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For more information on water-wise plants, contact the City of Modesto Water Conservation Program at: (209) 342-2246 or visit us online at: www.modestogov.com/savewater Water-Wise Gardening Guide Water... every drop is precious! ---PAGE BREAK--- It may surprise you to learn that it is not necessary to water every day. In fact, watering 2-3 times per week may be enough. The key is to water deeply, allowing water to penetrate through the soil and reach plant roots. Your Irrigation System Turn on your sprinkler system and observe. Does it water your plants or the sidewalk? Does water fl ow into the gutter? If so, you are applying water faster than your soil can absorb it. Turn on your drip irrigation system and observe. Are the emitters clogged? Is water fl owing out of the pipe where your emitter should be? Check your emitters weekly, use a fi lter, and use a pressure regulator on your system. Check Your Soil For lawns–after watering, take a screwdriver and probe it into the soil. If you can push it 6 inches deep, you have watered enough. If you can’t, set your timer to water longer . Then wait a few days and check it again. When the screwdriver can’t go in as deep, it is time to water. For trees and shrubs-after watering, the soil should be wet 2-3 feet deep. If you can easily dig with a shovel, you have watered enough. Trees and shrubs can go for weeks and sometimes months without adding water, if they are watered deeply enough. How Should I Water? Sprinkler irrigation may not provide enough water for established trees and shrubs. You can supplement by deep soaking with a garden hose on low for several hours. Check the soil several inches below the surface before you decide to water again. Watering Habits A water-wise landscape can be beautiful and it can help you save water too. Do you want to be a wiser water miser? You don’t have to pull out all your plants and start over. Lets begin by examining the way you water. 2 Water... every drop is precious! Plants for Modesto Remarks Plant trees in full sun. Prune to keep at desired height Evergreen tree needs minimal pruning. Spring blooming fl owers are “show-stopping.” Evergreen tree grows slowly. Resembles weeping willow but has non-invasive roots. Evergreen palm best used on large property. Trunk can reach up to 2’ in diameter. Leaves turn color before dropping in fall. Slow to moderate grower. Has well-behaved roots. Colorful blooms in spring and summer. Leaves turn color before dropping in fall. Choose varieties resistant to powdery mildew. Flowers in spring. Willow-like in appearance. Grows quickly when young. Loses leaves in fall. Evergreen tree has moderate growth rate. Makes an excellent lawn or street tree. Well-behaved roots. Evergreen tree is drought tolerant. ‘Majestic Beauty’ bears almost no fruit. ‘Bonita’ does bear tiny fruit. Evergreen tree grows quickly. Young foliage has round leaves, mature foliage is slender. Evergreen tree has slow to moderate growth rate. Makes an excellent lawn tree. Evergreen tree can be planted in partial shade or full sun. ‘Saratoga’ is an excellent cultivar. Flowers in spring. Heart-shaped leaves are bluish-green. Usually grown as a multi-trunk tree. Loses leaves in fall. 15 Western Redbud CA Fan Palm Desert Willow Holly Oak Chinese Pistache Western Redbud CA Fan Palm Desert Willow Holly Oak Chinese Pistache We We We We We We We We We W t st st st st ster er er er ern Re Re Re Re Re Re Re Re R db db db db db db db db db db d ud ud ud ud ud ud ud We We We We t st st st ster er ern Re Re Re R db db db db db d ud ud ud ud Western Redbud CA CA CA CA CA CA Fan an an an an an a Pal al al al al al alm CA CA CA CA Fan an an an Pal al al alm CA Fan Palm De De De De De De De Dese se se Wililililili lo lo lo lo low De De Dese se se Wilililillo lo lo low Desert Willow Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho y y Oa Oa Oa Oa Oa Oa Oak Ho Ho Ho Oa Oa Oak Holly Oak Ch Ch Ch Ch Ch Chin in in in ines es es es e e e e e Pi Pi Pi Pi Pi Pi P t st st st st st stac ac ac ac ache he he he he he he Ch Ch Ch Chin in ines es ese Pi Pi Pi Pi P t st st st stac ac ache he he he Chinese Pistache ---PAGE BREAK--- Water-Wise Guide to pages 6-15 =California Native 14 Common & Botanical Name Features of Height Interest Width Trees - Plant year round Australian Tea Tree white, pink or red fl owers 10-30’ Leptospermum laevigatum 10-30’ Australian