Although most people are joyfully basking in the mild, sunny days being offered this year for the Los Angeles winter climate, gardeners are getting a bit worried. Unless we experience extremely wet conditions for the next month and a half, we will be in store for a serious drought.
Last year brought good rain to the Los Angeles area, and although drought restrictions on water usage were lifted, one decent year of rainfall did little to alleviate all the previous drought years and the high demand on dwindling supplies. This year is ramming home the fact that water is an issue here in Southern California that won’t go away easily.
Worrying about water won’t make much of a difference to either the weather or the scarcity of supplies, but there are some steps you can take now -- in winter -- that will help you avoid a brown garden and shocking water bills in the near future. You can also help the statewide water shortage situation by following some of the suggestions I’m listing here.
- Replace lawn areas that aren’t actively useful.
- Install a weather-based irrigation controller.
- Use low-volume sprinkler heads.
- Plant drought-tolerant trees, plants and gardens.
- Put in areas of permeable paving.
- Add drip irrigation systems.
- Save water however you can with a rain barrel or containers – and don’t forget to discourage mosquitoes with covers or biological controls.
- Build in ways to reuse or save more water like underground storage tanks or grey water systems.
There are many ways to make the most out of the rain we do get this winter in Los Angeles. And by preparing your garden now for the soon-to-come dry season you can save yourself from water woes in the future.
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