Extension and Engagement

Development of information and recommendations for water-efficient urban landscapes

The WCRC-Grand Valley has a demonstration landscape used for evaluating sub-optimal, optimal and excessive irrigation of various Plant Select® landscape varieties. These plants were selected for their local commercial availability, aesthetic appeal and drought tolerance. Plants grown in this system include Kannah Creek Buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum var. aureum ‘Psdowns’, Graham’s Sage Salvia microphylla, Silverton® Bluemat Penstemon Penstemon linariodes var. coloradoensis, Pikes Peak Purple® Penstemon Penstemon x mexicali ‘P007S’ and Red Mountain® Flame Iceplant Delosperma dyeri ‘Psdold’.

Collaborators: Perry Cabot, Bill Szasz

Master Gardeners and LISA Kit

Arid climates like we have in Colorado require us to learn more about our lawns and how to water them. The Mesa County Extension office and the WCRC-Fruita have LISA toolkit to help you use your water more efficiently when irrigating your lawn. Landscape irrigation audits have been around for several years, however professional audits can be costly. For this reason, CSU Extension developed the LISA toolkit for homeowners to take action against irrigation practices that can lead to over or under watering of lawns. The LISA toolkit has all the necessary tools; catch cans, timers, pressure meters, etc., you will need to measure the water application rates for your lawn irrigation system at home. The toolkit is designed to be used for lawns that are irrigated using sprinkler systems. Once you are finished with you audit, you can visit www.lisa-audit.colostate.edu to access additional resources and turn your lawn irrigation data into a customized irrigation schedule.

Collaborators: Perry Cabot