Keeping Landscape Plantings Alive under Drought or Water Restrictions

The California drought is a very serious issue that impacts all Californians.  Even with the recent rainstorm and snow, we will be fortunate to surpass the rain level of 1976-1977, one of the worst droughts on record in California.  Drought restrictions can be complex and confusing.Since voluntary or mandatory drought restrictions are often drafted and implemented locally the best way for you to stay informed is to contact your local water provider.

Plants that do not receive enough water due to drought or governmental restrictions aimed atwater conservation will eventually show signs of water stress. Although plants vary in the amount of water they require for optimal growth and development, most exhibit characteristic symptoms when they are in need of water. Because plants need to be watered at an early stage of water deficit to prevent irreversible damage, it is crucial to check plants regularly for symptoms of drought, preferably during the afternoon when symptoms are most evident.

Common symptoms include:

• wilting or drooping leaves that do not return to normal by evening
• curled or yellow leaves that may fold or drop, or foliage that becomes grayish and loses its green luster
• new leaves that are smaller or stem sections that are closer together than normal
• lawn grasses that retain a footprint for several minutes

 

The use of graywater to irrigate landscape plants is increasing throughout the United States, particularly in California and other arid states. In the United States, ”graywater” most often refers to wastewater that originates from residential clothes washers, bathtubs, showers, and sinks, and it excludes wastewater generated from kitchen sinks, dishwashers, and toilets (black water).

In California, under Health and Safety Code § 17922.12, graywater is defined as “untreated wastewater that has not been contaminated by any toilet discharge, has not been affected by infectious, contaminated, or unhealthy bodily wastes, and does not present a threat from contamination by unhealthful processing, manufacturing, or operating wastes. Graywater includes, but is not limited to, wastewater from bathtubs, showers, bathroom washbasins, clothes washing machines, and laundry tubs, but does not include wastewater from kitchen sinks or dishwashers.”

Currently, a permit is no longer required for the installation of a single-family or two-family residential graywater irrigation systems from a simple clothes washing graywater system as long as it does not require cutting of the existing plumbing piping.

All other systems require a construction permit prior to erection, retrofitting, construction and installation as stated in the actual code. The full text of these standards can be viewed at the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Division of Codes and Standards website, http://www.hcd.ca.gov/codes. Because these regulations may change at any time, always check with HCD and local enforcement agencies before developing plans for or installing a graywater system. Cities and counties can impose stricter guidelines than the state, so homeowners interested in installing graywater systems should contact their local jurisdiction for specific regulations concerning graywater handling and use.

Laundry-to-landscape graywater systems are relatively simple to install and are inexpensive. The hose exiting the clothes washing machine is attached to a valve that separates graywater from water destined for the sewer. The graywater is diverted through a 1-inch main irrigation line with ½-inch tubing outlets placed throughout the landscape terminating in a valve box set in what is termed a “mulch basin” that surrounds plants being watered (see below). The washing machine pump distributes water directly to the landscape with no filter.A vacuum break or backflow prevention device may also be needed. Keep in mind that salt-free and boron-free liquid laundry detergents should be used for irrigating the landscape. In addition, chlorine bleach should be avoided.

Whether you're trying to deal with the drought, intrigued by composting, or wondering what's “bugging” your garden, you'll find answers to your questions at the Urban Landscape and Garden Education Expo at South Coast REC on Saturday, Sept. 27^th. It's a great time to bring family and friends out to the site, which is usually closed to the public.  The free event runs from 9am until 2pm at 7601 Irvine Blvd. in Irvine.

Docents will be on hand to explain the water saving features of the landscapes and to answer questions about plants. All plants are labeled, so if you see something you like, you'll know what to buy. There will also be tram tours of the fruit orchards, urban chickens, raised bed vegetable gardens, vendors, and a plant sale. If you get hungry, the Flip Truck will be selling sliders.

Lectures are as follows:

• 9:30 a.m. WUCOLs II – What is it? How to make it work for you
• 10:30 a.m. “So much beauty with so little water”-New WaterwisePlants
• 11:30 a.m. Maintaining Your Landscape During the Drought
• 12:30 p.m. The Drought and the Disease Triangle
• 1:30 p.m. Do It Right, Do It Right Now                                                                                              

 Demonstrations include:

• 10:05 a.m. Portable Self-watering Vegetable Garden Containers – Learn how to create a portablevegetable garden.
• 11:05 a.m. Create a Hypertufa Pot – Learn how to make a hypertufa pot.
• 12:05 p.m. Compost 101 – Learn how to turn yard waste into black gold.
• 1:05 p.m. Preserving the Season's Bounty – UC Master Food Preservers

 For more information: ucanr.org/sites/urbanwatermgmt/

Therry Vargas will be there to answer questions about urban chickens, and Isabel Barkman will be on hand with a taste of what's growing in the orchards. Vendors, local water agencies, and UC experts will provide information to help you have a healthier water-wise landscape.

The school garden area has been update and includes raised beds made from a variety of building materials. You're sure to find something you can reproduce at home. An assortment of different compost bins is actively making good stuff for the garden, and Master Composters will help you get started with your own. If you're looking for plants that can live with little water, wander over to the front landscape area. All plants are labeled, so if you find something you like, you can find it at the nursery. In fact, you may not have to drive to the nursery, because plants which have been carefully tended in the hoop house will be on sale right there.

Hop on a tram to see the orchards, listen to a speaker to find out about efficient irrigation, check out the self-watering tomato bins, and marvel at the demonstration landscapes. All for free! Who needs Disneyland?