Turn Those Sprinklers Down A Little

The days are getting shorter, and that means you may consider turning down your automatic sprinklers a bit.

CCWD recommends watering your lawn three days per week, shrubs and trees one to two days per week.

This is just a slight change from July and August, the months when most yards need the most water.

There may be some hot days left in this unusual summer. Unless your yard gets cooked, you probably don’t need to add more water past our recommendation for the month. With the days getting noticeably shorter, there’s a lot less sunlight.

Check here for all the details.

Lose the Lawn & Grow a Garden

Our Pilot Water-Efficient Landscape Rebate Program returns, offering rebates to customers who replace their lawns with water-saving gardens.

Rebates are up to $500 for residential customers. Multi-family and commercial customers can earn up to $5,000.

Please follow the steps to make sure you receive your rebate. Don't start on your project until you receive a "Notice to Proceed" from CCWD.

Take a look at our short video, where CCWD Conservation Supervisor Chris Dundon shows how he “lost the lawn” at his own home and grew a garden. The effort cut his water consumption in half, and his yard is beautiful.

Water Saving Classes at Ruth Bancroft Garden

There are several classes and events coming up in September at the Ruth Bancroft Garden.

Most notable is "Drought-Tolerant Edibles" Saturday, Sept. 3 and "Free Water: Utilizing Rain Water and Greywater" on Saturday, Sept. 17.

CCWD is a sponsor of both of these. Find out more.

Native Plant Symposium in September

A two-day native plant symposium will be held Sept. 17 and 18 here in the Bay Area. A variety of organizations will be running the symposium titled "Growing Natives: Inspiring & Enduring Gardens.”

Save Water & Save Money With CCWD Coupons

We have coupons for discounts at car washes that recycle their water, and at local nurseries where you can buy water-saving mulch at a discount.

Turn Your Sprinklers Up A Notch in July

It’s July, and the weather – at last – seems close to normal.

With its long and hot days, July is also when you should turn your automatic sprinklers up a notch to keep your yard green.

For your lawn, we recommend watering three or four days per week, and your trees and shrubs two to three days per week. Of course, the best time is to water in the early morning between 3 and 8 a.m. before the sun comes up. This allows the water to soak in and help your plants before it can evaporate.

If your auto system allows it, water in short cycles.

See all the details here.

Lose the Lawn & Grow a Garden

Our Pilot Water-Efficient Landscape Rebate Program returns, offering rebates to customers who replace their lawns with water-saving gardens.

Rebates are up to $500 for residential customers. Multi-family and commercial customers can earn up to $5,000.

Please follow the steps to make sure you receive your rebate. Don't start on your project until you receive a "Notice to Proceed" from CCWD.

Take a look at our short video, where CCWD Conservation Supervisor Chris Dundon shows how he “lost the lawn” at his own home and grew a garden. The effort cut his water use in half, and his yard is beautiful.

Native Plant Symposium in September

A two-day native plant symposium will be held Sept. 17 and 18 here in the Bay Area. A variety of organizations will be running the symposium titled "Growing Natives: Inspiring & Enduring Gardens" will include a number of speakers, workshops and demonstrations. CCWD is a sponsor.

Car Wash & Mulch Coupons Return!

Our very popular Smart Wash Car Wash and Mulch, Mulch, Mulch coupon programs return with money and water savings.

With the car washes, we have money-saving coupons for various car washes that recycle their water. All you need to do is print one of these coupons, and you'll get a discount on your next wash.

The mulch program is similar, with a coupon that gives you discounts on your purchases of mulch. Mulch helps save water in your garden.

We expect to add more coupons soon, so check back on both programs if there isn't a car wash or nursery near you. This is the third year we've offered these discounts, and they've become very popular with our customers.

Free Tickets To The Spring Home & Garden Show

We have free tickets available to the Spring Home and Garden Show at the Sleep Train Pavilion on April 8, 9 & 10.

These tickets are for general admission, and do not include parking.

All you need to do is print out as many tickets as you need.

“Is Your Irrigation an Irritation?” is the theme of the District's booth and will highlight common irrigation system problems and their solutions.

50 Gardens Featured In Bringing Back The Natives Tour

CCWD is a sponsor of the "Bringing Back The Natives Garden Tour" that will be held on Sunday, May 1.

This year, there will be 50 gardens featured in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

It's a fun event, and a great way to see new possibilities for using native drought-resistant plants in your garden.

Take Care of Your Water Pipes During Upcoming Cold Weather

Unusually cold weather is being forecast for this weekend, so make sure you take some steps to keep your water pipes from bursting.

We have a complete guide that will help you protect your pipes, and thaw them should they freeze.

Here's all the information here:

http://www.ccwater.com/customerservice/FrozenPipes.asp

Don't Forget To Protect Your Garden Hoses As Well

Your garden hoses can also burst in the cold. So spend a moment protecting them.

If you leave the hoses outside, take off the spray nozzles and take out any kinks so there is plenty of room for the water in the hoses to expand as temperatures drop.

Make Sure Your Automatic Sprinklers Are Off

With a very wet winter, it's obvious. But, since we advise you to run them early in the morning during the dry months, maybe you wouldn't notice if they are are running. It's a good idea to check to make sure they are off.

Thinking About Watering Your Lawn?

We haven't had any measurable rain in Concord since Jan. 13, and that was just a tiny bit. While the weather has been absolutely pleasant, the soaking wet days of November and December seem like a long time ago and there is no rain in the immediate forecast.

Is it time to water your lawn or garden again, even in January?

Check First

While we've seen sunny weather, the days are -- of course-- short and very cool compared to the middle of summer.

We suggest you check your soil before unrolling the hose. Pick up a clump of dirt in your hand, and feel for moisture. Use your hand shovel to dig around a little and see if there's moisture in the soil. Check in several places.

If you've put mulch around your shrubs and trees, these areas particularly should still be moist. Especially if your yard faces toward the south, it may be getting dry.

If Needed, Go Ahead & Water Your Lawn

If the soil's moist, of course, you don't need to water.

If it's dry, you may want to hand-water with a hose or turn your sprinklers on for a short time. You will not need a lot of water, so don't turn the sprinklers on and leave them running for a long time.

Use This Time To Check Your Sprinkler System

While the sprinklers are running, it's a good time to check your entire sprinkler system. Look for clogged, mis-aimed or broken emitters or pipes. You may want to remove a sprinkler at the end of the system and flush out any dirt.

With the mild weather, you have time to fix things now without risking damage to your plants and lawn while waiting for a spare moment to make repairs.

Don't Turn Your Timers On

It may be tempting to turn on your sprinkler timers, and let them do the work for the next few weeks.

That's not a good idea. Your yard will not need a lot of water, and with rapidly-changing winter weather still ahead of us, you may end up wasting a lot of water should you forget to turn them off.

Operate the sprinklers manually. CCWD doesn't advise turning your timers back on until March, and even then, that's only one day a week for your lawn.

Starting to Plan Your Summer Garden?

The "Bringing Back the Natives" Garden tour on Sunday, May 1 will be a great way to see how local gardeners have used drought-tolerant native plants to create beautiful gardens. More than 50 gardens in Contra Costa and Alameda counties are registered.

CCWD is one of the long-time sponsors of this popular community activity. There are a limited number of booklets, so register early. It's free!

Can't wait until May? Take a look at our "Gardening in Contra Costa County" online resource. There are thousands of plants listed, along with pictures and gardening ideas.