With the recent dry weather and warmer temperatures, Sacramento-area residents might be tempted to ramp up their landscape irrigation. But, the Regional Water Authority and local water providers are recommending restraint. "Plants don't need as much water this time of year, even without rain," said Linda Yager, Regional Water Efficiency Program Manager. Lower temperatures, shorter daylight hours and moisture from fog and rain all combine to reduce the water demands of a typical landscape. Edible gardens and fruit bearing trees have special water requirements, so please consult with a landscape professional or your local Master Gardeners for more information. The Regional Water Authority

Blue Thumb Neighbors (BTN) is offering a special workshop to provide Witter Ranch (Natomas) residents with a hands-on opportunity to apply sustainable landscape practices to a neighbor’s yard. Working with the host, the BTN team will develop an action plan for transforming one ornamental planting area with beautiful, low-water use plants and upgrading sprinkler heads in one turf area. BTN instructors, participants and volunteers will then dig in and implement those plans during the Garden Party. The Garden Party will include both instruction and hands-on application on the following topics: Soil and Soil Amendments: Discuss soil health, use of compost and how the site was prepared Hydr

Daisies, Tomatoes and Parsnips, Oh My! The relationship between what you grow and the air you breathe Researchers at the University of Virginia found that air pollution is destroying flower fragrance, making it harder for bees to find flowers when foraging. This proves that the relationship between the air we breathe and what we grow can be a crucial factor on whether your garden will have the best petunias on the block or whether they fall flat. The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District and the air districts of the region want to provide tips on how you can make the most out of your garden. This can be done while reducing pollutants in the air you breathe and bringing

The Witter Ranch neighborhood in Natomas has been selected to participate in “Blue Thumb Neighbors,” a free program sponsored by the Regional Water Authority and City of Sacramento Department of Utilities. The project will teach residents there how to create healthy, beautiful, River‐Friendly landscapes that compliment their homes and neighborhood. River‐Friendly landscaping is a holistic approach to sustainable landscaping that uses resources, like water, efficiently and incorporates practices that foster soil health, reduce waste and prevent pollution of the air and waterways. Each participating household will receive a free at‐home consultation on efficient watering, sponsored by the

Sacramento locavore Amber Stott is documenting her life as a conscious consumer and her journey to eat as locally as she can with a food blog, Awake at the Whisk. She said she likes to start each day, camera in hand, with a walk through the garden. On a recent June morning, she snapped photos of plants in her backyard next to the American River.  Planter boxes were filled with watermelon, tomatillos, corn, squash, cucumbers, melons and peppers growing in various stages. She pushed aside leaves, peered under plants and squealed with joy when she found the first jalapeno of the season.  "With the garden, every single day there's something new. That's – for me – my favorite part of the da

Landscaping the River-Friendly Way: Learn how to save water and grow healthy plants at free workshops River-friendly landscaping is a whole systems approach to gardening and landscaping that works to support the integrity of one of California’s key ecosystems, the Sacramento River watershed. River-friendly landscaping practices foster soil health, conserve water and other valuable resources, reduce waste and prevent pollution of our air and waterways. Benefits to you: - Saves money on water, fertilizers and pesticides - Reduces green waste in your landscape - Requires less maintenance such as mowing and trimming - Attracts wonderful birds and butterflies to your garden Benefits to the c

The Sacramento Historic Cemetery on Broadway hosted an informational flower tour on Saturday. The 10-person tour group, led by guide Sharon Patrician, made its way around the cemetery, enjoying the multitude of plant life that the site has to offer. Members of the tour group were free to ask Patrician questions, explore plots and take photos. Patrician pointed out noteworthy plants and flowers along the way. Tour favorites were the fragrant historic rose bushes, vibrant red poppies and the rice flower, named for its pearl-like formation. Patrician passed around a primrose flower from a plant that has been in the ground for 10 years, encouraging attendees to feel its “silken quality.”

On Thursday, May 12th, 2011, the proposed Community Garden Ordinance was reviewed at the City’s Planning Commission Meeting. The discussion on community gardens was first presented to the Law and Legislation Committee in August of last year. Since then, it has moved forward due to general support for urban agriculture in Sacramento. The current ordinance is a proposition to amend the zoning law, which prohibits agriculture in residential or non-agriculture zones. The new amendment extends only to private property and does not apply to city-owned land. The public land issue has currently been tabled but is nevertheless pertinent to the future of sustainable urban agriculture. Let’s take a

Mulch, drip irrigation kits and rain sensors...What do all of these have in common? They're considered "Top 10 Products for Saving Water at Home" available at your local home improvement store. To celebrate Water Awareness Month in May, local water providers and the Regional Water Authority (RWA) are partnering with Lowe's to showcase products that can help residents use less water. These include WaterSense-labeled toilets and showerheads, rotary sprinkler nozzles, automatic hose timers and more. Water providers will be on hand to discuss these and other products, tips for saving water both inside and outside the home, as well as rebates for replacing water-wasting fixtures with newer m

We've all heard the term "Green Thumb" used to describe someone with a natural skill for gardening. Now there's a new resource for gardeners to help them develop a "Blue Thumb"--a talent for creating a beautiful, water-efficient landscape. In the Blue Thumb blog, local landscape and irrigation experts Cheryl Buckwalter of Landscape Liaisons and Vicky Bartish of EcoLandscape California share their personal and professional insights on topics such as: • Selecting and maintaining high-impact, low-fuss plants appropriate for the Sacramento region • Reading your landscape and making practical design decisions • Matching your irrigation to your soil and plant type Cheryl and Vicky also answer

