I love rainy days. . .I love the pitter-patter sound of it, the smell of wet dirt, and fresh air. Rain nourishes our gardens, turns into snow in the Sierra Mountains (which in turn eventually melts and flows into our rivers), and provides balm for our spirits. Earth is appropriately called the “Blue Planet” since about 71% of it is water. However, 96.5% of that water is ocean salt water which is unavailable for human purposes. Only about 0.26% of the Earth's total water is freshwater and much of it is stored in glaciers and thus inaccessible. Of the remaining freshwater, about half remains in rivers and lakes for nature's use, with the other half being available for human usage. About 80% of the human portion is used for agricultural needs to provide our food, leaving only 20% freshwater for our gardens and homes! So, we must use this valuable freshwater wisely. 

Rainy days are becoming scarce in California with droughts happening more often. Paleoclimate records going back more than one thousand years show many significantly dry periods. Droughts occurred frequently during the 20^th century. Due to climate change, droughts are expected to become more common with longer durations in the 21^st century. The last major drought was just a few years ago in 2012-2016. 

Whenever a drought happens in California, most of us look for ways to conserve water in our gardens and home. However, with droughts becoming the norm, rather than the exception, practicing water sustainability needs to become a way of life.  

How can we conserve water in our daily lives? Our gardens are a good place to start, since about half of urban water is used for outdoor irrigation. The following are some suggestions which can have an impact on the amount of water you use in your gardens.  

If you have lawn, consider reducing the amount you have, since lawns are the major source of where garden water goes. Water only as needed to maintain your lawn. If you have water runoff (aka “urban drool”) onto concrete areas or the street gutter, water is being wasted. If this occurs, reduce the length of time and/or frequency you water your lawn. Also, set mower blades to three inches, which encourages deeper roots. Leave some lawn clippings behind when cutting, which is known as grass-cycling A half an inch layer of thatch functions as mulch, moderating the temperature of the soil, helping it retain moisture. 

Practice water-wise garden irrigation by changing sprayers to drip system whenever possible, since sprayers decreases the amount of water going to your plants due to evaporation. Water according to the season, reducing or eliminating watering during the cooler, wet winter months – investing in a water timer with a rain sensor can help with this. Water early in the morning or late in the day when temperatures are cooler. Check your irrigation system regularly to check for leaks, repairing or replacing as needed. 

Knowing your soil type is valuable information. There are three basic types of soil:  sandy, loamy, and clay. Each has different water-holding capacity and thus your watering scheduling needs to be adjusted accordingly. To learn how to determine your soil type, go to: https://ucanr.edu/sites/CEStanislausCo/files/348681.pdf

Plant water-wise plants that need little water once established. The above link will provide you with many suggestions. Another wonderful source of plant information is the UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars: https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/arboretum-all-stars

There are ways to reduce our water use in our homes also, including having a water-efficient washing machine, dishwasher, shower and toilet, and not letting the faucet run while shaving, brushing our teeth, or washing our hands. 

These are a few of the many ways we can make being water-wise a way of life in our gardens and homes. Every drop of water counts! 

To learn more about our water and ways to use it wisely, join the UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardeners on Tuesday, June 29^th at 6:00pm on Zoom for our talk “Water-wise Tips for Your Garden and Home.” You can sign up at: http://ucanr.edu/water-wise/2021                                  

 

 

 

 

Want to learn how to grow delicious tomatoes? Take our free online class from the UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardeners next Tuesday, April 20 from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Get answers to commonly asked questions such as:

• Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?
• Can I grow a tomato plant in a pot?
• What's the difference between hybrid and heirloom tomatoes?

We hope to see you there!

Register at: http://ucanr.edu/tomato/tips2021
Master Gardener Instructors: Heidi Aufdermaur & Terry Harper 

Recently, one of our Master Gardeners wrote an article called Planning and Prepping Your Spring Garden. We hope you found these tips helpful, and would like to offer more help. Another way you can prepare for spring is to ask those burning questions you did not get answered last year!

Maybe you are wondering how to prevent squash bugs from ruining your zucchini plant, what to do when powdery mildew shows up, or how to prune your fruit tree. We also answer questions such as, “What trees make the best shade trees?” or “Can you recommend some California native plants that would thrive in my backyard?” or even, “What's your favorite peach variety to grow?”

No matter what question you have, the UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardeners can help! We are not currently working from our office; however, we are available to answer them remotely.

3 Ways to Contact Us

• Fill out our online form (you can also upload photos) http://ucanr.edu/ask/ucmgstanislaus 
• Call (209) 525-6802 on Wednesday, between 9 a.m. to noon to speak to someone.
• Leave a voice message anytime and we will return your call within 2 business days.

Our goal is to get back to you within 48 hours.

If you reside in another county, visit http://mg.ucanr.edu/FindUs/ to find your program. For other states, visit https://ahsgardening.org/gardening-resources/master-gardeners/

Your outdoor garden plants may not need a lot of attention on these cold winter days, but have you taken a close look at your indoor plants recently? A house plant with brown leaf tips, wilted leaves, lower leaves that are dropping and little or no new growth may be in trouble. All of those problems, and even plant death, can be caused by soluble salts. 

Soluble salts are naturally occurring minerals, such as sodium, chloride, boron, calcium, and magnesium, that are dissolved in water. Some of the water in Stanislaus County has relatively high levels of certain salts, but in general, all water has some salt. Fertilizer dissolved in water also turns into a soluble salt. After water evaporates from the potting soil, the salts stay behind. Eventually, an excessive amount of salt may be absorbed by the roots, move  upward in the plant, and concentrate in the leaves, causing tip burn. As salts in the soil become more concentrated, plants find it harder and harder to take up water. If enough salt accumulates in the soil, the water absorbing root tips are killed, and the plant begins to wilt and drop leaves.

To combat this problem, be sure you water correctly. Water plants enough so that some water moves through the soil and out the pot's drain hole. Then empty the drip plate. Do not allow the pot to sit in water. If drained water is reabsorbed by the soil, the salts that were washed away are taken back into the soil. The process of removing soil salts is called “leaching.”

It's a good idea to leach your house plants every two or three months. To do this, water the soil thoroughly, as you usually would. Then, after about five minutes, water again, letting excess water flow out the bottom drain holes. The first watering dissolves the salts, and the second washes the salts out of the soil.

As water evaporates from the soil surface, some of the salts may form a layer on the soil surface. If a layer of salts has formed a crust on top of the soil, be sure to remove the salt crust before you start to leach. You should only need to remove about an inch of soil to remove the salt crust. Also, clay pots can absorb salts. If the pot is coated with a white salt residue, it's best to replant in a clean container. 

For more information, consult the UC IPM Pest Notes: Houseplant Problems.

Ed Perry is the emeritus Environmental Horticultural Advisor for University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in Stanislaus County where he worked for over 30 years.