Carmichael residents came together Saturday, October 13 to improve a neighbor's front yard while learning sustainable landscaping during a free hands-on workshop and "Garden Party." // Photos courtesy

Carmichael residents came together Saturday, October 13 to improve a neighbor’s front yard while learning sustainable landscaping during a free hands-on workshop and “Garden Party.”

Part of the Blue Thumb Neighbors program, landscape designer Cheryl Buckwalter and irrigation specialist Don Smith taught participants how to replace water-wasting lawn sprinklers with more efficient ones, install in-line irrigation and plant beautiful, low-water use flowers and plants.

After the instruction, participants dug in to create a beautiful result–new irrigation, flowers and plants that are both attractive and water smart.

The hands-on Garden Party was the final element of Blue Thumb Neighbors,  a free program that teaches participants how to create beautiful, River-Friendly landscapes. River-Friendly landscaping is a holistic approach to sustainable landscaping that uses resources, like water, efficiently and incorporates practices that foster soil health, reduce waste and prevent pollution of the air and waterways.

Each of Carmichael’s 58 participating households received a free at-home consultation on efficient watering sponsored by the Carmichael Water District, as well as resource kits and education during three September workshops on sustainable landscape design, efficient watering and selecting beautiful low-water use plants. Two participants won weather-based “smart” irrigation controllers donated by Rain Bird and Hunter for completing all program components.

During the program participants learned that more than 60 percent of a household’s water use occurs in the landscape. Of that, it’s estimated that more than 30 percent is wasted due to overwatering and evaporation. They learned how to program their sprinkler systems to deliver just the amount of water plants need and about low-water use plants that are especially suited to thrive in the Sacramento region. Volunteer instructors included Buckwalter of design firm Landscape Liaisons, Smith of the City of Folsom and Ellen Zagory of the U.S. Davis Arboretum.

“Carmichael Water District is thrilled by the number of participants who embraced this truly valuable program,” said CWD Public Information Officer Chris Nelson. “Our water use affects the beautiful American River and our local streams that help make Carmichael unique. When we use more water in our landscape, we leave less in our waterways to support fish, plants, wildlife and recreation.  Blue Thumb Neighbors teaches us how to be good stewards so there is enough water for all.”

Blue Thumb Neighbors is sponsored by the Regional Water Authority, which includes 22 water providers in the Sacramento region, including Carmichael Water District. The program was offered in partnership with the Carmichael Creek Neighborhood Association.

For information about bringing Blue Thumb Neighbors to your community, contact your local water provider or Blue Thumb Neighbors Program Coordinator Christine Kohn at 916-944-1631.

About 60 percent of the world’s population does not have access to fresh drinking water. By making simple changes, everyone can make a big impact on water consumption.
This concept was conveyed at a water conservation workshop presented by the city of Sacramento Department of Utilities Water Conservation Office on July 14 at 2260 Glen Ellen Circle.

Vincent Smelser, water conservation specialist for the city of Sacramento, began the morning by explaining the city ordinances in effect to save water. Smelser let folks know there are many ways to save on their water bill. He pointed out enforcement comes in the form of citations and fines can get up to $500.
Water use around the home
Smelser suggested when washing the car, use a shut-off nozzle. Running hoses are no longer allowed, he said.
Another way to save on water is sweeping the patio or sidewalk instead of hosing it down.

