Placer County Master Gardener: Watering your garden during drought restrictions

While I was at the Roseville Fountains farmers market in my role as a master gardener, I was asked a pertinent question: "With water restrictions, how do we keep our gardens alive?" The answer is, it depends on the specifics of your garden. Here are some considerations to take into account when figuring out how to water your specific garden during a drought: Get to know the characteristics of your soil. Understanding your landscaping and its underlying soil can help you decide where water is best employed in your garden. Does your landscaping have slopes that run off or low areas that retain water? Some areas of your garden may have loamy (sandy) soil that lets water pass quickly or it may have a high clay content that retains water well. A familiarity with the characteristics of your soil can help you to make sure you are planting each type of vegetation in the right place. You can check on the moisture level of your soil by putting a moisture meter in the soil 6-8 inches near the root of a plant to determine if the earth is damp. Touch the soil and squeeze it. If it holds together well, then you're watering at the right amount. You don't want it to be too sticky or crumble apart. Here is a great resource for learning more about signs of drought stress and your soil: Janet Hartin, "Keeping plants alive under drought or water restrictions." UC ANR publication 8553, October 2015. https://ucanr.edu/sites/http___ucanrorg_sites_sanbern/files/224927.pdf What is the function of your space? To prioritize the use of limited water, you should put your efforts into watering the plants, shrubs and trees that most bring you joy. Do you love to entertain or play ball in the yard? Are you more concerned about creating a wildlife habitat or growing vegetables in your garden? This link provides some water conservation tips for home and garden. Pamela M. Geisel, Carolyn L. Unruh, "Water conservation tips for the home and garden." UC ANR publication 8036, 2001. https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8036.pdf Efficient plant care. Infrequent deep watering encourages deeper root growth and strengthens the plant against times of drought. Drip irrigation delivers the right amount of water to each plant or tree (adjusted as the plant grows). Use drip irrigation systems in hydrozones (areas of plants with the same water needs grouped together) for efficient water use. Alternative lawn care. Consider replacing nonessential turf with ground covers, mulches, decks and permeable walkways or grassy alternatives more suited to our climate. If you decide to let your lawn brown, don't forget to care for the trees that depend on your lawn's irrigation system. Protective tree care. Trees and shrubs need years to mature, and therefore represent a more substantial investment into your garden's ecosystem than do smaller plants. The most effective method of watering trees is with a drip irrigation or similar system. Arborists recommend applying water to a depth of three feet using a drip irrigation system or soaker hose. Maintaining a beautiful and healthy garden during a drought can prove challenging. It is possible, and you can do it. You can develop a plan for your space that will allow you to put this scarce resource to its best use, and be confident that you are responsibly caring for your garden.