The University of California Cooperative Extension Sonoma County Master Gardeners (SCMG) are very proud to announce that our Garden Sense project received first place in the Community Service category in the Search for Excellence (SFE) recognition program of Extension Master Gardener (EMG) volunteer work throughout the United States, Canada and South Korea.  All SFE applications must show that significant learning took place, whether by the EMG or the general public with whom they were involved. All volunteer projects done by EMGs are significant to their communities, but not all are SFE projects.

The SFE is designed to recognize outstanding group projects, not an individual who does outstanding work.  The International Master Gardener recognition is a SEARCH FOR EXCELLENCE of the highest quality within Master Gardener programs across the United States and Canada.  Only projects that improve people's lives are awarded. 

SCMG has been focusing on the sustainable gardening practice of water conservation via the Garden Sense program, a partnership developed between SCMG and the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) in fall 2013.  Most home landscapes in this region have been created without any regard to our summer-dry climate, and the public is not at all aware of the water needs of commonly used landscape plants.  

SCMG Garden Sense consultants receive advanced training in lawn conversion, landscape water management, irrigation systems, site assessment, low-water use plants, and sustainable garden practices via a 9 class training program. 

A team of two of our volunteer consultants will visit a Sonoma County homeowner's garden to show how to conserve water by creating a climate-appropriate garden that is healthy, sustainable and environmentally sound.  The program is offered countywide to municipal water users and well users. 

In our first year of operation we estimate
water savings as a result of the program at 6 acre feet.

Rains from early December in California, which some are describing as falling in "biblical" proportions, will bring welcome relief from the historic drought, reported the Olive Oil Times.

"The storm will partially replenish water supplies, but there is still a long way to go," commented Dan Flynn of the UC Davis Olive Center.

The lack of rainfall the last few years has left many olive farms with low soil moisture, stressing the trees, said Paul Vossen, UC Cooperative Extension Specialty Crops Farm Advisor for Sonoma and Marin counties.

"Part of that stress influenced the crop load, which was lower than normal, and it also advanced the ripening of fruit," Vossen said. "This autumn harvest was at least two to three weeks early and was finished by Thanksgiving."

The story said the California drought cut U.S. olive oil production by 25 percent.

“The rainfall we are receiving right now is welcome for refilling the soil profiles, so that the olive trees can start off next spring with good growth,” Vossen said. “It is also a relief to see enough rain to start to see a replenishment of our reservoirs, so that irrigation water will once again be plentiful for next summer's needs. Even though we may get some temporary flooding, all in all, this rainfall is a welcome thing.”

The UCCE Sonoma Master Gardeners launched a partnership with the Sonoma County Water Agency in November 2013 called “”. Under the Garden Sense program, a team of two Master Gardeners with specialized training in water efficiency schedule visits with interested Sonoma County homeowners to advise on how to transform their landscape from one that gulps water to one that sips.

Garden Sense consultants have been trained in lawn conversion, water management, irrigation systems, low-water-use plants and sustainable gardening practices.

As a result of the drought emergency, there has been a huge response to the program. Garden Sense teams visited 161 clients in 2014 with a total of 182 total clients visited since the program inception in November 2013. There is a backlog of 90 more clients waiting for appointments, and we are training a new group of Garden Sense consultants to help meet the demand generated by the program.

There are a wide range of planned activities by the clients with whom we have consulted ranging from a complete re-landscape of yards with new irrigation, water-wise plants and mulching to simple irrigation improvements.

Every small step helps!

There has been a very positive response to the program, and homeowners seem genuinely grateful for assistance with recommendations in their specific home landscape. The UCCE Sonoma Master Gardeners will be conducting a survey later this year to assess actual impact of changes homeowners have made in landscape water use practices as a results of the Garden Sense program. Contact the Master Gardeners at 707-565-2608 or visit Garden Sense

Did you know that a low water garden in Sonoma County on average uses a third of the water that a lawn requires?  For example, a 1,000 square foot water-wise garden uses 5,000 to 10,000 gallons per year, while the same size lawn uses more than 22,000 gallons per year.  It's been a dry year; and helping educate Sonoma County homeowners on water conservation practices addresses the importance of reducing residential landscape water usage. 

Sonoma County Master Gardeners are collaborating with the Sonoma County Water Agency on a new program: “Garden Sense”, to educate homeowners on water use reduction in urban landscapes; for example sheet mulching, irrigation conversion, and low water use plants.  Several municipalities throughout the county have a Green Exchange Rebate Program that provides a cash payment to homeowners who replace all or part of their lawn.

Master Gardeners are trained in water management, irrigation systems, site assessment, low-water use plants and sustainable gardening practices.  The primary objective is to help home gardeners remove lawns and install drought tolerant plants that do well in Sonoma County. Garden Sense consultants are available to make a home visit to any Sonoma County residence to discuss how a homeowner can easily conserve water (and save money) by creating a climate-appropriate garden that is healthy, environmentally sound, and most of all – beautiful.  More information is available on the Sonoma County Master Gardener's web site at Garden Sense.