Smelser said per city ordinance, the only time water is allowed for cleaning a sidewalk is if there is an unsanitary event, but to be careful not to wash animal excrement or chemicals into the gutter, that also constitutes a fine.
When to water
Watering is allowed between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. For spring through fall, odd number addresses water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Even number addresses water on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
During winter, (when daylight saving time ends) folks are allowed to water only one day a week, either Saturday or Sunday.
Smelser said often times improperly functioning sprinklers waste a lot of water.
Another water waster are older toilets. The city has a rebate program up to $100 for toilets installed prior to 1992. The city also offers free showerheads and aerators for the sink.
On average a person saves 25 gallons of water the first 10 minutes of their shower using a water saving showerhead, he said.“The courthouse on Bicentennial Circle saved 300,000 gallons of water a year just by replacing the aerators,” Smelser said. “Just by using a water efficient toilet, one can save 12,000 gallons of water a year.”
City services
The city of Sacramento makes water-wise house calls for folks within city limits. A trained water conservation specialist will visit the home or office to identify potential water savings both inside the home and outside. If needed, the city will analyze and make suggestions on how to improve the soil, keeping water costs down.
Smelser said the city is able to identify leaks through smart meter technology. The water department is able to tell by looking at a residential water bill online where the leaks are located. Consumer’s now have the option of looking at their bill online to see where their water is being used most frequently.
Watering methods
Smelser demonstrated various methods used for watering; spray, hose and drip. The city provides information on the best watering system for different types of landscapes.
Smelser said to keep sprinklers in good repair. There are proper designs to keep sprinkler heads from breaking. Pop ups should be even with the ground. A good timer is essential to saving water.
“Seventy percent of water goes to landscaping in the summer, and switches to bathrooms in winter” Smelser said. “27 to a 1,000 gallons of water per irrigation is used for a typical landscape.”
A water-efficient yard
David Campbell, Siegfried Engineering and designer of the city of Sacramento’s water efficient demonstration garden, gave a presentation discussing drought tolerant plants, shrubs and grasses used for landscaping. He also discussed efficient ways to design yards and water saving irrigation systems.
Campbell, a licensed landscape architect, said when designing a landscape around saving water, there are specific things to think about.
The function and design of outdoor landscaping, turf alternatives and how efficiently the water is delivered are important in designing a water saving landscape.
“When thinking about what your yard is used for, turf is not the only answer,” Campbell said. “Grass is the cheapest, but not the most water efficient way to landscape a yard.”
Landscapes may include gardens, a place to escape to, or a place to attract birds and butterflies. Campbell said often yards are used for screening or buffering the home from busy streets and noise.
Types of plants
Campbell discussed a variety of plants, ornamental grasses, shrubs and groundcovers that are drought tolerant. He said some landscapes change throughout the year with the seasons and some folks enjoy seeing their landscape change.
There are many types of grasses that do not need constant mowing, watering, aerating, or fertilizing. He said ornamental grasses are not meant for foot traffic.
“A group called WUCOS (Water Use Classification of Landscape Species) now has empirical data on how much water certain types of landscapes use,” Campbell said. “The information can be accessed online through the University of California Extension.”
The irrigation system
Campbell explained there are different types of conversions kits people can use to update and improve their irrigation system. In general, overhead sprays are 30 to 55 percent efficient, rotators and rotors are 65 to 75 percent efficient, bubbles and micro sprays are 80 to 85 percent efficient and drip is 85 to 90 percent efficient.
All who came to the meeting left with buckets full of free goodies to improve water use in the home and information on how to conserve water with an efficient landscape.
For more information on water savings, visit www.cityofsacramento.org/utilities or call 311.
sally@valcomnews.com

The spring rains are tapering off, the local area received some “previews” of the summer heat to come, and home gardeners’ thoughts are turning to…tomatoes. California’s capital city is nicknamed “Sacra-tomato” with good reason – tomatoes thrive here. The locals may not worship the tomato, but they certainly revere it.

Rich heritage

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES are Sacramento favorites. Sacramento’s unique growing climate is ideal for tomatoes. Hence, the Capital City’s nickname, “Sacra-tomato.” / Photo iStockphoto

While a “fruit” by botanical definition, the tomato was designated a “vegetable” by the Supreme Court in 1893. It originated in South America and was distributed throughout the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas.

Thomas Jefferson grew tomatoes at Monticello. At that time, some thought tomatoes were poisonous (they aren’t). Urban legend says that, on a visit to Lynchburg, Jefferson terrified one of the locals when he paused to snack on a tomato on the steps of the Miller-Claytor house.

Good for you

Tomatoes are nutritious and low in calories. A medium-sized tomato boasts only 35 calories.

There is a tomato for every taste and culinary need.

Cherry and grape tomatoes are bite-sized for snacking and are a staple of summer salads.

Paste tomatoes are used for sauces, catsup, tomato paste, and canning.

Slicing tomatoes are the largest of all. Some of these “big boys” can weigh in at over two pounds. They are wonderful sliced and served on a plate, or on sandwiches and burgers.

