'About Water': How to Build Calgary Backyards to Resilient to Drought

Content of the article

Ahead of Calgary's drought-induced water-restricted summer, there are ways to keep yards clean—all while using less water.

Deborah Mayer, executive director of the Calgary Horticultural Society, said creating a drought-tolerant yard isn't something that happens overnight.

Content of the article

“You need to establish your plants, and you also want to make sure you have shrubs,” he said.

Content of the article

Meyer says part of building a drought-tolerant garden and yard is carefully choosing plants that require the least water.

“You want to choose plants that aren't rainwater or 'water divas,'” Mayer said. “They do not benefit from such an environment.”

After decades of gardening in Calgary, Mayer found that spring moisture is critical.

“It makes them more tolerant of low water periods for the rest of the growing season.”

Watering deeper into the soil helps plants develop better root systems and makes them more drought tolerant.

The Horticultural Society has partnered with the City of Calgary to create YardSmart, a program that offers perennials, native plants, trees and shrubs that are best suited to the city's climate.

Mayer says his yard is very shady and dry, so it can be difficult. “You have to be mindful of where you put the plant, so lily of the valley will tolerate dry shade.” He said that bleeding hearts are also better in the spring.

“I planted some grasses, so the Carl Foerster grass and the fescue, both of them stay green. I like the little clovers in my yard just for fun, and the native asters (flowers) grow very well.”

Content of the article

Content of the article

As for lawns, Mayer said they are drought tolerant, but they may not look the way we want them to.

“By late summer, almost all lawns of the common 'Kentucky bluegrass' will turn brown,” he said. “It's our job to give your lawn a chance.”

For those who want things that stay green longer, he suggested looking at “lawn alternatives” like fescue or micro clover, which can be planted together.

Downtown Calgary and Adaptation Manager Nicole Newton said the YardSmart program has been in the works for the better part of a decade.

“It's really focused on planting water-tolerant trees, shrubs and plants,” Newton said.

The city currently has a water-reduction advisory in place, which Newton said instructs Calgarians to limit sprinklers to four hours or less per week and water during cooler times of the day.

Mayer: “It's always a good idea to water those tops, give the water a few hours to 'infiltrate' the soil before sunrise.”

In a media release issued last week, the city noted that Calgarians can avoid watering when it's raining or forecast, giving plants only the water they need and mowing their lawns less as a way to conserve water.

Content of the article

Tips for maintaining a garden during drought

Frankie-Lou Nelligan, executive director of Cultivate Cochrane, a non-profit organization that helps guide people towards food sovereignty, said she has seen more people worried about gardens this year because of the drought.

“I want to reiterate to people that it's still a viable option when done right,” he said.

Nelligan said it's important to avoid “monoculture,” or planting the same plant over and over again, and planting in “neat, neat” rows during droughts doesn't help.

A big part of creating a healthy growing environment for plants is maintaining soil biodiversity, he said. “It's the stuff that's naturally in the soil, especially the soil in this area, that protects us the most and creates drought tolerance.”

Nelligan's rule of thumb for maintaining healthy soil in Calgary is what he calls the “four Cs”:

Content of the article

• Compost for creating organic matter in the soil;
• Crop rotation to avoid leaching of one nutrient from the soil;
• Companion planting (close planting of different species or “polyculture”);
• Cover the soil (with mulch, grass, shredded leaves or road coverings).

Regarding mulch, Mayer said, “If you have a garden with plants, it's very important for Calgary; even your vegetable garden should have mulch.”

Rain barrels are in high demand

Nelligan said that's not the only thing that will “fix” the garden's drought problem.

“You have to adopt little pieces of different strategies to deal with it.”

Rain barrels can be an effective drought-fighting tool, allowing you to store rainwater for use in your yard. Kegs, subsidized by the city and sold by Green Calgary, have had sales this year with a growing waiting list.

Mayer said barrels are a great way to catch rainwater and are “the best way” to water a garden.

“It's not treated in any way, there's no softening salt, there's no chlorine, so it's very healthy water for your plants.”

— With files by Brent Culver and Jim Wells

Content of the article

Content of the article