First, there are no plants that can survive without water! True, some plants can survive with less water than others but these are plants with special modifications. Think cactus, creosote bush, mesquite, ceanothus or manzanita.

Some gardeners see a plant labeled as drought tolerant and presume that it will require no water. Wrong, wrong, wrong. All plants, drought tolerant or not require the same care and attention for at least the first year. After the second year, the drought tolerant plants can probably survive on less water than the average plant. So by gradually replacing water guzzlers with drought tolerant species you can eventually reduce water usage.

Lawns are probably the biggest water guzzlers in the home landscape. If you reduce the amount of lawn area and replace it with gravel, tanbark or rock fines, you will reduce by a significant amount the water used for irrigation. Installing synthetic turf (which looks more natural than it did a few years ago) completely eliminates the need for a significant amount of water.

Drip irrigation unquestionably uses less water than spray irrigation over the same area. Drippers do not apply water to areas between plants where there are no plants. There are some shortcomings with the use of drip irrigation but they use water more economically than other methods. If you use spray irrigation, apply the coarsest spray possible early in the day before wind comes up. A fine spray on a windy day can result in up to a 50% loss of water not reaching the plants in the ground. Some people like to set their timers to 4 am where water pressure, wind conditions and the coolness of the early morning are optimum.

The use of flood irrigation of trees results in almost all of the water going into the root zone of the tree. A berm built around each tree individually or around a whole row of trees ensures that the water will stay channeled to the tree’s root zone.

Soaker hoses are almost as efficient as drip irrigation systems and they do a better job of stimulating root development by encouraging roots to grow into a wider area.

Poly crystals added to soil do not conserve water or cause you to use less water. They do permit the soil to hold more water than normal, thus increasing the interval between waterings. They have their greatest value when used in soil mixes going into terra-cotta pots placed in hot, sunny locations.

Finally, and most importantly, use mulch throughout the garden. There should be no place in the garden where bare soil is visible unless it is a path or parking lot. Mulches should be two to four inches thick and be any kind of organic material. Fine materials such as Forest Blend (redwood compost), Gold Rush (fir compost and other material), or Bumper Crop (fir compost and other material) in addition to mulching the soil, gradually mix with the soil and improve the texture of our heavy clay soils. Larger fir bark is also suitable and may be more attractive in some cases.

The role of mulch is to reduce evaporation of water from the soil, help keep the soil at a cooler, more favorable temperature and gradually increase the organic matter in the soil. Mulch should be porous enough to permit water and air to flow through. Newspaper, sawdust and redwood bark (gorilla hair) have been suggested as suitable mulches but they fail the porosity test.

So finally, to conserve water: reduce lawn areas, use plants that require less water, apply water efficiently and mulch, mulch, mulch.

Kids!!! There is still time to enter the Pumpkin Growing Contest
Kids--Come in and get your FREE PUMPKIN SEEDS and sign up! Then grow your own contestant and join us October 21 for fun and the official weigh in.

As we begin summer, it's a bit early to think about Halloween parties. But to be successful growing Halloween pumpkins, you need to plant NOW. The giant prize winning 500 pound monsters are usually started in late May. However, the normal run of the mill 3 to 30 pound beauties will do great at this time. You may also choose from hybrids grown for unusual colors such as white or pink.

You might want to consider those that are particularly tasty for pies or edible seeds. The petite ones are great for decorations for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Simply follow these directions and watch your pumpkins grow:

1. Prepare a mound of soil with Master Nursery Bumper Crop and Eureka Planting Mix.
2. Plant 3 seeds in one hole. When the seeds have sprouted and there is a noticeable difference between the plants, remove the 2 smallest plants.
3. Keep the pumpkins watered and fertilize with Master Nursery Formula 49 Fertilizer every 2 weeks.

The small-fruited varieties will grow well on a fence or trellis. The larger varieties need ground space. As the plants grow, you can turn the runners back toward the stem to reduce the space requirement. As the pumpkin matures, place straw or cardboard under the fruit to help prevent rot and insect damage. Pick when the stems start to dry. Be sure to leave a 3" or longer stem for that perfect jack-o-lantern top.

If you want something different, try Million Bells. Petunia Million Bells blooms from June to October and grow to a height of 6 inches in full sun. The vigorous stems create a dome of dense foliage that’s just smothered in a unique myriad of bell-shaped flowers, hence the name Million Bells. It’s beautiful, it’s tolerant of all weather and it’s easy to care for—the flowers just keep on coming right through into the autumn.

Beneficial nematodes (Steinernema feltiae) are microscopic roundworms which prey on soil and wood-boring pests, such as flea larvae, white grubs, cutworms, strawberry weevils, cabbage root maggots, and fungus gnat larvae. They act by penetrating pest hosts and in conjunction with bacteria they carry, kill most hosts within several days. Steinernema complete their lifecycle in the host’s body, which culminates in the emergence of juvenile nematodes. The entire cycle takes between 7 to 14 days. This particular species of nematode is not harmful to humans, domestic animals, earthworms, ladybugs, lacewings, or praying manti. Each package contains 7 million BN and covers up to 2000 square feet. Faster results occur with higher concentrations. See our Care Guide for full instructions.

Name: Pia Santiago
Position at Wegman's: Cashier
Hobbies: Going out and playing with my daughter
Favorite Food: Pasta
Favorite Plant or flower: Roses
Favorite garden center product: Flowers!

Trivia Question: Darlingtonia californica--what an attractive name! But it's known better for a disgusting habit. What is it?

Question and answer from June 8th edition:

What food for rabbits is also used to feed roses?

Answer: “Alfalfa. Use meal or pellets. Meal is a purer product. Usually make a tea and pour around bushes. Contains a growth hormone.”

You can tell we are a little new at this! There have been winners to our trivia questions and we have emailed our winners to come in and pick up their $15 Gift Certificates and our kudos.

From our very first edition on April 28th, the question was:
When and by whom was the first edible tomato relative brought to the Old World from the New World?

This question was the brain child of our Mr. Ed and the answer is Christopher Columbus.

Winner: F. W. Miller, Congratulations!

The second question on May 11:
The shape of a flower bud inspired the Greek name (and we do use the name) of this popular garden plant. The flower buds seem to resemble part of the head of a well-known mammal.

What is the plant, and what is the mammal?

The answer is: The plant is delphinium and the mammal is the dolphin.

Winner: Heidi Stenner, Congratulations!

The third trivia question on May 28th:
What is the meaning of the Greek name ‘penstemon’?

The answer is: Five stamens or threads.

Winner: Lucie Ramos, Congratulations!

The fourth question on June 8th:
What food for rabbits is also used to feed roses?

You all knew this one—Alfalfa.

Winner: Sharon Hom, who says she should know because she has 2 bunnies and 3 rose bushes, Congratulations!

Thanks to all who sent in their answers and their fun comments. We hope you are having as much fun with this as we are. Keep entering and we will be timelier with the winners.