guidelines on handling and maintaining gardens during the

Guidelines on Handlingand Maintaining Gardensduring the Dry Season

May 2017

ASADAMALINCHES DE PINILLA

Contents

Introduction

Advantages on Saving Water

�Attractive Garden

�Responsible Use of a Limited Resource

�Saving Money

�Reducing Garden Maintenance

The Environment

Smart Gardening: Xeriscaping

�Adequate Plants

�Avoid Grass

�Amendments

�Types of Watering

-Sprinkling

-Localized

-Manual

�Garden Pro!le

�Texture garden

-Wood

-Gravel

�An Innovative Choice

�Solid Rain

�Moisturizing Agents

�Garden Maintenance

-Planting

-Pruning

-Fertilization

Other Choices

�Bio Filters

Awareness, Innovation and Creativity

Acknowledgements

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Guidelines on Handling and Maintaining Gardens during the Dry Season


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Presentation

The present document is o�ered as a tool for the use and bene�t of the users of Hacienda Pinilla.

It is a guide of practical advice applicable to the conditions of the gardens of the properties and seeks to

extend the possibilities for the saving of the water resource. Its purpose is to serve as a reference material for

current and future owners who seek to create sustainable gardens that embellish their home space and at

the same time contribute to the conservation of the precious water resource.

Advantages on saving water

Attractive Garden

A sustainable garden does not have to look arid with plants we usually see on deserts with dull

colors. Low consumption gardens may include many species and attractive designs, along with a great

variety of trees from the area, which usually o�er colorful !owers during the dry season. Choosing a design

according to the area will give your garden a unique, distinguished look.

Responsible Use of a Limited Resource

On most of Guanacaste, water is limited during dry season, which goes from November to May, due

to shortages and irregularities on the rain, which is a characteristic in the tropical dry region. In addition,

more and more water from rivers and aquifers is destined to consumption for the growing native and foreign

populations.

It is necessary to share the available water with di�erent users (industries, services, basic domestic

use, animals and others), and to reduce intense aquifer exploiting that may cause serious environmental

problems, such as semi-dry rivers, salted or depleted aquifers, lakes and missing humid areas.

Economic saving

The domestic water use fee is directly related to the amount consumed, which is why excessive water

use has an important economic cost. An e"cient water use garden may reduce the domestic consumption

up to 70%, which is an important reduction from the water bill.

Reducing Garden Maintenance

Implementing changes in the garden to make it more e"cient towards water use implies a reduced

need for watering, sweeping, mowing, pruning, and weeding maintenance.

A low water consumption garden will provide the joy of a Green space with the satisfaction

of using a limited resource responsibly.



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The Environment

Most of Guanacaste and the Central Paci�c Region of Costa Rica show a tropical dry weather.

The Hacienda Pinilla area is located in the territory with in�uence from this kind of weather.

It is called tropical dry weather because of its well de�ned dry season from mid-December to

mid-May, which is produced by the Trade Winds blowing from the North East. This season is a long arid

period of time, in which evaporation is very active and the water reserves on the ground diminish

considerably, which makes bushy species in the region adapt to lose their color and survive until the rainy

season comes.

The restrictive conditions have caused

selective pressure for the evolution of

plants with the capacity of resisting the

lack of water and recovering their

greenness when the �rst rains begin, as

can be seen in this photo taken in the

same place during the dry season and

rainy season of the tropical forest dry.



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These images show:

A- a decrease in precipitation rates in this area, by 2015 in relation to other previous years.

B- an increase in global temperature during the previous three decades.

They justify the promotion of a good use of water resources.

(Créditos: Cige�)

A

B



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Smart Gardening: Xeriscaping

As mentioned before, implementing a sustainable garden lets us keep nice aesthetics in our personal

space, and to contribute to conservation and saving money from our water bill. There are di�erent choices

that allow us to combine nice garden maintenance with an e�cient use of water.

The term xeriscaping (from the Greek xeros: without water), holds a series of practices and

recommendations that incorporate all gardening characteristics to reduce the water consumption without

showing an arid or deserted image.

The use of low consumption plants adapted to the environment and to di�erent techniques, such as

inert coatings, help keep a low watering need without a�ecting the garden structure, which allows the

enjoyment of their characteristics and noticeably reduce the negative impacts on the environment.

Up next, you will �nd di�erent techniques and practices that are to be implemented in properties in

Hacienda Pinilla and that may be adapted according to each garden’s design.

Adequate Plants

Evidently, one of the most important decisions to reduce water consumption in a garden is to choose

plants that are adapted to low water availability. This does not imply only cacti or desert plants should be

exclusively chosen, since there are many attractive species that require few irrigation.

