Drought causing changes to the landscape

Our current drought is becoming drastic for farmers and ranchers. It&#39;s also affecting some city folk. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter Rick Wells shows us some are changing the way they landscape. <br/><br/>Chris

Friday, April 21st 2006, 10:33 am

By: News On 6


Our current drought is becoming drastic for farmers and ranchers. It's also affecting some city folk.

News on 6 reporter Rick Wells shows us some are changing the way they landscape.

Chris Padley is looking for some plants to fill in his landscaping, this year maybe something a little different. "I plant quite a few different things every year and this time I'm looking for something that'll take a little more heat."

Some tall skinny junipers are just what he needs. Steve Smith at Southwood Landscape and Nursery at 91st and Lewis says junipers of all kinds do well in these rain short conditions. "These things are almost a no-brainer once they get going."

And there are plant varieties tall and small and too much green look boring? There are some gold tipped ones. Yucca he says is great in any hot sunny spot. “This one has a red flower spike." Ice plant is another good one. "Ice plant is perfect for a dry area." And it has little flowers. Another one that will really spread out I think he called it Santa Lena; it's almost like an herb. "Very pungent, very pungent."

Many customers are beginning to ask about these plants because it's so dry, but not all. Suzanne Jussaume: “I have a sprinkler system so it's not that big a deal." She says she's still buying what she likes but Smith warns against what we'll call ‘sprinkler system smugness'.

Steve Smith: "I encourage people to take a little tour of the yard twice a day once in the morning, and in the afternoon when you get home." Find the dry spots and either adjust the sprinkler or do some supplemental watering.

Smith says one watering a day may not be enough. He says it may be necessary as temperatures go up, to water in the morning and in the afternoon to keep the plants alive.
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