FRESNO (KMJ) — With efforts to curtail the amount of water we use – valley horticulturists are being asked to cut back too – but that doesn’t mean letting your yard go brown.
New state rules to cut back on our water use also includes the amount of time we can use sprinklers but Fresno City Council say conservation doesn’t mean your yard has to go brown.
They’re holding the 7th annual ‘Water-Wise Give and Take Plant Event’ Saturday morning.
“This is a perfect event to come and learn about water wise landscaping and irrigation”, says Fresno’s Water Conservation Supervisor Nora Laikam
“Many people interpret ‘drought-resistant’ as dry landscapes with dirt, rocks and cactus. But every year, the public is amazed at the array of colorful and beautiful options we have at the Water-Wise Plant Event that are not only beautiful, but conserve water and can save them money.”
She says responsible irrigation is one of the most important things you can do – making a note of how long it takes for water to start running off and only watering for that length of time.
“That would be key to so many things that would help us meet our 28% reduction that the Governor is asking us to do – all cities in California to do”.
Figures show landscape irrigation represents up to 70 percent of water use in a typical household – and now we all need to cut back that seems like a good place to start.
The event itself is on Saturday May 2nd at Fresno State Horticulture Greenhouse Park (3150 E. Barstow Ave) and goes on from 8am until 12pm. Parking is available on the north side of the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market (5368 N. Chestnut Ave).
“This is an exciting opportunity to answer questions about using water wisely in the Central Valley,” said Calliope Correia, Fresno State horticulture technician. “There is a wide cross-section of experts from all areas from gardening, landscaping, irrigation and the USDA — so there’s a lot we can learn from each other. This event gets bigger and bigger every year, and we’re expecting an even larger turnout this year.”
The program will include a master gardener clinic, plant information booths, gardening irrigation and controller experts, and a plant sale. Gardeners who bring water-wise plants, cuttings, bulbs, seeds and trees to exchange with other guests will also receive a special gift from the City of Fresno.
