Two of the easiest things you can do to use less water are to mulch your yard and move to drip irrigation wherever possible.
During the current drought, not only can you make your garden more water-friendly in general, but you can also take certain measures to reduce your garden’s water needs.
A drip irrigation setup for a tree.
SUSANNE VON ROSENBERG UC Master Gardener of Napa County
As a gardener, you undoubtedly know painfully how little rainfall we had during our last rainy season.
According to the United States Drought Monitor, Napa (along with more than 50% of the entire state) is currently in an exceptional drought (Category D3).
Support local reporting and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special Offer: $ 1 For Your First Six Months!
Some districts have already made water protection requirements. We can count on Napa County and its cities to do the same.
During an exceptional drought, the fire season lasts all year round. The water is inadequate for agriculture, wildlife and urban needs, and reservoirs are extremely shallow. In addition, our soils are already quite dry and cannot serve as a reservoir for our plants as usual in late spring and early summer.
Since your plants know that water protection requirements are coming, they need to be watered earlier than in a normal rainy year. As a good steward of the planet, what can you do to better prepare your garden to use less water?
Not only can you make your garden more water-friendly in general, but you can also take certain measures now to reduce your garden’s water requirements. Make yourself a checklist and make May your month of drought prevention.
Two of the easiest things you can do to use less water are to mulch your yard and move to drip irrigation wherever possible.