Willow willowy foliage, inconspicuous fl owers 25-30’ Gejera parvifl ora 15-20’ California Fan Palm tall tree with attractive leaves 50-60’ Washingtonia fi lifera 15-20’ Chinese Pistache female trees have red berries that turn black 30-50’ Pistacia chinensis 30-50’ Crape pink, purple or white fl owers 20-25’ Lagerstroemia indica 20-25’ Desert Willow pink, purple, rose, or white fl owers 15-30’ Chilopsis linearis 10-20’ Holly Oak oval, 11/2” brownish gray acorns 30-60’ Quercus ilex 30-60’ Olive Tree fruitless varieties best 25-30’ Olea europaea 25-30’ Silver Dollar Eucalyptus interesting seed capsules 20-50’ Eucalyptus cinerea 20-40’ Strawberry Tree attractive red fruit, dark brown bark 10-30’ Arbutus unedo 10-30’ Sweet Bay small yellow fl ower clusters, purple fruit 15-40’ Laurus nobilis 15-40’ Western Redbud sweet pea-like purple fl owers 10-18’ Cercis occidentalis 10-18’ Water... every drop is precious! Crape Cr Cr Cr Cr Cr Crap ap ap ap ap ap ape e e e e My My My My My My My My My M le le le le le le le Crape What’s My Soil Type? No matter your soil type, plants use the same amount of water. Sandy soils absorb water quickly but also dry out quickly. Loamy soils absorb and hold water well. Soils composed mostly of clay absorb water slowly and stay wet longer. Compacted soils have trouble absorbing water. Compost and Mulch Before planting, always add a 3-4” layer of compost. Till it to a depth of several inches. After planting, mulch around your plants with a 2-3” layer of ground, shredded bark, decomposed granite, or even gravel. The purpose of mulch is to help the soil hold it’s moisture. Replace the mulch as needed. Talk Lawn Q: Should I remove my lawn? A: A wisely watered lawn uses less water than an overwatered lawn. However, if you don’t use your lawn for pets or physical activity, consider removing all or part of it and planting water-wise plants or installing permeable surfaces like gravel and paving stones. Q: I’d like to have a small lawn, which variety should I choose? A: Warm season grass like Bermuda needs the least amount of water. Cool season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and tall fescue need more water. All are good choices for our area. Most nurseries carry a “blend” of grasses which thrive in Modesto’s climate. Hard fescue is an alternative lawn and grows 4-6” tall. It does not need to be mowed but does not tolerate hot summers and may die back. However, hard fescue grows in shade and can be quite drought tolerant. Soil Types Did You Know? Your lawn mower cutting height should be adjusted by season and grass type. Warm Season - 1” Cool Season - 2 1/2” In most cases, mushrooms in the lawn indicate the breakdown of organic material. This process is not harmful to your lawn. Simply rake them out as they appear. However, a circular pattern of mushrooms may indicate the presence of a fungus called a “fairy ring.” Aerate your soil and water properly to help reduce mushrooms. 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- My Lawn Looks Brown Even Though I Water Deeply In winter, warm season grasses go dormant. To green up a dormant, brown lawn, over seed it in late fall with an annual ryegrass In summer, dying patches of lawn may indicate faulty sprinklers or a layer of thatch. Thatch is a buildup of living and dead plant materials blocking water from reaching the soil. If you water for 20 minutes and water does not penetrate the soil, there is most likely a thatch problem. To reduce thatch, rent dethatch equipment from a nursery or garden center. Fertilizing Lawn If your lawn is green and healthy, there is no need to add fertilizer. If you choose to fertilize, the best time is in late fall. Fertilizing during warm temperatures may stress your lawn and/or add to the mowing frequency. Lawn Fertilizing 4 Water... every drop is precious! Water... every drop is precious! Plants for Modesto Remarks Shrubs help deϔine a landscape Plant in full sun. Flowers in summer. Prune to retain shape. Attractive to bees and butterfl ies. Evergreen. Plant in full sun. Flowers year-round. Remove dead fl owers for longer bloom. Prune for shape in early spring. Evergreen Plant in full sun or partial shade. Flowers in fall and spring followed by berries. Evergreen. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Flowers in spring. Prune for size and shape in early spring. Evergreen. