Climate Change and Your Garden Checklist

by Alison Limoges, Master Gardener and ABG Board Member

Despite the fact that the Bay Area got ‘atmospheric river’ rains this winter and spring, in our typically Mediterranean climate we can still expect very dry summers, and of course, we know we will have dry winters in future years. California’s pattern of multi-year droughts, punctuated by a few spectacularly wet years, has been underscored lately. Summer temperatures are already climbing, especially since the early 1970s. Higher summer temperatures dry out the soil faster, and combined with an identified trend toward less precipitation in the fall and spring, a longer season when irrigation is needed seems likely. So the critical need for the wise use of water remains a fact of California life.

To help gardeners deal with this reality, Contra Costa County Master Gardeners created a Climate Change and Your Garden Checklist. Even though we live in Alameda County, our geography and climate have similarities. So, to prepare for and deal with continued drought, these actions are worth taking now – on both public and private lands.

Climate Change and Your Garden Checklist

  1. Convert lawns to low-water-use plants. (Click here for a site that lists some plants.)
  2. Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch on top of all planted areas– to help reduce weeds and retain water. (But do not place mulch up against the trunks of trees; leave at least a 4 inch space in all directions.)
  3. Add compost to all planted areas. (Free compost is available from Alameda’s Compost Hub. For details visit: https://www.stopwaste.org/at-home/home-and-community-gardening/get-free-compost-and-composting-assistance
  4. Space out/extend watering days gradually – to drive plants’ roots down deeper.
  5. Use a web App, such as this one, to create an appropriate irrigation schedule: https://www.valleywaterscheduler.com/
  6. Upgrade to a Smart irrigation timer/controller. There are multiple brands to choose from: RainMachine, Rachio, Orbit, and others. Look for reviews and check out the options to see what works for you.
  7. Change inefficient hose/sprinkler nozzles for efficient ones.
  8. Water some house and yard plants with recovered water from the house (sink/shower water.)
  9. Use the “How Much Water” App to determine how much water the plants need: https://waterwonk.us/how-much/
  10. Purchase a hose-end Flow Meter to monitor the amount of water being used.
  11. Install and then harvest rainwater with barrels, tanks or cisterns.
  12. Set up a greywater system. (Laundry-to-landscape is the easiest.)
  13. Build a rain garden to collect and save excess rain. (See design ideas: https://www.almanac.com/rain-garden-design-and-plants)
  14. Remove/don’t install weed fabric. It disrupts the natural decomposition process, compacts the soil and makes it unhealthy. It also hinders plant growth and doesn’t prevent weeds. The same is true for fake grass which also contains hazardous chemicals.

If we all start making some of these changes, we will help conserve water, train our plants to need less and will save some money as well.

This edited checklist is from a webinar offered May 16, 2023 by the UC Master Gardener program of Contra Costa County. The recording of this webinar can be viewed at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNLWBo5clWE