Phoenix launches a Citywide food drive to assist residents experiencing food insecurity during the holidays.
Workshops and Videos
The Water Conservation Office hosts and facilitates various educational workshops each year. Register for upcoming workshops and classes down below!
Missed a workshop or class you were interested in? All past videos will be recorded and uploaded here for your convenience! You can also check out our YouTube channel by clicking the link below.
Hydrate Phoenix Workshops
The Watershed Management Group and the City of Phoenix Water Services Department hosted a five-class Hydrate Phoenix series this October. The recorded classes cover several topics on what Water Smart living can look like across the Valley. From harnessing rainwater for use on your landscape, to attracting pollinators, to growing vegetables, find out more with Hydrate Phoenix 2025!
1. Vegetable Gardening in the Low Desert
Abundant sunshine and scarce rainwater create unique challenges for anyone trying to grow food in our desert climate. Plan your garden with these challenges in mind and you’ll be producing food year-round. This class will cover good practices for site selection, soil preparation, plant selection, and maintenance of your vegetable garden all with a particular focus on ways to reduce potable water use in your garden.
2. Sonoran Desert Harvesting
The Sonoran Desert is one of the most ecologically diverse deserts in the U.S. Many native plants have been important sources of food and medicine for indigenous people, historically and in the present. Get a whole new appreciation for the desert and how to harvest this local abundance by learning about edible and medicinal plants you can plant in your landscape or discover while hiking.
3. Native Landscape Care
Our desert landscapes can thrive and produce abundance with the right care. Learn the nuances of landscape maintenance that will help you ditch chemical fertilizers and highwater bills. We will review the benefits of rainwater harvesting, proper care of different plant types, how to identify and solve potential rain garden issues, watering schedules, seasonal plant needs such as trimming & weeding, and more.
4. Designing a Water Harvesting Landscape
Learn to assess your yard using water harvesting design principles and find ways you can shape your landscape to passively harvest rainwater on site. We'll give ideas on how to size and plan where to place your water harvesting basins to help slow the flow of the water, spread it across the areas where it's needed, and sink it into the ground.
5. Selecting Native Plants for Multiple Benefits
You can create a beautiful landscape that attracts pollinators, grows food, and provides shade all while conserving water! It starts with learning about the native plants that have thrived in the desert for thousands of years that provide all those benefits and more. Whether you’re looking for the best trees and plants to attract hummingbirds and butterflies and bloom bright with color, or to cool off your home with shade, we've got you covered.
Food Bearing Trees Workshops
Trees have so many benefits including providing food year after year. Learn about selecting food-bearing trees while considering water savings through tree selection and watering techniques. Phoenix Water has partnered with Trees Matter to provide each video listed below.
Ironwood Trees - Native to the Sonoran Desert, Ironwood Trees provide habitat, restoration and food.
Fig Trees - First introduced to the United States in the late 1700's, Mission Fig Trees are hardy and do exceptionally well in our desert environment.
Southern Live Oak - Acorns in the Desert? The Southern Live Oak Flourishes in Phoenix.
Pomegranate Trees - Learn about growing Pomegranate Trees to add some of their fruit to your favorite dishes.
For additional free water conservation resources similar to these, visit our digital education page.
2024 Hydrate Phoenix Class Recordings
1. Designing a Water Harvesting Landscape
2. Selecting Native Plants for Multiple Benefits
(download the worksheet).
3. Vegetable Gardening in the Low Desert