A Spot of Green

by Charlene Burgi

Let’s face it: Despite the fact that we live in a Mediterranean climate, where we experience five to six months of dry weather every year, we love our lawns. We know that lawns consume more water than any other vegetation in our yards, yet the love affair continues. Where did this affair start?

Historically, large expanses of lawn in England were signs of great wealth. As our ancestors crossed the “pond,” they brought their traditions, customs and ideals with them as they settled on the East Coast, and with them came lawn seed. For the most part, lawns planted on the Eastern Seaboard did not require irrigation systems as the weather offered year-round rainfall—enough water to keep lawns looking lush and green.

As the covered wagons moved west, so did the love affair. Lawns sprouted up with the growing population. Irrigation systems were needed to maintain these spots of green since summer rainfall is a rare commodity on much of the West Coast.

Simple solutions in the east became more complicated out west. The migration also brought maintenance habits that caused this water-guzzling spot of green to need more water, encourage more weeds, require more fertilizer and add more work for mowing. The way you mow your lawn can make or break these habits.

The theory is to keep it simple. The key is to mow your lawn to a height of 2.5 – 3 inches, which will shade the root system, keeping the roots cooler and requiring less irrigation. The taller grasses also prevent weed seeds from getting enough light to germinate, eliminating the need to use herbicides to eradicate the weeds. The tips of grass clippings (not clumps of grass) from frequent mowing will add nutrients to the soil and feed the lawn as the clippings decompose.

This brings up another issue for managing lawns. I am often asked if it is better to water a little every day until the evapotranspiration rate is met for the week. Let me go on record saying that a deep soaking every three days is better for your lawn. If you are on a slight slope, you may need to set your controller for multiple run times, or use the cycle-and-soak feature. This will help prevent runoff by allowing the irrigation system to water for short spurts, with time in between for the water to soak into the ground.

If you have a love affair with your lawn, remember:

1. Good practices now can make a lawn strong and healthy in case of future drought and help sustain it if water restrictions should occur.
2. Watering deeply early in the morning will develop deep roots that can tap into moisture deep within the soil.
3. Cutting lawns too short allows the soil to dry out faster and weeds to develop.
4. Short water times every day should be avoided since this will keep roots close to the soil surface.
5. Check various types of lawn seed or sod for water-conserving and disease-resistant varieties that were not available during the pioneer days of yesteryear.

Read Full Post »

Thank You Garden Hosts, Volunteers, Sponsors & Guests!

by Robin McKillop

The Marin-Friendly Garden tour was a huge success with over 600 guests making 2,200 visits to nine diverse gardens on Saturday, May 18. Gardens featured native plants, edibles, rainwater catchment, smart irrigation, wildlife habitat, salvaged materials and more. In addition to strolling through these inspiring gardens, guests had the opportunity to attend on-site presentations by local experts on rainwater harvesting, defensible space and gardening with California natives. We hope the tour inspires visitors to embrace gardening practices that are easier on the environment, in particular ones that conserve and protect our precious water resources.

The garden tour was made possible by the generosity and talent of our host gardeners who shared their amazing gardens and vast knowledge with all of us on tour day. Thank you host gardeners for going above and beyond! Also, thanks to all of the volunteers who donated their time to make this tour possible. Many of these volunteers have been supporting MMWD garden tours for several years, while others just joined. We also owe a debt of gratitude to our sponsors for helping to make this tour possible:

The Urban Farmer Store
Bayside Garden Center
Marin Art and Garden Center
Marizco Landscape Management
O’Donnell’s Fairfax Nursery
Point Tiburon Plaza
U.C. Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners

Last, but not least, we would like to thank everyone who attended. We hope you enjoyed the tour as much as we did!

Read Full Post »

Knowledge

by Charlene Burgi

This week a friend sent an email containing a test that challenged the reader’s knowledge of science. I dropped all that I was doing and quizzed myself before sending it on to my daughter, son and Jack with my results. The gauntlet was officially thrown down and the game was on!

It seems the family loves these challenges, as we all get caught up in self-testing. It made me wonder if you, too, enjoy seeing just how much you know? Are you in? Okay, I am throwing down the gauntlet! Answers will be found at the end of the blog. No fair checking our website or internet for answers first!

