Vol. 3 No. 11Drought '88 is still with us and will more than likely continue to linger on through November. As you know we have stretched our irrigation imagination to Its limits. EBMUD came out to inspect our restrictors at a few of your homes an were very impressed. They are currently doing some of their own testing with our restrictors and are busy gathering data on their computers. We'll keep you posted with their statistics as soon as we hear from them.
Integrated Pest Mgmt.
THG switched over to the concept of "Residential Integrated Pest Management" nearly two years ago and since then we have literally changed the methods of dealing with pests and diseases completely around. We are no longer on the pesticide treadmill; we are solely using our pesticides in accordance with the actual timing of insect and disease problems and abandoning a rigid schedule. We do a Complete Yard Spray twice a year: in the spring and the fall plus a Spot Spray, targeted for ants, earwigs and pillbugs in the summer.
What do we mean bv a Complete Yard Spray? The spraying of lawns, trees, shrubs, ground covers, foundations and bender boards with enough insecticide to destroy most insect pests in the yard to give us a high kill factor.
Why do we do this only twice a year? The obvious reason is that its healthier for you, me, your family and the environment. Infrequent yard sprays allow for a longer buildup period of our good insects leaving the ladybugs, lacewings and praying mantises to go on eating the "bad" insects. It maintains a good population of birds in the yard and allows them to feed on insects.
Throughout the U.S. insects are becoming resistant to pesticides. Two or three yard sprays a year helps to slow down that resistance and allows our pesticides to work better.
It's more efficient to apply an insecticide at the time when the insect is a problem rather than to just apply it as a preventive measure or when there are no insect infestations. The majority of chemicals we use today are contact killers, meaning they kill "upon making contact" and so if there is nothing there, not only have we killed nothing but we have wasted our time and your money. Most homes in this county are being sprayed between of 4-6 times per year. We do it 2-3 times per year at an average price of $40 for a full yard spray. Our lower prices and fewer applications end up saving you money in the long run plus we can still use our "soft" insecticides instead of the "hard" insecticides which have a harsher impact on the environment.
So, the next time you see some insect activity out in your yard try to remember that we must leave room for the good and eliminate the bad. An integrated procedure is always better than a blind pesticide application.
April 1989 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No. 40Drought 89 Update
The March rains didn't take us out of the woods but it did put us closer to the edge. As it stood, EBMUD was planning on imposing a 35% cutback. Due to the March rains they were able to roll it back to 25%, the same cut back as we had last year. As the growing season begins and the irrigation clocks are turned back on, we ask you to follow THG's Water Management Program and aim for a 25-35% savings once again. At the very least we will be teaching the plants to learn to live in a drought environment, encouraging deeper roots, saving water and putting money back into our pockets.
The Survey
We have some more good news about those 45 homes participating in our EBMUD consumption survey. During 1988 these 45 homes saved 5,387,133 gallons of water. Since at least 100 of you Residential Farmers are participants in our Water Mgmt. Program, we can simply double that amount, which means that together we saved over 11 million gallons of water last year. You all deserve a pat on the back for a job well done.
As most of you know, THG has designed a WaterSaver Program that applies to most landscape risers and pop-ups. The survey has shown that all the yards set up with our WaterSavers saved between 9-16% more water than the other yards. This is another plus for restrictors. We encourage all of you to install them or we can do the work for you. Please call for details.
We urge our newer Residential Farmers to abandon their old irrigation habits and start to follow our Water Mgmt. Program closely. This is offered to you for free, and in the end It will save your lawn and landscape.
June 1989 Newsletter
Vol. 4 No. 42The drought of '89 has taken a new twist. Though the threat of a shortened water supply is lessened, this year our plants are undergoing a great deal of stress entering into a third year of drought. Their resistance is low. Suffering the most are those plants which aren't native to this area, such as our cool climate grasses, acid plants and ornamental trees. Lawns are being attacked by a variety of fungi which ordinarily wouldn't be there. Insect cycles have increased. subjecting shrubberies and trees to more infestations.