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Prune for size and shape in early spring. Semi-evergreen. Plant in full sun. Has tiny fl owers and should not bear much fruit. Evergreen. Plant in partial shade. Flowers in spring followed by berries. In fall, foliage turns color. Evergreen. Plant in full sun Flowers spring through summer. Evergreen. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Flowers mid to late spring. Loses leaves in fall. Prune after March 30th. Plant in full sun. Flowers in spring and summer. Prune straggly plants for shape. Prune after March 30th. Loses leaves in fall. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Blooms in spring. Evergreen. 13 prune evergreen varieties in late spring and summer. Texas Ranger Spirea Indian Hawthorne Rockrose Nandina Texas Ranger Spirea Indian Hawthorne Rockrose Nandina Te Te Te Te Te Te Te Te T xa xa xa xa xas Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Rang ng ng nger er er er e Te Te Te Texa xa xas Ra Ra Ra R ng ng ng nger er e Texas Ranger Sp Sp Sp Sp Sp Sp Sp Sp Spiriririririrea ea ea ea ea ea ea Sp Sp Sp Sp Spiririri ea ea ea ea Spirea In In In In In Indi di di di di di di dian an an an an Haw aw aw aw aw a th th th th th th th thor or or or o ne ne ne ne ne ne In In Indi di di di dian an an Haw aw aw h th th th thor or orne ne ne ne Indian Hawthorne Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro R k ck ck ck ck ckro ro ro rose se se se se Ro Ro Ro Ro R k ck ck ck ckro ro ro e se se se Rockrose Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na N d nd nd nd nd nd ndin in in in in i a Na Na Na Na d nd nd ndin in ina Nandina 13 13 ---PAGE BREAK--- Water-Wise Guide to pages 6-15 =California Native 12 Common & Botanical Name Features of Height Interest Width Shrubs - Plant year round Buckwheat pale fl owers 5-6’ Eriogonum species 5-6’ Euryops bright yellow daisy-like fl owers 3-6’ Euryops pectinatus 3-6’ Indian Hawthorne pink fl owers, blue berries 4-5’ Raphiolepis indica 5-6’ Manzanita whitish pink bell-shaped fl owers 5-6’ Arctostaphylos densifl orus, ‘Howard McMinn’ 6-7’ Nandina foliage changes color in fall, red berries 3-6’ Nandina domestica 3-4’ Olive silvery green foliage 4-8’ Olea europaea, ‘Little Ollie’ 4-8’ Oregon Grape blue-black fruit 5-6’ Mahonia aquifolium 4-5’ Rockrose white, pink or purple fl owers 2-6’ Cistus species 4-8’ Spirea numerous tiny white fl owers 5-6’ Spirea vanhouttei 7-8’ Texas Ranger silvery gray foliage, pink or white fl owers 5-7’ frutescens 5-7’ Valley Violet purple fl owers varies Ceanothus maritimus Euryops Water... every drop is precious! Eu Eu Eu Eu E ry ry ry ryop op op ops Euryops Plant Zones 1 ZONE 5 2 ZONE 3 ZONE A plant “zone” is an area where plants are grouped together with similar watering requirements. Here are some suggested zones: Zone 1 Lawn & Container Plants need water most frequently. Check garden soil and plants in pots with a screwdriver, especially during summer. Zone 2 Fruit Trees, Vegetables, Roses and other water-thirsty plants not listed as “water-wise” should be watered deeply. Sprinkler irrigation is often not enough during summer and late fall. These plants do not tolerate dry soil. Zone 3 Water-Wise Plants need deep water, but less frequently. Newly established water-wise plants should be treated like a new plant until after their fi rst year. However, pay special attention to new trees, which take longer to establish and often need water during their second year. Set your watering system to water each zone differently. Experiment with time to see if plants are thriving. Try less water before you add more. Should I Only Plant California Natives? Not all California native plants are water-wise, in fact, some California natives need frequent water. The term “California Native” can be misleading. The best choice for Modesto landscapes is a mix of water-wise California native plants and water-wise Mediterranean plants. Look for plants or seeds marked Zone 9 or 10 at your local nursery to make sure they are suitable to our climate. Did You Know? During the warm months, 50% of your water bill may be from watering your landscape. Changing the way you water can help save money. More plants die from too much water than from not enough. Plants need air in the soil as much as they need water. Mulch can help conserve water by protecting the soil from drying out. ---PAGE BREAK--- Water-Wise Guide to pages 6-15 =California Native 6 Common & Botanical Name Features of Height