Drought resistant plants are great for warmer climates and yard that get a lot of southern exposure.
My front yard is a prefect example. The sun beats down on it all day and if I have “normal” flowers in my front yard I need to water them twice a day. That’s time consuming and hard on the water reserve so I went to drought resistant plants I also have a variety of herbs planted. Herbs also seem to do well with less water and fuss.
Tips for drought resistant plantings.
Water with a can not a sprinkler and water early in the morning or late at night to reduce loss of moisture due to evaporation. I also have used a hand dipper and planted the plants in a small hollow to help catch, hold and direct the water to the roots.
Weed often. Weeds will compete with your plants for moisture. If you are not a weeder or want to cut down on gardening time, mulch your flower area. The mulch will cut back on weeds being able to grow, hold moisture in the ground and cool the soil.
Plants such as succulents and silver, blue and gray-leafed plants are ideal for drought conditions. You can also check for fleshy thick stems and leaves
Avoid traditional bedding plants such begonias, impatiens and fuchsias, all of which require a lot of watering.
Add organic matter or mulch such as mushroom compost, pine needles, leaf mould, or regular compost, which will help with drainage.
You can also set up a barrel to catch rainwater. This will save on water from your house and will make for easier watering. Rainwater also has more nutrients in it and is better for plants.
For a list of plants that include flowers, shrubs and tree check out the University of Vermont Extension Department of Plant and Soil Science website at http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/pubs/oh73drought.htm
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