XEROGARDENING. What is it? How to practice it?

The prefix "xero-" comes from the Greek and means "dry", thus, xerogardening is a type of gardening designed specifically for dry areas or environments.
Currently it also refers to a self-sufficient gardening style, which optimizes the resources that are necessary for the cultivation of the garden, especially water.

To make a xerogardening the most essential and necessary thing is organization and planning.

• Environmental analysis: You have to start by making a brief analysis of the climatic conditions of the area where the garden is going to grow. You have to identify the areas with the most sun, the shadiest, the most humid and dry and those exposed to the wind.

• Soil analysis: Here it will be necessary to identify the flattest areas and the slopes. On gentle slopes, ground cover species can be planted. On steeper slopes, terraces can be planted. It is also important to know if the soil is sandy, dry, clayey, acid or basic, to know if it is necessary to add compounds to improve it.

• Selection of species: To select the best species we will have to look at what the water and space possibilities are based on the characteristics of the area and the climate. If we have an area with a lot of sun and clay soil, we will have to choose a different type of plant than if we have an area with a lot of wind and humidity. Here you can consult some outdoor plants that need little water. It is important that they are native plants, since they are adapted to the climate, the soil and are prepared for the most common pests in the area.

• Find out about the best time to harvest and the best placement combination. There are plants that can give better results if they are next to others. Find out about the needs of the plants you decide to plant and do it strategically so that you have to spend fewer resources and efforts.

• Find and install the most suitable irrigation system. That will depend on what your plantation or garden is like. Here you can consult the best irrigation systems to save water.

Some tricks:

• Replace the lawn with another type of plant with a carpet effect. The effect will be very similar and you will not have to take care of it so much. You can use, for example, a plant called Grama.

• Do not water more than necessary! If you have plants that need little water, you will probably only have to water them during the growing season, then they will be able to live off the rainwater.