If only plants could talk and tell us their stories. we'd be able to isolate their distress and take care of their needs as they occur. Like you and I, plants need a break sometimes. We can do things to change our environment, go on vacation, go indoors, but our plants must sit in the same spot and endure unseasonable weather. lack of rainfall in the winter, high humidity and innumerable insect attacks.
June 1990 Newsletter
Vol. 5 No. 54Lawn Talk
Today's lawns are taken very seriously. They are more than just a play area for the children, a place for dogs to run on and a soft spot to settle under a tree on a hot summer's day. Admired by ourselves, neighbors and friends, competition often runs from yard to yard. We all want our yards to look as green as a storybook picture.
The question most often asked in our 4th year of drought is, "Should you water lightly and frequently or should you water deeply and less frequently?" Those who believe th at watering every day is good are only fooling themselves. As time goes on you will see these things happening to your lawn:
Mowing becomes difficult. The wetness keeps the grasses bearing down so it won't go into the mower's bag easily. Due to the saturation, the mower's wheels will make ruts that flatten out and won't heal, ultimately resulting in dead areas. Your lawn becomes vulnerable to pests and disease therefore needing more applications for disease, pest and weed control. The snail population increases. Mushrooms thrive. The fertilizers leach out. A muddy lawn is not an ideal environment for the kids to play on. They will compact the soil and make a muddy mess. Overwatering destroys all the deep roots. A shallow root system needs that daily water to survive so you'll end up spending a fortune to water it. Overwatering saturates the lawn and robs the soil of its oxygen. Oxygen is the #1 element that all healthy plants need to sustain themselves. Water comes second.
On the other hand, managing your water allows a longer dryout period between irrigations and encourages the development of the deeper roots that go looking for the water and this helps the grasses survive throughout the hot summer months.Your lawn will be easier to mow and edge. Pest and disease problems will be down to a minium.It wil llook better and give you years of enjoyment. Don't just take my word for this, look at your lawn. If you're still watering daily, look for the signs that I've talked about.
There are other things you must do if you want your lawn to survive in today's world. Aerate in the spring. Maintain a year round fertilization program. Control pests and diseases as they enter the turf area. Keep your lawn mower blade sharpened. Mow your lawn to the proper height according to the season. Make sure to change your cutting patterns each time you mow.
Water Watch 1991
Drought Saving Tips
With water restrictions on the horizon as we enter into our fifth year of drought it's time to sit down with your family and discuss what you can do to conserve water inside and out. Review this list we put together for you so you can see what you are doing right now and check off the things that need to be done in the near future to help you save water.
Indoors
- Education is the first tool in managing water.
- Put a sign in your window that says, THINK DROUGHT.
- Wash your dishes in a basin with biodegradable soap so you can recycle it. Try washing the floor with it.
- Use paper plates and cups.
- Drink bottled water.
- Put water restrictors on all the faucets and showers.
- Use your dishwasher only when it is completely full.
- Teach your children not to play with water.
- Take shorter showers.
- Turn the water off when soaping up in the shower.
- Never allow water to run needlessly.
- While waiting for the water to warm up, catch it in a bucket and water your houseplants with it.
- Load your washing machine to its full capacity whenever you use it.
Outdoors
- Give your lawn mower a thorough maintenance check. Clean the air filter, change the spark plugs and sharpen the blade.
- Sharpening your lawn mower blade twice a year saves water. A dull cut needs more water to repair itself than a sharp cut.
- Change your lawn cutting pattern from week to week.
- Aerating lawns frequently creates channels by removing the plugs and provides a place for the water to saturate.
- Check all irrigation heads for clogs, insects and any foreign matter.
- Divide your watering time into 3 separate intervals.
- Learn to operate your clock manually.
- Make sure your irrigation clock will give you a separate lawn and landscape schedule.
- Check to see if all irrigation heads are hitting their target areas.
- Check your irrigation system bimonthly because it is mechanical and can get out of adjustment.