The term “xeriscaping”was �rst used in the 80s during a strong drought in the

United States, and refers to a selfsu�cient garden that optimizes all available

resources to their most. It is a growing practice in Mediterranean countries

with dry weather during many months a year, such as Spain.

Xeriscaping looks for a balance between

available water and the needs of plants.

Common name Scienti�c name Images

Ixora Ixora coccinea

Amapola Hibiscus rosa-sinensis


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Aleli Plumeria pudica

Barrabás Euphorbia cotinifolia

Cica suave Cyca circinalis

Collar de duende Pedilanthus tithymaloides

Ficus enano Ficus microcarpa

Jalapa corriente Allamanda cathartica

Jalapa enana Allamanda cathartica

var. hendersonii

Jazmín estrella Jasminum laurifolium

Jazmín multi#orum Jasminum multi!orum

Trueno Ligustrum japonicum




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Lengua de suegra Sansevieria trifasciata

Uruca Murraya paniculata

Musaendra Mussaenda philippica

Narcizo Nerium oleander

Once de abril Duranta repens

Pringo de oro Duranta erecta

Veranera Bougainvillea sp.

Cordelín rojo Cordyline fruticosa

Crotos Codiaeum variegatum

Canción de la india Dracaena reflexa


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Pavoncillo rojo Megaskepasma

erythrochlamys

Bamboo Dendrocalamus

Cenizo Leucophyllum frutescens

Lágrimas de cupido Russelia equisetiformis

Limoncillo Swinglea glutinosa

Magney verde Callisia fragans

Judío errante Tradescantia pallida

Aside from the previous ones, there are many species that are highly tolerant to droughts and requireminimum maintenance.


Ágave Agave sp.

Uva de playa Coccoloba uvifera




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Zamia Zamia furfuracea

Escavola Scaevola taccada

Copey Clusia rosea

Icaco Chrysobalanus icaco

Mangle botón Conocarpus Erectus

Palmera fénix

grande Phoenix sylvestris

Palmera fénix

enana Phoenix roebelenii

You may also consider palm trees, which are typical of a coastal landscape because

of their high resistance to the lack of water.


Palmera foxtail Wodyetia bifurcata


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Palmera real Roystonea regia

Cocotero Cocos nucifera

Palmera

Washington Washingtonia robusta

Bismarkia Bismarckia nobilis

Areca Chrysalidocarpus lutescens

Palma de plata Coccothrinax argentata




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Guanacaste Enterolobium cyclocarpum

Jícaro Crescentia cujete

Almendro de

montaña Andira inermis

Ron-ron Astronium graveolens

Nance Byrsonima crassifolia

Lorito Cojoba arborea

Malinche Delonix regia

In addition, native trees are highly appreciated for their beauty, and many of them

even lose some of their foliage to make room to colorful #owers during dry season.


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Guachipelín Diphysa americana

Cañafístula Cassia !stula

Higuerón Ficus costaricana

Flor blanca Plumeria alba

Cortéz negro Tabebuia impetiginosa

Cortéz amarillo Tabebuia ochracea

Sauco Tecoma stans

Chirca Thevetia peruviana




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Genízaro Samanea saman

Cedro Cedrela odorata

Mango Mangifera indica

Naranjo Citrus sinensis

Guaria de palo Bauhinia purpurea

Laurel de las indias Ficus nitida

Aceituno Simarouba glauca


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Zacate azul Ophiopogon japonicus

Zacate citronela Andropogon nardus

Zacate limón Cymbopogon citratus

Zacate pasto amor Eragrostis elliottii

Zacate vetiver Vetiveria sp.

Zacate plumoso Pennisetum villosum


Finally, there are some grass species that grow on vines and have deep roots, which

makes them resistant to low water availability.



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The previous lists clearly show the many choices and combinations o�ered by the �ora from the

tropical dry regions. In gardening and landscaping, plants are usually placed in mixed compositions inside

islands, which give each garden a unique personality.

It is important to consider two aspects about the area in Hacienda Pinilla when it comes to selecting

plants and landscaping:

The �rst aspect is the strong wind running during dry season, which may damage plants that are not

well placed and that contribute to a faster water evaporation on the ground. This is why it is important to

think of adequate plants to make live windbreak barriers in the property perimeter that may also o�er

privacy to the garden.

The second aspect is high solar radiation on Hacienda Pinilla during this season, which also causes

high evaporation and avoids water to be well used by plants, which makes it important to incorporate trees

or palm trees, whose shadows help keep the ground moist.

