Starting on August 10, 2016, it is no longer illegal for homeowners to collect the rain (or other precipitation) that has fallen on their roofs. In May 2016 Governor John Hickenlooper signed a law (House Bill 16-1005) that allows residential properties and multifamily residences with four or fewer units to use up to two rain barrels, located above ground, with a combined storage capacity of 110 gallons.
Rain barrels can only collect precipitation from rooftop downspouts, and the collected water can only be used on the same property from where it was gathered. The collected water can only be used for outdoor purposes, such as watering outdoor plants. Collected water in rain barrels can not legally be used for drinking or indoor uses. Additionally, it should be known by rain barrel owners that operating a rain barrel does not constitute a water right. There is language in the bill that the State Engineer “may curtail rain barrel usage” if a water right holder can prove that the use of rain barrels has impacted their ability to receive their entitled water. In fact, in the bill it says the State Engineer must report to agricultural committees in the legislature in the year 2019 and 2022, on “whether the allowance of small-scale residential precipitation collection pursuant to this article has caused any discernible injury to downstream water rights.”
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
Do you love having a lush lawn, but hate the idea of wasting water? Do you have dogs who leave unsightly dead spots in your lawn where they’ve urinated? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then Dog Tuff African Dogtooth Grass (Cynodon ‘PWIN04S’) may be the best choice of turf grass for you. Dog Tuff is drought tolerant, resistant to dog urine, thrives is full hot sun, and is soft underfoot. Dog Tuff is a sterile variety of Bermuda grass, so it won’t spread via seeds. Dog Tuff grass was developed by respected Colorado horticulturalist Kelly Grummons. Kelly is working with High Country Gardens, and Plant Select to market this product. Watch this Plant Select video to see Kelly discussing this wonderful product:
Kelly has been working on bringing Dog Tuff to market for over ten years. The original parentage for this grass is native to South Africa, where a lush patch of it was found on a ranch. Dog Tuff is a “warm-season” grass, so it does not green up as early as blue grass. However, as Kelly mentions in the video, Dog Tuff needs only a fraction of the water to survive as compared to bluegrass. Dog Tuff grass will grow in many soil types, but it does need full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun). Dog Tuff is rated hardy to USDA zone 5.
We recently provided design services for a public park in Arvada, Colorado, where we incorporated Dog Tuff grass into an area the park. It was planted last year and is doing well. We are excited to have this as part of a park where people can visit and see the grass in person.
If you are planning a new lawn, or if you are thinking about replacing your current lawn with a more drought tolerant type of grass, you should consider incorporating Dog Tuff African Dogtooth grass in your home landscape.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, please visit our website at odgdesign.com.
1) Ditch the bluegrass turf lawn, completely or partially. Bluegrass turf uses far more water than alternative landscaping choices.
2) Set your mower on its highest setting so turf grass is not cut too short. Longer grass keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
Consider redesigning your landscape so it requires less water and looks more interesting
3) Use the mulch setting on your lawn mower so grass clippings stay on the lawn, which helps slow evapotranspiration and provides nutrients to the soil.
4) Do not install bluegrass turf on slopes, especially south facing slopes, because much of the water will run off the slope and sprinklers will need to run for longer times to compensate. Instead consider planting shrubs or native plants with drip irrigation on a slope.
5) Mulch your trees, shrubs and perennials to reduce water use. Mulch slows down the evaporation of soil moisture, reduces water run-off, and reduces weeds which can steal moisture from your plants.
6) Consider replacing your existing high-water turf lawn with low-water turf options such as buffalo grass, blue grama grass or a fescue grass.
7) Plant native plants that are more appropriate for the climate you live in.
8) If you plant non-native plants, use ones that are adapted to your climate conditions, such as iceplant from South Africa, and Russian sage from Central Asia.
9) Place your plants in groups organized by water use, so as to avoid overwatering low water need plants.
10) Plant trees in your turf lawn to provide shade for the lawn and reduce evapotranspiration of the grass.
11) Follow your water provider’s summer watering rules, and any watering restrictions that may be in place at that time.
12) Don’t water during the hottest time of the day. It is best to water between 6 pm and 10 am. Watering during the hottest time of the day increases the evaporation of the water before it reaches the roots of your plants.
13) Don’t water when it is windy. Just as watering during the hottest time of day increases water loss due to increased evaporation, so does watering when it is windy.
