Lanscaping Conservation & Water Use In Arizona

Personal Opinion: Learning about water conservation and the importance of water should be a mandatory requirement for Arizona state residency. First, and most importantly, we live in the desert (landscape form or region that receives very little precipitation).  Secondly, southern Arizona is in 'drought conditions' and has been for over a decade now (not unusual when you live in the desert).  Green Valley and Pima County reside in the 'basin & range' land of AZ.  Which means we have very little rainfall (less than 8 inches/year); so, any plants that you put on your property are going to get very little natural watering.  Please keep that in mind when you make your plant choices!

With these things in mind, whatcan you do to limit the amount of water you are using when you are considering your landscaping design and changes? 

1. Use indigenous plants, xeriscape designs, & groupings.
2. Design, time, and maintain your irrigation systems wisely - don't overwater!
3. Harvest rain water
4. Use gray water, if possible
5. Remove weeds and unwanted plants to keep them from 'stealing' water

Click on each one of the blue highlighted items above and you will be taken to pages that discuss them, in detail. If you need help in your landscaping endeavors, you can always call the Master Gardeners at Pima County Cooperative Extension, Green Valley Branch, at 520-648-0808.  Or use the National Cooperative Extension e-Answers website to find answers to over 250,000 questions.  Or, if you want to learn how to garden, in our environment, consider taking one of the many gardening and lanscaping classes offered by Cooperative Extension.

Personal Note: I have only indigenous plantings in my yard.  There were all kinds of bushes and trees here when I moved in.  I let them die out from lack of watering.  I do not water anything, regardless of drought conditions.  And, yet, I do have variety and flowering plants.  They are all desert plants and that is very different from upstate NY (where I came from); but I believe that I need to fit in with my environment, not the other way around.  And, I firmly believe in conserving resources as much as we can.