Maintenance

The role of maintenance in Xeriscape is to discourage new growth that demands more supplemental water.  Your objective is to maintain health plants but you can still do this while controlling growth that will mean higher water requirements.

One of the more basic controls is to reduce the amount of fertilizer applied.  This can be done by fertilizing less or fertilizing less often.  Another approach is to use fertilizers that are released slowly over time.

Fertilizers should be applied at the appropriate rate.  Make sure your application is correct for establishing plants versus established plants. 

Another method of controlling growth is to reduce pruning and then to prune lightly.  Pruning promotes new growth so by reducing the amount and intensity of pruning you are controlling growth.

Related to this is mowing.  Turf should be mowed to the recommended height and only be mowed when approximately one-third of the leaf will be taken off the top.  Turn is shaded areas should not be mowed as much as sunny areas.  Also, during periods of dry conditions the amount cut off should be reduced.  This encourages the turf to root deeper.

Removing weeds is another important maintenance task.  Weeds compete with landscape plants for water and other nutrients.  By eliminating the weeds you eliminate the competition for the natural resources that are available in the soil.  Weeds can be minimized through the Use of Mulches principle.  Mulches must be replaced as they break down or wear away over time.