Wean Your Thirsty Yard Off Its Drinking Habit
Divide your garden into water-use zones. Designate each area as low or high frequency irrigation zones. Try to put at least 80% of your landscape into low water-use zones. Plan small areas that require regular irrigation. These high water-use zones may include focal points, the area around your entry, or your vegetable garden. Move moisture-lovers located in a low water zone to a high one. Replace empty-spots in the low use zones with drought tolerant plants. New or newly moved plants may need regular irrigation in the first year.
Soil Improvement
Add organic matter to your oil and mix to a depth of 8 inches.
Mulching
A course layer of wood chips around woody plants for any permanent planting is a good way to conserve water.
Irrigate no more than needed. Usually 1 inch of water per week will be required in the high use zones, less if there is rainfall. For low water use zones, once a month is ideal. Watch your plants for drought symptoms. Irrigate when temperature is low to keep evaporation at a minimum. Early morning at best, or evening. Choose plants able to tolerate infrequent watering. Buy good irrigation equipment and maintain it properly. Be sensible about your lawn. Keep turf areas as small as possible and consider letting them go brown for the summer.