Get gardening

So, it’s absolutely the right time to be thinking about getting Sacramento’s favorite summer vegetable into the garden.

Avid tomato enthusiasts started their plants from seed in late January and through February. If you started plants from seed, now is the time to begin gradually acclimating your plants to the outdoors.

If you got a late start in the garden, it’s not too late. Now through June is the ideal time to get young tomato plants into the ground. There are many tomato plants available at local nurseries and garden shops.

Each gardener, according to the UC Cooperative Extension Sacramento County office, has an opinion about the most reliable tomatoes to plant each spring. These opinions are based on flavor, yield and disease resistance.

Heirloom or hybrid?

Another factor to consider: heirloom vs. hybrid?

Heirloom tomato varieties are more than 50 years old and open-pollinated. Often, seeds are saved and passed down by generations of tomato growers. These seeds are even traded.

Hybrid tomato cultivars are newer. They were developed after 1950. Hybrids are the result of crossing different parents.

Pros and cons

Hybrid tomatoes have greater disease resistance and higher yields than heirloom tomatoes. The trade-off is that the flavor is not necessarily better than heirloom varieties.

Another factor to consider is nutritional value. A University of Texas study notes that nutritional value in supermarket tomatoes has dropped since 1950, when hybrid tomatoes began to enter the food supply.

“Emerging evidence suggests that when you select for yield, crops grow bigger and faster, but they don’t necessarily have the ability to make or uptake nutrients at the same, faster rate,” said Dr. Donald Davis, the leader of study wrote.

One positive factor for the home gardener is the ability to control the use of inorganic chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Keeping these chemicals out of your garden – and out of your food – will keep them out of your body.

Most of all, having these beauties in the home garden is a source of satisfaction. The ability to conveniently retrieve the freshest, tastiest tomatoes for your next backyard barbeque with friends and family surely rates as one of the unique advantages to living in this region.

SIDEBAR

Tomatoes that grow best in Sacramento County

UCCE Sacramento County Master Gardeners have had best results growing the following “tried-and-true” varieties in their home gardens and at the Fair Oaks Horticultural Center:

Cherry/Grape Tomatoes

Black Cherry (black/brown – heirloom)

Green Grape (greenish yellow – heirloom)

Juliet (red – hybrid) Sweet 100 (red – hybrid)

Large Red Cherry (red – heirloom)

Sun Cherry (red – hybrid)

Sun Gold (yellow-orange – hybrid)

Sun Sugar (orange – hybrid)

Sweet Million (red – hybrid)

Paste Tomatoes

Fresh Salsa (red – hybrid)

Italian Gold (yellow-orange – hybrid)

Orange Banana (orange – heirloom)

Super Marzano (red – hybrid)

Heirloom Slicing Tomatoes

Abe Lincoln (red)

Amana Orange (yellow-orange)

Aunt Ruby’s German Green (green with yellow hints)

Azoychka (yellow)

Caspian Pink (pink)

Cherokee Purple (purple/black)

Eva Purple Ball (dark pink)

Evergreen (green)

Hawaiian Pineapple (yellow-orange)

Jaune Flamme (orange)

Julia Child (deep pink)

Kellogg’s Breakfast (orange)

Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom (yellow)

Marianna’s Peace (pink)

Mortgage Lifter (pink)

Omar’s Lebanese (pink)

Paul Robeson (black)

Redfield Beauty (pink)

Rose (deep pink)

Rose de Berne (pink)

Virginia Sweets (yellow with red stripes)

Hybrid Slicing Tomatoes

Ace (red)

Better Boy (red)

Big Beef (red)

Brandy Boy (pink)

Celebrity (red)

Dinner Plate (red)

Early Girl (red)

Lemon Boy (yellow)

Oregon Spring (red)

Park’s Whopper (red)

Super Fantastic (red)

Whopper VFN (red)

Last week, I planted my summer garden.

Marty Relles

I started by digging up the soil in my raised bed. Then, I hoed the dirt, raked it, poured manure on it and then raked it again.

After watering the plot, I planted tomatoes, squash, green beans, green peppers and lettuce.

Doing this brought back memories of father’s vegetable garden.

