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- WELCOME
- BASIC WATER CONSERVATION TIPS
- WATER CONSERVATION LANDSCAPING INFORMATION
- RECOMMENDED GARDENING BOOKS
- LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS
- NURSERIES & MATERIALS SUPPLIERS
- TREE CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS
- ORDINANCES & OTHER LINKS
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Water is a precious and vital resource!
All living things need water to survive. California has beautiful blue skies most of the year and a Mediterranean climate that is the envy of many. But we sometimes pay a price for living in this type of environment: little to no rain or snowfall. Without enough rain or snowfall during the year, our reservoirs can dip to dangerously low levels. Since we still need water to drink, manufacture products, and irrigate our crops, the need for water conservation becomes essential. Even in years where our water levels are normal, we need to be educated about our water usage. If you start to practice some simple tips, conservation will become second nature!
| Want to save water and money? |
- Clothes Washer Rebate Program (Commercial & Residential)
Washing machines can use a fairly large amount of water and energy. Many of the new high efficiency model machines can help save both water and energy. Follow the appropriate link to learn more about available rebate programs.
- High-Efficiency Toilet Rebate Program
Older toilets can account for up to 25% of your water bill. To help save water and lower your water & sewer bill, switch over to a new high-efficiency toilet.
- Cooling Tower Conductivity Controller Rebate Program
If your conductivity controller is more than 5 years old, it may be losing efficiency. Annual water savings with a new Cooling Tower Conductivity Controller can be as much as 800,000 gallons. This translates into a $4,000 savings in water and sewage costs per tower.
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| Need a little help getting started? |
- Free Water Conservation Devices
Want to do your part to help with water conservation? Pick up some of our free water conservation devices and start saving water today! We have low-flow showerheads, kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators, and for restaurants and other food-related business, pre-rinse spray valves.
- Basic Water Conservation Tips (See Tab Link Above)
Want to learn some simple ways to help save water around the house? Start conserving today. It’s easy!
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| Water Conservation Landscaping For Homes |
| Landscaping, especially lawn, can use large amounts of water. As a means to save money on your water bill and help conserve our precious resource, think about replacing your lawn or water hungry landscape with more water efficient alternatives. Take a look at some water conservation landscaping information and learn how to have healthy soil for a healthy garden, choose plants wisely, practice smart watering, maintain your garden, and save energy! |
| For Kids! |
| Fun ways for kids to learn about water conservation. These links contain games, activities, puzzles, and more! See how well you do!
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Water
Conservation Tips:
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean the sidewalk. Save 80 gallons of water each time!
- Take a 5-minute shower instead of a 10-minute shower. Save 25 gallons of water per day!
- Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Save 10 gallons of water per day!
- Fix a leaking faucet or toilet. To determine if you have a toilet leak, put food coloring in the tank.
If color appears in the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak that should be repaired. Save 20
gallons of water per day!
- Wait until you have a full load of laundry before running the clothes washer. Save 40 gallons of
water each time!
- When you wash the car, use a hose that has a sprayer that will automatically shut off when you’re
not actually spraying the car. Wash your family’s car on grass so soap doesn’t enter the storm
drain. Save 80 gallons of water! Better yet, wash your car at a car wash facility where the water
can be reclaimed and recycled!
- Shut off your sprinklers on a rainy day. Save 400 gallons of water!
- Replace a 10-foot by 10-foot section of your lawn with drought-tolerant landscaping. Save 15
gallons of water per day!
- Plant drought-tolerant shrubs in your yard to replace plants that need daily watering. Save 100
gallons per day!
- Water your lawn in the early morning instead of during the hottest part of the day. You can water
for a shorter period of time and save 100 gallons of water per day!
- Put garbage in the trashcan instead of down the sink’s garbage disposal or the toilet. Save 5
gallons of water per day! Better yet, compost your food scraps!
- In the summer, keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap
water until it gets cold. Save 5 gallons of water per day!
- Put mulch (grass clippings, bark, etc.) around trees and shrubs in your yard to reduce evaporation.
Save 100 gallons of water per day!
- Fill the sink with water instead of leaving the tap running to rinse your dishes. Save 2 ½ gallons
per minute!
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| Water-Wise Landscaping Tips for the Home Garden |
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| Healthy Soil for a Healthy Garden |
- Build Healthy Soil – Till your soils once or twice a year. Use hand tools instead of a rototiller. Amend soil with compost to improve soil condition to hold moisture better and reduce runoff. Compost is a high-quality soil conditioner and a slow-release fertilizer.
