I will be the first to admit that my knowledge of plant varieties is limited.  What I do know is to increase your garden’s water efficiency, the type of plants you plant is a great place to start. If you live in an arid climate and your garden is full of water hungry plants, you’ll end up using a lot more water. Picking plants native to your area will save you money and time when it comes to watering and maintaining your garden.  Native plants are naturally more suited to survive. Adapted to your local climate conditions, native plants generally require less water, fertilizers and pesticides to thrive.  

A water efficient landscape for your home can save you money and time. An increasing interest in water conservation has led to the birth of xeriscaping.  Xeriscaping is landscaping with plants that reduce or even eliminate the need for supplemental water or irrigation. Xeros is Greek for “dry,” so the term literally means “dry landscape.”  This trend is especially popular in areas that are prone to droughts, like California and Nevada.  Don’t worry, this isn’t code for rock gardens. Xeriscaping still includes many beautiful plants and flowers. 

How you organize your garden can also help conserve water.  When you plan your landscaping according to how much water plants need, it helps to avoid over watering.  

If you live in an area that experiences rainy seasons, try using a rain barrel!  Rain barrels collect and store rain water.  You can re-use this free rain water to water your garden!  

Installing a smart irrigation system is another easy way to save water and time. Smart irrigation systems allow you to better control and adjust the amount of water you use based on weather patterns and plant needs.  Some even allow you to create separate zones for different types of plants, so you never over or under water. 

We all want quality water in our homes, but how does the type of water system we use impact our garden?  Salt based water softeners replace natural minerals with salt ions (salt). The rinse water produced by these water softener systems isn’t potable and can’t be used to water the garden. Salty, non-potable water is also a strain on local water systems because it can’t be recycled and reused by the city for farming. 

When you have quality water in your home, your garden can benefit!  An eco-friendly whole house water system will give you clean, quality water without using salt. So you can use your system’s rinse water in your garden!