Phx, Az, USA - Zone 10

Thanx to a Google group gardener's suggestion, I've begun to add really
deep - two foot deep - layers of mulch to my beds. I've asked my
neighbors, and they've been very graciosly leaving the bags of their
grass clippings out for me. So I cheerfully go door-to-door on Mondays
and drag home these huge bags. I never thought other people's yard
trash would make me so happy!

Wow, what a difference! Soil stays moist longer, plants are holding up
to the hotter days, I don't have to water as much. I also don't have to
weed as much, and I have a nice soft place to walk when I'm weeding or
tending.

I've buried my soaker hoses under the mulch, instead of irrigating in
hill-n-valley tradition, and that's a huge water saver.

If anyone has any tips for saving water while maintaining a big garden,
please let me know. For the first time, I'm actually counting and
measuring gallons, and it adds up REALLY fast.