My itchy eyes and sneezy nose can tell that the rainy season is behind us as we move into the “dry season”. Our beautiful emerald green hills are rapidly turning brown. This also starts the season of water conservation. Although we should always remain conscious about our daily water use, when the days are longer and warmer, we naturally use more water in our gardens and in our homes.
Today’s water conservation tip starts inside the home. At present, I am anxiously awaiting the delivery of my new front loading high efficiency washing machine. My 15 year old clothes washer was kind enough to break down just when our utility company was offering $100 rebates for high-efficiency clothes washers AND California’s $100 rebate for cash for appliances program. As a result, my new washer will wash larger loads while using less water and less energy. Front-loading washers use 40-75% less water and 30-85% less energy than typical top-loaders. I’m actually looking forward to getting my next utility bills to see the results.
Stay tuned for more ways to reduce water consumption inside and out.
Replace old washers = water savings + energy savings + rebates
May 4th, 2010Outdoor Lighting – Part 2
September 30th, 2009Have you ever approached an airport at night and noticed the rows of runway lights? Unfortunately, that is a lighting technique I often see used to illuminate home driveways and walkways. Rather than focusing on important features in the architecture and landscape, the eye is immediately drawn to the “runway” lights. Professional outdoor lighting design involves creating the right balance of light contrasting with dark while highlighting the unique features of the individual property. These features include accenting individual plant character, hardscape features such as columns and arbors, water features and outdoor art, and key architectural details of the home. In addition, it is important for safety to illuminate step areas and other hidden spaces for visual direction. Invest in high quality fixtures that are properly volted and won’t corrode or easily break. Whether viewed from inside the home or sitting outside in the yard, a beautifully designed outdoor lighting portrait will add many hours of additional use time to your landscape.
Outdoor Lighting – Part 1
September 11th, 2009
As we move into autumn daylight is getting shorter and night time longer. Outdoor lighting in the landscape is a great way to maximize the usability of your outdoor garden spaces. Low voltage lighting is easy to install and when designed and implemented professionally, gives your property a huge wow factor. One of my clients, who works away from home all day, couldn’t believe how gorgeous her backyard looked at night when her lights came on… “It looks like I’m in an expensive, luxury resort” she commented to me. One of the biggest mistakes people make, however, is to purchase low cost, poorly made fixtures that break easily or corrode quickly. Outdoor lighting is more than simply lighting up trees or a walkway, it is more about creating a beautiful night time lighting portrait. I will Blog more about outdoor lighting design ideas in a future
Waterfall Without the Pond
April 27th, 2009
Imagine relaxing in your own backyard on a sunny day, sipping a refreshing drink, and dipping your toes in cool water while listening to the soothing sound of a babbling waterfall. What a perfect setting to help you unwind and let your worries flow away. With a Pondless waterfall, you can enjoy the sight and sound of running water without the maintenance of a pond.
I recently attended a professional landscaper workshop on how to build a pondless waterfall. As attendees, we actually built the waterfall on site located at Ewing Landscape Supply in Concord, CA. It took less than one day, including instructional time and lunch. Afterwards, we all stood back, smiled for the camera, and took pride in our accomplishment. Now, Ewing customers will be greeted with a beautiful and tranquil waterfall feature located at their front entry.
We are naturally drawn to the soothing sounds of ocean waves and natural flowing and falling water. Water sounds have proven calming effects on the nervous system. Close your eyes for a minute and imagine sitting at the beach hearing the ocean waves and instantly a sense of calmness arises. On a smaller scale, much closer to home, a pondless water feature offers the beauty and relaxation that can be found in nature.
Growing Edibles in Containers
April 20th, 2009Whether you have a small patio or deck, or a large terrace, adding colorfully planted pots and containers are a great way to spice up any outdoor space. A renewed interest in edible gardening finds us devoting more outdoor space to growing and harvesting food. Most edible plants can be grown in containers, as long as the container will accommodate root growth. The secret to successful container gardening includes:
Container Selection
• Needs to be large enough for plant and root growth.
• Select color or style to coordinate with your decor.
• Cover drainage hole(s) on bottom of pot with filter fabric.
• Raise planter with “flower pot feet” to allow free drainage.
Planting Mix
• Fill container with potting soil mix.
• Use lightweight mix if placing container on deck or roof structure.
Water Requirements
• Potted plants dry out quickly and require daily watering in the heat.
• Water deeply and slowly until water drains out the bottom.
• Provide drip irrigation with a timer.
Fertilizer Needs
• Potted plants need more frequent feeding.
• Feed once every two weeks with an organic fertilizer or compost.