1. How many water supply reservoirs does MMWD maintain on the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed and in West Marin? Extra points if you can name them all.
a. 3
b. 7
c. 12
d. None of the above

2. Which sprinkler heads are most efficient on a slope?
a. Impact heads
b. MP Rotators
c. Spray heads
d. Rotors

3. It is acceptable to mix various types of sprinkler heads on the same valve.
a. True
b. False

4. It is best to use pressure-compensating emitters on a slope.
a. True
b. False

5. As a whole, we use more water:
a. Washing clothes
b. Flushing toilets
c. Watering lawns
d. Taking showers

6. Clay soil doesn’t have any nutritional value.
a. True
b. False

7. All native plants are low-water users.
a. True
b. False

8. Evapotranspiration refers to:
a. Loss of water from the soil
b. Loss of water from plants
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above

9. The evapotranspiration rate is highest in:
a. Mid August
b. Beginning of September
c. End of April
d. End of June

10.  Toilet leaks can waste as much as
a. 1 gallon a day
b. 15 gallons a month
c. Too small to measure
d. 500 gallons a day

The next step we take in the family is to share our answers and where we got hung up. It opens up the discussion! Did you learn anything or was this just too easy? Did you share this test with your family, too?

Join Us for the Marin-Friendly Garden Tour on Saturday, May 18

If you haven’t registered for tomorrow’s Marin-Friendly Garden Tour, it’s not too late! This FREE, self-guided tour showcases nine Marin gardens designed to protect our local environment and conserve water. Discover native plant selections, edibles, rainwater catchment, wildlife habitat gardens, recycled materials, composting systems and more. Visit our website for last-minute registration details.

Answers

1. – b. MMWD’s reservoirs include Phoenix, Lagunitas, Bon Tempe, Alpine, Kent, Nicasio and Soulajule.
2. – b. Slow precipitation rates of the MP Rotators will allow the water to penetrate instead of run off.
3. – b. Each type of head throws out different gallons per minute, causing some areas to get too much water and other areas not enough–what we call a lack of distribution uniformity.
4. – a. Non-compensating emitters will lead to water running out faster at the bottom of the slope, leaving little emitting at the top.
5. – c. Lawns use the highest amount of water.
6. – b. Clay has nutrients trapped in its particles. Adding amendments can break down the particles and release the nutrients for plant needs.
7. – b. There are many aquatic native plants.
8. – c. Soil loses moisture through evaporation; plants lose water through transpiration.
9. – d. On average, plants require more water at the end of June than any other time of year.
10. – d. Can you believe that! You can lose up to 500 gallons a day!!

Read Full Post »

Garden Tour Sneak Preview: Going Native

by Greg Van Trump

Registration is still open for the 2013 Marin-Friendly Garden Tour, scheduled for Saturday, May 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It only takes a minute to sign up using our online registration system, and there’s no charge to attend! We hope you can join us.

The 2013 tour features nine inspiring gardens that showcase a variety of environmentally friendly practices, ranging from conserving water to creating wildlife habitat. Here’s a sneak preview of one of the gardens on this year’s tour.

Photo courtesy of David Long

To find California native species in a garden is fairly common in Marin, but a garden planted entirely with California natives is an exciting and rare find. Sectioned into riparian, woodland, meadow and chaparral plant communities, this hillside garden offers an easy way to experience a variety of native plant species at one convenient location. As you stroll along the crushed lava rock path that leads through the property, you will pass through riparian and woodland habitats, complete with a dry creek bed wandering down the side of the house and then exiting under two volunteer California live oaks. The path continues through a sedge transition meadow then across a dry meadow featuring drought-tolerant grasses, perennials, a variety of annual wildflowers and showy red and pink clarkias. Don’t worry if you are not keen on plant identification as nearly all the plants are labeled. And finally, a variety of chaparral species rounds out this wonderful exhibit of California natives. The dry meadow, chaparral and hedgerow areas are no longer watered, flourishing only on rainfall provided by Mother Nature. This garden is certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a Wildlife Habitat Garden and by the Bay-Friendly Coalition.

Consider planning your visit to this garden around noon, when the property owner will discuss “Gardening with California Natives”—one of three free garden talks included as part of the tour.

Read Full Post »

Why Conserve Water?

by Charlene Burgi

It was the question in the upper left-hand corner of the saveourh2o.org website that caught my attention. I wondered if the average person tosses away the question of conserving water like a worn-out pair of shoes. For me, the question took me back to a conversation I overheard a few weeks ago between Jack and our 80-plus-year-old neighbor.

They spoke of water rights, which drew me in as I hoped to glean more knowledge about a subject I knew little about. During the conversation, I learned that our ranches had first rights to our allotments, but others downstream were only given second rights to the use of that water. It was easy to understand the concern of those who might need more water than they were allowed—especially where one’s livelihood hinges on having enough water for cattle and crops. The conversation had me running to the computer to find out how these rights were established, and I found, as a side note, that the ‘49er gold rush played a huge part in the water laws of California!

