Home & Garden

About the Author - Dr. Susan Hamilton

Dr. Susan Hamilton is an associate professor in the University of Tennessee Department of Plant Sciences and director of the UT Gardens. The gardens are a project of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, with locations in Knoxville and Jackson: http://utgardens.tennessee.edu.

The drought of 2007 inspired this article. Everywhere across our great state, it was dry, and many places experienced their driest periods on record. Coupled with the late summer’s extreme heat, the drought frustrated hobby gardeners and experts alike.

As I write this article, my crystal ball has not revealed what summer 2008 has in store for the landscape enthusiast, but based on the questions I have received, many gardeners want advice on how to plan for and mitigate the effects of drought on their landscapes. Others are concerned about conservation-minded landscaping because they are aware of the great need for water for cooking, cleaning and basic necessities downstream of their homes.

Did you know that the two biggest consumers of water in most homes are toilets and landscapes? In fact, during the summer, half of all household water use goes for lawn maintenance and gardening. With careful planning, this need not be so.

The special term for conserving water while gardening is “xeriscaping.” The word was coined by combining xeros (Greek for “dry”) with landscape.
Through xeriscaping, thoughtful gardeners can radically reduce their consumption of water, lower their water bills and still have beautiful, productive gardens. Here’s how:

Group by water needs.

Cluster your plants according to their water requirements. This prevents over- or under-watering any parts of your lawn or garden.

Set a watering schedule.

You’ll minimize your water consumption this way. Water in the early morning to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and reduce evaporation. Watering during the night is not recommended as this practice encourages fungal diseases to grow. Also, establish watering priorities. New and young plants will always require more water than older, established ones.

Avoid wasting water.

Apply water slowly and deeply to avoid water runoff and to deeply saturate areas, allowing them to remain moist for longer periods. Make sure your hose or sprinkler does not leak, and avoid placing watering devices where they waste water on your driveway, deck or porch.

Subirrigate your garden.

The most efficient way to apply water to your garden is by subirrigation, which applies water below the foliage. Soaker hoses or drip systems put water right at the root zone. This can save up to 60 percent of the water used by sprinkler systems.

Control weeds.

Pesky weeds compete with your desired plants for water, so work to keep your beds clean.

Add mulch around all plants.

Be sure to keep a good 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch around all of your plants. Not only does the mulch reduce water evaporation from the soil, but it will reduce the incidence of weeds as well. Early spring and fall are ideal times to apply mulch.

Go dormant.

Another option is to consider letting your lawn go dormant during drought periods. Most lawn grasses will rebound when rains return, and it will cut down on your water bills.

Choose the right plants.

Finally, select plants that are known to be water efficient. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t limit you to growing just cacti and succulents. I have many water-efficient plants in my home garden, and I know from experience that with careful planning and selection, you can have a beautiful, lush garden no matter how much rain Mother Nature provides. 

Plant These, Save Water

Dr. Sue shares a list of her favorite drought-resistant plants.

Annuals:
Black-eyed Susan
Blanket Flower
Calibrichoa (mini-petunias)
Celosia (cockscomb)
Creeping Zinnia
Dusty Miller
Lantana
Madagascar Periwinkle
Melampodium
Marigold
Wax Begonia
Zinnia

Sun Perennials:
Amsonia
Anise Hyssop
Baptisia
Butterfly Weed
Catmint
Common Sage
Daylily
Ice Plant
Iris
Lambs Ear ‘Helen Von Stein’ or ‘Big Ears’
Lantana‘Miss Huff’
Lavender
Oregano
Penstemon
Red-hot Poker
Rosemary
Salvia greggi
Sedum
Thyme
Verbena
Veronica

Shade Perennials:
Ajuga
Columbine
Coral Bells
Hosta
Lady’s Mantle
Lamiastrum
Liriope, Monkey Grass
Sweet Woodruff

Ornamental Grasses:
Blue Fescue
Feather Reed Grass
Fountain Grass
Maiden Grass
Pampas Grass

Shrubs:
Barberry
Butterfly Bush
Cotoneaster
Cryptomeria
Juniper
‘Knockout’ Shrub Rose
Lilac
Mahonia
Potentilla
Winter Jasmine
Yucca

Trees:
American Hornbean
Bradford Pear
Cedrus
Chastetree
Chinese Pistache
Crape Myrtle
Cryptomeria
Golden Rain Tree
Hawthorn
Leyland Cypress
Lusterleaf Holly
Nellie R. Stevens
Holly Oak
Osage-Orange
Possumhaw
Silverbell
Smoketree
Sourwood Trident Maple
Virginia Pine

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Magazine:
Tennessee Home & Farm, Fall 2010 Edition Edition

Headline:
Beyond Hoses and Sprinklers

Summary:
Dr. Sue offers tips for water-wise gardening.

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