Laura Drotleff, Editor, Greenhouse Grower
For those of us who live in the areas of the country that experienced harsh winters and significant rain over the past three seasons, water has become a nuisance in some cases, rather than a blessing. I can’t count the number of times I have wished to be able to send the snow or the rain to the West Coast, tied up with a big red bow.
But think about how we’d feel if we didn’t have the snow and the rain, and we were experiencing the same dry conditions that the residents of California, Oregon and Washington have. With fresh water supplies dwindling in regions of the world, and the resistance of residents in states like Michigan to share water from the Great Lakes, it’s likely that the next civil or world war could be fought over our most precious resource. California’s epic drought should cause everyone to look twice at the way we use water, and how we can become better stewards of our land and its resources.
Here are some lessons I think we can all learn from the California drought:
1. Drought isn’t the end of the world. Some say that the drought has caused major upheaval for the industry, but every grower I’ve talked to has been positive, and hasn’t experienced any major losses. Sure, it’s not ideal to be faced with water restrictions. But California’s investment in water resources has prevented a bad situation from getting worse. And the way the residents of California have embraced and owned the mandate to reduce water use has been truly impressive. If there’s a silver lining that comes from this, it’s that Californians are more in tune with the way they use water, and so are we.
2. Reduce your water use. Realizing the benefits of catching and recycling water through water retention systems, several growing operations have reduced or eliminated their dependence on city water, and even their own wells, by installing retention ponds and ramping up technology in water filtration systems. In addition to saving money on water, they’re also seeing reduced disease pressure by cleaning and in some cases ozonating their water. Reducing the amount of water plants receive has helped, too, and sensor technology is helping growers automate the labor-intensive task of watering.
3. Water management requires a holistic approach. It’s time for a long-term, cross-country, holistic approach to water use and management. Promote the smart use of water and the installation of water-wise plants, but also communicate that landowners can have beautiful lawns and landscapes while still practicing good water management.
4. Be an advocate for the industry and a resource for landowners. With homeowners receiving rebates to rip out their traditional lawns, growers, retailers and landscapers have to be advocates to ensure there is a priority to replace grass with the right drought-tolerant landscapes, and that the right education is provided to ensure the landscapes thrive.
5. Control the message. Help policymakers make good decisions about water management by providing education on the value of plants in the landscape. Maintaining lawns, gardens, shrubs and trees, rather than replacing them with synthetic turf or concrete offers important ecological services.
Properly maintained landscapes and turfgrass allow water to infiltrate when it does rain, rather than sheeting off the ground surface and into storm drains. Grass and all other plants absorb carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it in the soil, which is vitally important, especially in periods of heat and drought.
Garden landscapes, grass and meadows lower ambient temperatures, helping to reduce heat islands in the cities. They also provide habitats and forage for wildlife, including pollinators, which we can all do our part to support as part of the new Million Pollinator Garden Challenge.
Drought is bad, but it can be an opportunity of sorts to talk about the important role plants play. Let’s change the message to reflect that watering landscapes is good for the environment, in drought and otherwise.
Grower Sound-Off:
Promote water-wise gardening by offering drought-tolerant plants like perennials, native plants and succulents. Show homeowners, municipalities and politicians the benefits of using plants in the environment, like cooling urban heat islands, stormwater management and forage for pollinators. Share your ideas by writing to me at ldrotleff@meistermedia.com or tweet @Laura_GG_TGC.