One day, back in the late 1950s, my dad came home from a rough day at work and said, “This year I will plant a summer vegetable garden, like my father did.”

Sure enough, that weekend, Dad began to dig in the back yard.

Soon, he had dug up almost one third of the yard.

After digging, he hoed the soil until it had a nice even texture, then he amended it with fertilizer. Finally, he raked the soil into neat rows with watering channels in between, and planted different vegetables in each row: tomatoes, green beans, squash, cucumbers, radishes and lettuce.

We were skeptical.

After all, don’t they sell all these things in the store.

But, within a few weeks, the little plants began rising from the soil. It seemed like a miracle.

By summertime, a full-fledged vegetable garden filled the back part of our yard.

Dad had done it: grown a garden just like his step father, Rosario Petta did in his big side yard.

During the great depression, Rosario had fed his big family with the vegetables he grew in his yard. Now Dad would feed us with the bounty harvested from his plot.

We grew to love the produce harvested from Dad’s garden: the fresh green lettuce, the sautéed squash, the tender green beans and crisp cucumbers. Vegetables grown in our own garden did, indeed, taste much better than those from the store.

Dad even cooked up fresh tomato sauce for spaghetti, just like Grandma Petta made.

Growing his own summer garden did more for Dad then just provide food for the table. It relieved the stress from his job, and gave him a connection to the earth. He worked in that garden right up until the day he died.

Now, as I plant my summer vegetables, I think of Dad and the wonderful things he grew. I hope that someday my daughter will grow vegetables in her own garden. She is already a wonderful cook.

Now the thought of my Dad’s summer harvest is just another bountiful Janey Way memory.

marty@valcomnews.com

Join UCCE Master Gardener Roberta Hopkins as she explains and demonstrates several ways to compost and enrich your garden. This special adult program will be held at the Belle Cooledge Library on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. to noon.

COMPOST helps to correct soil problems, aerate soil and grow healthy plants. Learn more about this easy, convenient garden tool from a master gardener at the Belle Cooledge Library on Saturday, Sept. 10. / Photo iStockphoto

Compost is organic matter that has broken down (decomposed) and can be recycles as a fertilizer and soil amendment for the garden. It is a key ingredient in organic gardening. Compost is also useful for erosion control, landfill cover and more.

The Belle Cooledge Library is located at 5600 South Land Park Drive in Sacramento. For information, call (916) 264-2920 or visit www.saclibrary.org.

The recession has hit the wallets of the majority in this country in one way or another. Local governments are not immune from having to make changes to their day-to-day spending either. People have been laid off and services once taken for granted have been eliminated completely.

THE LAND PARK VOLUNTEER CORPS is making a difference in the neighborhood. This grass-roots group works hard at tidying up William Land Park and the surrounding area. They receive no compensation for their hard work, except for an occasional “atta-boy” from a passing neighbor. / Photo courtesy, Jill Macdonell

But in Land Park, despite the recession and deep budget cuts, residents have found a way to sprout something positive: in the form of the community-driven Land Park Volunteer Corps.

If you live near or frequent William Land Park on the weekends, you have probably seen members of this group hard at work tidying up the park and surrounding areas. That is where the group meets each month to take part in what they call “park work days.”

Craig Powell, lead coordinator of the group, described how the community came together to beautify the park.

“I used to be a member of the Land Park Community Association and I saw first-hand how deep the budget cuts were every year,” Powell said. “I didn’t want to see our beautiful parks deteriorate before our eyes.”

Initially it was hard to get the word out about helping clean up the area, but Powell said he always had a feeling that if they put out a call, the community would answer. On May 1, 2010, Powell and associates delivered 1,000 letters to Land Park residents asking for workers and donations.

He hoped for a few volunteers and perhaps a few hundred dollars in total.

Instead, Powell was met with a staggering 400-plus number of volunteers and over $9,000 in donations. Since that time, the volunteer corps has gone to work reinvigorating the park.

The work days, which take place the first Saturday of each month, begin behind Fairytale Town at 8 a.m. for a breakfast that is catered by local businesses. At 8:25 a.m., six to nine teams are dispatched to work on different projects that are decided upon days in advance by Powell and park superintendent Frank Hernandez. Of the 400 or so contributing members, roughly 60 to 90 are there to work on a given work day. From 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., the teams work continuously on their projects.

