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XeriscapingYou may think that decisions about how to landscape your front yard, as well as that new garden in the back, should be nobody's concern but your own.Well, actually, they are. But if you want to reduce your own maintenance chores and les Careful planning of landscaping at home -- or at the office -- represents a long-term investment that can have a profound effect not only on wastes heading for the landfill, but on precious, and scarce, resources such as irrigation water (not to mention your time.) Xeriscaping can reduce the amount of waste generated by growing plants, and can also reduce time devoted to weeding, pruning and watering necessary to maintaining a beautiful landscape. The first step to developing a truly eco-friendly green landscape comes with purchasing decisions. You should look for landscaping supplies that are available without excess packaging. Buying in bulk is typically the best route to take. If you choose to use them, commercial garden supplies can be purchased in bulk quantities, reusable containers or water -solub In the landscape industry, the reuse and recycling of plant containers can have a dramatic impact on the waste stream from landscape operations. Nurseries, for instance, may accept certain empty plastic flats, as well as plastic and wood plant containers, for reuse. Wood containers can be reused as decorative planters, cut up into stakes, or ground up for mulch. Plastic containers can also be reused or recycled into plastic lumber for landscaping timbers and other uses. Perhaps the most important decision you have to make as a xeriscaper is what plants to plant. Remember, the less pruning required by plants, the better. Trees and shrubs that are native to California are often drought-tolerant and slow growing. As a general rule of thumb, these plants will produce less waste (and require less water). These plants are typically deep rooted and often have leaves specially adapted to reduce transpiration rates (thick cuticles, hairy leaves and stems, fewer stomata). Most successful unirrigated landscapes utilize the moister climates of coastal or mountain areas. This is where most California native landscaping plants come from. Planting these plants in interior valleys, or in the desert, can prove to be difficult. For lists of what native plants work well in your particular vicinity, contact your local Master Gardeners, a group of experts associated with the Cooperative Agricultural Extension programs of the University of California and other land grant colleges. (There are master gardener programs in almost every county in the state.) To ensure that your California native plants prosper, keep the nearby soil free of competing plants and mulch with composted wood chips, pine needles, fine gravel or even recycled chunks of asphalt. Mulching provides ideal, moist conditions for healthy micro-organism and macro-organism populations. Also improve your soil -- including lowering its pH. Plan for shading (which reduces water needs) and plant just before of after the rainy season. Don't forget that there are soil enhancement products that contain up to 100 percent recycled organic material content. The use of compost elevates soil structure, texture and aeration. It also improves moisture regulation and provides slow-release nutrients that feed plants on a constant basis, in contrast to synthetic fertilizers that cause spurts of growth, often increasing the need for pruning, trimming and mowing. When purchasing mulches and composts as top dressings or soil amendments, always consider products with the highest recycled content. To maximize waste reduction opportunities, choose plants that fit the available space in order to minimize pruning needs. Always consider the mature size of the plant before making decisions on location. The use of both winter and summer perennials can give year-round color without the cost and waste of replacing annual plants. Installation of perennial ground covers that do not require replacement every year can be an attractive alternative to turf and result in a reduction of green waste. Beyond careful choosing and proper maintenance of plants, the design and operation of irrigation systems can also help reduce unnecessary excess growth, maintenance requirements and subsequent waste. For example, use of drip irrigation places water next to the plant, enhancing plant health, as well as minimizing weed growth. Less weed growth saves labor costs (and time) and decreases the amount of organic matter in the waste stream. Other techniques that can be employed as agents of waste prevention include landscape edging, which helps separate one spreading or invasive plant from another. Often these edging materials, whether they be aluminum, steel, wood or other material, have recycled content. After such purchasing decisions, the biggest factor in pursuing superior xeriscaping is ongoing maintenance. Proper monitoring and maintenance of irrigation systems can help keep turf and plant growth to a manageable level. This translates into less trimming and pruning, and less waste. Techniques such as "grasscycling" -- a fancy word for the practice of leaving clippings on your properly cared for lawn after mowing -- make the best use of available nutrients for the soil. Remember, whatever waste is generated by your various plant endeavors can be usually be composted or mulched. Though the practice of xeriscaping was initiated primarily because of concerns over scarce water supplies, it is now being viewed in the broader context of sustainability. Beyond the implications for waste reduction are impacts on reducing energy use. Planting deciduous trees can reduce air conditioner needs in the summer by providing shade to your house, and they can reduce heating needs in the winter by letting the sun through. The variety of benefits provided by xeriscaping demonstrates how waste prevention activities dovetail with other important public policy and your individual goals. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com For more information, contact the California Waste Prevention Information Exchange at (916) 341-6363. Permalink: http://expert-talk.com/tips/802/xeriscaping-113802.htm Related Tips and Advices | Related Tags            |
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