This book provides detailed advice on gardening in arid terrain where precipitation is limited to less than a dozen inches a year, almost all of it in just two or three winter months. Much of the western United States meets that description.
Getting by without rain is accomplished by selecting drought-tolerant plants and utilizing conservation techniques that minimize water need and forestall the need for hoses and sprinklers. Rainwater harvesting captures the precipitation that falls on roofs, collects in gutters and flows through downspouts into rain barrels. Recycled grey water from sinks, showers and washing machines can be used to water ornamental plants and fruit trees.
Noelle Johnson, the author, introduces a low-cost portable drip irrigation method using a repurposed 1-gallon plastic jug punctured in the bottom with nail holes. “Fill with water and place next to the plant you want to be watered. The water will slowly drip out, giving your plant the water it needs.”
This volume not only addresses low-water gardening in detail, but also provides a useful primer for novice gardeners on everything from soil types and pruning tools to water-saving practices and pest control.