The Romantic Side of Water-wise Gardening

“Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”  ~George Eliot

I could not think of a better way to express my love of autumn than to begin with this spirit-lifting quote written long ago. The nights are cooler and the air smells cleaner. Plants in the landscape seem relieved, somehow more relaxed, as they say goodbye to the heat of summer and prepare for the seasonal changes to come. Some are losing their leaves silently, just turning brown and slipping off stems and branches without any big hoopla. Others are beginning to show off their fall wardrobes, subtly right now, but soon bursting into all the brilliant hues that amaze and delight us. Remember pressing those gorgeous leaves in books?   Many California natives are busy preparing winter feasts for the birds. Berries of the Toyon,sometimes called California holly (a very water-wise shrub that looks good all year long), are abundant and ripening in the dry oak woodlands and in my front yard too. In a couple months there will be another show as these bushes are overtaken by robins and cedar waxwings—a true banquet for my winged friends and so much fun to watch!  Ah, yes, the “romantic” side of the season conjures up these thoughts and more.

Gardeners love fall. We know cool nights and warm soils make this the best time to plant perennials and trees that will be way ahead of those planted in the cold wet soil (mud) of next spring. This is the perfect time for cleaning up the summer food garden areas and preparing them for next season. Although we all don’t plant winter gardens, we still protect the soil from erosion, and the massive take-over by winter weeds, by planting a cover crop or laying down a thick layer of mulch such as rice straw over a new layer of compost. Rice straw doesn’t have weed seeds and holds up better than hay. A little planning now will mean less weed pulling and better soil next spring. You can find information on cover crops at www.groworganic.com.

There is no better time to evaluate your landscape and consider ways to improve maintaining it than fall. Maybe you’ve been thinking of removing some turf grass or replacing thirsty plants with those requiring less water. You can check to see if there is a local “cash for grass” program in your area. This is a way to get paid for taking out unnecessary turf and replacing it with things that use less water and are, in my humble opinion, a lot more interesting, and prettier too.   

You might be wondering about your irrigation system and how it works. Perhaps you’re ready to come face-to-face with your system’s controller which you have ignored all these years—mainly because no one has ever explained how it works or why you need to know these things—and decide if a “smart” controller might be worth a second look. This would be a great time to call your local water purveyor and ask them for a “water-wise house call”. This is a FREE service designed to identify problems such as leaks, outdated controller programs, out-of-adjustment sprinklers and much more. These qualified technicians can save you time, money and aggravation and again, the service is FREE!! You can go to www.bewatersmart.info  to identify your water purveyor if you don’t know what water district you live in. Be sure to ask if there are rebates available for upgrading your system or installing one from scratch. Water companies’ bills are also including, for light and very informative reading, wonderful and timely tips for saving water and cash.  And while there, you can check out the list of qualified Green Gardeners, trained in all the sustainable measures we discuss here in the blog. Give a few of them a call since many have special areas of expertise, such as design, maintenance, tree care, etc.  

None of this has to be painful, expensive or complicated. A lot of the things that can save you money and give you a healthy sustainable garden are free (or nearly free) and at your fingertips. Do something good for your pocketbook, your landscape and yourself by taking advantage of the myriad programs and educational opportunities offered through Sacramento’s Regional Water Authority and its member agencies. Then go brag to the neighbors about how savvy you’ve become in the world of water and cash conservation. Take the Blue Thumb pledge and make a difference!