Help your lawn beat the heat

August 1, 2003

When they talk about the hot, dog days of summer, they must have meant the weather Oakley has been experiencing this summer. It seems like it has been many years since Oakley has baked as long in the over-100 degree temperatures it has seen during the past month and a half. While many of us like to pride ourselves on not wilting in the heat, our lawns are another story.

While many Oakleyites also pride themselves on their beautiful landscaping, it hasn't been easy keeping our lawns green, and many are finding that their pride and joy landscaping and lawns are turning brown. Now to top it off there has been a fear that Oakley may be experiencing a water shortage, and because of that water rates may possibly be going up and then landscaping is out altogether.

Well, rest assured, according to Diablo Water District's general manager, Mike Yeraka, Oakley is not experiencing a water shortage. He reports that it is simply that during the summer season residents naturally use more water then during the rest of the year.

"Keep in mind that 75 to 80 percent of water consumption is used outside watering lawns and landscaping," Yeraka said. "Only about 20 percent of water is used for basic necessities."

It hasn't been a secret to Oakley residents over the past few years that water bills are more expensive during the summer, but Yeraka said there are some things that people can do to keep their water rates down and still preserve their green lawns and pretty flowers during the hot summer months.

"For one thing people can start watering their lawns for only five to ten minutes at a time," he said. Depending on different types of lawns, some may need to be watered once or twice a day.

Oakley's soil is unique. Being sand, it can become harder during the summer, making it more difficult for the water to reach the root system. Yeraka said that it is very important to aerate lawns once or twice a year to make sure that water can easily hit the roots.

Aerating a lawn can mean different things to different people. Some think that if they use a metal rake on their lawn they are aerating it. Yeraka says the best way to aerate a lawn is with a machine aerator, which can be rented at one of the local equipment rental stores. The easier it is for the water to reach the roots the less water is needed to water lawns.

While many people already have their landscaping in place, Yeraka suggests that anyone planning for a new lawn remember to put some work into putting in the right sprinkler system. "Make sure that you have head-to-head coverage, which means that one sprinkler hits the end of the other throughout the lawn," he said.

He said that it is also important to make sure to fertilize the lawn frequently to keep it green. Keep in mind that sometimes a brown lawn isn't because of not watering it enough, and watering more than usual may not help. Yeraka said that at times the problem can be pest and insect related and there are treatments available at local hardware stores that can help with that problem.

For those who feel that they would like to try to conserve in other ways rather than give up a green lawn, there are always simple ways without making drastic lifestyle changes like showering once a week. That is to make sure you are washing full loads in the dishwasher and washing machines.

The district has a program where they give free water saving shower heads. Just go down to the water district office in the Cypress Square (Raley's) shopping center and give your address and the shower head is yours.

Check for leaks in toilets and so forth. For older homes Yeraka said to look into exchanging older toilets for newer ultra-low flush toilets.

If all else fails and the lawn is still brown after all your efforts this summer, remember there's always green spay paint.

Roni Gehlke's column on life in Oakley appears each week in the Brentwood News.

Distributed by the Contra Costa Times

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