- Home Composting – Reduce your garbage bills and reduce green waste. Almost 20% of the waste stream in Alameda County is plant and vegetable trimmings that could be recycled as home compost. Four main ingredients for composting are Browns (dry woody materials such as fallen leaves, woody clippings, pine needles, newspapers, etc.), Greens (moist, nitrogen-rich materials such as fruit and vegetable trimmings, grass clippings, fresh weeds without seed heads, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, etc.) Air, and Water.
- Replenish Soil – Spread compost in a layer no more than 2 inches thick to new and existing planting areas to ensure air and water can easily pass through every 6 months to a year.
- Avoid Soil Compaction – Create clearly defined paths and/or raise beds to protect soil from compaction. Sheet mulch to establish planting areas or pathways, or to control weeds while improving soil.
- Add natural Nitrogen – Grow cover crops such as vetch, fava or field peas to enrich the soil.
- Mulch Basic – Use leaves, chipped wood from trees (do not use diseased trees), branches and garden clippings and pay lower water bills. Mulch planting area heavily with a minimum 3 inches to hold moisture in the ground.
- Mulching around Plants – Keep 1-2 inches from the base of shrub trunks and 3-4 inches from the base of tree trunks to prevent rot or disease. Where tree is planted in the lawn, mulch to the tree’s drip line.
- Fertilizer – Avoid using synthetic fertilizers. Use compost, and use organic and slow-release fertilizers for more targeted fertilization.
For compost class schedules »
For purchasing compost bins » |
| Choose Plants Wisely |
- Use Locally adapted plants – Hayward is located in Western Sunset Zone 17. Emphasize Mediterranean climate or California native plants. Try to use these plants for at least half of your garden area.
- Micro-climate – Pay attention to your garden’s shady spots, dry patches, different soil conditions and sloping conditions. Place the right plants in the right place.
- Avoid invasive species – California Invasive Plant Council
- Plant Trees – Deciduous trees will provide shade in the summer and allow the sun during winter. Evergreen trees will provide shade and windbreaks. Plant on the west and southwest side of the house to provide shade.
- Watering Needs/Hydrozoning – Group plants with similar watering needs together.
- Room for Plant Maturity in Mind – Don’t crowd too many plants to areas that plants need to be severely pruned or pulled out. Allow room for plants to mature and fill in. Minimize pruning by choosing plants that are appropriate for the space.
- Select disease resistant varieties of plants.
- Include plants that attract beneficial insects in the landscape.
- Planting Season – Avoid hot summer months for planting. More frequent watering will be required for initial plant establishment. Take advantage of cooler months and pre-rainy months for good soaks.
- Wildlife-Friendly – Plant diverse plants and provide bird baths, water dishes, or a small pond.
- Be Aware of Potential Hazard – Control weeds and weed seed disbursement. Consider and control potential neighborhood hazards – including fire awareness and rodent habitat.
For plant references:
Bay Friendly »
Garden »
Be Water Wise » |
| Practice Smart Watering |
- Slow Watering – Allow water to absorb into the soil before continuing to water. Don’t let puddles form on the soil surface. If using automatic irrigation systems, schedule controllers to allow watering time in smaller intervals.
- Watering Schedule – Don’t over water your plants. Turn your sprinklers off during rainy season (mid-November to late-February) except for container growing plants. Watering lawn 3 times a week is plenty. Water between 10 pm and 8 am. Water plants slower and longer for deep root growth. Plant water conserving plants. Water plants only. For suggested watering schedule for Hayward, go to our Seasonal Watering Schedule.
- Rain/Moisture Sensor – Consider connecting a rain/moisture sensor to the irrigation controller that will turn off the watering schedule when raining. To learn more, visit??
- Mulching for Water Loss Prevention – Mulch reduces the amount of moisture that soil loses through evaporation and plant transpiration, moderates the soil temperature in both summer and winter, protects irrigation components and prevents weed growth.
- Irrigation – Drip irrigation has choices of above-ground, subsurface drip, and mini-spray emitters. Sprinkler irrigation offers low volume.
- Less Lawn – Replace lawn with water conserving plants and pay less for water bills. If the lawn is a must-have, use semi drought and heat tolerant grass such as tall and dwarf tall fescue, or consider drought-tolerant groundcovers that would tolerate foot traffic.
- Protect children and the Bay – Don’t let synthetic fertilizers or herbicides wash off to the Bay. Use porous paving such as pavers, gravel, or decomposed granite that allows water to soak back into soil and recharge ground water.
- Use Permeable Paving – Permeable paving for patios, driveways, or other hard surfaces will allow water to soak in rather than run off and will recharge the groundwater.
