MARCH PLANTNESS IS BACK!!

It’s Spring, and that means it’s time MARCH PLANTNESS!  Yes, that’s right, March Plantness – a little California-friendly plant competition!

Who will wilt in the heat of competition?  Who will come out smelling like a rose?  South Bay Green Gardens has put together a 16 plant bracket, where drought-tolerant competitors like California Buckwheat will be tested against formidable opponents like the California Fuchsia, Flannel Bush and Deer Grass (a perennial favorite!).

We will be asking you to vote each week on our Facebook page.  First, we have Round One: The Sprout Sixteen.  Then it narrows again to the E-leaf Eight, then the Final Flora…and finally, the Championship Round.  Which of our these lovelies win?  Competition starts soon!  Good luck to all! 

Cheers to a Sustainable Landscape in 2020!

The new year is upon us and as is tradition, it’s time to set some resolutions!  While many of us focus on getting in shape, eating well, reading more, and so on, how about adding a sustainability goal in there as well?!  Taking a break from the treadmill and setting some fun resolutions for your landscape can be a really rewarding way to start the new decade.  Here are some South Bay Green Gardens ideas to get you started: 

• Attend a fun gardening class or two.  From winter fruit tree pruning to cover crops to spring garden tips, you’ll find amazing free classes throughout Santa Clara County on our Events page. 

• Get your soil in tip-top shape.  Healthy plants start with healthy soil, so why not make it a goal to work a couple inches of compost into your soil, top off your mulch, or start a compost bin for the new year? 

• Foster your relationship with insects. Work on those relationship goals by resolving to reduce or eliminate pesticide use in the garden, plant some pollinator friendly native plants, or add some fun insect habitat elements such as an insect hotel or a shallow bird bath.

• Diversify your water portfolio. Reduce your reliance on potable water by adding rainwater capture elements such as a rain barrel, cistern or rain garden or make your landscape more drought resilient by installing a Graywater Laundry to Landscape system. Better yet, get a rebate while you’re at it!

• Spruce up your irrigation system. Reduce water waste in the landscape by dialing in your irrigation schedule to better fit your plant’s needs, getting a free Water Wise Outdoor Irrigation Survey, or upgrading inefficient equipment through Valley Water’s Landscape Rebate Program.

Let us know what your sustainable landscape resolutions are this year!

Winter Soil Health

If you are not growing anything special in your vegetable and flower beds, now is a good time to build up the soil health in anticipation of spring planting. Ground that is left bare is subject to soil erosion and you may lose organic matter that tends to be closer to the surface. Covering it with an organic mulch will soften the blows of raindrops and the mulch will slowly decompose and enrich the soil below. Fresh manure can be put on the surface and will work into the soil through rain and earthworms. Compost spread on top will also feed the soil and beneficial soil organisms. Cover crops like fava beans and vetch will protect the soil and add nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plants. And take care not to walk on wet soil so as not to compact it.

More Information: Soil Health

From UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County

Don't Fertilize Now

Except for cool season vegetables and lawns, most plants will be dormant or growing very slowly during this time of year. Fertilizing is most beneficial when plants are actively growing or developing fruit or flowers. Even citrus which ripens during the winter is best fertilized for the last time of the year before October 1. Some California native plants are active in the winter, but they evolved in our native soil and generally do not need supplemental fertilization. Fertilizing plants now will create tender new growth right before the risk of frost. Some nutrients cannot be taken up efficiently by plants during cold weather. The excess can leach into the groundwater or run off and reach the bay. Ultimately, using unneeded additives is a waste of resources and money.

More Information: Dormant Season

From UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County

Fall and Winter Lawn Care

With shorter days, cooler temperatures, and a lower UV index, lawns will be less thirsty. Adjust the sprinklers now and monthly to water less as the winter rains kick in. If we have a rainy winter, you can shut off the sprinklers completely until spring. Dethatching the lawn now with a special thatching rake is also a good idea. This removes dead material and allows water to reach the roots more easily. Finally, consider fertilizing your lawn for the last time this year, following label directions for application.

More Information: Lawn Care for Established Lawns

From UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County

Rainwater Harvesting

As we anxiously await the start of the rainy season, now is a perfect time to install rainwater capture components in your yard. And the best part is that you can receive rebates from Valley Water through the Landscape Rebate Program! Installing rain barrels or cisterns is a great way to capture rainwater that flows off your roof and save it for a dry day. Supplementing your irrigation with rainwater saves precious potable water and can save you money as well.

Adding a rain garden element to your landscape is also a great way to keep rainwater from flowing into the storm drains. Instead, roof water can be kept onsite to percolate back into our groundwater supply, which we rely on heavily to meet our water supply needs.

