I was reading the paper earlier and there is talk of potential water rationing in CA in 2009. This does not bode well for us here... especially for many gardeners and those who have elaborate landscape. I have xeriscaped my yard and many of my plants are CA natives, so I'm probably gonna be OK thru this. Depends on how bad it gets I 'spose. I also just bought a complete drip system and will get it installed on a timer in the next couple weeks.

So how are you handling the droughts where you live? Are more of you looking for/planting natives? Looking for xeric plants for your zones? Man, the lack of rainfall here is uggggly...

Definitely in a drought here; already use native plants. Lots of people in the Atlanta area are looking into rain barrels and using grey water. We are seeing more people get interested in native plants, but they have to understand that they need time to get established the same as any newly planted shrub. You can't just plop it in the ground and walk away.

I have some lawn but luckily it was planted in 2004, it is zoysia and it is small. I don't have to water it at all.

People have got to get over watering lawns (and in some areas, get over planting them to begin with!).

I have 2 rain barrels in use already & DH got another one today for back of the house. I am planting draught tollerant grass, but it won't bother me if it gets brown or spotty. I am trying to be more careful in plant selection to keep it to plants that need less water once established. Some of our native stuff in this area are used to being in bog conditions & they are drying up!

I use a rain barrel and grey water here. I have a lot of native plants (the Nature Center here has a great sale each spring) and I use drought tolerant plants (like my lovely coneflowers!) I also extended the drip hose from the a/c unit for condensation to my EEs. We are not expected to get any rain for over a week and it is in the 90s here already.

It's ironic, because if anything we've had too much precipitation here in Wisconsin. We had record snowfall this winter and then a lot of rain so far this spring. I wish we could send it those of you who need it (and lower the rivers and mud puddles up here)! I do have two rainbarrels and I'm sure I'll need them later this summer.

Jen: Since your washer is in the garage and so close to the patio you may want to consider a way to use that water in the garden.

I've been trying to use more drought tolerant once established plants and less that need moist soil. I've also been catching some of the warm up water and keeping it in bottles until ready to use it. I may need to look into more ways to conserve water as the summer heats up and it gets drier.

I am doing a couple of things here, even tho we are not yet in a drought situation. I put a bucket under the focet(sp) to catch the water that runs when I am waiting for the water to get hot for a shower, I also leave a bucket in the tub when I take a shower to catch the "extra" water while I shower, I no longer run the water while I brush my teeth,just turn it on and off as needed, do the same when I wash my hair, I also collect the rince water water fromthe second rince in my washing machine,(it is considered "gray water" and has little or no soap in it). I depend on "mother nature" to water my lawn. I keep a gallon size bottle of water in the fidge so I have cold water to drink, instead of letting the water run in the sink 'till it gets cold. I have turned off my atomatic ice maker in my frezzer and use ice trays instead.
Some of this may seem silly, but I have cut my water bill in half by doing all of this.
Some of these changes have been hard for me to do, as I grew up in a time and place where there was never a thought given to (or a reason for doing so) the water supply or even the thought of a drought.
But it can be done if you just take the time to become awear of your water use.
msmarymac2
Hope that I have given some other of you some ideas as to how to save water.