Under current Stage 2 watering rules, drip can be used eight hours a day, every day of the week. While this is allowed, it doesn’t mean it’s necessary. So, it’s time for a change.

SAWS has proposed an update to San Antonio’s conservation ordinance that would limit drip irrigation to one day a week on the designated watering day like other irrigation, to prevent excessive water waste.

Many drip systems are scheduled to water multiple days a week and often apply far more water than plants need, harming rather than helping them. But with the use of drip growing in San Antonio, at many sites it’s using just as much water as the inefficient irrigation it replaced.

Drip is often sold on the basis that it’s efficient, which can be true but is not an absolute. Drip can apply water directly to the roots right where plants need it, resulting in less evaporation.

But if it’s designed or maintained poorly — particularly when it’s set to run more often than necessary — it can be much less efficient than traditional irrigation methods.

Consider these examples.

Mike has a grass lawn. He has a spray zone that delivers 2 inches of water per hour. There are nine sprinkler heads that use 9 gallons of water per minute combined. It’s set to run one day a week per stage 2 rules for 20 minutes. Mike’s spray zone uses 180 gallons of water each week.

Janice has long garden beds with native perennials around the edge of her yard. The beds contain a custom point-source drip system with .9 gallons/hour emitters that apply water only where there are plants (not on the blank mulched spaces in between). There are a total of 100 emitters across the beds that use 0.75 gallons per minute combined. She has it set to run once a week for 45 minutes. Janice’s point-source drip zone uses 70 gallons of water each week, and she checks the lines every week to make sure nothing is broken.

Tony has converted the lawn to a large garden bed with one drip zone with 12-inch grid- spacing and emitters delivering 0.9 gallon/hour. It applies 1.44 inches of water per hour, comparable to a heavy rainstorm. In total, it contains 400 tiny emitters that use 6 gallons per minute combined. A system using water that quickly should only need to run 21 minutes per week. But Tony schedules it to run three times a week for 40 minutes each (which is allowed under current Stage 2 rules). Tony’s grid drip zone uses 720 gallons of water every week (even more if there’s a broken line).

It’s easy to see that drip is complicated and scheduling it can be confusing. So, what if you already have drip?

Keep an eye on it! “Set it and forget it” does not apply to drip. Make a habit of walking your drip lines when they’re operating. Watch and listen for the sound of spraying water — on a drip line this is invariably the sign of an issue. If so, find where it’s coming from.

Fix it. Breaks in drip tubing are commonly caused by landscapers, mowers, string trimmers, and visiting animals who relish chewing the wet plastic. These leaks immediately negate its distribution efficiency until you or a licensed irrigator repair it.

Schedule an irrigation consultation. Unsure of your settings? SAWS has licensed irrigation experts on staff who can visit your property to evaluate your irrigation system, identify any leaks or problems, and help you reschedule your system for optimal efficiency, as well as Stage 2 compliance.

The proposed changes to drip rules under the city’s conservation ordinance are meant to rein in drip and signal that it, too, is intended to be a tool for water conservation — not water waste. (A drip variance is proposed to allow additional watering for vegetable gardens.)

SAWS has ended its own irrigation rebates for drip conversions, though other irrigation rebates and efficiency upgrades are still available.

By Brad Wier, SAWS Conservation Planner. Years in South Texas landscaping and public horticulture gave him a lasting enthusiasm for native plants that don’t die when sprinklers — and gardeners — break down. He’d rather save time and water for kayaking and tubing. He is a former kilt model, and hears hummingbirds.

Initially I estimated 90& of Mexican fan palms and 70% of sago palms would die, but it now appears that many Mexican fan palms and sagos survived — more than 50%  of them, to be exact. And that’s great news! Patience does pay off.

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to increase survival of frost intolerant, heat loving plants. Nor are there concoctions, powders or spells you can apply. You must have patience and wait. Then, know what to look for.

When a palm shows green at the very top or green sprouts at the base in the woody plants, provide a moderate amount of water on a regular basis and a small amount of organic fertilizer that incorporates micro-nutrients like iron, manganese and magnesium.

Be careful not to overwater. The quickest way to kill palms and other heat tolerant woody perennials is by giving them too much water.

Eventually your palms will return to full beauty. It may take about six to eight months, but have patience and they’ll likely rebound.

By Mark A. Peterson, Conservation Project Coordinator for San Antonio Water System. With over 30 years of experience as an urban forester and arborist, Mark is probably the only person you know who actually prunes trees for fun. When not expounding on the benefits of trees and limited lawns, you’re likely to find him hiking San Antonio’s wilderness parks or expounding on the virtues of geography and history to his friends.