- Set your automatic irrigation clock according to the monthly schedules given in the newsletter.
- "Ring" your sprinkler heads. With your weed eater, cut a ring shape around each sprinkler head to ensure water will be hitting its target areas.
- Lawns prefer a deep watering to encourage deep roots.
- Insert WaterSavers into all landscape risers. This can reduce water by approx. 1/4 GPM.
- InsertPCD's into as many popups as possible.
- Water dry spots on the lawn with a hose and sprinkler instead of turning on the entire system.
- Don't water in the beat of the day.
- Use common sense. Ask yourself, "Can I water one day less?"
- Cover your drains in the landscape with plastic so you can keep the water in your yard instead of allowing it to run into the street.
- Dig basins around trees and vegetables such as squash, melons and tomatoes to collect water.
- Mulch. Ground bark, compost or leaf mold reduces evaporation and discourages weeds.
- Sweep driveways and sidewalks rather than hosing them off.
- If your irrigation system isn't automated, use a kitchen timer to remind you when to turn it off.
- Use hose-end shutoff valves for hand watering.
- Repair leaky faucets and bad hose connections.
- Replace broken sprinklers or risers.
- Plant vegetables closer together. This will shade the soil and discourage weeds.
- Plant annuals in only the most important display areas.
- Cover pools and spas when not in use.
May 1991 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No. 65The Drought, The Lawns and You
Maintaining our turf areas as the drought lingers into its 5th year is a challenge but not an impossible task. The March "miracle rains" put our reservoirs in a more stable condition and most water districts have reduced (or are least working to reduce) the rationing to a level in which most of us can live with.
Some of you may have a lawn in a condition that isn't worth keeping. It may be old, weedy and filled with undesirable grasses so it may be easier to just abandon it until the drought is over. Then you can go ahead and make the necessary irrigation improvements, add the soil conditioners and plant a more drought tolerant grass that will give you years of satisfaction. However, those of you with favorable lawns that are not under stress, have full coverage irrigation, good drainage, good soil prep, minimum weeds and a healthy green appearance will get through this drought and many happy years ahead if you commit yourself to following simple tasks and strict water management procedures.
Communicate with your gardener. Do not assume that he knows these simple tasks and the reasons behind them. Don't be afraid to use the phone and make requests because if we all talk together we can stay on top of any problem.
Simple Tasks
Cut the grasses high. They should be at least 3 1/2" high during the summer months. The longer grass blades shade the soil and allow the plant to produce more carbohydrates and yield a deeper root structure. Your lawn mower's wheel adjustments should be set at 5-5 all the way around. For some reason this task is often the one most neglected.
Keep the lawn mower blade sharp. The turf needs more water to recover from the cut if the blade is dull.
This month, don't hesitate, aerate. Due to the 5th year of drought and water rationing, we also recommend a second aeration in August. Persistent dry areas might need repeated aerations. Aerating creates channels in the soil that fill up with water, allowing a deeper saturation in the root zone, which in turn, allows us to water less. It also reduces soil compaction which is very common to clay soil and in large grassy areas where children and sports games are played.
Regular fertilizations are vital for keeping the lawns from becoming stressed. It makes the tissue strong and able to fight disease, encourages deeper roots and gives it a healthy appearance in general.
Keeping an eye out for insects and disease is always an important task because if you could spot them in the beginning then in most cases you can correct or stop them before a problem occurs.
Use conservation tools in your irrigation system such as our very own shrub head WaterSaver kit and other brand name PCD's that fit into your lawn pop-ups. These devices reduce the water waste coming out of the nozzle heads, stabilize the pressure throughout the system and help to eliminate dry spots and runoff.
July 1991 Newsletter
Vol. 6 No. 67Mother Nature's Perfect Blanket
As long as plants grow and shed leaves there will always be mulch. Mulch is any loose material placed over the soil surface such as wood chips, shredded bark, rocks or plastic to name a few.
