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Saturday's Internet Edition, July 31, 2010.
RVGC meeting focuses on water conservation
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Photo by Sheri Barile
Lifetime Master Gardner Pam Boone presents slides illustrating beautiful landscaping that can be achieved while conserving water at the April 27 meeting of the River Valley Garden Club. The meeting was held at the Rancho Murieta Association building.
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By Sheri Barile
River Valley Times Reporter
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River Valley Garden Club met on April 27 to learn the seven keys to water-efficient landscaping in a presentation by landscape horticulturist and Lifetime Master Gardener Pam Boone.
At the conclusion of Boone’s presentation, RVGC member Betty Ferraro, who serves on the Rancho Murieta Community Services District Board of Directors, shared information about plans underway by the CSD to demonstrate water-efficient landscaping to the community.
Boone explained that there are seven fundamentals to conserving water while cultivating a lush and thriving landscape in this region. It all starts with planning and design geared toward limiting turf area, selecting plants that require less water and using efficient irrigation systems. In addition, soil improvement, mulch application and proper maintenance are important measures.
According to Boone, lawns are the biggest water wasters in any landscape. “One of the surest ways to conserve water in a landscape is to limit the amount of turf,” she said. “Turf is often the single largest user of water in the landscape, and this water is frequently misapplied. Water running off the lawn onto the sidewalk and into the gutter not only wastes water, it does nothing to improve the health of the lawn.”
Boone suggested replacing grass with less thirsty shrubs and groundcovers and covering more area with non-botanical landscaping materials, such as stone and mulch.
One strongly emphasized element of water-wise gardening is efficient irrigation. Boone said the California Department of Water Resources estimates that residential landscapes are over watered by as much as 40%. She provided clear instruction about how to avoid this common waste.
“Construct the (irrigation) system so that plants with different water needs are on separate valves,” Boone said. “That way you can irrigate the water-efficient plants less often than lawns and other high-water use plants.”
Boone shared examples of less thirsty native plants to blend with more exotic varieties to achieve a lush landscape in the Sacramento area. California natives that require watering periods of three to four hours just once every two or three weeks during summer include Carpenteria, Howard McMinn manzanita and Eve Case coffeeberry.
RVGC member Candy Hearn said the presentation was well received by those attending the meeting. “Pam was fabulous,” Hearn said. “She is truly a Master Gardener. She has so much knowledge and is so enthusiastic and entertaining. You couldn’t help but be engaged.”
Jan Felter, co-chair of the program committee, booked Boone with the full expectation that the club would be impressed. “I remembered her from a television program she used to do, so I was a little starstruck,” Felter said. “She is such an expert and so energetic. It was such a treat to have her at the meeting.”
Felter said that she has committed to altering her irrigation system and her habits based on Boone’s presentation. “I didn’t realize until hearing her speak about it that I am watering too frequently,” Felter said. “I am absolutely going to change my watering program.”
Hearn echoed this, adding that she is planning to replace some of her thirstier plants with native varieties. “I’ve already gone out and purchased lavender and poppies,” she said. “And I will cut back on watering. We all water too much, and the whole community now is looking for ways to cut back with our water fees going up.”
Ferraro addressed the topic of taking the movement to conserve water community-wide. Thanking Boone for her presentation, she made a few remarks about a grant application RMCSD has written for a demonstration garden proposed for installation in front of the CSD office. “It’s refreshing to see that the same things written in the grant are being recommended by master gardeners,” Ferraro said. “The plants and irrigation methods they advocate are what’s being utilized in the demonstration garden.”
Ferraro reminded the audience that the governor and legislature have required that all areas of California achieve a water conservation rate of 20% by the year 2020. She also said she would be back to ask the club to participate in the CSD demonstration garden if the grant goes through.
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Online publication, Copyright 2005, The River Valley Times.
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