Homeowners, designers focus on water conservation and sustainability

By Mark Turner, Aspen Creek Landscaping

The term "green" is being tossed around a lot these days, from everything to food to energy to architecture. The basic concept is to lower your carbon footprint in the world with sustainability - lower energy is better.

Water conservation

Water has become the new energy of the future, with less fresh water available each year for the growing populations. The conservation of this resource requires true xeric (low water) principles, as in traditional xeriscapes.

Nozzles: Many sprayheads will shoot two-thirds of their water away from the head, with the water landing in a constant stream at the end of its arch. The irrigation heads do not act like rain does.

Use a rotator nozzle on a popup head, which acts like a fountain that mimics rain and actually uses fewer gallons per minute per head. Slower water application allows more natural, deeper absorption to occur and will encourage deeper root growth.

Training your turfgrass: Bluegrass can be trained to be very water efficient with a proper watering cycle. Watering deeply and infrequently promotes deep root growth, allowing water to soak deep into the soil and the roots to follow the water for nourishment. Watering infrequently, even to the point of stressing the grass a little bit, will force deeper root growth to where the water and moisture resides. Try watering your turf grass only 2 -3 times per week if possible.

Rain sensors: A water sensor will automatically turn off the irrigation clock when it is raining and activate the system to resume the preset cycles when the sensor is dry.

Programming your clock with percents. New clocks also have a nice feature that allows for percentage watering. You can initially set a determined amount of minutes for each zone and then have the ability to turn up or down the percentage time for the system as a whole with one small adjustment.

Sustainability

Sustainability simply means the ability to endure and remain diverse and productive through time.

Design your plant material for the proper location. Install plant material that has lower maintenance requirements for the climate. Install xeriscape plants on top of a berm. Plants requiring more water belong in a swale area that receives runoff from irrigated grass areas, roof gutters and natural rain.

Use a humus-rich compost for proper sod and plant material preparation. Always augment the soil with a thick rate of aged compost before sod installation and rototill it 4-6 inches into the soil. We have found a rate of 5 cubic yards per thousand square feet is a good blend for proper soil preparation.

Mulching is organic. The use of mulch in limited amounts will contribute to the health of your landscape by conserving moisture, cooling the roots of your plant material and recycling nutrients through the soil. Install mulch at the surface over the root systems of the plant material.

Use our natural resources: Rainwater is best used to irrigate your plant material - not the stormwater drain down the street. Wherever possible, direct the drainspout extensions to the turfgrass or wind a perforated pipe through a cobble swale to irrigate the plant material.

Green practices

There are many standard ecologically friendly practices that landscapers and homeowners can do to conserve energy and help the environment.

Recycle: All reusable plant containers should be returned to a green nursery with a recycling program. The nurseries sterilize them and reuse them for new plants.

Cultural: You should aerate your lawn twice a year, in spring and fall. Be sure to water before the aeration so good-size plugs come up from the soil, allowing water, oxygen and seasonal fertilizers to get to the root areas. Right after an aeration is the best time to apply a light, full-bodied blend of fertilizer.

Adapt to changes: Consumers waste lots of money and effort each year because they install plant material that is not sustainable in our climate.

Energy conservation: Water features are an excellent way to enjoy the beauty and sound of water while keeping high sustainability, because the water recycles, and the pumps usually take very little electricity to run.

Mark Turner is the owner of Aspen Creek Landscaping, which has served the Metro Denver region for more than 20 years. Specializing in custom, residential design/builds, Aspen Creek is based in Lakewood. Mark holds a degree from Kansas State University and is a member of the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado.