SAWS WaterSaver Newsletter - Get to Know Your Garden

Friday, March 19, 2010

Have an Attractive Water-Saving Landscape
and Get Rewarded for It
By Donna Fossum

Having less than 50 percent drought-tolerant turf such as Bermuda or zoysia and plants from our approved list will help you get closer to qualifying for our WaterSaver Landscape Rebate program.

Now is the time when most gardeners are itching to get out in the landscape to start pruning and planting new plants in place of those that died during the winter. You might've even come to our Spring Bloom event and gotten lots of great ideas you can't wait to get started on. Before you get started, peruse SAWS approved plant list. We have a fairly comprehensive list of plants that do well in our area.

If you're thinking about reducing the amount of turf in your landscape – that's always a good thing! Consider replacing it with bedding areas, decomposed granite, flagstone or other pervious hardscape to make an attractive sitting area or patio. Having less than 50 percent drought-tolerant turf such as Bermuda or zoysia (or a very small area of St. Augustine in a shady spot) and plants from our approved list will help you get closer to qualifying for our WaterSaver Landscape Rebate program.

If your landscape has an irrigation system and you want to qualify for the WaterSaver Landscape Rebate program, you should schedule an appointment with one of our conservation consultants to make sure it meets the program requirements. If it does, you'll receive a $100 gift certificate to participating nurseries. Also, we'll track your water usage for 12 months thereafter and if you use less water than our projections, you'll receive a credit on your water bill for $50 to $300 (depending on the size of your lot and whether you have an irrigation system or preserved native area).

So if you have a gardening itch, go ahead and scratch it. It could be doubly rewarding!

Donna Fossum is a conservation planner for San Antonio Water System.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

0 in.	Bermuda (Full Sun)
0 in.	Buffalo (Full Sun)
0 in.	St. Augustine (Full Sun)
0 in.	St. Augustine (Shade)
0 in.	Zoysia (Full Sun)
0 in.	Zoysia (Shade)

Use these amounts to water before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m. For a healthy lawn, water no more than twice a month, or less if you have drought tolerant grass.

Remarks:

It rained sufficiently Tuesday and more rain is expected this weekend so therefore we can eliminate any needs for watering. Keep irrigation controllers turned off. Donna Fossum, SAWS Conservation Planner.

What can I do about those worms hanging from my live oaks?

Usually at the beginning of April, the forest tent, spring cankerworm, and oak leaf roller begin their life cycle by munching on new oak leaves. They're an extremely important food source for baby birds. It's not necessary to kill them because they won't kill the tree.

E-mail your question to GardenGeek@saws.org

In San Antonio's semi-arid climate, water conservation is a normal part of everyday life. Saving water also saves you money. Not only by lowering your bill today, but by decreasing the need for more expensive water supplies in the future.

Learn more

Orchid Tree

(Bauhinia spp.)

Related to the redbud, the orchid tree has leaves shaped like the hooves of cattle or oxen and is deciduous – meaning it loses leaves in the winter. The flowers resemble those of the orchid and are purple, pink or white in color. Orchid tree blooms in the spring.

Poinsettia

(Euphorbia pulcherrima)

Christmas has come and gone and most poinsettias are probably not looking so great. Continue to maintain the plant by cutting it back to 8 inches and use a liquid fertilizer once a month. Place the plant outside once the weather warms – first in indirect sunlight then in direct sunlight for at least six hours a day.

Olives Olé

March 27,
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard
25195 Mathis Rd.

Tour the Elmendorf orchard and learn how to grow olive trees in Texas. Enjoy shopping, health and nutrition seminars and cooking demonstrations. Sample a buffet of olives from around the world. Cost is $10 and tickets can be purchased at the gate or in advance at H-E-B.

SAWS WaterSaver newsletter is published by San Antonio Water System. You have received this newsletter because you requested a subscription, asked to receive information from us, or have been identified by SAWS as someone who could benefit from this information.

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Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you! Contact us at conserve@saws.org