One of the first things people will look at in a house is it’s lawn. It’s one of the very first things you’ll see when you pull up and walk inside. Should you Xeriscape your lawn or continue to landscape it? What are your options and how much does it cost? We’ll break it down for you, so don’t worry.

What is Xeriscaping? It’s a process that eliminates or severely reduces the need of irrigation in landscaping or gardening. It can be an alternative to traditional gardening, and is big in areas that are low on water or regions where irrigation water is limited. Xeriscape isn’t just rocks and cactus, it can be hundreds of different plants of different sizes and colors that need very little water to thrive. 

Why should you convert to Xeriscape? Here’s a few quick reasons that might help your decision. It’ll save you time. You won’t have to continue to mow the grass every week or so or hire someone to do it. You’ll also save on water. Xeriscape needs two to three times less water than a traditional lawn would use. You’ll save time on maintenance, apart from weeding and mulching, Xeriscape takes drastically less time to maintain. 

If you’re wanting to take it slow and get your bearings, try doing small projects in your yard every now and then to implement more plants and slowly get rid of the lawn. Think of it as baby steps. 

Xeriscaping follows a list of seven principles. 

1. Plan and design. Feel free to create a diagram of your lawn and draw out what you want everything to be. Plan around your lawn’s issues and think of drainage challenges and how much sun you’ll be able to get. 

2. Soil amendment. Improving your soil is imperative for growth of plants and keeping everything looking great! Your plants will greatly benefit from this.

3. Efficient irrigation. Xeriscape can be irrigated by hand or by a water system like sprinklers. This includes setting up a system of which plants need water when, and checking on them to insure they’re getting the correct amount.

4. Appropriate plant selection for your area. You’ll want plants that are drought tolerant and good for your climate. Different parts of your yard will get different light and so forth. You’ll want to keep this in mind.

5. Mulch. Mulching will keep soil from crusting, will reduce your weed growth, and slow erosion. 

6. Know your turf. Know your area and the things you are placing in it. Will it last through the season? Does this area get too much sun for it? 

7. Good maintenance. Proper maintenance of your Xeriscape will keep it thriving. It does require some maintenance throughout the year. Turf requires aeration every spring and fall and the mulch will need to be replaced or replenished. 

How do you feel about Xeriscaping? Do you think you’ll make the change in your home? Initially, Xeriscaping will cost more to provide all the new plants and such but will save you money and water in the following years to come.