Avoid Grass

Usually, more than two thirds of the total water used on conventional gardens goes to grass

maintenance. This is why it is important to limit its extension or eliminate its use completely. On most cases,

areas covered by grass are not well used and could be replaced with bushes or substitute covering materials.

Small grass islands could be placed on some areas of the garden, such around the swimming pool or

near a playground. However, the use of San Agustin grass and sweet grass must be avoided, since their water

demand is very high. If you still want grass in your garden, it is recommended to choose Bermuda or Zoicia

grass, which require less water.

Some advice to select plants:

Get to know the natural vegetation in the property to better use it and to reduce the

need for new plants that require establishment.

Choose and locate plants according to their grow habitat and according to their

role in the garden (privacy barrier, shadow, recreation, etc.).

Make sure the plants sharing the same space have similar hydric requirements.



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Amendments

Most of the grounds on Hacienda Pinilla are clayey and hard to handle. These clayey soils make water�ltering di�cult, which produces ponding and runo�s.

It is recommended to add organic matter to the ground, especially on areas dedicated to �owers orbushes, to improve water distribution and the proper airing of the roots. This will improve the groundcapacity to absorb and retain water available to plants. Also, it is recommended to add a layer of sand beforeplanting to avoid ponding. If the ground is excessively clayey, it is recommended to install a draining system.

Types of Watering

There are three irrigation systems more commonly used in gardening:

1. Sprinkling

This system distributes water in small rain drops, and it is highly used on grass.However, its use is not recommended on gardens in Hacienda Pinilla because:

• It is a very windy area during the dry season, so the drops get scattered and the watering isuneven.• It is not e�cient on low in�ltration speed grounds, such as clayey grounds, which producespuddling.• The water that remains on the surface drains or evaporates, which implies great losses.• Leaf wetness may cause fungal diseases or sun burns as drops act as magnifying glasses.• Low water pressure during dry season may cause sprinklers not to rise up completely, whichmakes watering uneven.

Water behavior when �ltering into asandy (a) or clayey ground.

(b) clayeyground

(a) sandyground



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2. Localized

In this type of system, water is applied directly to the plant. It is the most recommended system to

use for gardens in the area because:

• It allows each plant to get the exact amount of water needed to avoid waste.

• It avoids ponding and evaporation due to a more even water distribution.

• It demands little water pressure for its functioning.

• It allows a more even application.

• By watering only the plant area, it reduces the growth of weed and the need for more

maintenance work.

• It is not a!ected by the strong winds of the area.

• It is not necessary to suspend ludic or maintenance activities in the garden while being

watered.

This type of system may distribute water using di!erent emission devices:

Devices connected to piping:

There are di!erent types of emission devices in the market. Depending on the water pressure, they

may distribute water drop by drop or in small "ows.

Dripping hoses:

They are the ones that apply water drop by drop by smallspacing perforations. They may be placed

super#cially or underground.



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Porous or exuding hoses:

They are plastic or textile pipes in which water drips through pores.

They can also be placed super!cially or underground.

3. Manual

In this type of watering system is di"cult to calculate the amount of water being applied and it takes

time from the person in charge of the garden. However, it is useful for small areas that require

punctual watering, such as pots.

There are dripping and exuding hoses in the market that may be placed

underground and under the grass, which eliminates the need for sprinkling and

maximizes the water e"ciency.

Some advice when watering plants:

• It is recommended to water the plants during low radiation times, especially from 6 pm to 6 am, to avoid loss

by evaporation and to take advantage of the increase on water pressure in the piping.

• Trees that have just been planted need constant watering, but their hydric needs decrease over time since

their roots grow deeper.

• Trees in the area are well adapted to the lack of water, so three or four summer watering will be enough, while

some other species will not need any water at all.

• You must consider the hydric needs of plants, since over watering limits their roots growth and increases the

weakness to diseases and plagues.

• It is necessary to periodically check the watering system for leaks and verify the nozzles are in good condition.

• If you use sprinkling watering systems, you must constantly check that the sprinkler covers the area properly

and check that there are is no overlap of the irrigation area of several sprinklers.

• Due to low water pressure during summer, it is recommended to have a water tank and a pumping system to

guarantee the correct functioning of the watering system.

• Each irrigation system has di#erent $ow types, reaches and paths, so it is important to choose the one that

better adapts to each need.



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Garden Pro�le

When there is a construction, there are usually big soil movements that get built up on some distant

area of the property to be then relocated at some spot in the garden that needs to be leveled up. Such land

movement is expensive.

However, to get an attractive garden it is not necessary to level up the ground. Actually, that built up soil may

be used by keeping its pro�le and creating di�erent levels that show depth, space and aesthetics. These

small hills can be used to place rocks of di�erent sizes and colors which allow the garden to have movement

and �ow without needing great amounts of plants.

