Planning

• choose drought-tolerant plants for south- or west-facing areas
• locate water-intensive or shade-tolerant plants in east- or north-facing areas, drainage swales, or near the house.
• choose native plants to reduce water use, provide habitat, and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides
• consider planting groundcovers or low-maintenance perennials instead of turf
•  group plants with similar water needs in “zones” to avoid over- or under-watering individual plants.
• screen plants from wind with berms, walls, lattices, hedges, or natural features to reduce evaporation
• use raised beds to hold water and confine it to where the plants need it.

Planting

• add compost to your soil to improve its texture and water-holding capacity; topdress with at least an inch of compost each year
• plant vegetables in blocks instead of rows to create a canopy of leaves that reduce evaporation
• mulch soil around plants to reduce evaporation, prevent erosion, control weeds, and enrich the soil; use organic material such as compost or bark that retains some moisture to raise humidity at plant level.
• water new plantings deeply but gradually reduce watering to help them develop good roots.

 Watering

• water in early morning or late afternoon when cooler temperatures allow moisture to be absorbed before it evaporates
• avoid watering when it’s windy
• use drip irrigation and soaker hoses to increase efficiency, minimize evaporation, and limit weed growth
• water vegetables according to their need, not a schedule
• use rain barrels or a cistern to collect water from downspouts; a 1,000 square foot roof yields 625 gallons of water from one inch of rain.
• water trees and shrubs with a soaker hose or in a zig-zag pattern around the dripline infrequently but to a depth of 8 or 10 inches
•  maintain turf grass at 1-1/2” to 2” high to trap moisture and reduce evaporation