Interest Width Cool Season Annuals - Plant in fall & early winter California Poppy orange, red, yellow, cream colored fl owers 8-18” Escholzia californica 8-18” Iceland Poppy white, yellow, pink, purple, red, orange fl owers 10”-3’ Papaver nudicale 6-11” Nasturtium orange, red, yellow fl owers 1-2’ Tropaoelum majus 1-2’ Pansy white, yellow, orange, purple, blue, bi-colored fl owers 6-11” Viola species 4-5” Stock pink, white, red, purple fl owers 8”-3’ Matthiola incana 1’ Sweet William white, pink, purple, bi-colored fl owers 1-2’ Dianthus barbatus 4-6” Warm Season Annuals - Plant in spring & summer Black-Eyed Susan yellow, gold, red, bi-colored fl owers 10”-3’ Rudbeckia hirta 11-18” Coreopsis yellow, brown, red, orange, bi-colored fl owers 8”-2’ Coreopsis tinctoria 8”-2 1/2’ Cosmos pink, white, red, yellow, orange fl owers 1-7’ Cosmos species 1-2’ Marigold (African) yellow, red, orange fl owers 18”-3’ Tagetes erecta 1’ Zinnia white, yellow, blue, pink, orange, pink, purple fl owers 1-4’ Zinnia elegans 1-4’ California Poppy Ca Ca Ca Ca Calilililifo fo fo forn rn rnia ia ia ia ia Pop op op op oppy py py py py California Poppy Water... every drop is precious! Plants for Modesto Remarks Prune after March 30th to avoid early frost damage Plant in full sun. Flowers late summer through fall. Goes dormant in winter. Plant in partial shade to full shade. Flowers in winter and spring. Evergreen. Plant in full sun. Flowers summer through fall. Evergreen. Plant in full sun. Flowers most of the year. Great border plant, shear back when it gets rangy. Evergreen. Plant in full sun to partial shade. Flowers mid summer through early fall. Can be sheared into a nice hedge. Evergreen. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Flowers mid-summer through frost, spikes can be cut off. Divide clumps when plant appears rangy. Evergreen. Plant in full sun. Flowers in spring. Evergreen. Plant in full sun. Flowers in spring. Creeps along ground like a ground cover. May go dormant in winter. Plant in full sun. Flowers in spring. Evergreen. Can be used as a groundcover, small or large shrub. Plant in partial sun to full shade. Flowers in spring. Great under oak trees. Evergreen. Plant in full sun. Choose drought tolerant species like S. apiana, S. clevelandii, S. offi cinalsi, S. nemorosa, S. “Bee’s Bliss”. These species are also non-invasive, unlike some Salvias which shouldn’t be planted near waterways or meadows. Goes dormant in winter. Plant in full sun to partial shade. Flowers spring through fall. Short-lived (3-4 years). Evergreen. Plant in full sun. Flowers spring through frost. Divide clumps after 3-4 years. Native to central and eastern North America. 11 Dusty Miller Purple Conefl ower Rosemary Bergenia Lamb’s Ears Dusty Miller Purple Conefl ower Rosemary Bergenia Lamb’s Ears Du Du Du Du Du Du Du Du t st st st st sty y y y Mi Mi Mi Mi Mi Mi M er er er er Du Du Du Du t st st st sty Mi Mi Mi Mi Mi M er er e Dusty Miller Pu Pu Pu Pu Pu Pu Pu Purp rp rp rp rple le le le le le le Con on on on on o efl efl efl efl efl efl eflowe we we we we wer Pu Pu Pu P rp rp rple le le le Con on on fl efl efl eflowe we wer Purple Conefl ower Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro Ro R se se se se sema ma ma ma mary ry ry ry ry ry ry Ro Ro Ro Ro R se se sema ma ma m ry ry ry r Rosemary Be Be Be Be Be Be Be Be B rg rg rg rg rgen en en en e ia ia ia ia ia ia ia Be Be Be Berg rg rgen en en e ia ia ia ia ia Bergenia La La La La La b mb mb mb mb mb mb mb’s’s’s’s Ear ar ar ar ars La La La b mb mb mb mb’s’s Ear ar ars Lamb’s Ears 11 11 ---PAGE BREAK--- Water-Wise Guide to pages 6-15 =California Native 10 Common & Botanical Name Features of Height Interest Width Perennials & Herbs - Plant year round Blue Mist Spirea blue fl owers 2’ Caryopteris x clandodensis 2’ Bergenia pink fl owers 2-3’ Bergenia crassifolia 1’ California fuchsia(C) orange to red trumpet-shaped fl owers 6”-4’ Zauschenaria californica 3-4’ Dusty Miller powdery gray leaves, yellow fl owers 2-3’ Senecio cineraria 2-3’ Germander purple or blue fl ower spikes 6-11” Teucrium chamaedrys 6-9” Heuchera colorful fl ower spikes 1-3’ Hybrids 1-2’ Lamb’s Ears soft, silvery green leaves 1-2’ Stachys byzantina 1-3’ Lavender purple, pink, white fl owers 1-2’ Lavandula species 1-3’ Marjorum tiny white or pink fl owers 1-2’ Origanum marjorana 1-2’ Rosemary blue, purple, pink or white fl owers varies Rosmarinus species Salvia