For all rebates under the Landscape Rebate Program, including the Rainwater Capture Rebates, application submission and approval is required before purchasing any new equipment or starting any work.  For more information, or to get started, visit Valley Water’s site here or call our Hotline at (408) 630-2554.     

PLEASE NOTE: SAVE WATER, NOT MOSQUITOES!

Did you know that one of the most common problems with rain barrels is mosquito breeding? Thousands of mosquitoes can emerge from standing water inside a rain barrel. Follow these three simple steps to eliminate mosquitoes:

1.       Cover the barrel and all openings

2.       Empty barrels on a regular basis

3.       Keep the lid clear of standing water

Do your part to prevent West Nile and Zika virus outbreaks! Visit Santa Clara County Vector Control District for more info.

Combating Climate Disturbance with Investments in Soil Health

Not convinced that the negative impacts from increasing global average temperatures can be addressed in your own back yard? Think again. If you have even a small plot of soil, you have an opportunity to make a positive difference in the overall level of Greenhouse Gasses (GHGs) in the atmosphere. A quick review of GHGs will help make it clear how their relationship with soil is one key to battling climate change.

Greenhouse Gasses absorb and emit radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, otherwise referred to as heat. Heat is a form of light invisible to our eyes, but detectable with our skin. GHGs cause the greenhouse effect, trapping radiant energy inside the Earth’s atmosphere, just like they do inside a green house! GHGs such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone are of primary concern. The largest source of carbon dioxide emissions from human activities in the United States is from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation. But some agricultural practices also contribute to problems with GHGs. Nearly one-third of the world’s soils are degraded by poor farming practices, industry and urbanization. Keep in mind, not all carbon is bad!

Carbon is essential for soil fertility and agriculture. Plants use photosynthesis to convert light energy into simple carbohydrates (glucose) from carbon dioxide and water. Oxygen is also formed in this process and released by plants back into the atmosphere while circulating carbon dioxide from the air to soils; yay fresh air! Decomposing plants, bacteria, fungi and critters like worms, release organic matter and nutrients for plant growth. Decomposition of organic debris provides soil structure, making it resilient to erosion and increasing water holding and soil organic carbon storage capacity. Ideally, organic matter accounts for at least five per cent of the mass of soil near the surface, also called topsoil. Depending on the type of soil (sandy, clay, loam, etc.), it can contain two to three times more carbon than the atmosphere! Essentially, soil acts as a carbon sink or pool, capturing it from the atmosphere and storing it for long periods of time.

According to the Nature Conservancy, protecting peatlands is a top priority for keeping existing carbon in the ground because they contain between 32% - 46% of all soil carbon. Diversified plantings of layered forests that allow for natural competition not only increases growth rates but reduces the heat island effect, thereby helping to reduce overall temperatures and curb the greenhouse effect. Improvements in soil carbon protection or sequestration also divert excess carbon dioxide in the air from being stored in the ocean where it increases ocean acidification.

Individuals can promote carbon uptake from the atmosphere into the soil through proven techniques such as cover cropping, using soil amendments such as mulch, straw, and compost, and minimizing tillage (soil turning) practices. You can do this yourself at home by installing a compost bin, or you can amend your soil with local compost. Check out the South Bay Green Gardens Events page for upcoming classes or connect with your City to find out if they hold compost giveaways!

Fall Cleanup

There are quite a few tasks to do at the end of the summer garden season, and decisions to make about what to do with the remains. Pick up any fallen or rotting fruits and vegetables so as not to attract critters. It’s particularly important to remove dried-up fruit “mummies” so that the fungal spores don’t spread. Also remove dead or dying plants so as not to harbor pests and diseases. You can leave healthy fallen leaves in place to form a mulch and decompose naturally, or you can rake them up and add them to the compost pile with other disease-free plant material. Diseased material is best left at the curb for pickup. You may want to take notes on what did and did not do well in this season’s garden, for future reference.

More Information: Reduce Garden Waste

From UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County

Rethinking the Lawn

After years of drought we’re all sick of looking at dead lawns, right? And as the rain returned and drought worries eased, many of us are ready for some curb appeal.  But before you rip out that dead lawn and plop down some new sod, let’s take a moment to look at the wonderful opportunity before you to take this blank slate and make it into a sustainable, beautiful, California friendly garden of the future! With that in mind, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the only time I step on my lawn is when I need to mow it?

• Is my lawn narrow, or on a slope, or under the dense canopy of a tree?