“It would blow your mind how much work they get done in two and a half hours,” Powell said.

The monthly projects include trimming the badly overgrown ivy behind Funderland that Powell said “encroaches onto the pathway,” maintenance of flower beds on Sutterville Road, weed wacking, clipping and cutting outgrowths at the bases of trees, pond clean-up, bush trimming and even helping to renovate the stables at the pony rides by adding a new roof.

The group has taken part in 11 park workdays so far since its May 2010 beginning, and Powell said that 90 percent of the bushes the group has trimmed had not been trimmed in years. Powell calls these endeavors “monster bush trims.”

The money that is donated is used to supply tools and supplies for the work that needs doing. Workers range from young to old and all are welcome to join in on the clean-up effort. The non-profit organization receives no compensation for the work they do other than the donations made to help fund the outings. But according to Powell, the response from the community has been payment enough.

“Our pay comes from getting ‘atta boys’ from people passing by,” he said.

People are curious to see what the group is doing and Powell said that everyone seems to think it’s a great idea. Powell notices more and more new people showing up for the work days due to word of mouth from other members. Anyone is welcome to join in on the projects as Powell explained that “someone can arrive having never gardened or landscaped before and will be able to do so after two and a half hours.”

While none of the volunteers receive wages for their work, Powell said that the payoff is in seeing the results of their toil right in front of them.

“People can see exactly what they’ve done and they get that endorphin rush of working hard and then sitting down to have lunch.”

ALL THAT IS NEEDED to help out with the Land Park Volunteer Corps is a pair of your own gloves and a willingness to “get down to business.” Financial donations for the purchase of gardening tools are also welcome. / Photo courtesy, Jill Macdonnell

The work days end with a lunch also provided by local businesses.

From humble beginnings that came about because of huge budget cuts, Powell cannot get over how quickly the group has grown in just over a year.

“It has been more successful than I ever thought it would be,” he said.

The group runs nine months out of the year from March through November. Anyone interested in becoming a part of the corps can contact Powell by phone at (916) 718-3030 or by email at ckpinsacto@aol.com. The group has a mailing address where donations can be sent and Powell said that the corps is looking to broaden the fundraising base. Donations can be sent to: Land Park Volunteer Corps., 3053 Freeport Blvd. #231, Sacramento, CA 95818.

The next park work day takes place on Aug. 6 at 8 a.m. at the normal “base camp” behind Fairytale Town. All the group asks is that you bring your own gloves and a willingness to get down to business.

benn@valcomnews.com

Little green creatures are terra-forming East Sacramento. They are not from Alpha Centauri and they don’t speak Martian, but they are members of a Green Team.

The small beings are students at Theodore Judah Elementary School. They dig, collect and process more than 50 pounds of compost and maintain multiple gardens on the elementary school campus.

The Science Alive program at the school makes this all possible with the student Green Team.

Shannon Hardwicke is their fearless leader.

Hardwicke cultivated the program in 2008. The school’s principal approached her with a simple garden plan that grew and grew.

“Now we have a whole campus science and green program with a multi-zone garden,” she said.

Hardwicke loves the mess of country life and so do the children.

“I have three kids at the school. This is the perfect place to work,” she said.

Hardwicke is the only paid employee of the program. She receives a small salary from the school’s PTA. All the other adult coordinators are volunteers.

The program is a lunchtime optional class. Kids eat lunch and then hit the dirt. They are part of the school’s Green Team that works the land. It’s a commitment for the pint-sized farmers.

“It’s a lot for a seven year-old to give up lunch free time,” she said.

Hardwicke watches a batch of children chew, as they hurry eating so they can get to work.

“We started with just a few kids and now we have more than 45 students on the Team,” she said. “At first it was just the elementary pupils. Today the primary, pre-kindergarten and pre-school are involved.”

The pupils study science lessons and manage multiple stations in the operation. There are several vegetable plots, a compost operation, a green house, butterfly pavilion, and the students participate in a nationwide study.

Science Alive is also a pilot program for Sacramento City Unified School District.

