San Diego County's Buckets, Photo from San Diego Water Authority
While the back yard appeared a tad barren in the early years before the trees grew to maturity, I now embrace the au naturel feel of the habitat. So do birds, butterflies, lizards, and an occasional squirrel. (I'm not as thrilled with the opossum, but since he's nocturnal and I'm not, we effectively avoid each other for the most part.) The trees currently provide shade to protect other plants from the scorching sun.
Thirteen years ago I tentatively suggested that we take out the front lawn, too. Mike was out there with his shovel as soon as the words were out of my mouth. We don't have a single blade of grass to water or mow, which put us way ahead of the game with the current drought issues. Our neighbors' lawns are turning yellow and brown, because everyone is restricted to only watering twice a week (specific days for odd or even numbered street addresses) and never between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm. It could go to once a week before the summer is over. Last year we were still permitted three days of watering.
A green lawn means someone can expect a visit from a water conservation coordinator a.k.a. the 'water police'. Our small city hired someone to patrol the streets and give warnings, followed by fines reaching as high as $500 for future violations. There are still some individuals who are trying to sneak in watering sessions under the cover of darkness, but you can't hide the resulting lush grass or moist soil. Neighbors are encouraged to report water-wasters via an anonymous tip line provided by the city. I imagine that this has the potential of creating feuds between neighbors as they spy on one another over their respective fences. Stay tuned … as public shaming escalates you might be watching news reports about the Hatfields and the McCoys before the year is over.
We strive to keep shrubs pruned back to reduce their need for water. Potted plants add layers of green and an oasis of color when they bloom, which is beautiful against the backdrop of all the neutral grays and browns in our landscape. It’s easy to ration the amount of water they receive; besides each one has a disposable diaper* in the bottom of the pot. The diapers contain water-absorbing crystals which help keep the soil moist. This year many of those containers are filled with a variety of drought tolerant succulents that don't wilt every day. While cacti are lovely to admire from a distance, memories of painful past experiences have steered me away from their thorny personalities.
The other night I allowed my imagination to run wild and pictured recycled water bottles hanging from plant stakes with narrow I.V. tubes running into the veins of my plants' leaves. Okay, so admittedly, that specific idea is perhaps not practical in the real world. Who knows? The next brainstorm might make me a millionaire.
There was a water feature in our yard up until last year. It had a rustic waterfall that cascaded into a small fish pond. We removed the fish (minnows to eat mosquito larvae), detached the pump, put holes in the bottom of the pond so rain water wouldn't refill it someday and turn stagnant, and then filled it with pea gravel. My plan was to arrange terra cotta pots filled with flowers on top of the gravel for vibrant landscaping. This project happened during the hottest weeks of summer, so I postponed my shopping trip to the nursery. Last winter was dry once again, making it quite evident that the last thing I needed to do was add more thirsty plants to water. I've decided to keep that design on hold until a rain dance turns this drought around. My primary focus is on keeping plants with sentimental value alive. Meanwhile, the minnows are being pampered in an aquarium (I can't believe I'm actually purchasing frozen blood worms for their dinner now), the mosquito problem has been eliminated, and we are no longer dealing with water constantly evaporating out of the pond.
I draw the line at removing the two bird baths, however. Watering restrictions mean there are fewer puddles in yards and gutters for my feathered friends to refresh themselves. I used to rinse out the birdbaths daily and refill with clean water. I've altered that to a limit of 2 - 3 times a week and just replace what has evaporated, or been splashed away, on alternate days.
The parched earth is even stressing the garden snails. I've noticed them slithering (or is it slimeing?) up the side of the smaller bird bath and encircling the rim to drink in the morning like cattle at a trough. I can't say that I'm particularly fond of snails, but it is disturbing to contemplate how the water shortage is impacting the flora and fauna throughout the state. Every organism plays a role in the grand scheme of things, although I confess little sympathy for the previously mentioned mosquitoes and associated West Nile Virus.
Most professional car washes recapture practically all the water they use. Gone are the days of washing the car in the driveway while the hose runs; you must at least have a shutoff nozzle. Personally, as long as the windshield is clean, we’re content to let the rest of the car stay dusty and consider it a status symbol. I'm endeavoring to prove the theory that dirt and grime can only build up so thick before it flakes off anyway. Our car used to be dark green, by the way. I suppose nothing stays green in California any more.
You can also forget about hosing off sidewalks, driveways and patios; that nifty little invention called a broom is making a comeback. The added benefit is that after all that sweeping you can skip the visit to the gym.
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