HELP us build the Ocean Friendly Gardens program in Santa Cruz County.  What parts of this program would you like to see develop?  Want to learn about rebates for replacing your lawn? Want to join a lawn patrol?  Participate in gardenscaping days?  Workshops?  Contact our volunteer resources at volunteer@surfridersc.org to get started. 

 

Fall Updates: 

The rain is a-coming-capture some of it

 

Saturday, October 29, 2011  10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Rainwater Harvesting

Location: Santa Cruz, California

Golden Love of Love’s Gardens will teach this DIY installation and tour of infiltration galleries, basins, and bio-swales to harvest rainwater. Cost is $45.
Register online now!

Rain Harvesting and Water Storage Demonstration, Saturday, Nov. 5, 8 a.m. to noon, Pro-Build Garden Center, 235 River St., Santa Cruz, 423-0223. Rainwater harvesting displays in parking lot, demonstrated by Bruce Hallinan from Bushman Systems of Temecula. Bring your questions, learn how to irrigate your garden while preventing runoff that can pollute waterways and cause erosion. Event is free.

Let your washing machine water your plants:  

Good News!  Santa Cruz has modified their codes and you can now install a greywater system inside the city limits:

City of Santa Cruz amends municipal code to allow graywater systems for irrigation:

On June 28, 2011, the City Council adopted Ordinance 2011-04 that amends the SC Municipal Code and adds a new section to allow graywater use for irrigation.  Graywater is wastewater that originates from showers, bathtubs, bathroom sinks and clothes washing machines.  To view the ordinance, click here: http://64.175.136.240/sirepub/cache/2/c15i4145n4nfuw55yt0vpgna/286706707052011025341754.PDF.  This ordinance will go into effect July 28, 2011.

Good on you Santa Cruz!! Thanks for making saving water and helping our environment even easier!

 

Love our Ocean, gardening and a healthy local ecosystem? 

How about applying a little CPR!

Save some green (money wise and garden wise) and keep your landscape every shade of the rainbow with healthy, interesting, native and diverse plants for your garden.  Follow the three principles of ocean friendly gardening to save water and other resources and help prevent dry and wet-weather runoff from your property that would end up in the ocean:

Conservation-reduce (1) water use (2) fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide use (3) energy use and (4)  air pollution by mulching and composting and by choosing the appropriate plants and watering schedules .   

Be water smart:  Santa Cruz County’s Water Smart website:   From rebate programs to local events learn how to be water smart in your area.  Love this website….especially the water smart gardening pages:

Find the right plant for you and your ecoscape: Plants and Plant Search

Get great ideas for planting with the Garden Gallery and Garden Tours pages. 

Find links to other water wise garden resources: rain water, replacing lawns, permeable hardscapes just about all of it in the Garden Resources section. 

Permeability-reduce runoff by increasing the permeability of our hardscapes

Allow percolation with good choices for materials for walkways, driveways and patios.  Increase the space between pavers and plant instead of mortaring. 

Retention-Let water seep back into our gardens, communities and aquifers.

Build retention ponds, bioswales, dry creek beds and dry wells.  Use rain barrels and graywater.  Look for rebates from your water district for some of these water saving ideas. 

 

Start small, start big but just start. 

We are the solution to pollution and water sustainability.

Simple Steps

1) Don’t water during the heat of the day!  Only water before 10am and after 4pm

2) Mulch!  Compost!

3) Harvest rainwater and re-use graywater

4) Next time you plant, choose a native or low water use variety.

5) Take a Green Gardener Class and learn ocean friendly gardening techniques: http://www.green-gardener.org/  

6) Install drip irrigation, water timers and controllers.

7) Plant the right plants and cluster appropriately: learn your hydrozones -plant with water needs in mind

8 ) Hire a green gardener or landscaper:  http://www.green-gardener.org/            http://www.ecolandscaping.org/

9) Check out the Ocean Friendly Gardens website:  http://www.surfrider.org/ofg.asp

10) Purchase the Ocean Friendly Gardens Book.  Follow the guidelines and set up your own Ocean Friendly Garden.

11) Get your neighbors, friends and co-workers to help you out and inspire them to make their outdoor spaces more Ocean Friendly!