Most plants are dormant in winter. But there are a few that will make your landscape a yuletide treasure. From holly and mistletoe to poinsettias and Christmas trees, plants have always played a part in celebrating winter holidays.

Deciduous holly or possumhaw puts on quite a show during the holiday season. Cheerful red berries borne along bare stems add a flash of color to South Texas winter landscapes and provides a much-needed meal for wildlife. Also consider its cousin, evergreen yaupon holly.

Spice up your Christmas tamales with a native subshrub that may be in your yard right now — chili pequin. Often mistaken for a weed, this spicy petite pepper can be enjoyed until the first frost. It looks great in a formal landscape when planted en masse. With little white, star-shaped flowers and red and green peppers that resemble Christmas lights, this plant couldn’t look more Christmassy if it were wearing an ugly sweater!

Red and green aren’t the only holiday colors. For Jewish Americans, Hannukah is celebrated with blue and white. Salvia ballotiflora lights up any garden with small blue and white flowers. Trim it back in February to produce a more tidy, full form. Its bloom time is spring and summer, but miraculously this medium shrub reblooms just in time for the festival of lights.

Scarlet sage is a hardworking hummingbird favorite that blooms year-round. A hard freeze will slow it down, but it’ll bounce back in spring. Pair it with frostweed in a dry shady spot to provide a pollinator buffet. When winter temperatures dip below freezing, frostweed puts on a dazzling display with delicate ribbons of ice that burst from the base of the stem.

A reliable December bloomer that’s often overlooked in the nursery trade is pink thoroughwort. Its fuzzy white blooms resemble falling snowflakes.

Using evergreen plants to decorate in winter is a practice that dates back thousands of years, and they’re a reminder that warmer times are ahead.

Not sure what to choose? CLICK HERE for our list of lovely native Texas evergreens to choose from.

By Kevin Pride, a SAWS Conservation Field Investigator and a self-proclaimed nature boy. He has a background in restoration ecology and is zealous about native plant landscapes that use zero irrigation. Kevin spends his free time deep underground surveying caves or hiking barefoot with his daughter, Daisy, and their dog.

Have you ever tried to grow plants, but constantly kill them? Or maybe you love the idea of plants, but are fully aware you don’t have the time or attention span to do it properly? I’m not going to lie, I’ve done some abominable things to plants. I’ve hacked, sawed, and ripped plants back and out of the ground. I certainly never watered them.

Lucky for me, there are native plants. They survive and thrive with only natural rainfall, and endure prairie fires, wildlife grazing, floods, and other acts of destruction. Best of all, they require minimal maintenance and provide massive benefits to wildlife.

The first step with any project is planning. A map is a good place to start. If you don’t have one you can also use an ariel view in google maps using the ‘measure distance’ feature to estimate how much space you’re working with. This takes about 15 minutes.

Next comes the design. For me, that’s the frustrating part so I ignored everyone’s advice and decided to do my entire 1,600 square foot yard at once. Those wiser than I will keep it simple and start with a 200-square-foot garden bed up against the house. You can also peruse our plan and design resources for inspiration. There’s even pre-planned designs you can completely copy.

The last step is to determine where to put your plants. In my case, I sketched in an area for plants. But you can fill in your design entirely — you do you!

By Sarah Gorton, a Planner with the SAWS Conservation department. She is passionate about bats and native plants, with a particular fondness for horseherb! Sarah has completed certifications through Texas Master Naturalist and Native Plant Society. When she isn’t working on her research on the use of native grasses for uptaking pollutants at UTSA, she can be found making stained glass or hanging out with her two Chihuahuas.

>Fill container with potting soil and a balanced slow-release fertilizer. Use 5-gallon pots for standard tomato varieties.

>Plant one pepper or tomato transplant plant per container. Plant peppers at the same depth they were growing at in their previous pot and plant tomatoes slightly deeper so the lowest leaves are just above the soil. Firm the soil around the base of each plant gently with your hands.

>Water your potted tomatoes and peppers every day or two until the excess moisture begins dripping out of the bottom.

>Move pots to areas that receives at least six hours of sunlight daily. Taller tomato varieties may require a cage to support the plants as they grow.

