Water Wise Denton

When you fall back an hour on Sunday don’t forget your irrigation timer too! During the fall and winter, because of the shorter, cooler, and darker days you don’t need to irrigate your lawn as much. Move your sprinkler setting to “seasonal” like shown in the picture below for an easy update to your irrigation timing.

Xeriscaping in Texas will look a lot different than it will in places like Arizona and Nevada that popularized this practice. Xeriscaping focuses on native plants that are appropriate for your climate and soil type. To get started you will need to understand your own microclimate.

A soil test is a great place to get basic fertilization recommendations, this can be done through Texas A&M for as low as $12. Then you can select the best native plants for your landscape Native Plant Society of Texas is a great resource to find the best native plants for your climate and soil type.

Soil Testing: Soil Testing Lab – Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory (tamu.edu)

Native Plant Society of Texas: Native Plant Database - Native Plant Society of Texas (npsot.org)

Sprinkler irrigation is the most common way to water landscapes and is typically very efficient. If you do have a sprinkler irrigation system, make sure all heads are adjusted properly and are not spraying towards any unwanted areas like sidewalks, driveways, or overlapping zones. If you do notice this, you can easily adjust the sprinkler head to the correct position. As shown on the image below on a normal pop-up sprinkler, you will notice an arch in a color this will indicate where there will not be spray like the picture shown below. Most sprinklers can be adjusted by using a spray head pull up tool to raise the head, then inserting a screwdriver into the top and adjusting the stem the correct positioning. Each pop-up will be different depending on the brand so make sure to check your owner’s manual before attempting to adjust.

It is time to start thinking about your landscape for next year! Here is a list of Texas natives you can plant in October and November. Low to medium growing plants include Texas Bluebonnet, Wood Fern, Purple Poppy Mallow, Black Dalea and Straggler Daisy. Trees include Desert Willow (pictured below) and Possumhaw Holly.

For more information visit: Home - Native Plant Society of Texas (npsot.org)

The best time to lay down your mulch is before the first freeze of the year. This will help insulate your plants while they overwinter. Mulch will retain moisture in the soil, so your plants won’t dry up in the dry winter months. Mulch when applied in the fall will suppress weeds in the springtime. On top of those benefits, organic mulch will slowly release organic matter, encourages earthworms and soil microbes.

Organic mulch like wood chips, shredded bark, straw, and any other natural material needs to be replaced every 1-2 years. This can depend on the amount of water that is used daily, but a good check is to dig into your mulch and check for any mold. If mold is in your mulch than it is time for it to be replaced.

The last great thing about applying mulch in the fall is the cooler weather!

Bubblers and drip lines are a great way to water directly onto your plant roots. Bubblers create a constant flow of water for newly established trees, shrubs, and flowers. Since the water output is on the soil you won’t lose any water to evaporation, wind, or overspray. The best types of bubblers for water conservation would be micro or mushroom bubblers. Mirco bubblers are best for trees, shrubs, and small flower beds. Mushroom bubblers are great for small flower beds or containers. Subsurface drip lines are cost effective way to water your flower gardens with limited water. Once installed you can deliver water directly to your plant roots ensuring no water loss.

Did you know that Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses are invasive species? These grasses will take over unintended areas like garden beds, sidewalk cracks, and everywhere else you don’t want. Buffalograss is a native species to Texas. According to the Texas Water Commission Buffalograss watering schedule can range from every 21-45 days. Compared to Bermudagrass and St. Augustine that need to be watered every 5-10 days that is a big difference. Buffalograsses mature height is 4-6 inches saving yourself from mowing every week.

The guidelines created by United States Department of Agriculture state, you can establish buffalograss by seed in late spring (April to September) or plugs in early fall (6 weeks before the first frost about Oct. 30^th). For seed you will need to remove all vegetation to create seed to soil contact then use a seed broadcaster at 3-5lbs per 1,000ft². Plugs can be planted straight in the soil and will begin to spread between 8-12 weeks after planting. It is important to keep the soil moist until the Buffalograss is established.

For more information check out: Wildscapes: Buffalograss - TPWD (texas.gov)

Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides) Plant Guide (usda.gov)

Thanks to the great state of Texas, we can enjoy beautiful wildflowers on the roadsides every spring. Now is the time to plant your seeds! Bluebonnet seeds should be planted between September and Mid-November. Plant the seeds directly into the soil no more than one-quarter inch deep. Bluebonnets do have a hard outer shell that protects the seed from birds or sun, so all seeds may not germinate the first year.

For more information check out: Planting Bluebonnets (txdot.gov)

We’re all familiar with the criticism of disposable products, or items used once and then tossed into the trash. Examples include plastic water bottles, shopping bags, or cutlery. These products require a huge amount of energy to be manufactured, shipped to stores, and then landfilled. There has been a push to recycle these products to help reduce their environmental footprint. Well, what about water?

The manufacturing (treatment), shipping (pumping), and disposal (wastewater treatment) of water can make it surprisingly costly as well. But can water be recycled too? Yes! Just as a disposable water bottle is collected and transformed into other usable forms, water can be too. This is known as recycled water, reclaimed water, or water reuse. Rather than being disposed (discharged into a river and out of Denton), it can be kept right here within our city and given a second life. This is not only an environmentally sound practice, but it helps ensure an adequate water supply for our community into the future. Water is simply too precious to be used once.

Denton is committed to sustainable water practices. Visit our website to learn more about Denton’s reclaimed water program and how it benefits our community:

https://www.cityofdenton.com/1061/Reuse-Water