Portland
Oregon Real Estate - Live Green...Live Well!
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Patrick
Smith, MBA, AHWD
Eco Broker Certified
503-421-3824
Licensed in the State of Oregon
CONTACT PATRICK
4001
NE Halsey Street, Suite 100, Portland, Oregon,
97232
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Portland Real Estate Green Tip: Xeriscaping Xeriscaping is a type of landscaping designed to conserve water with slow-growing, drought-tolerant plants. Xeriscape generally requires less fertilization and use of pesticides as compared to more traditional landscaping. The slower growing plants used in xeriscape require less maintenance, saving time and energy and produce less waste in the form of clippings.
The word xeriscaping comes from a combination of two other words: "xeri" derived from the Greek word "xeros" for dry; and "scape", meaning a kind of view or scene. While xeriscape translates to mean "dry scene," in practice xeriscaping means simply landscaping with slow-growing, drought tolerant plants to conserve water and reduce yard trimmings.
Water is just one resource that is conserved by xeriscaping. Reduced clippings or trimmings also reduce waste which would otherwise have to be disposed of which also help the community and you save resources. Additionally, xeriscapes require little or no fertilizers or pesticides which can inadvertently harm beneficial organisms as well as impact both air and water quality around your Portland property.
Proper soil preparation and irrigation are key to successful xeriscaping. Adding proper soil amendments (a material, such as organic matter or sand, mixed into soil to improve growing conditions) can help the soil to drain either more quickly or slowly depending on your needs. Well composted organic material is an ideal amendment that can accomplish either of these needs. Additionally, a good compost provides a source of slow release nutrients for plants. (We will be covering how to make the perfect compost in a later blog.)
For irrigation purposes, a well-drained soil creates a good environment for native Oregon grasses, plants, shrubs and trees to take deep root. A well-drained soil is generally defined as one that can absorb a 1/2 inch of water per hour.
There are many great local resources for finding native plants and vegetation as well as many local resources for creating a beautiful xeriscape for your Portland property. One such resource is Portland Nursery.
Live Green! Live Well!
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