Utah has a dry, continental climate, which means it’s a desert. As a busy landlord, one way you can save time and money is by xeriscaping your property. Xeriscaping is a landscape design that requires limited irrigation and other maintenance and is utilized in desert regions. How does xeriscaping save you time and money? It uses less water, pesticide, and fertilization. I have yet to hear a landlord complain when their water bill goes down, or complain about spending less time and money on the yard.
Come up with a plan - Decide what you want the yard to look like. You will need to figure out which plants work best with each other. Keep water-thirsty plants and desert-friendly plants separate as they have different watering needs. Plants that require more water are best close to buildings. Since xeric plants require at least six hours of sun a day and need less water, they do well in exposed areas. Try to limit your lawn space to areas used for play or close to the building. Get the soil ready. Utah soil is low in organic material and tends to be alkaline. Use a compost that will allow your soil to be more conducive to plant growth. However, the more native plants you use the less you will need to treat the soil.
Grasses - Try to use native grasses as they have already figured out how to survive the weather and soil conditions Utah has to offer. Top grasses for xeriscaping are-
Buffalo - This one is the most drought resistant and is a native grass of Utah. It requires a lot of sun, so make sure to plant it in sunny areas. It also doesn’t do well in sandy soils. Clay or loam is best.
Bermuda - Also needs full sun. This grass is commonly used for turf. It does require some maintenance as it can be invasive.
Zoysia - Does well in sunny to partially shaded areas. It is slow growing so doesn’t require you to mow a lot and is wear tolerant. It is stiff, so works better for areas not primarily used for play.
St. Augustine - This is another stiff grass that does better in the shade.
Groundcovers - These are great for when you have small areas that need landscaped and around trees. They can also be an alternative to lawns in areas where you really don’t need grass. Some good xeric groundcovers are thyme, moss, lichen, phlox subulata, saxifraga, and sedum.
Flowers - Xeriscaping doesn’t mean your yard has to look dull. There are plenty of xeric flowers that can add a lot of color to your landscaping, such as the achillea species, garden geraniums, hyssop, iris, lavender, Mexican hat, hollyhock, alyssum, daffodils, lilacs, and coreopsis. And this is only a very short list of all the options that you have.
Pathways and Patios - By adding pathways and patios to your design you not only allow your residents to cross the yard without ruining anything but also limit how much space needs landscaped.
Mulch - Mulch helps to retain soil moisture and works as a good filler between plants. These can be organic, such as compost or bark, or inorganic, like lava rock, pebbles, or shale.
