Northern Water Promotes Landscape Education

Surrounded by flowers and with a breathtaking view of , members of the community not only get to take in a beautiful landscape at ’s Conservation Garden; they also get to learn about water.

“Water conservation in our region is essential,” said Jill Boyd, communications specialist for Northern Water. “Visiting our gardens gives homeowners a very practical idea of what they can do to conserve water. Beyond the , it is very beautiful out there.”

Located behind the district at 220 . in Berthoud, the 2.5-acre garden — which Northern Water employees nicknamed “the backyard” — is broken into sectors to educate residents on landscaping and the best way to maintain yards with minimal .

, visitors have the opportunity to learn about different types of grass and what works well in the , and sprinkler technologies, soil revitalization, the conservation’s and new types of gardening tools.

A portion of the garden also is devoted to , or that uses a minimal amount of water. This area is broken into eight miniature units that show examples of how yards can be landscaped.

“The backyard helps to combat the notion that that doesn’t use a lot of water is not attractive,” Boyd said. “You can see that you can use less water and still have a very eye-catching .”

Northern Water maintains at least 250 species of plant life in its backyard area each year.

“Every year, we try to add about 67 plants,” said , water management and for Northern Water. “The garden is designed so it can be changed out.”

Also included in the tour of the area is an featuring various ponds that represent Northern Water’s reservoirs. In two agricultural areas, irrigation technology and alfalfa species are tested.

The garden is open 24 hours a day, year-round. During the summer months, tours are available upon request from 2 to 4 p.m., and tours for larger groups can be arranged.

Community members who want to stroll through the garden on their own can bring a cell phone. By dialing numbers posted around the garden, they can listen to free descriptions of the processes and research taking place.

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Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

Landscaping Idea No Comments

A Few Ideas For Presidential Candidates

Al Tompkins of the puts out a daily e- to help journalists come up with fresh story ideas — something all of us need from time to time.

But a recent offering included a list of ideas for journalists to put to the presidential candidates.

We don’t agree with all of them, but think many of them are worth a public debate. We’re sharing the list here, along with our interpretations of some of the issues.

Let us know what you think:

Five-day-a-week postal delivery. Checks can be delivered by direct deposit, and if you really need an item, other, private services are available. England will probably stop delivering mail on Saturdays in 2011.

A for energy. If national security depends on , it’s worth the investment.

Year-round school. We’ve promoted this idea in this space before as well. Kids are no longer needed on the farm, and lose too much learning while they’re out of school. Vacations could be taken year-round, perhaps during the hottest or coldest month of the year in a particular location.

Drought-resistant landscaping plants. It makes no sense to dump scarce, expensive, treated water out on the dirt. For Nebraska, that may mean promoting buffalo grass or , which many of us have already done.

Provide tax credit for blood and organ donations. Many people already want to do the right thing, but many more seem to need an .

All federally elected officials should hold a news conference at least once per month.

Scrap the electoral system. Replace it with a system that people understand.

Open all to cameras. Start with the Supreme Court and appeals courts.

Stop allowing the federal to sell policies to new construction in the worst flood-prone areas. Stop the “flood-rebuild-repeat” cycle.

Stop penalizing workers between 62 and 65 for earning more than $13,560 a year. Give people a reason to stay productive and keep contributing to society for as long as they can.

End special congressional health care coverage. Every member of Congress should be covered by a private health care plan just like the rest of us. Members of the house pay $300 a month and Senators about $600 a month for their own pharmacy, nurses and doctors, and can get a physical, x-ray or electrocardiogram without ever missing work. Taxpayers contribute about $2 million toward the congressional health-care system. Still wonder why we can’t get health care reform.

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Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

Landscaping Idea No Comments

Low Water Use Plants Pushed For Parking Strips

The Council recently launched its fourth annual Rip Your Strip campaign at an open house at Staker Landscape Center in .

The council is a community-based, grass-roots, dedicated to the of Utah’s rivers; sustainable, clean for its residents; and conservation of wildlife.

The Council’s campaign encourages homeowners and businesses to conserve water by tearing out the in their parking strips and replacing it with native, water-wise plants and decorative rock.