• Do I have more lawn than I actually use (i.e., are there parts that are purely decorative and not used for recreation, pets or entertaining)?

Example of a narrow, difficult to irrigation lawn strip.

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it might a good time to consider removing all or a portion of your lawn. The goal is to only have lawn in the landscape where it is actually performing a function beyond aesthetics. For example, you might have a back lawn that your kids or pets play on regularly and a front lawn that is rarely, if ever, used. In this case, consider removing the lawn in the front yard. Or you might have difficult-to-irrigate lawn areas, such as narrow parking strips or slopes, that are wasting more than their fair share of water. Consider replacing the lawn in those areas with more appropriate materials, such as low-water-using plants on a drip irrigation system or permeable hardscape like gravel, pavers or flagstone set on sand. Valley Water’s Landscape Rebate Programs will help you foot the bill, offering a rebate of $1 per square foot (more in some cost sharing areas) for removing lawns and pools and replacing them with a more climate appropriate landscape (pre-inspection and application approval required before starting any work).

Dymondia replaces traditional lawn as a functional, low water use alternative.

You can remove all or a portion of your lawn through this program; it’s up to you! If you’re having a hard time visualizing a yard without lawn, we have a beautiful gallery to help give you some great ideas. You can also check out these landscape design templates that feature full plant lists, layout, and design tips. The California Native Plant Society has also created a wonderful site called CalScape where users can input their address to find plants native to their specific location. Users can save plant lists, search for plants based on the native butterflies they attract, and through the advanced search feature, find plants based on desired characteristics such as sun exposure, water requirements, common uses, flower color, etc.

For those of you who just can’t part with all your grass, there are responsible steps you can take when re-planting or revitalizing your lawn that will make it more water friendly. After you’ve decided to remove unnecessary or problematic lawn areas, the first thing to think about before replacing your remaining lawn is installing an efficient irrigation system. Much of the water waste associated with lawns is the result of poorly designed or malfunctioning irrigation systems. When you are evaluating your irrigation system and making upgrades, keep in mind the following:

• Head-to-head coverage. Sprinkler systems should be designed so that each sprinkler, or ‘head’, is throwing water far enough so that it is hitting the next head in line. This eliminates dead spots in the lawns and prevents the tendency to overwater in an attempt to compensate. If your sprinklers are not spaced correctly, you will need to move them or add more as needed.

• High efficiency sprinkler nozzles and bodies. We swap out our cell phones every time a newer model comes on the market, yet many of us are still using outdated sprinkler equipment that has been in the ground for decades. Sprinkler technology has improved greatly in recent years, reducing water waste from misting, overspray, runoff and clogging. Installing high efficiency nozzles and sprinkler bodies with pressure regulation or check valves can help keep water on the lawn where it’s supposed to be and not flowing down the storm drain. Plus, there are rebates available through the local water district, Valley Water!

• Weather-based irrigation scheduling. Even with a newly designed irrigation system, we can still waste water if we’re not scheduling run times correctly. A “smart” controller will make automatic adjustments to your watering schedule based on local weather data, supplying plants with only as much water as they actually need on a given day. Valley Water also offers rebates for weather based irrigation controllers.

• Healthy soils, healthy lawn. Whether you are seeding your new lawn or laying sod, be sure to incorporate a soil amendment, such as compost, into the top 4-6” of the soil. Compost has a great water holding capacity and can reduce the amount of supplemental water needed in the long term. If you’re renovating your lawn, it may benefit from dethatching, which helps reduce compaction through improved water absorption and aeration. Avoid laying sod or seeding new lawns in the heat of the summer when constant irrigation is needed for the lawn to establish.

• More Water efficient lawn varieties and alternatives. As low water use landscapes grow in popularity, the market for lower water using lawn varieties has grown as well. Before you decide on a new lawn variety, research which varieties use the lowest amount of water in your area. Or consider using groundcovers or native grass alternatives to achieve a similar “lawn” look.

If you need help evaluating your existing irrigation system and could use some great pointers from an experienced professional, considering signing up for a free Water Wise Outdoor Survey from Valley Water. During this survey offered to single family homes and small multi-family sites (landscape area under ½ acre) in Santa Clara County, a trained irrigation specialist will complete a comprehensive evaluation of your irrigation system.

This is a great time to evaluate your irrigation system and make changes. On average, about half of the water used on residential sites goes to the landscape, so having an irrigation system in top shape can help reduce residential water use dramatically. To schedule a free inspection, call the Valley Water conservation hotline at (408) 630-2554. San Jose Water Company customers should request a Water Audit by calling (408) 279-7900. For more information, visit www.valleywater.org/saving-water/residential/water-wise-surveys.