Aside from looking pretty, mulch has many advantages. Organic mulch decomposes and puts humus into the soil. During times of drought mulch is used as a conservation tool because it helps stop evaporation. Plants that are mulched use less water than plants that are not. It also serves as a soil insulator for ground covers and vegetable gardens by keeping the temps cool in the summer and warm in the winter. A 2-4" layer of mulch will control or prevent weed growth because it doesn't allow the weed seed to get sunlight and therefore won't germinate. Mulch eases the problem of erosion on hill banks because it breaks the water tension and absorbs the water droplets as tbeyhit the surface at high speeds.
The advantages of mulching override the disadavantages. It's better to wait 6 weeks before mulching newly planted seedlings in a vegetable garden because they can damp off or rot at the crown if the soil remains too moist. Lay mulch 2-3" away from the bases of trees and shrubs to avoid crown rot.
How much mulch? Figure out the sq. ft. of the area you want to mulch and plan for it to be 2-4" thick. Small redwood chips are desirable for mulching low growing ground covers such as ivy and vinca because they are attractive, long lasting, lie flat and don't blow away. Their reddish brown color slowly grays with age. Shredded redwood bark works beautifully for hills and large soil areas because of its fibrous texture and durability. Inorganic mulches are permanent and useful. A 2-3" layer of rock is advantageous around trees, shrubbery beds and walkways and is to easy maintain with a blower or broom. Plastic is a simple solution for annual flower beds or vegetable gardens. It's disadvantage though, is that it also provides a hiding place for insects.
How often to apply mulch? The cost of the material you choose will usually determine how much and how often. In our county, every other year will suffice. You can never apply too much. So visit your local nursery or hardware store and give your yard a new quilt.
March 1992 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No. 75Fabulous February
February's record rains ranked as "a hundred year event". How much of a dent did it put in the drought?, We all want to know, but water officials say it is just too early to call off water rationing. The Pardee reservoir in the Sierra foothills, EBMUD'S primary source of water, is now at 95% of capacity. The San Pablo reservoir has risen 3 ft. Both are normal for this time of year. They say that reservoir levels are not as important as the depth of the snow in the Sierra, but things are looking much better than they did in a long time and let's remind ourselves that even though there maybe enough water to go around there's never enough to waste.
Mother Nature is still the one who turns the handle on the valve telling us whether or not we will have rain. We are looking forward to March's Miracle rains.
August 1992 Newsletter
Vol. 7 No. 80Drip, Drip, Drip
Six years of drought and the skyrocketing expense of water are the reasons that pushed many of us to seek out alternative ways to manage the water consumption of our plants, ground covers, shrubs and trees. Our objective is to maintain the healthiness and good looks of our landscape yet bring down the cost of our water bill. Drip irrigation is a good alternative to conventional overhead irrigation because it applies up to 70% less water than overhead sprinklers. Water output is measured in gallons per minute for conventional irrigation but with drip, water is measured by gallons per hour.
Types of Drip Irrigation
- Quadra bubblers are designed to water plants, shrubs and trees individually. Each bubbler can water up to 4 plants at the same time. Distribution tubing runs directly to the plant intended for irrigation. Laser soaker lines have pre-drilled holes at either 6-12" intervals and are designed to distribute water over a larger area. Both kinds of tubing connect to the bubblers which can be installed onto existing landscape risers therefore making the transformation from conventional irrigation to drip irrigation easy.
- A standard drip irrigation system transports water via polyethylene tubing. The tubing is rolled out above ground to all the desired plants. Emitters, which release a slow and uniform amount of water directly to the root zone of the desired plant, are installed directly into the tubing or if more tubing it desired, a connector is punched into the tubing and then finally an emitter is installed.
- Micro-Irrigation products provide low overhead irrigation for plants such as ferns, ground covers and annual colors. The droplets are much smaller those emitted from conventional sprinklers.