Harvesting dirt

A rangy girl with turned backwards, adult-sized gloves, (on the wrong hands, too) held up a wriggling line on her palm, “Look, it’s a worm!” she crowed. A smiling circle gathered to stare at the worm and then enthusiastically began to mine for more.

“OK, let’s put the worms back,” a volunteer gently steered the group back to work.

It’s dirt season and the kids love it. On a cool school day, a cluster of pupils moved earth. They dug, sifted, and bagged pounds of fresh, rich compost.

Students labeled lunch bags with crayon and lined up the soil-stuffed sacks on a table.

“This is harvest time. They’ve been prepping, turning, adding to and ripping biodegradable lunch trays for the compost all year. Now we’ll be selling it at a fundraiser,” Hardwick said.

Tap and stack

“I guess you could call me a waste manager,” Yolanda Milken smiles.

Milken is one of the volunteer parents.

Garbage mounts up quickly at a school. Milken figured out a way to cut down the number of trash pickup days and use more waste in the compost heap.

Students now empty milk cartons before throwing them away.

“With the milk out of the carton, the garbage doesn’t stink,” she said. “This cuts garbage pick up from five days a week down to two.”

Each student also carefully taps food leftovers from their trays into a collection can. This is added to the compost.

Flight

Behind a group of portables, stands a tall, black mesh tent. This is the Butterfly Pavilion.

Monarchs and other types of butterflies are nursed here. The students raise the wild things from eggs, through babyhood to adults, and then release them.

The pollenators help the kids complete the growing cycle and teach them about the circle of life.

Scientific inquiry

A tripod with a mini solar panel crouches over a broccoli patch at the school.

The Science Alive program at Theodore Judah Elementary was awarded $20,000 from Hidden Valley and selected to be one of five American schools to participate in an agricultural study.

A solar camera watches one section of the garden and the growth is measured and compared to four other student gardens across the country.

“We’ve had a slow start with the odd weather, but we’re still participating,” said Hardwicke.

The classroom

One half of the project is practice and the other half is theory. The project’s science lab gives teachers a hands-on area to teach conservation principles and green technology.

Kindergarten teacher Audrey Marshall is a teacher-partner.

“I’m part of the Green Team. Several teachers and I bring students to the class,” she said.

The community

“I never envisioned all this when we started. Our kids learn real science and conservation techniques,” said Hardwicke.

The Green Team is a group effort. Dozens of volunteer parents help at the school.

“The adults all work together and shuffle responsibilities to sustain the Green Team,” Hardwicke said.

The community also pitches in. Seland’s restaurant is one of the local waste-contributing vendors.

Compton’s Market hosts an annual fundraiser for the school. Students sell bags of super dirt (compost) to neighbors at the event and enjoy a festival with a barbeque and other fun activities.

The women have gone far beyond sustaining the Team. They’ve created a nationally recognized pilot program. They’ve got the ‘green’ stuff and they are growing.

It was a win-win scenario for two Sacramento area families, as they went “head-to-head” for an upcoming edition of the DIY network’s reality show, “Turf War.” The identities of the families and exact location were confidential, since the show will air in the spring, but the Pocket News was allowed to snap a few photos.

In the show, two neighbors compete to win $5,000 and the title of “best yard on the block” by the show’s host, Ahmed Hassan. Each team is given the same materials and time to transform their yards – and to recruit friends and family to help. Film crews were on hand to document the process, which involved a great many people.

At the end of the show, neighbors tour both yards and vote on their favorite. The winner receives the prize money – and bragging rights – but both families and the neighborhood at large win because of the beautiful yards.

Seniors-smiling

Seniors can learn about free services, including:

• Free flu shots with Medicare Part B
• Eye screenings
• Dental exams
• On-site pharmacists
• Home and fire safety
• Haircuts/grooming
• Massages
• On-the-spot legal assistance
• Crime prevention workshop
• “Free Bookstore”
• Gardening tips
• Much more.

There will be leisure enrichment resources, a senior café and more. Language translation available.

The Senior Awareness Day is sponsored by the City of Sacramento’s Neighborhood Services Division and Department of Parks and Recreation. The Pannell/Meadowview Community Center is located at 2450 Meadowview Road (corner of 24th Street and Meadowview Road) in Sacramento. For more information, call (916) 808-6525.