Other than making the property attractive, the use of ground coverings is one of the most e�cient

techniques to reduce water loss by evaporation, so they need less watering if we have a mulch planting area.

There are many natural or synthetic coverings in the market that may be combined to create new designs

with �ow and movement. Up next, you will �nd the most common examples:

Wood:

The use of sawdust or wood chips is an organic choice that allows the protection of the ground.

You can get them in many colors, which makes the creation of an attractive design even easier.

Texture Garden

The use of di�erent materials such as textures in

the garden, instead of just plants, gives the garden

personality and makes it unique and attractive. The

combination of elements of di�erent colors and sizes

allows to get some interesting results. You may

experiment with di�erent textures to cover the surface

instead of using grass. This ground protecting covering is

called “mulch”.

The use of mulch has several bene�ts:

• It avoids excessive evaporation.

• It reduces soil overheating.

• It protects against the wind.

• It avoids erosion.

• It diminishes super�cial runo�s.

• It avoids the growth of weed.

• It conceals irrigation systems easily.



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Gravel:

The use of rocks of di!erent shapes, sizes and colors allows great versatility to personalize the garden

and they may be combined to create very interesting contrasts.

An Innovative Choice

Another possibility being tried on low rain gardens, like in California, is the replacing of grass for

synthetic grass. With this choice, synthetic grass, being very similar to natural grass, has the great advantage

of it easy maintenance.

This type of covering has great drainage capacity, which avoids ponding on clayey grounds, such as

the ones in Hacienda Pinilla. It also has the advantage of a soft texture. Being synthetic, it can be placed

outdoors since it is resistant to time passing and weather changes.

The installing of this material implies a great investment at "rst. However, since it technically needs

no maintenance or watering, the investment can be gained back shortly. One inconvenience about synthetic

grass is that it can get overheated if exposed to strong solar radiation.

This is a very easy maintenance covering since it is highly resistant to wear, it does not need watering,

it is hypoallergenic and pet friendly.

To install any of the mulch choices, it is recommended to place a geotextile mesh

under it, to avoid the growth of weed.

It is also important to consider smaller mulch may be moved by the strong winds or

intense rain in Hacienda Pinilla, so they must be installed with a barrier that avoids its

spreading.



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Solid Rain

There is a choice which is ideal when it comes to maximizing water, called hydrogel. This term is used

for a series of polymers capable of retaining great amounts of water.

These polymers are crystalline when dehydrated, but when wet grow up to 400 times their volume and

become soft and elastic. This growth is reversible, which means hydrogel releases absorbed water slowly.

There are some hydrogels in the market that can be used on the ground. These are placed on the roots and

grow by absorbing water from rain or water applied directly to the plant, and then they release the absorbed

water, making it available to the plant’s advantage. They are ideal to reduce the garden watering frequency.



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Hydrogels also reduce erosion, they enhance the breathing of the soil by growing and shrinking,

they allow the regeneration of organic matter, avoid the buildup of salts on the surface and improve the

retaining of nutrients applied to the plants.

One of the most frequent concerns about this product is its contamination degree for the

environment. However, hydrogels designed for agriculture are not toxic and are biodegradable, which

makes them safe for plants and the environment.

Polymers should not be exposed to solar radiation since it damages them. They must be mixed up

with substrate before planting. However, there are also some polymer choices in the shape of spikes which

are easily planted on those gardens already established.

Moisturizing Agents

An accessible, easy choice for watering advantage on the garden is the moisturizing agents. These

substances allow water on the ground to penetrate e!ciently along the pro"le.

This quality is especially useful in areas where the grounds are clayey, such as in Hacienda Pinilla,

since clay makes a water-resistant coat that prevents water from draining correctly, and causes ponding and

great water losses by evaporation. These products are easily accessible in the market and are applied every

two months to completely cover the moisture area, which guarantees nutrients to be evenly distributed

around the whole rotting areas and diminishes the need for frequent garden watering.

Garden Maintenance

To keep gardens beautiful and attractive it is necessary to correctly maintain them. Part of this

maintenance can also favor the correct use of water to avoid waste. Up next, you will "nd some advice for a

correct garden maintenance during dry season:

Planting:

It is common for buildings in properties to be done during dry season to avoid

weather-related inconveniences that might delay the works. However, to install a garden in a

residence, it is advised to wait for the rainy season since plants su#er a great deal of stress

being moved, which makes them demand more water. Moving them during dry season

makes it possible for them not to survive.

