Energy Efficient Landscape Tips & Ideas!

Recently, Bill Zemak was asked by a magazine to write about energy efficient landscapes.  Here is a portion of the article that many of you may find helpful:

Here are a few items to offer an energy-efficient landscape:

1)  Use LED low voltage lighting systems with timer and/or photocells:

The LED uses up to 1/4 the energy, the timer prevents the system from operating during the wrong hours.  The photocell does not allow the system to operate during daylight hours.

2)  Irrigation systems:

Use smart controllers:  These controllers allow for historical local data from your area to be loaded into the irrigation controller and adjust as needed for soil moisture levels, air and soil temperature, humidity levels, precipitation rates of the irrigation system itself, and quantity and frequency of rain.

Use rain sensors:  These measure moisture levels and prevent an irrigation system from operating when the turf does not need it.

Use drip irrigation for planting beds:  This allows for water to get right to the roots where the water is ingested into the plant and prevent run-off and water-waste.

Invest in a rain harvesting system to collect all downspout water, run-off water, etc. and then use this water with a pump to irrigate the yard or planting beds.

3)  Plant selection:

Use succulent plants which do not require a tremendous amount of water and those which have an ability to "store" water on their own.

Use drought tolerant plants such as (Junipers, Hollies, Osmanthus, Pyracantha, Wax Myrtles, among many others)

Use plants to help shade areas or the home to keep interior temperatures lower which in-turn will greatly reduce cooling costs inside the home.

4)  Turf choice:

This is by far the largest change that one could make on their property to increase the efficiency of their landscape.

Use grasses which do not require so much water such as Bermuda and Zoysia hybrids.

The tall Fescue turf grass which is so prevalent in the metro Charlotte area is a cool season grass.  This means that when soil temperatures are between 65-75 degrees it is happiest and grows wonderfully.  At those temperatures it also requires very little water.  However, those times of the year are few and far between and last for about 2-3 months out of the whole year.  In order to maintain that lush look, Fescue requires large amounts of water to keep the soil temperature down.  With large amounts of water, then their is a high risk of fungus.

Using the Bermuda and Zoysia hybrids are WARM season grasses which is opposite of Fescue.  They are happiest during those hot summer months when the humidity is high.  They do not require as much water, fertilizer, or fungicide.  They also do not require the traditional aerating and overseeding that Fescue requires in the fall.  There are many hybrid varieties available now which have not been available in the past that offer great color, thicker blades, and a lush feel to compete more with the Fescue look which a lot of people like.

5)  Driveway, patios, walkways:

Use permeable pavement systems to allow for water to penetrate through the surface and into the ground or into a water reclamation system to be used for irrigation.  These permeable systems also reduce water runoff into our waterways which carry fertilizers, soaps, and other toxins to our drinking water supply, which then have to filtered out with expensive filtration equipment.