Landscape Planning
Soil Preparation
Soil Improvement
Choosing the Right Grass
Drought Tolerant Plants

Landscape Planning
The first step in creating water-efficient landscapes is good planning. Think about outdoor improvements that may actually reduce current lawn areas. When planning, group plants according to their water, soil, and sunlight needs.

Limit lawn area- Planting drought-tolerant plants in some grassy areas has several advantages. This portion of your landscape will require less water and fewer chemicals. In addition to emphasizing low-water plants, consider creating various plant watering zones within your landscape. There's no need to forgo planting your favorite plants that are a little more thirsty; just plant them in a cool east or north-facing spot.

If you prefer grass, another option is to plant hearty turf grass alternatives. Bermuda, centipede, and zoysia all grow well in this area.

Improving the health of your soil will help whatever you're planting. First, evaluate your soil using the State's free soil testing services and purchasing a soil probe for ongoing monitoring. Most of Cary's soils need additional organic materials like well-composted plant materials or well-aged manure. Digging a wide planting hole and tilling the soil thoroughly while adding organic materials improves the soil's structure and offers a plant-friendly environment. Adding organic matter also reduces runoff and flooding; improves fertility by keeping nutrients near plant roots; attracts earthworms and other beneficial organisms; and reduces stress caused by drought, heat and cold.

Low-water use plants- A large variety of colorful, flowering, low-water plants flourish in our climate. The Town encourages you to ask your local garden center or the Wake County Cooperative Extension Service for information about drought-tolerant plant options. By using drought-tolerant plants, you can dramatically decrease your water use.

Soil Preparation
Fertile, well-drained, "alive" soil is the foundation for all environmentally friendly landscapes. In fact, the key to gardening success is good soil management.

Gardening's Golden Rule

• The better the condition your soil is in, the better the landscape you will have!
• Know Your Soil - Before planting, take time to get to know your soil and what it needs to help your plants and grass grow. Use a soil probe and the State's free soil testing services to evaluate the health of your soil.
• Here are three things to think about:
1. Add organic matter such as compost- This increases the soil's water and nutrient holding capacity.
2. Don't work in the soil when it's wet - Working in wet clay can ruin your soil's structure. If you can make a mud ball, don't spade the soil for several days.
3. Test your soil periodically - Monitoring the pH levels and the current acidity or alkalinity conditions is important in determining your plant selections.

All soils are made up of varying amounts of sand, silt, clay, air, and water. Most plant roots prefer a loose soil that has half of its pore space reserved for oxygen and moisture. It's often said that roots don't grow in dirt; they grow in air spaces. That's why it is so important to spade up a wide planting hole when planting trees and shrubs.

Most roots will ultimately spread to a diameter equal to two times the height of the plant.

A soil test indicates what nutrients are in the soil and what nutrients are needed. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) provides soil testing for free. A soil analysis from the NCDA lists the amount of Nutrients in your soil and gives recommendations for improving the soil for landscape plants. After your first soil test, you should continue to test the soil every 3-5 years to make sure your fertilizer/ soil supplement program is on target.

In Cary, you can pick up a soil test kit at the Town's Public Works and Utilities Department or at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve.

Soil Improvement
With North Carolina's clay soils, proper soil preparation is needed to ensure proper root penetration, and water infiltration. In addition to soil preparation, you can actually improve your soil by following these steps.

Mulching- Spreading a layer of organic mulch 3 - 4 inches thick around and between plants helps conserve soil moisture, allowing you to water less often. Mulching like crazy is generally a good gardening rule. Mulching also helps control weeds and reduces your dependence on chemical herbicides.

Feed Your Soil- Organic matter is your soil's food of choice. It is what gives soil a dark, earthy appearance. Organic matter also increases both the water and nutrient holding capacity of the soil. It's found in manure, compost, aged leaves, sawdust, and decomposing mulches. In most North Carolina soils, ground pine bark is a great soil amendment. Tight clay soils can be improved if 15%-25% (by volume) pine-bark soil conditioner is tilled into the landscape area. Fresh hardwood mulch should not be used as a soil conditioner.

Let the Water Flow- Soil drainage is critical to plant growth. Poor drainage can cause serious problems for plants, including root rot. The soil's ability to hold water must be balanced with its ability to retain enough oxygen for plants to grow. If soil becomes too saturated, oxygen will be depleted and plants won't be able to retrieve the nutrients they need.

Gotta Get a Bin- Compost is biologically active organic matter that's made at home by nature. Stir a little compost into the top 3-4 inches of soil, and your plants will flourish. Many gardeners even refer to compost as "black gold". The billions of living creatures found in compost help plant roots absorb water and nutrients.

Recipe for Compost- Making compost is very simple. Just layer "green and brown" organic yard wastes, and in 6 months or so, you'll have a high-quality organic material that can be used as a soil amendment. The ideal pile size is 3' high by 3' wide. To whip up a quick batch of compost, use 2 trash bags of shredded hardwood leaves combined with one bag of grass clippings. You'll need 2 cubic feet of compost for every 8 square feet of landscape area you plan to amend.

For more information about creating compost, visit the Bond Park Compost Education Center.

Choosing the Right Grass
A lush, green lawn is something many homeowners want, but developing a yard that's the envy of your neighborhood involves more than hard work. You need to choose the appropriate grass for your yard. Using drought tolerant grasses is the key. These are hearty, wear-resistant grasses that stay green with less water - even in the heat of summer.

Your lawn has more plants per square foot than any garden space on your property. Think about your grass as millions of individual plants. Every grass plant needs room to grow, air for its root system, water during its active growth stage, fertilization and proper maintenance.

Mowing- The height you mow any grass is very important. You should always observe the 1/3 rule: never remove more than 1/3 of the grass height when mowing to promote overall drought resistance. You can also leave grass clippings on your lawn to discourage weed germination, help preserve soil moisture and return organic matter to the soil.

Cool season grasses such as Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass grow actively during the cooler months and go semi-dormant in the hotter months. Cool season grasses should be seeded in the fall. Seeding done during the spring often has to be repeated in the fall.

Warm season grasses such as Bermuda, Centipede, St. Augustine, and Zoysia are extremely drought and wear tolerant, and require little to no watering. They grow in the summer and go dormant in cooler weather, turning tan-colored from November through March. Warm season grasses must be planted between May and August to allow adequate establishment before winter.

Bermuda Grass- This warm-season grass is dormant during the winter but "greens up" quickly in the spring. It is a sod-forming grass that is very drought tolerant, growing low and dense. As the temperature rises, Bermuda grass grows faster. It prefers hot, sunny growing conditions and is available as seeds, sprigs, and sod. Note that planting Bermuda grass in shady areas will render poor results.