics (geotextiles) that allow water and air into the soil but discourage weeds. Limit rock mulch areas; they tend to increase soil and air temperature. In steep areas, rock, cobble and boulders may be used where bark mulch could be washed away. Avoid putting black plastic under the rock; it will increase runoff. Use a weed barrier fabric instead.
Finally, Xeriscape! You have heard the word many times before. It is derived from the Greek work "xeros," meaning dry and was coined by the Denver Water Department in the late 1970's. Another good idea is to group plants together that have approximately the same water requirements Remember, we live at an elevation of 6,000 feet, with windy, dry conditions. There are numerous sources and books available for plant material that works well within our planting zone.
There are many beautiful plants that work well in Castle Pines North. A few great low-water shrubs that work in our area are
- Mugo Pine,
- Sandcherry,
- Viburnum,
- Sprirea,
- Potentilla,
- Apache Plum,
- Russian Sage,
- Current,
- Raspberry,
- Mountain Mahogany,
- Rose,
- Cotoneaster.
For perennials try
- Yarrow,
- Sage,
- Paintbrush,
- Coreopsis,
- Daylily,
- Gaillardia,
- Ice Plant,
- Penstemon,
- Black Eyed Susan,
- Lavender,
- Flax,
- Aster
- Catmint.
There are many more that work well also.
Good luck and happy gardening! I hope you can use some of these ideas and that you have a successful growing season!
[Tim Dunn has a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture and has worked professionally in Colorado since 1981. He is available for consultation and can be reached at 303-814-7778 or tadunn@qwest.net]
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