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Gardening Information
According to data from the National Climatic Data Center, the average minimum temperatures in the Bay Area have risen by more than four degrees over the past 75 years, and rainfall has decreased by 20%. Similar changes have taken place in the past, but these changes have happened over millennia, not decades.
If the current climate models are correct, we’re apt to see less snow and earlier melt times over the course of each successive season. These are not changes that are measured in years, but in decades, and will necessitate both short term and long-term strategies. This means planning for longer periods of drought and increased risk of fires and working to prevent the loss of precious riparian corridors that support the wildlife essential to the survival of plant systems.
10 Essential Conservation Measures for California Gardeners
Here are ten simple steps that California gardeners can take to conserve resources and adapt to California’s changing climate.
- Plant water-wise native and Mediterranean climate plants
- Eliminate or reduce water hungry lawns
- Switch to drip irrigation rather than overhead sprinklers
- Water in the cooler hours of the morning to minimize evaporation
- Use succession planning techniques for creating gradually adapted gardens
- Use your gas guzzler less – bike to the nursery, or consolidate your trip with another errand
- Reduce reliance on fossil fuel-derived nitrogen fertilizers
- Mulch to conserve soil moisture
- Compost household and garden waste to create healthy soil
- Support legislation that protects the environment
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