While exploring the subject, I considered what water rights meant to me growing up in San Rafael. Awareness seemed to be the missing link between the two worlds. We grew up believing we had the right to turn on the water without thought of how that use would affect our neighbor. We had no restrictions regarding the time of day or year we could use water. The only minor concern was how that usage would show up on the water bill, and as a child, that thought barely crossed my mind—let alone the idea that this was a resource we needed to share with others!

Our awareness of water changed when the 1976-77 drought came. Everyone scrambled to conserve as reservoirs became dangerously low. MMWD customers cut back their consumption by 63 percent. Heritage landscapes were sacrificed to stretch our water supply for indoor use. Creative ideas about how to save water were shared in local newspapers and seen on television ads. The talk carried over to social events, educational institutions and the dinner table. Lack of rain sharpened our awareness. Many of us who lived in Marin during those days continue those water-saving habits today.

Though retired, I continue to read about water. There is a real concern about the lack of usable water for our world’s growing population. Many places suffer from horrible drought. Even in Marin—where we’re fortunate to have access to clean, local water—our supply is limited. We depend on rainfall captured in our local reservoirs. Still, most of us take for granted that when we turn on the faucet the water will be there. I wonder what we all need to do to raise our awareness to a higher level? What can you do to improve the conservation practices in your home? Are your toilets the most efficient? Is the garden mulched? Are you using smart controllers programmed to replace only the amount of water lost through evapotranspiration? Can those actions take care of our neighbors who may not have enough water?

Check out the saveourh2o.org website. There are many conservation ideas and resources for both the homeowner and the professional. You’ll find short videos demonstrating various methods of improving irrigation systems, as well as links to manufacturers’ manuals, suggested literature, tips and more. Let me know what you learned, or share your conservation ideas with other readers. Let’s all sharpen our awareness!

Read Full Post »

Creative Thinking

by Charlene Burgi

When I get a new idea, I head out to the workshop and barn. Stored treasures are found in and around those buildings. Most items are intended for purposes other than to be used in the garden, but it is where I go to let my imagination run wild! For example, behind the shop are scraps of lumber salvaged from building our home. Jack uses the wood for fueling the wood-burning stove in his shop, but I envision those scraps turned into needed raised planters. Sitting in the barn are old wood-framed windows rescued from garage sales, which could become cold frames to house and protect seedlings. Various lengths and diameters of PVC are always at the ready in case of underground breaks or leaks, but I see future frames for cages built to protect the blueberries and raspberries from our neighboring deer, squirrels, rabbits and birds.

Garden shed

Salvage can be found everywhere. My garden shed was a single-car garage that we rescued from a local rancher who wanted to raze it. Jack backed his trailer up to the structure and managed to lift the building up high enough to drive it over the dirt roads to home. I must admit we looked like the Beverly Hillbillies driving down the road, but I had a vision and purpose! With the shed in place, I now dream of using some of those old windows and turning the structure into my “play house.” Currently there is a dirt floor, yet as I look around I see unused chipped pavers, broken bricks and clay pots, and assorted flat rocks on the property. A mosaic floor will add to that shabby chic garden shed that is already filled with garden tools, assorted pots, bags of soil, and all the toys needed for a gardener’s delight. Visions of wisteria, sweet peas and morning glory grow in containers and soon promise to frame the exterior.

A few years ago a student in my irrigation class shared pictures of his rubble walls. He used old wine bottles, broken concrete and miscellaneous rocks, then filled the voids with various low-water-using plants such as creeping thyme, succulents, campanula and saponaria. The outcome was stunning. Recently, I saw another gardener who had built her raised planter beds out of wine bottles set three to four deep on end with the bottle necks buried in the soil. In both cases using the materials at hand meant money saved and less to the landfill.

Even if you aren’t planning a project as elaborate as these, there are many opportunities to reuse and recycle. Think of all the ideas shared in past blog posts. We’ve use cardboard for sheet mulching, clear gallon jugs with the bottoms cut off to protect tender new plants, popsicle sticks to identify seedlings, saved toilet paper and paper towel rolls acting as organic mini planters to start seed, and compost bins made of pallets to house rich organic material destined to go back into the garden.

Our salvaging doesn’t stop there. Jack and I need to build a protective fence around the vegetable garden, and my eyes drift to the old fence posts saved off the property from years past. Stacking them in a crisscross pattern will enhance the garden. Wire mesh will line the back side to prevent rabbits from entering, and I can already visualize the seedling peas and cucumbers clambering up the wire mesh for easy picking.