We do this for three reasons: appearance, growth, and flowers. Some homeowners prefer a well-manicured landscape, while others prefer an informal style. Both are acceptable. In either case, spring cleaning by pruning dead and live branches encourages new vigorous growth. The amount removed depends on the species and style desired. Experts vary on their recommendations. Some recommend pruning to a specific height above the ground. Others use a fraction method, for example, prune by ½ or ¾ of its total height.

Likewise, some species prefer one height and style than others. Ornamental grasses, for instance, say a Lindheimer muhly or eastern gamagrass, prefer a light pruning, yet nearly all landscapers give them a very close cut. Salvia and lantana should be cut to 3 inches above the ground. Esperanza and Pride of Barbados can be left to 6 inches above the ground.

Yet, the main reason we prune at this time of the year is to encourage ample foliage. With increasing warm weather these perennials quickly respond to pruning with vigorous growth and new flowers.

Exceptions to this spring pruning rule include spring blooming shrubs and trees such as Texas mountain laurel, Mexican plum, redbud, and ornamental pear. Wait until after the bloom to prune. Generally, this is late April or May.

Also, always remember to:
Keep blades sharp and oiled.
Avoid anvil pruners. Pruning shears are best.
Keep the flat side of the blade nearest to the plant or shrub.
Always prune at a bud or a branch.

By Mark Peterson a conservation project coordinator for San Antonio Water System. With over 30 years of experience as an urban forester and arborist, Mark is probably the only person you know who actually prunes trees for fun. When not expounding on the benefits of trees and limited lawns, you’re likely to find him hiking San Antonio’s wilderness parks or expounding on the virtues of geography and history to his friends.

Classic blue was the Pantone color of 2020, but I never got a chance to write an article praising blue in the landscape or offer my favorite blue plant suggestions. Even though it’s two years late, I’m sharing my thoughts now because blue flowers are cooling and soothing — and combining blue with lush green foliage just relaxes the soul and disposition.

So, here’s to a calm, cool spring and summer with my fantastic recommendations for plants in shades of blue.

Mealy cup blue sage (Salvia farinacea): adapted to full sun to partial shade and to many soil types. They are a whole host of cultivars of S. farinacea. I favor ‘Henry Duelberg’, ‘Victoria’, and ‘Mystic Spires’.

Indigo spires (Salvia farinacea X longispicata): a hybrid cross between S. farinacea and S. longispicata that can tolerate partial shade but prefers full sun. The thing to keep in mind with indigo spires is to greatly reduce water, fertilizer and mulch. Too much love will result in an out-of-control plant.

Majestic sage aka black and blue sage (Salvia guaranitica): this Mexican sage is immediately recognizable from its intense royal blue flowers and navy blue stems. Its advantage in San Antonio is its tolerance to partial shade. It is truly majestic and may grow up to four-five feet.

Leadwort aka dwarf plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides): a groundcover that is adaptable to sun or shade but does best in partial shade. It’s known for its intense royal blue flowers. I like it because once established you only need to mow it once a year. Unfortunately, leadwort is not consistently evergreen.

Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica): a partial shade perennial for South Texas that requires moist soil. From the garden standpoint, lobelia blooms late in summer and into fall making it a cooling element in the garden. Note: lobelia is toxic if ingested; can cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting and heart palpitations.

Blue curls (Phacelia congesta): an early spring bloomer that provides critical nectar to bees, birds and butterflies. Blue curls do best in partial shade or early morning sun. With their delicate flowers and lacy foliage, they are best suited for cottage gardens or wildscapes. Blue curls should be treated as biennials and replaced every two to three years.

Bluebonnets (Lupinus spp.): Texas bluebonnets have a two-year cycle from bean to bloom. In other words, don’t expect blooms in the spring when you scatter bluebonnet seeds in the fall. We have several articles about how to grow Texas wildflowers. Most wildflowers prefer full sun and bare, unamended soil.

By Mark A. Peterson is a conservation project coordinator for San Antonio Water System. With over 30 years of experience as an urban forester and arborist, Mark is probably the only person you know who actually prunes trees for fun. When not expounding on the benefits of trees and limited lawns, you’re likely to find him hiking San Antonio’s wilderness parks or expounding on the virtues of geography and history to his friends.

To a famished whitetail, a perfectly manicured yard is a tantalizingly tasty menu. Once deer have established a comfort level and grazing routine around your lawn, they’ll make repeat visits for the foreseeable future.

Deer are creatures of habit, but these tips can help alter their routine.

Cage them: Keep new plants in protective cages. Any new planting will need a temporary cage or fencing for protection until its roots are strong enough to keep tugging teeth from yanking it out.

