→ View All
Spring Gardening Tips for a Flourishing Garden
As the vibrant colors of spring burst forth and the air fills with the sweet scent of blossoms, it's the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and tend to your garden. Whether you're a seasoned gar...
Boys and Girls Clubs of Manteca/Lathrop
Listed under: Education Families & Children Parks & Recreation
Global initiative leads to local landscapes and ways to save
How are you using water around your house? Much of household water is used outdoors. And if you want to replace that lawn, some water providers offer incentives. Kathy Morrison
Everybody needs water – especially good, clean, drinkable water. Recognizing that universal fact, the United Nations declared March 22 – today – as World Water Day.
World Water Day dates back to 1994 as a way to raise global awareness about water-related issues. About half the world’s population faces severe water scarcity at least part of each year.
How can you be part of World Water Day? As the U.N. says, think globally, act locally – by making the most of every drop.
Which makes today a good time to consider your own garden’s water use and needs. In the warm months ahead, our landscapes account for about half of our total water use. Changes made now can add up to huge savings in water – and dollars – for years to come.
Tune-up your irrigation system with high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles or a smart controller. You’ll save hundreds of gallons a week and your plants will grow healthier. Several local water providers offer rebates for irrigation upgrades. Find them here: https://gbee2f.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/RWA-Incentive-Overview.pdf.
The City of Sacramento, for example, offers rebates for irrigation updates, smart irrigation controllers, rain barrels, and laundry-to-landscape graywater systems.
Or consider replacing thirsty turf with more water-wise alternatives while helping beneficial insects. Several of those same Sacramento-area water providers are offering “Cash for Grass” incentives for lawn replacement. (They’re listed on that same page as the rebates.) Find more water-wise ideas here: https://bewatersmart.info/.
As for the official World Water Day observance, this year’s commemoration puts a special twist on this event: “Water for Peace.” It spotlights how water brings people together and can be a catalyst for harmony.
Learn more here: https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day.
Comments
An article about gardening.
Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Taste Spring! E-cookbook
Find our spring recipes here!
Local News
Thanks to our sponsor!
Sites We Like
Garden Checklist for week of May 19
Temperatures will be a bit higher than normal in the afternoons this week. Take care of chores early in the day – then enjoy the afternoon. It’s time to smell the roses.
* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. If you haven’t already, it’s time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.
* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.
* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.
* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters.
* Plant dahlia tubers. Other perennials to set out include verbena, coreopsis, coneflower and astilbe.
* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.
* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.
* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.
* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.
* Don’t forget to water. Seedlings need moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants.
* Add mulch to the garden to help keep that precious water from evaporating. Mulch also cuts down on weeds. But don’t let it mound around the stems or trunks of trees or shrubs. Leave about a 6-inch to 1-foot circle to avoid crown rot or other problems.
Taste Summer! E-cookbook
Find our summer recipes here!
Taste Fall! E-cookbook
Find our fall recipes here!
Taste Winter! E-cookbook
Find our winter recipes here!
You are subscribed!
Look for our confirmation message in your email inbox.
And look for our newsletter every Monday morning. See you then!
You're already subscribed
It looks like you're already subscribed to the newsletter. Not seeing it in the email inbox of the address you submitted? Be sure to check your spam folder or promotions folder (Gmail) in case your email provider diverted it there.
There was a problem with the submitted email address.
We can't subscribe you with the submitted email address. Please try another.
Subscribe