- Terrace steep slopes – Reduce rainwater run-off and prevent erosion.
More information about irrigation:
h2ouse »
Irrigation Tutorials »
Urban Farmer Store » |
| Maintain Your Garden |
- Leak Detection – Check for water leaks regularly.
- Control Weeds – Lay cardboard before placing mulch or planting and mulching.
- Holistic Approach to Pest Management – Take a more holistic approach. Learn to live with low levels of pests. Healthy plants growing in the right conditions are less likely to be attractive to pests. Consider hand-picking slugs, snails, caterpillars, and potato beetles; spraying water for spider mites and aphids; setting traps for slugs and snails with a shallow cup of beer; or setting up barriers like copper strips, mesh coverings or raising planting beds. Consider using least-toxic chemical control in small quantities such as insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils, minerals, botanicals, and microbial pesticides.
- Pruning for Plant Health – Strategic structural pruning improves plant health and can mean less pruning. Avoid shearing, topping or lopping, instead do thinning.
- Grasscycling – Mow the lawn when it is dry and leave the clippings on the lawn. The clippings quickly decompose, releasing nutrients back into the ground. Grasscycling fertilizes the soil and improves the health of the lawn. Benefits are less mowing time, cutting disposal costs, less fertilizer costs, reducing fertilizer runoff, conserving landfill space, and saving on water costs.
- Lawn Care – Allow soil to dry out between watering. A loss of shine or footprints remaining after being walked on indicates the time to water. Water deeply, but infrequently, to moisten the whole root zone. Choose natural organic or slow-release fertilizer.
- Minimize Plant Waste – Do not over plant, over water, or over fertilize. Start composting.
- Leave some areas of the garden somewhat untidy – let flowers go to seed to provide food for birds, and leave dead leaves and stalks to shelter over-wintering insects.
- Use hand or electric tools instead of gas-powered tools.
For composting and grasscycling:
Stopwaste.org »
For step by step instructions to detect water leaks:
H2ouse »
For integrated pest management:
www.ourwaterourworld.org »
www.pesticide.org » |
| Save Energy |
- Place trees and shrubs to reduce energy requirements. For example, plant deciduous trees on the west side of the house to provide shade during the summer and allow sunlight to warm the house in winter.
- Shade parking asphalt areas and air conditioners, if applicable.
- Use LED Lighting – LEDs last considerably longer than incandescent or fluorescent lighting. LEDs don’t typically burn out like traditional lighting, but rather gradually decrease in light output.
More information »
- Plan outdoor lighting that is dim or directed downwards to minimize light pollution.
- Select local garden products and suppliers.
- Select pumps for water features that are solar powered or energy efficient.
- Include space in the garden for a clothesline.
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| Landscape Education Classes |
| The City of Hayward offers Water Efficient Landscaping classes in the Spring. These classes are usually held in April/May. Water bill inserts with the details for upcoming classes are sent one to two months prior to the class. Information can also be found on the City's "What's New" section. |
| Seasonal Watering Schedule Suggestions |
Currently Under Construction.
For additional information on water efficient (Xeriscape) landscaping, irrigation, plant selection, etc., please see our Ordinances & Other Links (See Tab Link Above). |
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| April 2009 - U.C. DANR: University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources |
| Topic |
Title and Author |
Where to Buy |
| Text
book for Master Gardener training course |
The
California Master Gardener Handbook, by D. Pittinger |
U.C. DANR 1-800-994-8849 http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu |
| Landscaping with drought-tolerant plants |
Water Conserving Plants and Landscapes for the Bay Area, 2nd Edition |
EBMUD 510-287-1630 www.ebmud.com |
| Pest management in the garden |
The Sunset Western Garden Problem Solver,
Editors of Sunset Books and Magazine |
widely available in bookstores www.amazon.com |