During dry season, some plants that are already established may die, especially if they

demand lots of water or if they are susceptible to wind damages. The right thing to do is to

replace these plants for a substitute material or another plant that may be more resistant to

weather. However, if you want to re-plant the same plant or a di#erent one, it is advised to

wait for the rainy season because of the reasons given before.



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Pruning:

Pruning makes plants to su�er stress along with the stress caused by weather, which can

make such plants to get damaged or to die. It is recommended to perform an exhaustive

pruning at the end of the winter season that allows the plant to regrow on time and to gain

strength before the dry season.

The remains from the lawn mowing and pruning of the garden may be placed on the

ground to protect it from water loss. Also, these remains give nutrients to the plants when

decomposing.

Fertilization:

The proper nutrition of plants is a key factor to maintain a beautiful garden. Granulated

fertilizers are pretty accessible and easy to apply. However, these composts are salts that

need enough water to be diluted and absorbed by the roots. If these salts are not correctly

diluted, they may create a microenvironment of osmotic stress around the roots, which

makes plants to dry out or burn out. However, too much water may cause the nutrients to

wash out and not be absorbed by the plant. It is recommended to fertilize the gardens at

the beginning and at the end of the rainy season, when rain is not so intense, which favors

the dilution of granules without washing out their nutrients.

Other Choices

There are many choices of di�erent systems that take advantage of water in a property. Up next, we

mention a few examples and invite you to research more deeply to implement a similar system that better

adjusts to the need of every property.

Bio !lters

The treatment of residual water for reutilization in irrigation is a widely used choice around

the world. Also, the treatment of such contaminated water reduces the magnitude of their

negative impact on the environment.

Bio !lters or arti!cial wetlands are a widely used technology on an international level. They

are containers or water-resistant excavation devices !lled with rocks in which you can plant.

The rocks and roots of the plants clean the water in the bio !lter from the primary treatment

that eliminates the heavy, greasy elements.

What and when?

It is recommended to apply composts rich in phosphorus to the plants to stimulate their

radical development and proper establishment.

After pruning, it is recommended to apply fertilizers rich in nitrogen to enhance their

regrowth and strength.

To stimulate "owering and fruiting, it is recommended to use fertilizers with high levels of

potassium.



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The treated water obtained at the end of the process is not completely pure but will be high quality

to be used for watering.

Awareness, Innovation and Creativity:

Cases of Good Practices in our Community

We can already see some cases of properties that use the elements described in this handbook in

Hacienda Pinilla, which makes the maintenance of the garden easier and money-saving by having an

aesthetically attractive garden.

These gardens have a unique personality and admirable beauty. Their concepts value aspects such

as low maintenance, adaptability to the area, the possibility of modi!cation, water saving and scenic beauty.

The e"cient, rational use of water is a step that guarantees their future availability, along

with saving and reusing residual waters application measurements.

Residential compound: Las Brisas Property 22.

The whole garden was designed and built by using

di#erent textures for a unique personality and style. It

combines the use of rocks of di#erent sizes and

wooden spike mulch to designate the plant and

staging areas. It also uses synthetic grass in the

playground area because of its easy maintenance and

security.



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Residential compound: Reserva de Golf Property 34

The land moved from the building was used to create

dunes in the garden which were covered by white rocks to

avoid the use of grass. Some di�erent sized pebbles were

used to resemble a river course. It was complemented with

the use of some big rocks and highly drought-resistant

plants, each one of which are connected to a dripping

sprinkler.

Residential compound: Avellanas Property 15

The property has a coverage design based on

the combination of synthetic grass and gravel

of di�erent sizes to cover low use areas. It also

has de!ned staging areas within the synthetic

grass. It only has palm trees to cover an

installment in the house, and lemongrass on

some of the perimeter, along with some fruit

trees. The small plant areas are watered with

dripping hoses. The garden needs almost no

maintenance.



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Acknowledgments

We want to specially thank the owners and low water consumption garden maintenance personnel

in the properties, who provided very valuable information related to good practices in their gardens. We also

thank the owners and garden maintenance personnel who have started using substitute elements for

sharing their experience for everybody’s learning.

Finally, we invite all current and future owners to consider the recommendations of this handbook in

order to have a cozy garden with great personality, good aesthetics, low maintenance costs and sustainable

in time.

This handbook is a contribution from the Malinches de Pinilla ASADA for the owners in the community of

Hacienda Pinilla.

We thank and congratulate Miss Cinthya Rodríguez B, student in the Agronomic Engineering career from

University of Costa Rica, for her academic internship works for the baccalaureate degree, who obtained the

present document as a �nal result after an exhaustive research.

guidelines on handling and maintaining gardens during the

Documents