Comments on: Xeriscape for Drought-Tolerant Landscaping http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/xeriscape-for-drought-tolerant-landscaping/ Expert Advice on Home Improvement Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:24:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ray http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/xeriscape-for-drought-tolerant-landscaping/comment-page-1/#comment-40955 Ray Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:59:40 +0000 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/xeriscape-for-drought-tolerant-landscaping/#comment-40955 Heres a general idea of an underground storage system. http://www.oak-barrel.com/underground_rainwater_tanks/underground_rainwater_storage_systems.htm Otherwise the tanks are available at Farm supply places and the submersible pump from plumbing supply. Plus you need a cut out switch for when the tank gets low to prevent the pump from running dry. A standard sump pump may not be able to handle(burns out) the back pressure of a hose being turned on and off. And don't forget some type of leaf straining/by-pass filter system to keep the junk out of the pump. Heres a general idea of an underground storage system.
http://www.oak-barrel.com/underground_rainwater_tanks/underground_rainwater_storage_systems.htm

Otherwise the tanks are available at Farm supply places and the submersible pump from plumbing supply. Plus you need a cut out switch for when the tank gets low to prevent the pump from running dry. A standard sump pump may not be able to handle(burns out) the back pressure of a hose being turned on and off. And don’t forget some type of leaf straining/by-pass filter system to keep the junk out of the pump.

]]> By: Luci Dunn http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/xeriscape-for-drought-tolerant-landscaping/comment-page-1/#comment-38454 Luci Dunn Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:18:49 +0000 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/xeriscape-for-drought-tolerant-landscaping/#comment-38454 I am building a new home and wanted to install and underground tank to catch rain water from the gutters but have bee unable to find one. The only thng I can find are the rain barrels that sit at the end of the gutters. Do you have any idea where I can find and underground tank for water collection? I am building a new home and wanted to install and underground tank to catch rain water from the gutters but have bee unable to find one. The only thng I can find are the rain barrels that sit at the end of the gutters. Do you have any idea where I can find and underground tank for water collection?

]]> By: Ray http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/xeriscape-for-drought-tolerant-landscaping/comment-page-1/#comment-30345 Ray Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:21:07 +0000 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/xeriscape-for-drought-tolerant-landscaping/#comment-30345 I moved from out in the country to a small town and it is a dry climate(north of Kamloops,BC), and I removed the front lawn(about 50 feet by 30 feet). I covered it in 7/8 minus rock(about 4" thick,with a commercial grade weed barrier under) and put in various plants that flower throughout the summer and by next year will need little water(but ground is coarse sand below), so I added a good dose of soil around the planting and enough low dose fertilizer to ensure many years of good growth and health(soil helps to hold moisture). Meanwhile the neighbors cut their grass once a week and some water twice a day, every other day(as per restrictions), to achieve the green lawn look for the whole summer and don't use the lawn for anything(other than waste water). My back lawn is still in(have vegetable gardens as well), but since I do not water the lawn more than needed(have a dog), I also do not need to cut it every week. Now removing your front lawn under Home Owners Association rules will be difficult without a lawyer. As some HOA's 'mandate' green lawns all year. Even some towns mandate in their by-laws, plantings to irrigate, which to them means grass. And these rules are enforced during drought conditions, or you will be fined and your house stolen and sold under penalty for not conforming to ancient notions of property care. But who really owns your property? The HOA or the Town or You? California is in official drought and still people keep lawns green. A brown lawn that is properly cut before going dormant is also a good looking lawn..... 50% of tap water can go to watering lawns. And that means less water in the rivers for nature. Set your lawn mower up at 2 1/2" from the ground to the blade to allow the grass to grow stronger and shade the roots. Do not use fertilizers with a high first number. It will cause the grass to grow quickly up, without putting down strong roots and will require even more water. But there is a conspiricy by the fertilizer industry to get you to use a mix like 30/4/4, 4 times a year. "7/7/7"="Up/down/all around" I moved from out in the country to a small town and it is a dry climate(north of Kamloops,BC), and I removed the front lawn(about 50 feet by 30 feet). I covered it in 7/8 minus rock(about 4″ thick,with a commercial grade weed barrier under) and put in various plants that flower throughout the summer and by next year will need little water(but ground is coarse sand below), so I added a good dose of soil around the planting and enough low dose fertilizer to ensure many years of good growth and health(soil helps to hold moisture).
Meanwhile the neighbors cut their grass once a week and some water twice a day, every other day(as per restrictions), to achieve the green lawn look for the whole summer and don’t use the lawn for anything(other than waste water). My back lawn is still in(have vegetable gardens as well), but since I do not water the lawn more than needed(have a dog), I also do not need to cut it every week.
Now removing your front lawn under Home Owners Association rules will be difficult without a lawyer. As some HOA’s ‘mandate’ green lawns all year. Even some towns mandate in their by-laws, plantings to irrigate, which to them means grass. And these rules are enforced during drought conditions, or you will be fined and your house stolen and sold under penalty for not conforming to ancient notions of property care. But who really owns your property? The HOA or the Town or You? California is in official drought and still people keep lawns green.
A brown lawn that is properly cut before going dormant is also a good looking lawn…..
50% of tap water can go to watering lawns. And that means less water in the rivers for nature.
Set your lawn mower up at 2 1/2″ from the ground to the blade to allow the grass to grow stronger and shade the roots.
Do not use fertilizers with a high first number. It will cause the grass to grow quickly up, without putting down strong roots and will require even more water. But there is a conspiricy by the fertilizer industry to get you to use a mix like 30/4/4, 4 times a year.
“7/7/7″=”Up/down/all around”

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