| Pest management in the garden |
Garden Pests and Diseases,
Sunset Books and Magazine |
www.amazon.com
other online booksellers |
| Rose care and rose pest management |
Healthy Roses: Environmentally Friendly Ways to Manage Pests
and Disorders in Your Garden and Landscape by Mary
Louise Flint and John F. Karlik |
U.C. DANR 1-800-994-8849 http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu |
| Pest management in the garden and home |
Common Sense Pest Control by
William Olkowski, Sheila Daar, and Helga Olkowski |
The Taunton Press
1-800-926-8776 www.taunton.com |
| Pest management in the garden |
Gardener’s Guide to Common Sense Pest Control by
William Olkowski, Sheila Daar, and Helga Olkowski |
The Taunton Press
1-800-926-8776 www.taunton.com |
| Pest identification and management |
Pests of the West, 2nd Ed., by
Whitney Cranshaw |
Fulcrum Publishing
1-800-992-2908 www.fulcrum-books.com |
| Pest management in the garden |
Rodale’s Successful Organic Gardening: Controlling Pests and
Diseases by Patricia S. Michalak |
www.amazon.com
other online booksellers |
| Pest management in the garden |
Pests of the Garden and Small Farm (Publication
#3332) by Mary Louise Flint |
U.C. DANR 1-800-994-8849 http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu |
| Pest management for trees and shrubs |
Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs (Publication
#3359) by Steve H. Dreistadt |
U.C. DANR 1-800-994-8849 http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu |
| Selecting trees and shrubs for Bay Area gardens |
Trees and Shrubs for Temperate Climates, 3rd Edition,
by Gordon Courtright |
www.amazon.com
other online booksellers |
| Identifying and encouraging beneficial insects |
Good Bugs for Your Garden by
Allison Mia Starcher |
www.amazon.com
other online booksellers |
| Identifying beneficial insects |
Natural Enemies Handbook by Mary
Louise Flint and Steve H. Dreistadt |
U.C. DANR 1-800-994-8849 http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu |
| Pest and beneficial insect identification |
California Insects by
Jerry Powell and Charles Hogue |
U.C. Press 1-800-777-4726 www.ucpress.edu |
| Soils and soil types; improving soil |
The Best of Fine Gardening: Healthy Soil,
Editors of Fine Gardening magazine |
The Taunton Press
1-800-926-8776 www.taunton.com |
| Pest management for lawns |
Turfgrass Pests (Publication
# 4053) by A.D. Ali and Clyde L. Elmore |
U.C. DANR 1-800-994-8849 http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu |
| Pest management for lawns |
U.C. IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Turfgrass (Publication #3365-T, edited by Mary Louise Flint |
U.C. DANR 1-800-994-8849 http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu |
| Less toxic lawn care |
The Chemical-Free Lawn by
Warren Schultz |
www.amazon.com
other online booksellers |
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| The City of Hayward does not recommend any particular Landscape Contractors. However, as a service to the community, Hayward is providing this list of contractors as a possible resource. |
| Published on March 2009 |
| City |
Company Name |
| Hayward |
Pacheco Brothers Gardening, Inc.
795 Sandoval Way
Hayward, CA 94544
Tel) 510-487-3580 www.pachecobrothers.com |
Scott Bigelow Landscaping
510-537-0570 |
Serpico Landscaping, Inc.
1764 National Avenue
Hayward, CA 94545
Tel) 866-282-0341 www.serpicolandscaping.com |
South Shore landscape
P.O. Box 6251
Hayward, CA 94540
Tel) 510-784-0172 |
| San Lorenzo |
Herzer Landscaping, Inc.
P.O. Box 365
16120 Ashland Avenue
San Lorenzo, CA 94580 |
| Fremont |
Sansei Gardens, Inc.
P.O. Box 14165
3250 Darby Common
Fremont, 94539 |
Del Conte’s Landscaping, Inc.
41900 Boscell Road
Fremont, CA 94538
Tel)510-353-6030 www.delandscaping.com |
| Oakland |
Adobe West Landscaping Co., Inc.
8440 Enterprise Way
Oakland, CA 94621
Tel) 510-636-1191 |
| San Jose |
Blossom Valley construction, Inc.
P.O. Box 24533
San Jose, CA 95154-4533
Tel) 888-969-7429 |
LandGro, a full service landscaping company
765 Coleman Avenue
San Jose, CA 95110
Tel) 408-291-5219 www.landgro.com |
| Livermore |
East Bay Construction Company
6336 Patterson Pass Road, Suite H
Livermore, CA 94550
Tel) 925-243-0288 |
| Concord |
Mike McCall Landscape Inc.
4749 Clayton Road
Concord, CA 94521
Tel) 925-333-8100 |
| Brentwood |
Pacific Coast Landscape Management, Inc.
