Resilient Maintenance
A resilient landscape is fire-wise, water wise and promotes biodiversity by using California native plants. These gardens use sustainable practices, approach plant selection and maintenance to reduce the risk of fire in the defensible space zone.
Resilient gardens save water, protect us from fire and promote biodiversity.
Maintaining a resilient landscape requires continued vigilance to save water and always be thinking of fire season.​​
Landscape Design by Habitat Corridor Project
Plant Maintenance
Keeping plants healthy with proper seasonal pruning, irrigation and mulching is of primary importance in a firewise garden. A proper maintenance program should incorporate annual maintenance based on the life cycle of the plant and work that should be done every few years. During fire season, particularly during Red Flag Warnings, a good thorough clean up around your plants is recommended along with a good soak
  • Pruning: As plants grow, the spacing between them “shrinks.” Regular pruning helps maintain spacing, and removes the dead twiggy materials that can make a plant burn. Several favorite California native plants such as manzanita, coyote brush, ceanothus, salvias and buckwheat - which are beautiful and provide abundant food and shelter for wildlife - appear on some lists of fire prone plants. In fact, if pruned properly, well hydrated, and separated from adjacent plants, these plants can grace your garden as effective elements in a firewise landscape. Please see the firewise plant list for instructions on optimal pruning of different species. Most of the herbaceous perennials can be cut back to about 6” from the ground every 2-3 years to discourage woody growth. Alternating years for maintenance between groups of plants conserves cover for habitat.
    • Prune to remove lower limbs and foliage, dead and dying vegetation, dry undergrowth, 
    • Shear herbaceous perennials annually to remove old foliage and encourage next season’s growth and flowering. 
    • Prune larger shrubs to remove dead wood and foliage and eliminate ladder fuels from adjacent plants.
    • More on pruning native plants is found here. 
  • Mulching: mulch cools the soil, conserves water, and suppresses weeds. 
    • Use only non-combustible mulch like pea gravel within 5' of the home, and Arbor Mulch up to 2' depth from 5-30' of the home. 
    • Do not use fine bark or shredded redwood mulch which is highly combustible, and ignites easily from embers. 
    • More information about mulch and fire is found here.
  • Irrigation: Proper irrigation amounts and timing will keep plants hydrated. Drip irrigation is the standard, however there is emerging information that in summer, most native plants appreciate bi-weekly light overhead watering from low pressure pop-up sprinklers to clean leaves and hydrate the plant. 
  • General information on watering and mulching is found here.
  • Clean-up: Trees drop leaves regularly, especially in the fall when fire-season is at its worst. Clean up as often as needed, and pay careful attention to your roof and the base of your home. Clean up aggressively when fire weather is extreme.           

​Tree Maintenance
Consult a licensed arborist to help maintain your trees in good health.
Most trees can be maintained to reduce ignitability, and the shade they provide can suppress weeds while retaining moisture, cooling your house and enhancing your property’s Defensible Space. Certain species such as Italian cypress, however, cannot be maintained in a way that reduces ignitability, and the buildup of dead material behind their foliage is dangerous year-round.
Remove lower limbs of trees so that no foliage is within 6’ of the ground (or 1/3 the height of the tree if it’s less than 30’ tall).  Preserve single specimens or groupings of well-pruned trees, while keeping vertical spacing between lower branches and understory plants equal to 3x the height above the understory plant.

Continuous Canopy in Forests and Woodlands
Many residential areas are located within forests or woodlands, in which mature tree canopies are touching overhead. As long as there are no ladder fuels that can carry a fire from the ground up into the canopy, this intertwining canopy should be no problem. Also note that it is wise to create a break in the canopy at least 30' from the house to reduce the risk spread to the house if a canopy fire occurs. If there is enough sunlight, lower growing shrubs (to 3’) and groundcovers can be beneficial in these woodlands to provide wildlife habitat. All trees should be pruned to remove dead or dying branches, and lower branches should be pruned to 3x the height above the understory plant.

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