According to the council, nearly 70 percent of the in Utah is used outdoors and almost half of that is used to overwater lawns. By simply designing and managing yards more suited to our climate, billions of gallons of water can be conserved each year.

A parking strip is a great place to start outdoors, the Council contends. It is difficult to water efficiently and most homeowners flood the sidewalk and street in the process.

“When you convert your parking strip, not only do you save gallons of , you add a lot of interest to your and cut down on maintenance,” said Mark Danenhauer, spokesman for the Council.

Gardening expert, , agreed. “If the only time you step on the is to mow it, you might
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want to rethink your landscaping plan,” he said.Sagers offered a simple water-saving tip: Learn to water by how much (amount) instead of how long (time). “If you don’t quite understand this concept, order 20 minutes of the next time you go to McDonald’s,” he quipped.

For his part, Brian , center manager for Staker , says, “The average American family uses 60 percent of its total water on . is a water-wise strategy that allows you to create and maintain a varied, colorful, even and yard while reducing water needs as much as 70 percent.”

The Rip Your Strip campaign has been successful, Danenhauer said. The council had hoped for 100 participants in the first year. Instead, they got 1,000. Nearly 4,000 people have signed on.

“The beauty of this campaign is that the Council will provide free information to help the average person with no previous experience to be able to successfully convert their thirsty parking strip from to a beautiful, low-water-usage ,” Danenhauer said.

Once you’ve got a parking strip project under your belt, you’ll be familiar with drought-tolerant and the principles of -use design. Then you’ll be able to tackle a bigger project in your yard and keep on rippin’, Danenhauer said.

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Saturday, May 31st, 2008

Landscaping Rock No Comments

Desert Landscaping Makes Lovely Show With Little Water

Forget about your Wily E. Coyote image of the desert: all flat, brown, and barren except for a few foreboding . Like any other landscape, the desert hosts perfectly adapted and flowers. And to save water while growing low-maintenance plants, it is worth considering bring desert landscaping practices into your home garden. You do not need to turn your whole yard into Arizona, but you will certainly enjoy at least one xeriscaped bed.

Xeriscape What?

Desert is also known as xeriscape: the art of growing that need very little water.

Desert is first a very responsible environmental choice. Plenty of places have an overall wet climate but experience stretches of drought. When all the neighbors are scrambling to water between watering bans, you will be enjoying your xeriscaped yard without using water. The water that the county has been treated for drinking by humans can be saved for humans.

In a , grow very slowly. While this means your desert may need some filler for the first few years, after a while it will fill your spot very well. Some xeriscapers even mulch with pebbles or lava rocks rather than . The do not need humus, and the rocks last pretty much forever. Patterns of different colored rocks become part of the decoration.

Plant Recommendations

are what we most associate with desert . They come in sizes from giant saguaro to tiny that look like spiky pebbles on the ground. All produce flowers, but some do so only rarely. One species, native to the United States, produces lots of large, delicate yellow blooms in summer. Called the prickly pear for the pear-shaped fruits that form after flowering, this plant can grow two or three feet tall with a similar size spread.

There are also plenty of non- that do well in a xeriscaped bed. Periwinkles and heather grow large and lush in dry places. Lantana is not quite a desert plant, but it needs so little water that it can go with the . Visit your local botanical garden to see what grows well in their section. You will probably see aloes, yuccas, and plenty of other that are suited well for your climate.

Unless you live near an actual desert, it may be difficult to buy desert locally. Check the internet and plant catalogs for species to grow.

