Want to cut back on your outdoor watering bill by 10,000 gallons each year? If you have a 5000 Sq. Ft. lawn, installing four, 250-square foot native plant beds can help you cut back on water by 20%.
DFW lawns need about 1" of water weekly, except for during cooler weather in fall/winter. We only get about 36" of rain each year, so our irrigation systems have to make up the difference. But not all 36" of rain soaks in. Our lawns lose a lot of it. In fact, during a fast and heavy rain (more than 1/10" per hour), lots of this free water washes off. Because of this runoff, not all of those free 36" of rain goes where it needs to. That puts the cost burden on you to water your lawn more often, with up to 20" of city water each year. That's 10,000 gallons for a 1000 SF space.
Many (but not all) native plants don't need any extra water besides the 36" of rain we get. Many will do great on slopes in harsh, hot, full-sun conditions. You can reduce your 5000 Sq. Ft. lawn by 20% with four garden beds of 250 SF each and cut your water bill by 20%....forever.
$1400-$2600 for a 1000 Sq. Ft. garden
Plan on spending about $1.20 per SF for the cost of native plants, about the same as buying fresh sod. The cost of metal edging as a perimeter around your garden beds adds about another $1.40 per SF. You can save on this cost by instead creating a crisp, shovel-cut edge instead.
12 trays of plants (240) is what you'll need for 1000 SF coverage area. Pick plants from this collection. A standard SUV can fit 6-9 trays (trays are 14"x16"), so you'll likely need to make two trips to come pick up your all plants. Learn how you can DIY install your native plant garden and save.
Project Cost Estimate ($1.40 - $2.60/SF)
- 240 native plants (12 trays) x $5 = $1200
- 336 linear feet of metal edging from Lowes = $1200
- 4 beds of 250 SF (25x10' dimension) = 280 total linear feet + 20% buffer x $3.50/ft.
- Skip the $1200 metal edging by cutting your garden border with a shovel.
- $200 for biodegradable paper (double layer, $0.20/SF)
- Biodegradable Paper, for site prep. Or find free cardboard. Simply mow the area short, and use a weed-eater to scalp the grass to the roots, and lay this paper across the site. Cover with 2-3" mulch. Wait 60 days for grass roots to rot. Install your plants directly into native soil and leave 2" mulch across the entire site.
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Free mulch from ChipDrop.com
- 10 cubic yards (250 cubic feet = 1000 SF with 3" coverage). Mulch will settle over time to a desired 2" depth.
- For school gardens or large projects (2500 Sq Ft = full dump truck load): call Bartlett Tree Experts in DFW (972-620-0073) and ask for Luke Phillips and he may be able to help you.
- 10 cubic yards (250 cubic feet = 1000 SF with 3" coverage). Mulch will settle over time to a desired 2" depth.