Edible Plant Selection
Fruit Trees; Select dwarf fruit trees grafted onto dwarf root stock. Some suggestions include:
• ‘Meyer’ Lemon
• Dwarf citrus
• Dwarf apples, peaches, apricots
Strawberries can be planted in strawberry pots.
Vegetables
• Salad mixes work well in containers.
• Tomatoes; many varieties such as Cherry, Early Girl, and most determinate types.
• Compact squash; ‘Sunburst Squash’, ‘Gold Rush’ yellow zucchini, ‘Space Miser’ green zucchini.
• Peppers; all varieties work in containers.
• Almost any vegetable works if the container is large enough!
Herbs are perfect for containers while also adding color and texture.
• Rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, cilantro, mint & more.
Have Fun
• Mix edibles together with annuals or perennials to get visually appealing containers. Remember to plant in sunny location for better yield.
The Dirt on Healthy Soils
March 20th, 2009
Spring has officially arrived! Time to shift our focus outdoors and spruce up the winter garden, including rejuvenating the soil. Little did I realize during college how important my 8:00 a.m. Soil Science class really was. Now I know that healthy soil is the basis for healthy plants. Healthy plants are the basis for a healthy planet. Plants provide oxygen, food, medicines, beauty, habitat and resources for building and textiles. It doesn’t matter how plants are planted, fed and watered – none of this is effective without healthy soil.
How to improve soil health:
Start with is a soil test. Gardening without a soil test is like driving without a road map. Soil test kits can be obtained from a local garden center or your local agricultural extension office. Use a soil testing service that provides recommendations in terms of organic fertilizers and provides the organic matter content of your soil. Most soil tests reveal about a 1% level of organic matter, 5% is recommended, but 3% is pretty good.
Knowing your soil texture is more important than knowing the fertility. A simple at home test to get a general idea of your soil texture is to take a handful of moist soil and roll it between you palms until it forms a ribbon. If it is gritty and easily breaks apart, it is mostly sand. Sandy soil drains fast and leaches nutrients quickly. If the soil feels smooth and holds shape for a short time before breaking apart, it’s mostly silt. If it feels sticky and holds together, then it’s clay. Clay soils hold water, making it difficult for plant growth. The best soil is loam which is a mixture of all three- sand, silt and clay.
All soils can be improved by adding large amounts of composted organic material such as leaves, grass clippings, manure and kitchen vegetable waste. Turned into the soil, organic matter breaks up clay particles. In sandy soils, it binds the grains together and retains moisture and fertility. Replenish the soil regularly with organic matter since it breaks down quickly, Tend to your soil regularly and your plants will reward you with beauty and bounty.
Rainwater Harvesting
February 23rd, 2009I recently attended a Rainwater Harvesting workshop sponsored by ARCSA, American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association. The training included water concerns, stormwater management, managing a rainwater harvesting business, safety concerns, planning, estimating supply and demand, roofing, guttering, conveyance, storage and use of rainwater. The two presenters, one living in dry Texas and the other living in damp Washington, both live almost exclusively off of rainwater they collect on their property. They use collected rainwater for all of their household water needs, both indoors and out.
Rainwater harvesting is an ancient system of diverting rainwater from a source such as a roof or surface through piping, into a collection basin, tank or cistern for later use. Current residential rainwater storage systems range in all sizes and shapes from small decorative containers to large 30,000 plus tanks. Tanks can be above or below ground. Careful site analysis and planning must occur before installation. Local building codes and regulations must carefully be checked as well.
The roof is your best option for collecting rainwater. For example, in San Francisco, the average rainfall per year of 20” collected off of a 2000 square foot roof will yield 24,000 gallons/water supply per year. Imaging collecting and using that water rather than having it literally go down the drain. Did you know that the average American uses 30 – 70 gallons of water/day? Here is an eye opening exercise. With an empty bucket and a timer, see how much water comes from your shower head in one minute. Now multiply that times the number of minutes you shower. My low flow shower head uses 1.25 gallons/minute. Including about a 30 second “warm up” time, a five minute shower uses almost 7 gallons of water.
Why is rainwater harvesting so important? Water demand is increasing, while water supply and quality is decreasing. Water treatment plants cannot filter out every particle that goes into our drinking water supply. Municipal drinking water may contain harmful contaminants like landscape chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Some municipalities already are faced with mandatory water rationing. Too many areas worldwide have no healthy drinking water at all. Rainwater is one of the purest forms of water available. And as long as it is collected and stored in the proper way, it is the most dependable water source available.
“How Dry I Am”, said the Plant!