Name That Water Resource

Most residents in the Silicon Valley are aware that the “black water” generated inside their homes from sinks, toilets, and washing appliances flows to a central location and gets cleaned somehow. But have you ever wondered what types or levels of decontamination take place, or where the water goes once it has been treated? And what is the difference between the water that comes from treatment of black water and the “graywater” that some people are draining directly to landscapes from homes? How is that even possible, you might ask! Maybe you’ve also noticed purple pipes and associated signs in your community parks, on your campus, or around your workplace? Typically, they all state something similar – “Irrigated with recycled water, do not drink.” So, what is “recycled water”? And what are the relationships between all these types of water?

One thing to consider before diving deeper is to recall that all fresh water on the planet is recycled! The Earth has naturally recycled water for millions of years. In fact, the water we drink today is the same water dinosaurs drank millions of years ago. We recycle green waste, bottles, metals, paper, and plastic, so why wouldn’t we also recycle water?

Recycled Water

Recycled water is derived from treated wastewater and has been treated to remove contaminants like E. coli and nutrients, which allows it to be reused for irrigation, agriculture, industrial purposes, and other non-potable uses such as toilet flushing. The recycled water in Santa Clara County is treated to California Department of Health Services standards and is monitored by state, local, and federal agencies. Currently, about 10,000 gallons of recycled water are distributed through the countywide purple pipe system to recycled water customers EVERY DAY! Each time you spot a purple pipe, you can be sure recycled water is flowing through it. Using recycled water provides many benefits, such as reducing the need for imported water, which helps reduce human-use pressures on freshwater sources so that more remains in the environment. It can also help reduce the volume of treated water we discharge into the bay, which dilutes its salty water and can impact species that depend on the bay’s delicate balance of fresh versus saltwater. Using recycled water, we can maintain healthy ecosystems as well as a reliable, locally controlled water supply that is not reliant on the Sierra snowpack. Diversifying water sources helps address the severity of droughts and the negative impacts of climate disturbance.

Read more.

Purified Water

Advanced purified water, a form of recycled water, is wastewater that has been further decontaminated using advanced purification technologies: microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light disinfection. After the water goes through this special purification process, the product is nearly distilled water that meets and even exceeds primary and secondary drinking water standards, meaning that it’s safe to drink. Valley Water (formerly the Santa Clara Valley Water District) currently blends advanced purified water, which is produced at the Silicon Valley Advanced Water Purification Center (SVAWPC), with recycled water produced at the San Jose-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant to enhance its quality for recycled water purposes.  In the future, the goal of local water purveyors and treatment facilities is to use advanced purified water to supplement the drinking water supply through the replenishment of our groundwater basins or by sending it to a regular drinking water treatment plant. Take a tour and taste it for yourself!

Graywater/Greywater

Graywater is water that is diverted from showers, bathtubs, washing machines, and bathroom sinks that contains some soap and detergents but is clean enough for reuse on certain plants and landscapes. It is a decentralized way of reducing contributions to wastewater volume loads at the nearby treatment plant, while also conserving water through reuse in the landscape. Kitchen sink water or dishwasher water are not considered graywater in California. Graywater helps conserve our drinking water supply, decreases water and wastewater utility bills, decreases input to septic systems, and reduces volume burdens on wastewater treatment facilities. Did you know that you can get a rebate for installing a graywater system in your home? Valley Water offers money back on your investment in sustainable, cost-effective graywater laundry-to-landscape systems that redirect water from your clothes washer to your landscape without additional pumps, filters, or permits. Graywater is better for certain plants compared to others. In general, trees, shrubs, vines, California-native riparian plants, and hardier native plants perform well. Graywater can be used safely with fruit trees or berry bushes. Never use graywater to irrigate fruits or vegetables that come in direct contact with graywater or the soil surface, such root vegetables like potatoes or carrots. Maintaining a healthy soil, choosing the correct detergents, and using best practices for designing, installing, and maintaining your system are key to keeping your landscape healthy.

If you can answer YES (or Possibly!) to the following questions, then this type of graywater system may work for your home:

1. The clothes washer is accessible, near an exterior wall or above a crawl space;

2. The landscape's first graywater outlet is around 50-feet or less from the clothes washer (if your landscape is downhill from the clothes washer);

3. The landscape is the same elevation or downhill from the clothes washer;

4. The plants you want to prioritize with graywater irrigation are decorative trees, fruit trees, shrubs, groups of smaller plants or establishing drought-tolerant plants; and

5. The graywater system can be at least 1.5-feet from the property line and at least 2-feet from the building foundations.