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Friday, January 11th, 2008

Landscaping Rock No Comments

Drought resistant plants native to Florida save water, can survive the drought cycles

“Florida usually gets up to 55 inches of rain a year. If people water their yards twice a week, and put out three-quarters of an inch each time, then that’s around 1 1/2 inches in a week,” said Dunkelberg, “which means in 50 weeks, that’s 75 inches. %26#091;That’s%26#093; more than 1 1/2 times as much as natural rainfall, in addition to natural rainfall — which tells you, you are trying to grow wetland plants.” A representative from the water-conservation division of the Seminole County Environmental Department was also on hand to talk to people about water-saving tips, both indoors and out. “We’re trying to inform the public what simple things they can do to conserve water,” said Debbie Meinert, water-conservation coordinator. Meinert cited the St. Johns River Water Management District’s “Think Two” campaign slogan to help people remember to water their no more than twice a week. The water-saver’s guide she handed out to visitors had recommendations such as running dishwashers and washing machines only when you have full loads, and not letting the water run when shaving, brushing teeth or washing dishes by hand. Meinert goes into schools encouraging schoolchildren to help as well. The main point of the day’s workshop was to encourage people to go native in terms of . Choosing native over more exotic, foreign species has advantages, Dunkelberg said. Native are uniquely adapted to the Florida landscape, its climate and its rainfall averages. “%26#091;It’s about%26#093; putting in that don’t take up much water and preferably don’t require any,” Dunkelberg said. “There are a lot of native to pick from.” Examples of native ground covers are blue-eyed , matchstick weed and mimosa, a creeping vine with pink flowers. Native trees and can be strategically placed to create structure in your yard and attract birds and butterflies, Dunkelberg said. Beautyberry and wild coffee are two examples of that produce berries that birds like. So how do you choose native for your yard? “The first, most important thing to do is always get a sample,” Meinert said. “It’s ‘right plant, right place.’ ” If you live in Orange County, the University of Florida’s Orange County extension office, at 6021 S. Conway Road, offers free soil samples Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. there will advise you on which are best for your . “Some are acid-loving and if you put those in an alkaline , then they do not do well,” said Petra Tanner, the extension office’s . Dunkelberg said the Florida Native Plant Society in 2008 plans to become more active in talking to legislators about promoting , which is sometimes hindered by neighborhood homeowners associations. “%26#091;There’s%26#093; a growing problem with water, and we will need in the future to change some of the laws that give the homeowners’ associations so much power to prevent , which means water-conserving landscaping,” he said.

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Saturday, December 29th, 2007

Yard Landscaping No Comments

To handle dry spell, switch to native plants

“Florida usually gets up to 55 inches of rain a year. If people water their yards twice a week, and put out three-quarters of an inch each time, then that’s around 1 1/2 inches in a week,” said Dunkelberg, “which means in 50 weeks, that’s 75 inches. %26#091;That’s%26#093; more than 1 1/2 times as much as natural rainfall, in addition to natural rainfall — which tells you, you are trying to grow wetland plants.” A representative from the water-conservation division of the Seminole County Environmental Department was also on hand to talk to people about water-saving tips, both indoors and out. “We’re trying to inform the public what simple things they can do to conserve water,” said Debbie Meinert, water-conservation coordinator. Meinert cited the St. Johns River Water Management District’s “Think Two” campaign slogan to help people remember to water their no more than twice a week. The water-saver’s guide she handed out to visitors had recommendations such as: running dishwashers and washing machines only when you have full loads, and don’t let the water run when shaving, brushing teeth or washing dishes by hand. Meinert goes into schools encouraging schoolchildren to help as well. The main point of the day’s workshop was to encourage people to go native in terms of . Choosing native over more exotic, foreign species has advantages, Dunkelberg said. Native are uniquely adapted to the Florida landscape, its climate and its rainfall averages. “%26#091;It’s about%26#093; putting in that don’t take up much water and preferably don’t require any,” Dunkelberg said. “There are a lot of native to pick from.” Examples of native ground covers are blue-eyed , matchstick weed and mimosa, a creeping vine with pink flowers. Native trees and can be strategically placed to create structure in your yard and attract birds and butterflies, Dunkelberg said. Beautyberry and wild coffee are two examples of that produce berries that birds like. So how do you choose native for your yard? “The first, most important thing to do is always get a sample,” Meinert said. “It’s ‘right plant, right place.’ ” If you live in Orange County, the University of Florida’s Orange County extension office, at 6021 S. Conway Road, offers free soil samples Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. there will advise you on which are best for your . “Some are acid-loving and if you put those in an alkaline , then they do not do well,” said Petra Tanner, the extension office’s . The Seminole County Extension Office, at 250 W. County Home Road in Sanford, tests on Mondays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $1.50. They recommend that residents bring in at least a cup of , taken from a sample at least six inches deep. Dunkelberg said the Florida Native Plant Society in 2008 plans to become more active in talking to legislators about promoting , which is sometimes hindered by neighborhood homeowners associations. “%26#091;There’s%26#093; a growing problem with water, and we will need in the future to change some of the laws that give the homeowners’ associations so much power to prevent , which means water-conserving landscaping,” he said. plants at the Yarborough Nature Center in Geneva on Tuesday. CHRISTINE BAKER/SPECIAL TO THE SENTINEL PHOTO: Beautyberry is one of the native Florida that gardeners are turning to in an effort to save water and attract wildlife. STEVEN D. BARNES/ORLANDO SENTINEL FILE

