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stanofh

No adding to the garden year?

Is this going to be a summer of maintenance and not planting? Some water districts are talking of 64 gallons a day. IF you live there and have a garden..I don't know how it could be done for an older garden with plants that cannot grow without water in summer.

Comments (8)

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    10 years ago

    I've emptied out several areas, will mulch heavily and then let them lay fallow and unirrigated until rain returns.

  • socalgal_gw Zone USDA 10b Sunset 24
    10 years ago

    My garden is already fairly low water use, but this year I won't be planting any new shrubs that need water to get established,and I won't have annual summer flowers. I have several areas that will be fallow after the spring bulbs/wildflowers are finished blooming. I want to keep the established well-mulched shrubs/trees alive, and eat some homegrown tomatoes.

  • Min3 South S.F. Bay CA
    10 years ago

    I won't add anything new. I have already cut out most all of the water loving plantings but I will keep my three small ponds because frogs are living in them and the water district people may have to let our creek dry up. So sad! Min

  • socks
    10 years ago

    I'm thinking along the same lines. No new rose bushes, no annuals, no tomatoes. Nothing in pots. I'll might do a pepper plant and one zucchini if it looks like we'll have some water for our yards.

    Roses were pruned last month, have already leafed out and I noticed 3 blooms today. The bushes did not rest at all. I fed with alfalfa, put on the one can of mulch I had on hand and will get more, mulching thickly.

    If only we could get a bit more rain before our chance is over. It's too bad. I would hate to lose my rose bushes (about 40). I feel worried.

  • nil13
    10 years ago

    I put in some greywater basins, so I'm going to be dealing with some new wet areas that need to be planted. I think I'm mainly going to move plants around though.

  • farmerkevin
    10 years ago

    I'll still be adding stuff. My yard is my food source. Everything in my yard is either edible or medicinal.

    I do have roses that could be taken out, but then the city would find a way to cite me on bare ground.

    Code enforcement was up here the other day. Not sure they saw anything to give me a ticket over except maybe some weeds and leaves smh. I'll know in a few days. If I don't get a ticket in the mail in the next week or so, I know I'm in the clear.

    It's funny because the leaves on the ground, I'm letting build up as mulch. My roses and privacy bush has really grown since I've been mulching.

    I will be adding avocado trees in a couple months. They will be at the end of the leech line/washing machine outlet. So I won't be using new water to water them. Just water that would of went down into the septic otherwise.

    Blueberries love water, but they're heavily mulched. They stay wet for days after I water.

    So I guess I'll be adding food. Not ornamentals.

    Forgot to mention, I collect rainwater. I have about 100 gallons stored right now. It's not much, but good for emergency.

  • Min3 South S.F. Bay CA
    10 years ago

    Kevin- Where are you that 'they' are watching you so closely? Our little town seems to pay no attention to a person's property.
    Min

  • Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    That is a good question, Kevin. Who is monitoring so closely?

    We are in an agricultural water district, so the rules are less, but we still use gray water and cut back a lot!

    This house was purchased as a short sale on a previous foreclosure, and neglected for years. Surprising how many citrus, roses, and other edible and non edible plants survived with no water for a long time!!

    Mulch is key, and here, weeds were the mulch. No more!!

    Suzi