Yes, native plants conserve water far better than lawns or exotic plants in your yard. Your local native species adapted to your region's rainfall over thousands of years. They thrive on whatever rain falls without help from your hose or sprinkler system.
I watched this play out during a brutal drought two years ago in my yard. We went six weeks without rain and my city banned outdoor watering. My native meadow section stayed green and kept blooming through the dry spell. My neighbors' lawns turned brown and crunchy. The contrast showed me just how tough native plants can be.
The secret lies in how deep your native plants send their roots down. Native prairie plants push roots 10 to 15 feet into your soil. Some species go even deeper than that. These roots tap groundwater that turf grass cannot reach. Your lawn grass roots only go down about 4 to 6 inches at best.
Virginia DCR found that set up native plants need no watering even during dry periods. Once your natives put down deep roots, they find their own water below ground. You can turn off your sprinklers and let your native garden take care of itself.
The native plants water savings add up fast on your monthly bills. Lawn watering accounts for up to 30% of your household water use in summer. When you replace lawn with natives, that water stays in the ground. I cut my summer water bill by about $40 per month after my native garden got going.
I tested this by tracking my water meter over two summers. Before my native garden, I used about 8,000 gallons per month on yard watering. After my natives set up, I used about 2,000 gallons per month. That gave me a 75% drop in my outdoor water use.
Drought tolerant native plants include many lovely species for your garden. Little bluestem grass stays pretty even in the driest summers. Purple coneflowers and black-eyed Susans bloom through heat waves. Native sedges give you green groundcover with no watering needed.
Your new native plants do need some water during their first one to two seasons. This helps them grow those deep root systems. Water your new natives weekly during dry spells in year one. By year two, cut back to now and then. By year three, most plants need nothing from you.
Use mulch to help your new plants get going with less water from you. A 3 inch layer of wood chips or leaves holds moisture in your soil. It also keeps roots cool during hot weather. Mulch helps your natives get through that first year with less stress.
Start your water-wise native garden in the areas that need the most watering now. That corner that dries out fast makes a perfect test spot for you. The slope where water runs off before soaking in wants native plants. These trouble spots become your best native garden sites.
Read the full article: 10 Essential Benefits of Native Plants
