The keys to having a healthy yard with minimal use of fertilizer, chemicals and water are building healthy soil with organic supplements, having the right plants in the right location, and trying non-toxic pest management solutions first instead of reaching first for sprays. A. Add one point. Put a few pans of beer in your garden. Slugs will belly up, fall in and drown. B. Add one point.
Native plants are great.
But don't plant ocotillos here. They're Southwest natives. D. Subtract one point. Only 3 to 4 pounds of fertilizer are recommended per 1,000 square feet, and leaving grass clippings on the lawn will supply at least a quarter of that amount. Medium green is the healthiest color.