red, purple, blue, pink, white fl owers varies Salvia species Penstemon spiky fl owers in many colors 2-4’ Penstemon species 1-2’ Purple Conefl ower purple or white fl owers 2-4’ Echinacea species 1-3’ Blue Mist Spirea Bl Bl Bl Bl Bl B ue ue ue ue Mis is is is ist t t t Sp Sp Sp Sp Sp Sp Spiririri ea ea ea ea ea Blue Mist Spirea Water... every drop is precious! Plants for Modesto 7 Remarks Plant in full sun in fall. Seedling plants often available in spring. Flowers early spring then dies back with summer heat. Usually returns the following year. Plant in full sun. Plant seeds or seedlings in fall. Flowers late fall through spring. Plant in partial shade. Plant seeds or seedlings in fall or spring. Flowers almost continually when replaced each fall or spring. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Plant seeds or seedlings in fall. Flowers fall through spring. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Plant seeds or seedlings in fall. Flowers fall through spring. Plant in partial shade. Plant seeds or seedlings in fall or spring. Flowers in fall & spring. Plant in full sun. Plant seeds or seedlings in spring. Flowers in summer. Native to Eastern U.S. Plant in full sun. Plant from seed in spring or seedlings in spring or summer. Flowers in summer. Reseeds itself each year. Plant in full sun. Plant from seed in spring or seedling in spring or summer. Flowers summer through frost. Has a tendency to reseed itself. Plant in full sun. Plant from seed in spring or seedlings in spring or summer. Flowers early summer through frost. Plant in full sun. Plant from seed in spring or seedling in spring or summer. Flowers summer through fall. Fall annuals generally live from October-May, while spring annuals live from late March until November frost. Marigold Pansy Zinnia Cosmos Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma M riririririgo go go go g ld ld ld ld ld Marigold Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa Pans ns ns nsy Pansy Zi Zi Zi Zi Zinn nn nnia ia ia ia ia Zinnia Co Co Co Cosm sm sm smos os os os Cosmos ---PAGE BREAK--- Water-Wise Guide to pages 6-15 =California Native 8 Common & Botanical Name Features of Height Interest Width Ground Covers - Plant year round Bearberry white, bell-shaped fl owers 6-8” Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 8-18” Mock Strawberry small yellow fl owers, red fruit 3-4” Duchesnea indica 1’ Santa Barbara Daisy small white, lavender or pink fl owers 10-20” Erigeron karvinskianus 2-3’ Ornamental Grasses - Plant year round Deer Grass yellow, pink or purplish plumes 4’ Muhlenbergia rigens 4’ Pink Muhly Grass pink plumes 2-6’ Muhlenbergia capillaris 1-5’ Giant Feather Grass yellow plumes 2-3’ Stipa gigantea 3-4’ Vines - Plant year round Carolina Jessamine fragrant yellow fl owers 20’ Gelsemum sempervirens 10-15’ Lilac Vine lilac, pink or white pea shaped fl owers 9-10’ Hardenbergia violacea 6-8’ Wisteria fragrant white or purple fl owers 20-30’ Wisteria sinensis 20-30’ Wisteria Wi Wi Wi Wi Wi W t st st ster er er e ia ia ia ia Wisteria Water... every drop is precious! Plants for Modesto 9 Remarks Groundcovers are great for greening up large areas Plant in full sun. Flowers late winter to early spring. Evergreen plant grows slowly. Mulch between plants to prevent weeds. Plant in full sun, partial or full shade. Flowers in spring. Evergreen doesn’t tolerate foot traffi c. Aggresive if over-watered. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Cut back perennial plant after fl owering for quick re-bloom. Does not tolerate foot traffi c. Keep contained or it can be aggressive. Give all grasses a “haircut” in early spring Plant in full sun or partial shade. Bright green grass forms clumps that get 2’ taller when they “bloom.” Goes dormant in winter. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Dies back in winter. Plant in full sun. Plumes add an additional 2-3’ in height. Semi-evergreen, may go dormant in winter. Vines need yearly pruning in spring, after March 30th Plant in full sun or partial shade. Flowers spring through summer. Evergreen. Does not damage houses or fences. Plant in partial shade. Flowers for just a few weeks during early spring. Evergreen. Plant in full sun or partial shade. Flowers in spring. Goes dormant in winter. Wisteria grows quickly and should be trained it’s fi rst year and carefully pruned every year. 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