Create roadblocks: Dense, spiny plantings can make effective barriers (if wide enough) around established trees and shrubs. Agaves and primrose jasmine are particularly effective and attractive too!

Toughen up your landscape:  Aim for the thorniest, oiliest, fuzziest and smelliest plants! Not surprisingly, these are the most familiar and successful landscape plants for the Hill Country — juniper, agarita, lantana, damianita, salvia, Mexican mint marigold, butterfly weed, Mexican oregano, sumac, esperanza, cenizo, herbs, purple heart and rosemary.

Remember, a hungry deer will nibble on anything. But these tips will help keep your landscape from becoming the new trendy eatery for local deer.

By Brad Wier, a SAWS conservation consultant. Years in South Texas landscaping and public horticulture gave him a lasting enthusiasm for native plants that don’t die when sprinklers — and gardeners — break down. He’d rather save time and water for kayaking and tubing. He is a former kilt model, and hears hummingbirds.

Among the important issues to consider when selecting a shade tree species are the ultimate size, the growth rate, the appearance, drought tolerance, soil preference and susceptibility to pests and diseases.Live oaks are relatively slow growing shade trees when compared to other choices, but they are held in high regard for their appearance, drought tolerance and longevity. If your landscape includes a 50-foot live oak, it may be 100 years old and is probably adding $30,000 to the value of the property.  A lot of attention is given to the live oaks susceptibility to the disease “oak wilt” but it is recognized that the disease is relatively easy to detect and prevent if a homeowner does a limited amount of research and is alert to the situation with the trees in the surrounding neighborhood. One of the most effective ways to protect the value of live oaks and other shade trees is to establish a relationship with an arborist that practices in the neighborhood.

Texas red oak is like a live oak in its size, attractive shape and drought tolerance. It is different in its faster growth rate and it is a deciduous tree (loses its leaves every winter). Depending on the soil, it is not unusual for a Texas red oak to add six feet of growth each year for several years after it is planted.   Quite often area gardeners remind me that we describe live oaks as “evergreen”, but they do, in fact, lose their leaves for a short time each March.  Deer are common in many San Antonio neighborhoods and are a factor in successfully growing a shade tree. In addition to deer, similar damage can occur when the young smooth bark of a shade tree such as Texas red oak is damaged by a string mower or other piece of equipment. Protect your newly planted tree from the deer with fencing and from string mowers with mulch.

Cedar elm is a deciduous shade tree that grows more upright and even taller than the other recommended shade trees.  In my experience they seem to grow faster than live oaks but not as fast as Texas red oaks or Mexican sycamore. Cedar elm is a good shade tree choice if your neighborhood is dominated by oaks and you want to diversify but not to the degree of planting a Mexican sycamore.

Another species to consider for a shade tree in your San Antonio landscape is the Monterrey oak or Mexican white oak. In terms of growth rate, ultimate size, drought tolerance and pest resistance it is in the same league as the Texas red oak.  Mexican white oak is generally evergreen but will sometimes drop its leaves in response to a droughty period.

Milberger’s has the largest selection of fresh, well-rooted trees in the area. Our South Texas landscape and tree experts can give you advice on which A&M recommended trees would be most suitable for your landscape. Visit our web site at www.milbergernursery.com/ and click through to our on-line tree lot for section and planting guidelines.

It’s not uncommon for many homeowners to experience sticker shock in summer. When I conduct irrigation consultations, I find as much as 75 percent of water use comes from in-ground sprinkler systems. Grass (St. Augustine, zoysia, Bermuda, etc.) requires a lot of water in summer to keep from getting crispy and brown or dying. Plus, green lawns in August means mowing in triple-digit heat.

Now is the perfect time to break that cycle and make a change — with a more resilient WaterSaver yard!

Fall is the best time for planting because your new nursery plants won’t have to weather brutal summer heat and sun. Instead, they’ll have all fall and a relatively mild winter to grow strong roots long before next summer.

Start planning how you can transform your yard with native, drought-tolerant plants. Don’t get overwhelmed. Choose a small area you can tackle this fall. Make it a nature niche or a place for pollinators to play.

By Gail Gallegos, a SAWS conservation consultant with deep roots in San Antonio and the Hill Country. She spent her youth climbing trees, playing in the Guadalupe River, and exploring the outdoors. This drives her passion for nature and our diverse environment, especially our most precious natural resource — water. Given the choice, she would be outside all the time.