24695 Marsh Creek Road
Brentwood, CA 94513
Tel) 925-513-2310 www.pacificcoastlandscape.net |
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| The City of Hayward does not recommend any particular Nurseries or Suppliers. However, as a service to the community, Hayward is providing this list of vendors as a possible resource. |
| Soils, Compost, Stones and Boulders |
American Soil & Stone Products
2222 3rd Street
Berkeley
2121 San Joaquin Street
Richmond 94804
Tel)510-292-3000 www.amricansoil.com |
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Lynso Garden Materials
19 Seaport Boulevard
Redwood City, CA 94063
Tel) 650-364-1730 www.lynsogarden.com |
| Soil Products, Compost and Mulch |
Davis Street Station for Material Recycling and Transfer
San Leandro, CA
Tel) 510-638-2303 |
Grover, soil solutions
Tel) 866-764-5765 |
Newby Island Organics
Tel) 408-945-2844 |
| Nurseries |
Annie’s Annuals & Perennials
740 Market Avenue
Richmond, CA 94801
Tel) 510-215-1671 www.anniesannuals.com |
Evergreen Nursery
350 San Leandro Blvd
San Leandro, CA 94577
Tel) 510-632-1522 www.theevergreennursery.com |
Free workshops; also carry soils, rocks, boulders and more |
Kawahara Nursery
16550 Ashland Avenue
San Lorenzo, CA 94580
Tel) 510-481-020 |
Bonsai and themed plants |
Native Here Nursery
101 Golf Course Drive
Berkeley, CA 94708
Tel) 510-549-0211 http://ebcnps.org/nativehere.html |
A public facility in Tilden Park in Berkeley operated for East Bay
Regional Parks District |
Ploughshares Nursery
2701 Main Street
Alameda, CA 94501
Tel) 510-898-7811 www.ploughsharesnursery,com |
Workshops; native, drought-tolerant and food plants |
Regan Nursery
4268 Decoto Road
Fremont, CA 94555
510-797-3222 www.regannursery.com |
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The Watershed Nursery
601-A Canal Blvd
Richmond, CA 94804
Tel) 510-234-2222 www.thewatershednursery.com |
Yerba Buena Native Plant Nursery
(excellent website as a resource library)
19500 Skyline Boulevard
Woodside, CA 94062
Tel) 650-851-1668 www.yerbabuenanursery.com |
| On-line California native plant nursery |
www.baynatives.com |
Growing grounds, not open to public |
| Sodded Lawn, turf seeds and other wildflower and grass seeds |
Clyde Robin Seed Company
Castro Valley, CA
510-785-0425 www.clyderobin.com |
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| Pacific Coast Seed
Livermore, CA
925-373-4417 www.pcseed.com |
| Irrigation |
Home Depot
21787 Hesperian Blvd
Hayward, CA 94541
Tel) 510-887-8544 www.homedepot.com |
Urban Farmer Store
2121 San Joaquin Street
Richmond, CA 94804
Tel) 510-524-1604 www.urbanfarmerstore.com |
Free Irrigation workshops for homeowners and professionals |
| www.rainbird.com |
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| www.toro.com |
| www.hunterindustries.com |
| www.mrdrip.com/microsprinklers.htm |
| www.blu-lock.com |
| www.etwater.com |
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| The City of Hayward does not recommend any particular Tree Care Service Providers. However, as a service to the community, Hayward is providing this list of vendors as a possible resource. |
| Location |
Company Namem |
| Hayward |
ArborTech Tree Care, Inc.
P.O. Box 3188
Hayward, CA 94540-3188
Tel)800-809-TREE (8733)
Local) 510-881-TREE (8733) www.arbortech1.com |
Pacheco Brothers Gardening, Inc.
795 Sandoval Way
Hayward, CA 94544
Tel) 510-487-3580 www.pachecobrothers.com |
TREECO
1764 National Avenue
Hayward, CA 94545
Tel) 877-4-TREECO
Local) 510-293-6966 www.tree-co.com |
| Castro Valley |
ARBORWELL
21638 Redwood Road
Castro Valley, CA 94546
Tel) 888-969-8733 www.arborwell.com |
| Dublin |
DAVEY
P.O. Box 2246
Dublin, CA 94568
Tel) 800-559-7600
Tel) 925-855-9974 www.davey.com |
| Livermore |
ARBOR CARE, an environmental care company
2283 Research Drive
Livermore, CA 94550
Tel)925-373-6882 www.envcare.com |
| Pleasanton |
HORTSCIENCE, INC
2150 Rheem Drive, Suite A
Pleasanton, CA 94588
Tel) 925-484-0211 www.hortscience.com |
| San Mateo |
Ralph Osterling consultants, Inc.
1650 Borel Place, Suite 204
San Mateo, CA 94402
Tel) 650-573-8733 |
| Redwood City |
Valley Crest Landscape Management
Tel) 650-298-0096 |
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| City Ordinances and Guidelines:
Water Conservation Links:
Water Education Links:
Landscaping Links:
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