The Coastal Gardener:

Just an hour’s drive north or south of us, gardening is now quite different than it is here in paradise. Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, and most of Orange County, are green and lush, but gardens in Los Angeles and San Diego are quickly turning to shades of brown.

As you might expect, water is the difference. Our local water providers, the city of Newport Beach, the Mesa Consolidated Water District and the Irvine Ranch Water District, have, thus far, only asked for voluntary water conservation.

But for gardeners in Los Angeles and San Diego, the water conservation message isn’t “please.” Instead, it’s the law. On June 1, the hammer dropped in these cities. Lawns and landscapes, once green and lush, are drying up quickly.

In L.A. and San Diego, water conservation is now a directive — and enforcement is stringent. Toll-free hotlines are in place for neighbors to snitch on violators, and enforcement staffs are patrolling neighborhoods. In both cities, landscapes with traditional sprinkler systems can only be watered for a period of 10 minutes. That’s bad, but it gets worse. Los Angeles gardeners are only permitted to water on Mondays and Thursdays. San Diego gardeners are allowed to water only three times per week. In both cities, irrigations are prohibited from mid-morning through late afternoon.

That’s only 20 or 30 minutes of water per week — no exceptions. How would your lawn look on such a water diet?

Los Angeles is in Phase III of its water conservation ordinance. Phase IV limits watering to Mondays only, and Phase V prohibits irrigations completely.

Perhaps it is only a matter of time before the hammer also drops in Newport Coast, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. I know Newport Beach is currently drafting a landscape irrigation and water conservation ordinance. I’ve been watching City Council agendas, because it should come before the full council in the next month or so. The public is welcome at these sessions and I hope to be there myself. Costa Mesa also appears to have an ordinance in the works.

Here’s my complaint with many agencies’ approach to landscape water use: Restrictions such as water days and water duration are just not good horticulture. Out of panic, arbitrary restrictions often create a condition where people water more, not less. Conservation ordinances are often noticed mostly by the very people who are already conserving, while the vast majority of water wasters never get the message.

Many times, conservation ordinances simply frustrate and demoralize those who are already trying hard to do the right thing.

As an example, for years, water agencies (and myself) have been asking homeowners to convert their old clock-based irrigation timers to new weather-based “Smart” controllers. Weather-based controllers irrigate only on the days when plants need water, based upon such factors as temperature, wind and humidity. They irrigate on the days that are appropriate for the plants, not on the days set forth in a city ordinance. Imagine how a homeowner would feel, after paying for and installing a Smart timer, only to learn that a new water ordinance essentially requires them to disarm its conservation settings and use it simply as an old fashioned clock-based timer. How frustrating!

Agencies have also encouraged the use of water-conserving sprinkler heads, even providing millions of dollars in rebates. Homeowners have been unscrewing their old high-flow Rainbirds, Toros and other brands and screwing on these new ultra-conserving nozzles, called MP Rotators. A good move, right?

Not according to the new 10-minute watering rules. Rainbirds, Toros and most other brands spew out water at the rate of about three gallons per minute, while MPs deliver a little less than a gallon per minute. That’s good because it allows the water to soak in and not run off or puddle.

But these new ordinances don’t encourage water-conserving sprinklers; in effect, they discourage them. More frustration.

Those gardeners reading this are lucky — very lucky. We still live and garden in paradise. Our gardens are still green and colorful, but in Los Angeles and San Diego, gardens are drying up and gardeners are getting frustrated.

Let’s hope our city leaders and water agencies continue to behave intelligently.

So far they have, but the pressure to write “water laws” is growing stronger all the time.

Ask Ron

Question: Can I still plant tomatoes for a quick crop before winter?

Martha

Costa Mesa

Answer: Yes, but hurry and choose a short-day, quick-maturing variety like glacier, Siberia, stupice, Manitoba or celebrity. They ripen quickly and handle cool fall weather better than most.

ASK RON your toughest gardening questions, and the expert nursery staff at Roger’s Gardens will come up with an answer. Please include your name, phone number and city, and limit queries to 30 words or fewer. E-mail [email protected], or write to Plant Talk at Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar, CA 92625.

RON VANDERHOFF is the Nursery Manager at Roger’s Gardens, Corona del Mar.