Water Wise Gardening in a Drought, the second in a series of four workshops dedicated to water conservation and funded by the Department of Water Resources-Proposition 24, was led off with a presentation by Jim Xerogeanes, one of four speakers May 17 at the Little Theater at Mendocino College.
His first slide was titled "Fumbling Through the Drought in Our Gardens," and with his easy humor, expertise and an interesting Power Point presentation, he explained the basics for water efficiency during a drought.
Root competition from established trees and vines can be problematic for gardens. Redwoods love water; edible fig trees grow tenaciously with it, even into septic lines; mulberry tree roots can be found 65 feet from the tree. All of them compete for water in your garden. Native oaks will seek out water when it is present.
Use a balanced fertilizer or compost; minimize the amount of nitrogen applied to plants; it promotes more vegetation, creating a greater need for water. You don't want your plants to grow a whole lot this year.
Practice deep watering techniques: water at a slow rate over long time intervals; use pulse application of water, five minutes on and 20 minutes off. Don't water in the heat of the day, not in the wind; water at night. Manage weeds; they rob water from the plants. Mow lawns high (if you still have them), keeping the roots deeper in the soil.
Incorporate organic materials such as leaf litter, compost and rice balls into the soil and mulch with organic materials on top. Mulching keeps the ground cooler, reduces weeds, increases and maintains the biological health of the soil, enhances attractiveness of a garden and reduces water loss.
Mulches work best if put down prior to weed growth, prior to the surface drying out. Maintain mulch to a depth of three to four inches and keep it away from the trunks of trees and shrubs. Replenish when necessary. Install drip irrigation under the mulch.
Organic mulches include livestock pellets, shredded bark (which might keep cats away from doing their thing), fir bark and leaf mulch. Inorganic mulches can be plastic or weed fabrics. They need periodic maintenance for water conservation.
Clay soils, common to the area, hold in more water than sandy soils. They have, however, very little pore space, not a lot of room for water and air to get to the roots. Water is slow to infiltrate these soils and it is hard for it to move deep in the soil, leading to poor root growth. Drip irrigation and pulsing allows water to go deep, to create more of a reservoir for a longer time.
Higher water needs include turf lawns, annual flower gardens, vegetable gardens and other thirsty plants. If giving consideration to nuking a lawn, keep in mind that trees and shrubs can become water addicted and turning off the water can cause them to go through withdrawal and die out.
Think moderation; go for less lawn than before; don't go overboard. Replace with native and Mediterranean plants.
Some indoor water conservation tips:
Find and repair leaks now
Buy a front loading washing machine when it is time to replace your old one
Install low flow shower heads
Buy a high efficiency/dual flush toilet when replacing your old one
Place a washtub in the kitchen sink to collect water as it is used
Build and use a compost bin
Don't flush unless you need to
Run the dishwasher and clothes washer with full loads only
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and use a glass to rinse
Limit your shower time to five minutes
Keep a tub of water in your sink for washing dishes, washing vegetables rather than letting the water run off
Don't use the garbage disposal
Instead of letting the water run to get cold, keep a pitcher in the refrigerator
Put a bottle or brick in the tank of your toilet
Don't wash clean or nearly clean clothes and dishes. Keep a dedicated glass for drinking and use it for the whole day. Assess clothes prior to putting them in the wash
Cover your pool or hot tub
Don't use running water to thaw food
There will be two more workshops in the free series. On June 14, Anna Birkas will present on Greywater Systems and on July 12, Deborah Stanger-Edelman will present on Indoor Water Conservation. The workshops will be at the Mendocino College Little Theater from 9 a.m. to noon.