Let your creative juices flow. Are there items you can rescue and repurpose? Do you have rubble or waste that can be transformed into something delightful? Please share those ideas with the rest of the readers.

A coop built of salvaged fencing material is home to these chickens. Check it out on the Marin-Friendly Garden Tour May 18.

If you are wondering what ideas you can utilize, don’t miss MMWD’s free Marin-Friendly Garden Tour on Saturday, May 18. The self-guided tour is from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Register online and we will email you the Garden Guide with addresses and driving directions. Several of the featured gardens make use of salvaged and repurposed materials. The tour might offer new ideas and find you rescuing trash to create a unique landscape that captures the interest of those entering your garden gate.

Read Full Post »

Why is Marin-Friendly Gardening Important?

by Robin McKillop

Perhaps the interconnectedness of gardens, watersheds and people is nowhere more apparent than in Marin. Almost all of our water supply comes from local rainfall, collected from local watershed lands and stored in local reservoirs. Unlike most Californians, people in Marin live in the same watersheds that supply our water, witnessing first-hand the impacts of our activities on our local waterways. It’s apparent that what we do in our gardens has a direct impact on water quality in our local creeks and waterways, and on the plants and animals living here.

Marin Municipal Water District watershed lands total over 21,000 acres, and are home to over 400 species of animals and 900 species of plants, including many rare, threatened and endangered species. The watershed comprises only 0.2 percent of the area of California and five percent of Marin County, yet 15 percent of the state’s native plant species and 50 percent of the county’s can be found here. Lagunitas Creek, which begins above district reservoirs near the peak of Mt. Tamalpais on land owned by MMWD, is a spawning and rearing ground for endangered coho salmon and steelhead trout. It supports one of the best populations of coho salmon in California.

In addition to its critical role in nature, water plays a central role in our gardens. All plants need water to survive, but different plants need different amounts of water. Many plants that grow in Marin naturally have adaptations that allow them to survive through our hot, dry summers without any supplemental irrigation. Other plants, like thirsty lawns, require constant watering and maintenance. In Marin, a lawn the size of a tennis court needs about 400 gallons of water per day in July to remain healthy. That’s equivalent to having 16 people each taking 10-minute showers at your house every day! When you consider that irrigation systems are never 100 percent efficient, even more water is needed. Much of this water is wasted due to runoff, which travels into local waterways carrying harmful chemicals and other pollutants with it.

Marin-Friendly gardening is grounded in the notion that there’s a better way to achieve productive, beautiful gardens and minimize our impact on the environment. Marin-Friendly gardens use practices sensitive to our local environment, particularly ones that conserve and protect our precious water resources.

Want to see Marin-Friendly gardening in action? Join us for the Marin-Friendly Garden Tour on Saturday, May 18.

Read Full Post »

The Evolution of Gardens

by Charlene Burgi

A few years ago I planted Aztec lilies in Lassen County to see how they would perform in extreme weather conditions. That early garden was planted primarily with bulbs that could sustain themselves without the need for irrigation or critter control since we were not living there yet. The following summer provided a modest display of color to the front garden. I felt like the choices I made were a success despite lacking the framework I knew was needed in the course of the garden’s evolution.

A beautiful garden is not typically rolled out in a weekend. It involves living with the space and takes years to plan, experiment, coordinate, add and subtract. During that evolution, plants grow, can be moved or removed. In time, gardens take form and shape. A well-planned garden provides color, texture and interest at various times of the year. The design should draw you in to probe the mystery of hidden fragrances, explore follies, and discover the intricacy of exquisite flowers. Plant choices need to add to the form of a garden while also serving the function of attracting birds, butterflies and beneficial insects. The sustainable practices for maintaining a healthy garden must be considered during the development.

Part of the evolution requires thought about how the space will be utilized. Is the garden a place for entertaining, growing food, playing or meditating? Would you like to grow natives or consider rainwater catchment systems? Will there be an area for chickens, garden shed or greenhouse? It could be a combination of all these elements and designed with rooms and pathways meandering throughout.

Are you stuck on the evolution of your garden? Is there a trouble spot or tired portion of the landscape that needs to be spruced up? Perhaps you are starting with a fresh blank slate and looking for ideas. On Saturday, May 18, the Marin Municipal Water District invites you to explore nine beautiful and inspiring gardens on the Marin-Friendly Garden Tour. This FREE, self-guided tour runs 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will also include “garden talks” by local experts. Register at marinfriendly.brownpapertickets.com, and we will email you the Garden Guide, which provides information about each garden as well as addresses and driving directions. Register by May 1 to be automatically entered into a drawing to win a Marin-Friendly prize.

