When it comes to water, use these essential fire-smart landscaping strategies:
- Utilize compost and the right mulches appropriately to sustain soil moisture and plant health; healthy plants are resilient.
- Select water-wise, drought-tolerant plants to add to your garden. Avoid adding new plants in times of extreme drought.
- Learn the water requirements of different plants to water appropriately.
- Water in the early morning and stagger the schedule to allow roots to absorb the water slowly. Target watering at the base within the plant’s drip line.
- Consider prioritizing valued plants and trees, and decreasing the number of other plants. Remove invasives, weeds, and dead plants. Make sure to plug the irrigation outlet after removal.
- Minimize fertilizing – rapid plant growth requires more water.
- Keep irrigation system in good condition. Look into flow meters, soaker hoses, drip irrigation, and irrigation controllers to administer & monitor more effectively.
- Do not wet down your property on Red Flag Warning days. This depletes the water our fire personnel needs. Irrigate as normal.
- Watch Fire Safe Marin video entitled: Prioritizing Landscaping During Drought at https://firesafemarin.org.
- Register for free curbside Chipper Days at www.chipperday.com/marin to remove dead vegetation.
For more fire-smart landscaping tips, visit UC Marin Master Gardener website.
https://ucanr.edu/ucmarinmgfiresmart & https://ucanr.edu/ucmarinmgirrigation