14) When shoveling snow in winter, place snow piles where it will melt and water trees and shrubs that can benefit from extra moisture in winter.
15) Install a rain sensor to avoid having your irrigation system run when it is raining, or the day after a heavy rainfall event.
16) If you don’t have an automatic irrigation system, use a mechanical or digital timer with your sprinklers.
17) If you have an automatic irrigation system, check it once a month or more often to fix any leaks or problems that may occur.
18) Use drip irrigation to water your landscape plants. Drip irrigation is the most efficient form of irrigation because the water is not sprayed into the air which increases evaporation of the water before it reaches the plants.
19) Avoid placing sprinkler heads against fences and hardscape. Instead, install a strip of rock mulch between fences / hardscape and sprinkler heads. In addition to reducing water waste, this minimizes water damage and the need for turf edge trimming.
20) Improve your soils water holding capacity by amending the soil with organic matter.
21) Make your landscape more permeable to keep storm water on your property. Instead of a solid concrete patio, install a unit paver patio to allow water to percolate down rather than running off.
22) Divide watering times into shorter shifts to improve water absorption, and avoid runoff. This is sometimes referred to as the “cycle and soak” method.
23) Direct gutter downspouts to planted areas rather than streets or storm water areas.
24) Save rainwater from your roof for irrigating plants.
25) Save indoor “grey” water for irrigating trees and shrubs.
26) If local codes allow, hire a plumber (or DIY) to pipe your grey water to your landscaping.
27) Use a mild/natural dish soap for washing dishes to keep this grey water safer for your landscape plants.
28) Bathe your pets outside over turf areas that need water, using mild/natural soap.
29) Wash fruits and vegetables outside over your lawn to allow wash water to irrigate the turf.
30) Plant trees (adapted for your climate) to shade your turf area to reduce evapo-transpiration of the turf.
31) Consult a landscape architect or horticulturalist to learn the best plants to use in your climate and growing zone.
32) Before planting certain species of plants, do extensive soil preparations. Some plants benefit from additional organic matter, while others will perform better if drainage is improved.
33) Save fallen leaves in autumn and use as a mulch around trees, shrubs and perennials.
34) Plant new perennials, shrubs and trees in fall when temperatures are cooler because it will take less water to establish them, as compared to planting in early summer.
35) Cover water features, pools and spas when not in use to reduce evaporation.
36) Check water features, pools and spas for leaks.
37) Consider using pondless water features, where the water reservoir is hidden or obscured which provides less evaporation that a typical pond.
38) Don’t use water to clean paving. Use a broom and dust pan.
39) If you want to install a water feature, choose one that cascades or trickles rather than one that sprays in the air. Spraying fountains lose more water to evaporation.
40) If your children want to play in the sprinkler, have them do this in an area of your lawn that needs water.
41) Do not let your children waste water by spraying sprinklers on sidewalks, drive ways or the street.
42) Place large rocks near shrubs, trees or perennials to keep the soil below the rock cool and moist.
43) When refreshing your pet’s water dish, don’t discard the old water in the sink, pour it on plants outside.
44) If you have ice or water left in a take-out cup, or in re-usable glasses, pour it on your landscape plants outside.
45) Don’t discard used ice and water from a cooler in the sink, but throw them outside on your plants.
46) If you wash your car at home with a hose, use a shut-off nozzle so water is not running in between soaping and rinsing the car.
47) Wash the car in a lawn area so that you water the grass at the same time. Use a mild/natural detergent when doing this.
48) Don’t use a hose to clean out your gutters. Consider using a leaf blower or a long handled rake specifically made for the job.
49) Replace old spray nozzles on your irrigation system with newer, more efficient rotary nozzles. They reduce runoff and evaporation. Your purchase and installation of these nozzles may make you eligible for rebates from your water provider. Contact them for more details.
50) Consider hiring a landscape architect to analyze your property and re-design it to require less water and maintenance.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
Despite the recent rain across Colorado, much of the state remains in a drought.
The watering restrictions that Denver Water put in place for this year remain in place, having gone into effect on April 1st.
You may be aware that watering restrictions mean you can only water two days per week, but how long should you run your lawn sprinklers on those days? Denver Water recently released this chart, which includes recommended watering times for different types of spray irrigation. Note that due to the drought, these watering times have been reduced from their standard recommendations.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