Believe it or not, in their past lives many of the gardens on the tour were dull lawn, invasive weeds or even concrete. They certainly have been transformed over time. Each garden is unique. Each garden offers various ideas that may stimulate creative changes. Learn about environmentally friendly garden practices and put these ideas to work for you. Let the gardens evolve!

Read Full Post »

Another Sneak Preview: Marin-Friendly Garden Tour

by Craig Lauridsen

Registration is still open for the 2013 Marin-Friendly Garden Tour, scheduled for Saturday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It only takes a minute to sign up using our online registration system, and there’s no charge to attend! Register by May 1 to be automatically entered into a drawing to win a Marin-Friendly prize! We hope you can join us.

The 2013 tour features nine inspiring gardens that showcase a variety of environmentally friendly practices, ranging from conserving water to creating wildlife habitat. Here’s a sneak preview of one of the gardens on this year’s tour.

There are so many reasons to visit this garden. The front yard has a collection of towering redwoods and an impressive valley oak that have watched the neighborhood mature for over 100 years. When you enter the backyard, it’s hard to believe that for 40 long years the entire space was covered in cement and a swimming pool. This all changed when new owners purchased the home in 2010. They worked with a landscape professional and designed the backyard to be drought-tolerant and wildlife-friendly, with mostly native plantings, and a vegetable and herb garden. Stepping-stone pathways connect three small patios, and artwork is peppered into the landscape to add color and character. One corner of the backyard features two raised beds for a seasonal vegetable garden and a wire trellis on the fence encouraging two young kiwi plans to grow. Soil is kept healthy through the use of a compost bin. An onsite well is used for irrigation, and the owners carefully manage their water by using drip irrigation and a self-adjusting irrigation controller.

For more information about the 2013 Marin-Friendly Garden Tour visit marinwater.org.

Read Full Post »

The Error of My Ways

by Charlene Burgi

While in Marin last week, the warm weather must have dulled my senses with those blue, balmy spring days … or should I say “daze.” On my way home I stopped at my favorite big-box store to stock up on provisions not easily acquired in Lassen.

New peony with daffodils

Upon entering the store, I was assaulted by rows of huge potted redwood trees, fruit trees, shrubs, and assorted flowers and packaged perennials. Being a plant junky, I couldn’t walk by without grabbing another pretty, pink, fragrant peony for the garden. But I lost my grip entirely at the vision of a ‘Pink Lemonade’ blueberry bush. I noticed the flush of new growth, admired the plant structure, and read about the unique pink fruit and the acceptable planting zone for assured growing success. I knew this would be a great addition to the other five blueberry plants already in the garden.

It was early evening by the time I got home, unloaded the plants on the garage floor, and gave them a drink of water. The next day, without thinking, I put the beautiful bushy blueberry on the front covered deck next to a still-leafless, containerized highland blueberry. The sun was shining brightly and reflected the glossiness of the new green leaves.

I noticed a nip in the air that night as I went out on the deck to view the northern lights being touted by our local newscaster. A slight breeze made me retreat back inside. The wind chill factor caused a freezing drop in temperature. The next morning, Jack mentioned the new blueberry looked like it needed water.

Can you guess? The wilted plant didn’t need water, but hadn’t had a chance to “harden off” to the elements. Chances are the blueberry was force grown in a temperate greenhouse to produce lots of new growth, then shipped to the store where it remained protected. I brought it home and, in essence, placed it in a deep freeze!

Sick bay for the blueberry

I moved the blueberry plant into the well-lit laundry room and set it next to the daphne that thrived in this warm, humid environment all winter. The poor blueberry leaves soon lost their bright green color. The tips died back as if protesting the torture it had been exposed to. And, while it will live, it was telling me, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we are not in Kansas anymore.”

You might ask how this experience relates to Marin where the temperate climate rarely drops below freezing in the spring. New seedlings—like the new flush of growth from the blueberry—will thrive much better if they transition slowly to their growing environment. If you start your seeds indoors, move them into a make-shift cold frame—built of old framed windows or even cellophane placed over a wood frame or heavy-duty box—before planting them outdoors. You can even place seedlings next to a window in the garage for a few days before moving them outdoors.

Have you ever done something without considering the potential outcome? The results can be painful!

Read Full Post »