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Friday, December 28th, 2007

Yard Landscaping No Comments

‘Dead’ but not ‘gone’

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Grass is brown and crunchy. Leaves are brown. Trees could be hiding signs of stress and disease.

East Tennessee gardens have struggled, survived, and sometimes succumbed to the summer drought. Yet experts say gardeners shouldn’t give up on their gardens this fall. Now’s the time to water - if area water restrictions don’t prohibit it - and to mulch. It’s even time to plant, but not to prune.

“A lot of times, people don’t think about watering in the fall and watering in the winter, but we are very dry,” says David Vandergriff, Knox County agricultural extension agent.

Most plants grow roots after they grow leaves, so they need water now for root growth. Vandergriff, who specializes in horticulture and urban forestry, recommends watering, if possible and permissible, until December.

Established trees, shrubs and woody need 1 inch of water per week. New plantings need more, about 8 to 10 gallons of water for each inch of trunk diameter. A tree with a 3-inch trunk, for example, needs a 30-gallon drink over a week.

It also matters how get water.

Don’t “just take the hose and let it run by the tree trunk,” Vandergriff says. A large area around any tree needs water because roots grow two to four times beyond the canopy.

Consider using soaker hoses in gardens, says Susan Hamilton, director of the University of Tennessee Gardens and a UT associate professor in plant sciences. While sprinklers are easy to use, Hamilton says, they’re not as efficient as soaker hoses, which drip water closer to roots.

After the garden is well-watered, Hamilton recommends spreading 3 to 4 inches of to help retain the moisture. Cover soaker hoses with ; they’ll keep working.

Don’t overmulch, advises Vandergriff. “Don’t pile it up like a volcano around the trunk of trees. Don’t touch the stems of woody or trunks of trees.”

Watering atop piled around a tree, he says, will only water the and not get to tree roots.

Adding organic matter or compost helps soil retain water, Vandergriff says. If a garden’s is less than 3 percent organic, add 3 of organic matter for every 1,000 square feet. (Information on how to get a test to measure organic matter in is available at soilplantandpest.utk.edu.)

Don’t dig up unless you are certain they’re dead. While leaves may look dry and dead, the roots may be alive. Let go dormant, and wait until spring to see if they return, says Hamilton.

Fall is still the best time to plant trees and shrubs. Because the East Tennessee ground doesn’t usually freeze until late winter, gardeners could hope for rain and wait until December or January to plant.

Gardeners also could consider more -resistant species, Hamilton says. This is known as - planting -tolerant in a landscape. Many good for actually are garden standards, including daylilies, irises, columbine and herbs.

One fall chore can be put off. Unless a tree or has dead branches, don’t prune. But do getthe dead or diseased branches out, Vandergriff says. An exception: If a branch on the often-used evergreen Leyland cypress is turning brown, prune it out.

This year’s , combined with a spring freeze and dry weather last year, has experts particularly worried about some species of trees. Agricultural extension agents are receiving “a lot of calls from people asking about their trees, and we will eventually lose some trees,” Vandergriff says.

Older and weaker may not be able to handle the combined stress of dry weather, spring freeze and more . Vandergriff recommends contacting a certified arborist to see if a tree is healthy.

Amy McRary may be reached at 865-342-6437.

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Wednesday, December 26th, 2007

Garden Landscaping No Comments


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