Garden Costs
A look At Variable Water Usage and Sprinkler Types for
lawn or lawn replacement.
(For California, figuring a rate of $1.5 to $3 per unit)(black is 1980
cost, red is 2010 cost,
I
left
both so you can see the trend)
A. If the lawn is 20' by 50', or 1000 sq. ft., ( most yards
are about 3000 sq. ft.) and is watered 10 min. once/day, you will use
about 8400 gallons/ month at a cost of
between....$8.00 to $19.00/month $17-34
$96.00 to $228.00/year $204-408
B. If the same lawn is watered 15 minutes 3 times per week
with Toro 570 or Rainbird 1800 sprinklers, you will use about 5400
gallons of water per month. ..............$5 to
12/ month $11-22
$61 to 144/ year $132-264
/year
C. If the lawn is watered twice per week with Hunter #3 and
#5 or Toro 300 for 60 minutes the water use will drop to 4500 gallons
per month. ...............................$4 to
10/ month $9-18
$50 to 123/year $108-216
/year
D. If the lawn is watered once per week for 90 minutes(which
is what I recommend for the healthiest lawn) the water use drops to
3400 gallons per month....................$3
to 8/ month $7-14
$38 to 93/year $84-165
E. Using a conventional sprinkler that uses 8gal/min and
covers an area 15'round (moved six times at 40 minutes/), water use
would be about 8000 gallons/month.........$8
to 18/month $16-32
$90-219/year $192-384
F. Using an oscillating sprinkler for 90 minutes once per
week the water use about 3900 gallons/month.( margins a little
burnt, but be Ok for old
established lawns of Bermuda grass or weeds.)......$5 to 9/ month $8-16
$63 to 107/ year $96-192
G. Hand watering daily for 45 minutes with a hose will use
about 13,000 gallons/month(shocking isn't it!). $12 to 30/month $26-52
$146 to 357/year $312-624
H. If the lawn is replaced with a groundcover planted
5'apart, put on 1 gallon/hour and watered 4 hours/week, the water use
is 700 gallons per month.......................$.65 to
1.50/month $1.4-3
$8.00 to 18.00/year $17-34
I. If lawn is replaced with appropriate native groundcover and
watered overhead with Mp-Rotators or equivalent 10 minutes per week
after established(a couple of months), 100 gallons/month $.20-.40 (30cents)/month
$2-5/year. We've had at least two customers
that were using less at their fully landscaped home than the vacant lot
next door. One in Templeton, one in the lower Sierras.
3. Differences In Cost for front yard(black is 1980, red is 2010), on the cheap side.
A. A 20-50' lawn with an automatic system costs (if you
install yourself), per year with a 20 year life. Remember, this is a
small little front yard.
1. Leveling, seed and topping .(with labor at
$4.00)................$5.00 (with labor at $15) $10
2. Sprinklers(Toro 570) & Timer...(labor at
$4.00).......$25.00 (with
labor at $15) $25 (installs are a little easier now)
3. Lawn mower,(lasting 10 years).........................$55.00/year about the same
4. Time to mow(at minimum wage $4.00).(45 minutes,mow&edge)
$156.00 $400
5. Water(65,000 gallons/year at $.7 /100cu.ft.).........$61.00 $130
5a. (65,000 gallons /year at $1.71/100 cu. ft.).......$150.00 $261 average $195
6. Fertilizer and sprays.................................
$25.00 $75
Total/year............$760.............Total for ten years............$7600..................
Aa. A 20-50' lawn with an automatic system costs (if you have it installed), per year with 20 year life
1. Seed and topping(with labor of leveling at $25/)..... $15.00 $50
2. Sprinklers(Toro 570) & Timer (labor at
$25/)...........$45.00 $30
3. Lawn mower,(lasting 10 years)......................... $55
4. Lawn maintained professionally.......................$600.00 $1000
5. Water(at
$.7/100cu.ft.)...............................$61.00 $130
5a. Water(at $1.71/100 cu. ft.).........................$150.00 $261
6. Fertilizer and
sprays.................................$25.00 $75
Total/year..............................................$801.00
$1405
Total/ 10
years........................................$8010.00 total 10 years $14,050 you could
have gone to college for this cost
B. A 20-50' groundcover using an automatic system(if you
install it yourself), per year (a ten year life). (We've got it to live 20 years now.)
1. Plants(Arctostaphylos Hookerii 'Wayside')$4.00/X
40.....$16.00 $18
2. Sprinklers (first class drip, PVC, not polyethene, poly is
cheaper but gophers and people cut it).(labor at $4.00)....$35.00 $35
3. Preemergent(a weed killer that stops
weeds).............$10.00 $40
4. Time to weed (at $4.00/hr.)(35
min./week).............$104.00
$312
5. Water(8400 gallons/year at
$.7/100cu.ft.)................$8.00 $17
5a. Water( at $1.71/ 100 cu.
ft.)..........................$19.00 $34
Total/year................................................$172.00
$456 if your time is
free $75
Total for ten
years......................................$1728.00 $4560 if your time is free
$750
Ba. A 20-50' groundcover using an automatic system (if you
have it installed and maintained), per year (ten year life). (We've got it to live 20 years now.)
1. Plants..................................................$16.00 $18
2. Sprinklers(as above installed at $25.)..................$75.00 $35
3. Professional Maintenance
..............................$360.00 $400
5. Water....................................................$8.00 $26
Total/year................................................$459.00 $479
Total/10
years...........................................$4590.00 $4790 (almost all of it the
first season)
C. A deck 20-50' cheap redwood on the ground using treated wood joists and concrete piers, per year (15 year life, do it yourself).
1. Materials @1500.00...............$120.00 $280
2. Stain (done every 3
years)..............................$25.00 $25
3. Sweeping/tidy-repair (at
$4.00).....................................$52.00 $150
Total/year................................................$187.00 $455
Total for 10
years.......................................$1970.00 $4550
D. Brick patio 20-50', at $.32/brick, on sand, per year (30year life).
1. Bricks.................................................$43.00 $200
2.
Sand....................................................$1.00 $2
3.
Edging..................................................$3.00 $33
4. Labor (at $4.00 for
yourself)...........................$5.00 $200
Total/year................................................$52.00
$435
Total for 10
years.......................................$520.00 $4350(almost all of it the
first month)
Notice the long term solutions save money over the long term.
Xeriscaping, zeroscaping and xerogardening all have been used in all sorts of diabolic ways. I think it's safer to use native plants from your region to achieve low water use. Use Texas plants in Texas, California plants in California, New York Plants in New York. Do not put them all together in a garden, call it zeroscaping and expect low water use.