February 9th, 2009
Are we or aren’t we having a drought this year? – that is the question. For the sake of good conservation practices, let’s pretend we are. Mostly, it is an awareness of our usage and a change in habits that will help us reduce water consumption. Many changes are quite simple. Here are some suggestions:
1. Bathroom – low flow shower heads; shorter showers; turn off water when lathering, brushing teeth, washing or shaving; capture excess shower water in a bucket and use to water plants; check toilet for leaks or replace to low flow toilet (rebates may be available).
2. Kitchen – low flow aerator faucets; full dishwasher loads; hand wash dishes turning water off when soaping; collect vegetable rinse water in a bucket to water your garden; reduce garbage disposal use by starting a compost bin for produce scraps (see Jan. 26 post).
3. Laundry – wash full laundry loads; wear clothes more than once if not soiled.
4. Car – turn hose off when soaping and wash cars less often.
5. Outdoors – Irrigation system; check for leaks, reduce water duration; higher lawn height means less evaporation and water needs, water early in the day, mulch plants to reduce evaporation and water needs, water lawn minimally, hand water garden plants, use natives, Mediterranean and other drought tolerant trees, shrubs and perennials; reduce/replace lawn with drought tolerant plants.
Want to find out more about how to conserve water? Here’s an informative website that is loaded with lots of fun and helpful information we can all use. Check it out at www.watersavinghero.com
Composting 101
January 26th, 2009
Q. What is more fun than playing in the dirt?
A. Making your own dirt – or compost that is!
Beyond a doubt, the greatest thing to boost plant health is compost! Like eating nutritious food, plants seem to respond immediately to a compost meal by standing taller and look stronger.
There are many advantages to composting. First, reducing kitchen scraps going down the garbage disposal. That means less wear and tear on the disposal, less water wasted, and less electricity consumed. If you usually throw scraps in the trash, composting means less volume of trash going into the landfills. For fruit & vegetable lovers like me, I produce a lot of kitchen scraps. You can also reuse the plastic baggies your produce comes in from the grocery store by using them to collect the scraps before they go out to the composter.
To start making my compost, I purchased a square compost bin from the county at a very good price. If yard space allows, you can create a compost heap without a container. Next, add the ingredients. When starting a compost pile, try to alternate layers between green organic matter such as grass clippings, vegetable scraps, coffee grinds, tea bags, and plant trimmings, with brown organic matter such as dead leaves, straw, hay and shredded paper. Do not use animal scraps since they attract unwanted critters making a mess of your bin. Add a little water to moisten the concoction, sit back and let the millions of microorganisms do their thing. It’s best to turn the pile once a week and keep it damp.
All living organisms including compost, needs three things: air, water, food. The microbes in compost need air to do their work of breaking down the waste into compost. With little air, the pile will matt down and start to smell like rotting garbage. Turning the pile and adding the right mix of green and brown will add air into the pile. Water provides the moisture needed for the microbes to do their work of digesting the scraps. Again, too much soppy water, and the pile could get matted down, and start to smell bad.
Temperature considerations: the hotter the pile, the quicker it will decompose. It’s best to locate your pile in a sunny location. You pile will go dormant in the colder winter climates and resume compost activity at temperatures over 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
And here is the result – in a few weeks you’ll be rewarded with rich black earthy smelling compost, loaded with nutrients and minerals. Either dig it into the soil, or throw a shovel full over the roots, water, and the compost goodies will soak into the root system, zapping your plants with a delicious smorgasbord of nutrient and minerals. They will be so thankful, that they will reward you with healthier beautiful plants and larger, tastier fruit and vegetable yield.
Day of Service in Nature
January 20th, 2009President (almost) Barack Obama has declared today, January 19, a National Day of Service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. The nature nut in me, of course, thought of so many things we can do to help, beautify and share nature. Today, or any other time, whether its by yourself, with your friends, family, or community: 1. Take a paper grocery bag, walk the neighborhood and fill it with trash. Separate out the recyclables at home and throw them all away. 2. Plant an edible garden for an elderly or disabled friend or neighbor. 3. Start a community vegetable garden for a school or house of worship. 4. Plant a fruit tree in your yard and share the bounty with your neighbors or a food bank. 5. Weed and clean-up a neighborhood park, school or community gathering place. 6. Plant native vegetation to help stabilize a stream bank. 7. Dig up large perennials, divide and share with friends and neighbors. 8. Offer to mow or clean up the yard of an elderly or disabled friend of neighbor. 9. Remove trash from a creek or waterway. 10. Plant tree saplings to re-vegetate a burn or landslide area. This is a small sampling of ways to give back and help nature at the same time.
Just pitch in!
