D V DV

By Dan Vierria Garden Jabber

Perhaps your Sacramento landscape has evolved into a relic, a ’65 Rambler in a Tesla world. Maybe it’s time for change?

Our beloved city enters another season of gardening, signaling renewal and an opportunity to plan for a modern landscape. Increasing cost, scarcity of water and changes in weather patterns make it obvious things aren’t the same.

Central Valley farmers decline to plant some fields because there’s not enough water for irrigation. Water districts raise prices for residential water. The wine industry laments too much heat for certain grape varietals.

As our friend and gardening podcaster Farmer Fred Hoffman says, “If it says ‘full sun’ it should now be ‘afternoon shade’ for warm-season, fruiting vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers. Hell, most of my citrus was sunburned, too. And the persimmons.”

We have options. Remain in the comfort zone and do nothing, begin making landscaping changes that conform to weather patterns, or go with a modern landscape.

“We have found that many people are now open to change in their gardening aesthetic,” says Karrie Reid, horticulture consultant and recently retired UC Cooperative Extension adviser in landscape and urban horticulture.

She cites persistent water restrictions by state and local municipalities and increased population without additional water storage capacity as primary reasons for changing minds. Not everybody is willing to transition their garden.

“Some have only seen poor examples of water conserving landscapes, for others the idea of somebody telling them what to do is an affront,” she says.

“Some just don’t know where to start and fear the cost of the conversion.”

Where to start goes like this, according to Reid:

Examine what you have and what you want to keep. Priorities include healthy, mature trees. Get rid of waterguzzling, high-maintenance, unhealthy plants. Keep a few water guzzlers as long as they are grouped together and on the same irrigation schedule.

Assess your current irrigation system. Can it be converted to drip? Does it need replacement? The only sprinklers needed would be for small patches of lawn or low-growing ground covers. Install a “smart” controller so each valve can be efficiently managed. Decide what you want to emphasize, like seasonal color, interesting foliage or pollinator-attracting plants. Search for water-efficient plants.

News clippings from 1936