When it comes to water, use these important fire-smart landscaping strategies:
- Utilize compost and the right mulches appropriately to sustain soil moisture and plant health; healthy plants are resilient plants. Select water wise, drought tolerant plants to add to your garden. Avoid adding new plants in times of extreme drought.
- Learn the water requirements of different plants to water appropriately.
- Water in the early morning and stagger the schedule to allow roots to absorb the water slowly.
- Target watering at the base within the plant’s dripline.
- Consider prioritizing valued plants & trees and decreasing the number of other plants. Remove invasives, weeds, and dead plants (plug irrigation outlet after removal). Minimize fertilizing – rapid plant growth requires more water.
- Keep irrigation system in good condition. Look into flow meters, soaker hoses, drip irrigation, and irrigation controllers to administer & monitor more effectively.
- Do not wet down your property on Red Flag warning days. This depletes the water our fire personnel need. Irrigate as normal.
- At http://firesafemarin.org, watch video entitled: Prioritizing Landscaping During Drought
- Look for Chipper Days in late summer/early fall to get rid of garden debris. https://reserve.chipperday.com/marin
For more information visit UC Marin Master Gardener website.
https://ucanr.edu/ucmarinmgfiresmart & https://ucanr.edu/ucmarinmgirrigation