Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Ways to save water and money

Water accordingly, desert dwellers.

Veronica Lavarello
Veronica Lavarello

Landscaping and gardening in a drought is tough and expensive, so I started looking for ways to save water and money.

“The first thing to do is evaluate the irrigation system,” said New Way Landscape and Tree Service vice president Bob Rogers (858-505-8300; newwaypro.com). New Way offers water-management services and landscape design for businesses and homeowners’ associations, and they like to start with “the low-hanging fruit. We see what isn’t working right: fix any leaks, adjust sprinkler heads if they’re putting out too much water, maybe replace them with sprinklers that offer more adjustable settings. A lot of systems just haven’t been maintained, and over the years, they can become unbalanced — the precipitation rates are incorrect.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

Rogers stressed the need to get the right amount of water for your particular landscape; also, that some landscapes are more appropriate for San Diego than others. “The Metropolitan Water District has a list called the Nifty Fifty: ground covers, scrubs, and succulents that are proven winners as far as being attractive and also surviving with less water. But we don’t rubber-stamp any plant; it has to fit with the design of the property.”

Sub-irrigation pot

Many people, said Rogers, are gravitating toward weather-based systems with so-called smart controllers ($165–$198 per controller, available from Rainbird) that are able to respond to soil and plant needs and adjust water dispersal accordingly. “You put in what plant material you have in what zone, and what kind of soil,” and the controller reacts accordingly. “But you have to do the work and enter the data. I like to say that the smartest controller is one that has a qualified person managing it. So, if you go with that, you should spend some time learning to use it. Often, the suppliers will offer training, or you can find video tutorials online.”

I got a more small-scale bit of counsel from Veronica Lavarello, owner of Pretty Pots and Beyond (619-488-2771; prettypotsandbeyond.com) and a big fan of ollas. “Ollas are non-sealed terracotta jars. They’ve been used in the Southwest for over 2000 years, and around the world for over 4000. The technology was lost, but now that we have drought basically everywhere, it’s coming back.”

Here’s how they work: “You bury them next to plants for irrigation. You dig a hole and bury the olla in the ground, leaving the neck exposed. You fill it with water, place the top on it, and plant around it. The roots of the plants press against the pot, and the pressure works to suck moisture through the porous wall of the jar. Every drop of water will be used by the plant, and the plant will take just what it needs. They’ll save you at least 40 percent on water usage. Nothing beats them, not even drip irrigation.”

Lavarello did note that thick, woody roots could be strong enough to crush the pot and suggested using them in vegetable or flower gardens. She also gave me some maintenance tips. “Every season, dig up your ollas and scrub them with vinegar and a toothbrush to remove any mineral deposits. You can also put fertilizer in your olla. It will dissolve in the water and feed your plants.” The ollas she sells come from Tecate; $20 gets you a three-gallon size. Available at Valhalla Nursery in El Cajon (619-590-1025) or Rancho San Diego Nursery in El Cajon (619-401-1151). You can request different sizes, and you can also get two-gallon ollas at City Farmers Nursery in City Heights (619-284-6358; cityfarmersnursery.com) for $29.95.

Finally, for my potted plants, I turned to Architectural Supplements’ sub-irrigation systems. “It’s a self-contained unit,” explained a rep, “and it comes in sizes similar to common nursery pots. You can fit it right inside your larger, more decorative containers. There’s a plate at the bottom with a fill tube. On top of that, you’ve got little balls of LECA — light-expanded clay aggregate. Then the soil and the plant go on top of that. You put water in the fill tube, and it travels to the tray at the bottom. The LECA then pulls the water into the soil as needed through capillary action. You can tell if you need to add water by looking at the float on the fill tube. You usually have to water only every two to three weeks.” Canyon Pottery (858-279-2600; canyonpottery.com) offers AS sub-irrigation pots from 12 to 17 inches ($6–$50).

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Will L.A. Times crowd out San Diego U-T at Riverside printing plant?

Will Toni Atkins stand back from anti-SDG&E initiative?
Next Article

A poem for March by Joseph O’Brien

“March’s Lovely Asymptotes”
Veronica Lavarello
Veronica Lavarello

Landscaping and gardening in a drought is tough and expensive, so I started looking for ways to save water and money.

