More seek low-water landscape

Water conservation is an important issue in northern Nevada, and many local nurseries are seeing an increasing change in consumer habits.

There has been a decided shift toward xeriscape (from the word xeric - meaning "adapted to a dry environment") and other low-water use landscaping in the area, although some nursery owners feel that the shift is due more to homeowners' aversion to a time-honored American tradition, namely mowing the lawn.

"Water conservation is not on the top of everyone's mind," said David Ruf, owner of Greenhouse Garden Center and Gift in Carson City.

"People are shifting to low- and no-water yards because there's no maintenance."

Still, there are people who are demanding the lush front lawns, and not surprisingly, it's the same homebuyers who many credit for the hot home market in northern Nevada.

"Customers are still coming from California who are used to having large amounts of lawn," said Ruf.

"They want a large lawn again, and they're willing to pay for the water to maintain it."

Californians and native yard lovers can have their lawn and water it too, as long as they follow the restrictions set up by the Truckee Meadows Water Authority.

They restrict lawn watering to twice a week for lawn sprinkler systems, and prohibit watering between 1 p.m.

and 5 p.m.

Because of drought conditions over the past few years, the restrictions are in place to make sure that what little water exists stays available.

"The mandatory restrictions have worked pretty well for the last seven years," said Andy Gebhardt, conservation program administrator for the TMWA.

Prior to that, the program was voluntary for 10 years, he said.

"The restrictions are in place to prevent us from going to draconian measures and severe rationing," he said.

"We will fine people up to $200 for violating the restrictions by watering on the wrong day or at the wrong time.

But I feel that right now we're not in a horrible situation.We have plenty of water."

Homeowners who long for a green lawn have enjoyed water rates that have not gone up in five years, said Gebhardt.

But that's about to change.

"Rates will go up this year," said Gebhardt.

"We have consumer outreach groups working on the new rate plan now."

Whether the goal is to save water, or cut back on pushing a mower, homeowners are finding that local garden centers will help them plan the appropriate yards.

"It's a common trend to reduce the lawn area to a more reasonable size," said Ron Gustafson, horticultural landscape consultant for Moana Nursery in Reno.

"Customers are cutting back on lawn and filling in with shrubs, trees and rock.

People are asking for drought tolerant plants and drip irrigation systems to water those plants efficiently," he said.

While most customers settle on some combination of lawn and rock, Gustafson says he has seen all-rock yards.

These customers are leaping from the fire of maintenance and conservation concerns to the frying pan of skyhigh electric bills, he said.

"Those solid rock yards make the ambient temperature of the house rise about 10 to 15 degrees," said Gustafson.

"You may be saving water, but you're increasing your electricity usage by running your air conditioner more to compensate.

Lawns and shrubs keep your house cool."

Ruf agrees that the all-rock option can bite the homeowner - and even lead to worse consequences for the region.

"I tell customers if they use rock on the west or south side, their home temperature will rise and they'll use more air conditioning," he said.

"That means Sierra Pacific has to burn more coal and use more petroleum, so it's bad for the air quality.

I'd like to see homeowners put in shade trees, but that means more work and people want zero maintenance."

Homeowners starting from scratch can take steps to make their lawn watering more efficient.

"I suggest that new homebuyers do as much xeriscape as possible with rocks and paving stones, and also prepare their soil as much as possible before they lay down the sod," said Ron Adams, a broker with Keystone Realty.

"They can get beads to put in the top soil that holds the water.

The better the preparation prior to installing the lawn, the better the lawn will be with less water."

These magic beads are available from most nurseries, including G & G Nursery of Reno.

"The beads are soil polymers which look like grains of salt when they're put in the soil," said Mark Mercier, G & G's nursery manager.

"They'll absorb 100 to 500 times their own weight in water."

Acting like mini-reservoirs, the polymers suck up water around them then slowly release it back into the soil, cutting down on water usage, he said.

"They're organic and bio-degradable," said Mercier.

"So they need to be reapplied in about 10 years.

I see customers injecting them into their existing lawns to conserve water, which makes sense.

But, it's much more effective to put them in the soil before the lawn gets put in."

Lawn lovers can choose between two types of grass, according to Mercier.

"Fescue is coarse, it doesn't repair itself, and its coloration is closer to an athletic field." T

he more popular, Kentucky Blue, is the lusher of the two.

"It looks nicer but uses twice the water of the fescue," he said.

Perhaps the final word belongs to Erik Miller, owner of Forever Green, a landscape company that offers homeowners the same synthetic Field Turf found in Mackay Stadium at the University of Reno, Nevada.

The up-front costs are higher than for traditional grass, said Miller, but the maintenance costs are lower and the payback occurs within three to five years.

"After that, it is money in your pocket," said Miller.

"It's virtually maintenance free."

And that will be welcome news to homeowners who want to spread their proverbial wings and leave their lawns behind with nothing but a wave goodbye.

TMWA says, 'It takes two' The Truckee Meadows Water Authority has only two rules on watering, but the agency enforces them with roving water patrols.

Rule One: Water your lawn on assigned days based on your address: Odd: If the last number in your home address is odd (1,3,5,7, or 9), water only on Sundays and Thursdays.

Even: If the last number in your home address is even (0,2,4,6, or 8), water only on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Commercial and multi-unit residential properties water on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Monday is a no-watering day for both residential and commercial customers.

This day is for the water treatment plants to replenish water storage.

Rule Two: Don't water between 1 p.m.

and 5 p.m.

Watering early in the morning between 3 a.m.

and 9 a.m.

is ideal because wind and temperatures are lower, minimizing evaporation.

Never water during the heat of the day or when conditions are windy.

Source: www.tmh20.com