The Regional Water Authority (RWA) and local water providers kick off their 2011 Blue Thumb Pledge Drive by honoring 11 Sacramento-area residents and organizations as "Blue Thumb Ambassadors." Honorees will be recognized for their dedication to landscape water efficiency this Sunday, April 10, at 12:45 p.m. at the Sacramento River Cats game. Nearly 40 individuals and organizations were nominated by water providers and landscape advisors. Ultimately, 11 were selected because of their passion for using water wisely outdoors and their work as environmental educators, resources for their neighbors and stewards of our local water supplies. "Sometimes it's difficult to appreciate the need for

It was cold. It was gray. But despite the January chill, dozens of volunteers came out for the McKinley Rose Garden Prune-a-Thon. The the cheerful crew cut, pruned and clipped to make the garden grow. Although rose pruning reduces the plants to stubs, those who can endure delayed gratification will get their payoff in summer, when the garden is thick with a palette of blooms. The McKinley Rose Garden has about 1,300 plants. The city works hard to maintain the park, but neighbors and rose-lovers help groom the garden. McKinley Park, originally know as East Park, is in the heart of East Sacramento and one of its treasures. The Sacramento Rose Society was on hand to give expert advice on ro

Maybe it comes from having folks that lived off the land, but I have always had affection for dirt. I remember making mud pies in the backyard of my L.A. home. I was three and there was just something about getting my hands dirty that felt good. In case you were wondering, yes, I did try a bite or two. Even the taste didn’t turn me off to playing in the dirt. It makes me now ponder how children seem to know that dirt is associated with food. My connection to dirt didn’t stop with that good L.A. mud. I found another connection to dirt in the backwoods of Oklahoma. It was where my daddy grew up. The air smells different in Oklahoma. There’s a sweetness to it along with a humidity you canno

Local gardeners face many challenges, not the least of which are hot days and no precipitation between May and late September. Soon we will have water meters and thirsty yards will run up the water bill. The local area has also seen a decrease in a number of beneficial native insects, such as bees, butterflies and many of the native flies that aid pollination. Many gardeners have been complaining that their vegetables and fruits aren’t setting, and even though they had lots of blossoms they had few zucchinis, tomatoes, apples etc. Many of these problems can be remedied by re-introducing local California natives to your yard. The natives from this area tend to be very drought tolerant and

The bees were out and buzzing Saturday morning as two graduate students from the the UC Berkeley Urban Bee Laboratory spoke to 30 Sacramento residents about native bees and plants and their role in the environment. The gathering was in the Hamilton Square garden inside the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery. It was organized by the Sacramento Audubon Society in conjunction with the Old City Cemetery Committee. Those in attendance sat in the shade of the Mortuary Chapel as Sacramento Audubon's Julie Serences introduced Misha Leong and Marissa Ponder from UC Berkeley. "There are many things that are out of our control with climate change. It can be so abstract," Serences said, "The one thi

The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities is seeking volunteers to assist in the City’s water conservation efforts. Water Conservation Ambassadors will be trained to assist residents in finding leaks on their property, present conservation information at community events and how to spot and report water waste. The first training session for Water Conservation Ambassadors will take place on June 29, 2010 at 6 p.m. at the Department of Utilities Water Conservation Office, 2260 Glen Ellen Circle. “Over the past year, we have seen a huge increase in the numbers of calls for service and a desire by the community to have water conservation information shared with their organizations or nei

The Regional Water Authority (RWA) and 19 local water providers today launched a new public education campaign promoting landscape water efficiency in the Sacramento region. The television and radio campaign stars Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, Dinger and Grounds Manager Chris Ralston of the Sacramento River Cats, Meteorologist Elissa Lynn of the California Department of Water Resources and six Sacramento-area residents who have earned their “Blue Thumb” by using water efficiently outdoors. The public service campaign focuses on landscape water efficiency because most water use occurs outdoors. With the Sacramento region’s hot, dry climate and long summer season, more than 65 percent of

The Regional Water Authority (RWA) is pleased to announce the River-Friendly Landscaping, Green Gardener Training Program. The Green Gardener Training Program is a 10-week series providing high quality training to professionals on how to “garden green.” Attendees will learn landscape principles that can assist in reducing urban runoff, conserving water, and reducing solid waste, including: Conserving water, protecting the soil and reducing the use of pesticides. Many classes will include both indoor and outdoor hands-on components. Creating a healthier garden for your client and a healthier work environment for yourself and your employees. Offering a list of River-Friendly Landscaping

On Wednesday night around 40 urban agriculture advocates, gardeners and Sacramento residents gathered at the Sacramento chapter of the American Institute of Architects to discuss a subject that has been on many Sacramentans' minds lately. This month's topic for the 4th Wednesday Urban Design Alliance (UDA) Design Dialogue was "Design Challenges in Urban Agriculture." Those who attended were divided into groups for an interactive workshop that involved designing a faux-garden despite a list of challenges given to them. While mulling over the different scenarios and solutions, participants snacked on fresh fruits provided by Soil Born farm, appropriate fare given the night's theme. Bill Ma

Each morning, Amy Parker and her husband Michael Palmer step from their front porch into a sanctuary nestled among flowers and rocks shaded by trees, luring butterflies and bees to stop and pollinate.   The Sacramentans recently transformed the front yard of their 10-year-old home into an inviting rock garden. Before it became a garden, the space was a lawn with fruit trees. Now it is abundant with colorful plants that require short watering sessions throughout the week.   Currently, city code allows Sacramento residents to water their yards three times per week during the summer. The Sacramento City Council passed additional changes to the outdoor water conservation ordinance, which t