- Laser drip tubes can be installed either above or below ground. The laser drilled holes emit water in the opposite direction of the flow and this helps to slow down the volume of water running through the tube. These tubes have pre-drilled holes at either 6-12" intervals and they can be used to make drip rings around your well established trees and shrubs.
Advantages and Concerns
- Applies the water directly to individual plants therefore not giving an opportunity for random seed to germinate.
- Water loss due to breaks will be considerably less.
- Insects can crawl into the tubing and clog the line. Eliminate that by using insect plugs. The insect plugs don't restrict the flow.
- Use a regulator to reduce the amount of water pressure in the tubing. Too much pressure can blow the emitters off the tube.
- Install a filter to keep the water clean and prevent fine sand and sediment from clogging the system. Clean the filter regularly.
- To check for sufficient watering, turn off the system and dig down deep (at least 10- 12") next to an emitter. If the soil is still dry, you'll need to irrigate longer. After awhile you'll become good at this and eliminate guesswork.
- Most garden shops and hardware stores have many books on the subject. The drip irrigation method is becoming so popular that it's becoming second nature to install it.
June 1993 Newsletter
Vol. 8 No. 90The Drought; A Review
The way Californians look at water has forever changed. Scientists say it could take years for ravaged fisheries, forests and wildlife to recover from the 1987-92 drought. In nature, a drought should be viewed as neither good nor bad ecologists say. It's a fact of life. Studies in Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks suggest recent dry years might be the norm. Annual growth rings of Sierra Nevada trees indicate droughts are as much a part of California as its scenic coastline.
The drought pointed out the tremendous misallocation of water and made reforms possible. Much controversy has focused on taking water from agriculture to help wildlife. During the drought, nearly 90% of the Central Valley Water Project water went to ranchers and farmers. Last year Congress enacted a law to reallocate more than 10% of the irrigation water from the federally operated Central Valley Project to protect fish.
Everybody's got a different definition of what a drought is. Encyclopedia Brittanica states: There are 3 kinds of drought. Permanent drought is characterized by the driest climates, such as deserts; seasonal drought, which occurs in climates like California's, with well defined annual rainy and dry seasons; and unpredictable drought which involves abnormal rainfall failure. Angry farmers facing continued water restrictions because more has been set aside for cities and the environment might say California is still in a legislative or regulatory drought. Weathermen have said that drought is a meteorological term, defined by how much rain falls and when, and has nothing to do with the needs of 31 million residents.
Many political leaders agree that new reservoirs and plumbing changes in the Delta's water delivery system are essential to meeting long term demand. Environmentalists say most or all proposed reservoirs aren't needed because there are alternatives that are cheaper, more flexible and less damaging to the environment. Urban areas can fend off shortages through conservation, reclamation, ground water storage and buying irrigation water.
How did six years of drought affect California's ecological systems? Streams and lakes dried up. Fish and amphibians disappeared. Trees were killed. Deer died. In the delta; fish populations declined. Seasonal wetlands became more salty, killing plants needed for survival by migratory waterfowl. In the East Bay, populations of amphibians declined sharply. Native trout died when streams and ponds dried up. In San Francisco, natural flushing slowed, allowing pollutants to concentrate. Fish died from concentrated toxins in the food chain. Streams dried up before reaching the ocean, preventing steelhead migrations. Up to 50% of trees in Lake Tahoe area were killed by bark beetles. Deer and wildlife died on east side of mountains from their severely depleted range habitat. The drought recovery IS under way. If we get 2 or 3 more years of wet weather in a row, wildlife should recover quickly. Aquatic systems will take 6-9 years-two life cycles-to recover.
If there was an upbeat side to the drought it was the conservation habits that came out of it. To make conservation permanent, state laws and pacts were made to require low water-use toilets and landscaping for new houses. The drought helped prove that water could be saved without lowering people's standard of living. By using water-saving technology, large amounts can be conserved without drastically changing life-styles. We, The Happy Gardener, proudly state that we have set the trends when it comes to outdoor water conservation. True water conservation is a state of mind-a set of habits to last a lifetime.
End of chapter 5...
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