“The first thing to do is evaluate the irrigation system,” said New Way Landscape and Tree Service vice president Bob Rogers (858-505-8300; newwaypro.com). New Way offers water-management services and landscape design for businesses and homeowners’ associations, and they like to start with “the low-hanging fruit. We see what isn’t working right: fix any leaks, adjust sprinkler heads if they’re putting out too much water, maybe replace them with sprinklers that offer more adjustable settings. A lot of systems just haven’t been maintained, and over the years, they can become unbalanced — the precipitation rates are incorrect.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

Rogers stressed the need to get the right amount of water for your particular landscape; also, that some landscapes are more appropriate for San Diego than others. “The Metropolitan Water District has a list called the Nifty Fifty: ground covers, scrubs, and succulents that are proven winners as far as being attractive and also surviving with less water. But we don’t rubber-stamp any plant; it has to fit with the design of the property.”

Sub-irrigation pot

Many people, said Rogers, are gravitating toward weather-based systems with so-called smart controllers ($165–$198 per controller, available from Rainbird) that are able to respond to soil and plant needs and adjust water dispersal accordingly. “You put in what plant material you have in what zone, and what kind of soil,” and the controller reacts accordingly. “But you have to do the work and enter the data. I like to say that the smartest controller is one that has a qualified person managing it. So, if you go with that, you should spend some time learning to use it. Often, the suppliers will offer training, or you can find video tutorials online.”

I got a more small-scale bit of counsel from Veronica Lavarello, owner of Pretty Pots and Beyond (619-488-2771; prettypotsandbeyond.com) and a big fan of ollas. “Ollas are non-sealed terracotta jars. They’ve been used in the Southwest for over 2000 years, and around the world for over 4000. The technology was lost, but now that we have drought basically everywhere, it’s coming back.”

Here’s how they work: “You bury them next to plants for irrigation. You dig a hole and bury the olla in the ground, leaving the neck exposed. You fill it with water, place the top on it, and plant around it. The roots of the plants press against the pot, and the pressure works to suck moisture through the porous wall of the jar. Every drop of water will be used by the plant, and the plant will take just what it needs. They’ll save you at least 40 percent on water usage. Nothing beats them, not even drip irrigation.”

Lavarello did note that thick, woody roots could be strong enough to crush the pot and suggested using them in vegetable or flower gardens. She also gave me some maintenance tips. “Every season, dig up your ollas and scrub them with vinegar and a toothbrush to remove any mineral deposits. You can also put fertilizer in your olla. It will dissolve in the water and feed your plants.” The ollas she sells come from Tecate; $20 gets you a three-gallon size. Available at Valhalla Nursery in El Cajon (619-590-1025) or Rancho San Diego Nursery in El Cajon (619-401-1151). You can request different sizes, and you can also get two-gallon ollas at City Farmers Nursery in City Heights (619-284-6358; cityfarmersnursery.com) for $29.95.

Finally, for my potted plants, I turned to Architectural Supplements’ sub-irrigation systems. “It’s a self-contained unit,” explained a rep, “and it comes in sizes similar to common nursery pots. You can fit it right inside your larger, more decorative containers. There’s a plate at the bottom with a fill tube. On top of that, you’ve got little balls of LECA — light-expanded clay aggregate. Then the soil and the plant go on top of that. You put water in the fill tube, and it travels to the tray at the bottom. The LECA then pulls the water into the soil as needed through capillary action. You can tell if you need to add water by looking at the float on the fill tube. You usually have to water only every two to three weeks.” Canyon Pottery (858-279-2600; canyonpottery.com) offers AS sub-irrigation pots from 12 to 17 inches ($6–$50).

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Mid-range fleet scoring bluefin limits off Ensenada

Rockfish to open at all depths April 1st (no foolin’)
Next Article

Gilbert Castellanos, Buddha Trixie, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Shane Hall, Brian Jones Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival

Grand Socials, gigs, and record releases in Del Mar, City Heights, Solana Beach, Little Italy, and Ocean Beach
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.