Here & Now
Landscaper Helps Drought-Proof Yards10:37
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With California in a major drought, people are facing the challenge of what to do about their yards. Many homeowners are tearing up their water-hungry grass and replacing it with a more drought-tolerant landscape.
In wealthy Rancho Santa Fe, a suburb of San Diego, many families are less eager to cut back water use, but one couple is exploring that option, with the help of a well-known landscaper.
Drought Landscaping Tips
- Use recycled or grey-water to irrigate fruit trees and other non-edible plants
- Avoid Bermuda grass, which is harder to dig up than sod
- Try "solarizing" or the "cover and smother" method to kill grass in place instead of tearing it out
Water-Wise Plants
- Cork oak
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
- Bay
- Oregano
- Rock roses
- Westringia
- Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria)
- Blanket flower
- Grevillea
- Sage
Photos from Robin Young's visit
Guest
- Nan Sterman, host of the Growing Passion on KPBS-TV, Nan tweets @growingpassion.
- Tom and Gay, homeowners in Rancho Santa Fe.
This segment aired on June 4, 2015.
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