It was in the daily news, on the radio, TV, grocery line conversations, barber shops, prayers, the dreaded word "drought". Back in the 1970's, I was interviewed on TV and for the newspapers about the 7 year great drought. Will we all shrivel up and die? Will our yards all be dead; our lawns, shrubs, trees, flowers and vegetable gardens?
Flash forward to today. We have beautiful landscapes. Our brown lawns came back and we made them smaller. We lost some ill-suited plants and shrubs and replaced them with water-wise plants. We switched to better watering systems and stopped rotting out our plants with too much water. Less water runs down the gutters and we save money. Drip systems and mulch have become the norm. Fertilizer run-off and pollution is reduced. In other words, we were forced into plant education and ecology. We became greener. We saved water, became cleaner, healthier and worked less by working smarter. We became careful to choose plants that worked successfully.
Another drought reminds us of natures lessons. We are in a part of California that is always considered in need of more water, so our ways must permanently change. Use a broom instead of hosing down the driveway. Spot water the lawn only where it's dry instead of flooding everywhere with sprinklers every third day; by the way, watering lawns every other day is too ofter for most grasses and soils, the exception being sandy soil. Plant smaller lawns and increase shrub beds. Use water wise shrubs. If possible, plant in the cooler seasons. In summer plantings, cover new plants with shade cloth for a week or two as they get established.
Roots grow when the soil is 50 degrees F. or more. By planting now, the root system will be large and the top will explode with growth in spring and summer, making the most efficient use of precious water. In Februaary and March, nurseries will have staff available to spend time with you to give you lots of advice and help you plan your landscape in detail. Many Mediterranean plants are water-wise because they are similar to central and central coast California natives, so find a professional nursery with staff that can give you lots of choices. Some Australian, New Zealand and other hot, dry continent plants also will grow here as water-wise plants. A good list is at:
Monterey Bay Nursery catalog list of Plants
Nurseries have lists and books dedicated to water-wise plants and planting methods. Remember that success starts with soil preparation and healthy plants of the right choice.
Healthy Gardening,
Ken Brizzi
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