GARDENING TIPS

Our cities and neighborhoods can provide important pockets of biodiversity that are beautiful, low maintenance, and beneficial to wildlife. Here are a few things you can do to get started. Subscribe to our newsletter for additional tips and to hear about hands-on workshops.


PLANT MORE NATIVE PLANTS

Animal and plant species struggle to survive when their habitat is destroyed or fragmented into disconnected islands. By bringing native plants into our own backyards and businesses, we provide food, shelter, and movement corridors for wildlife. Compared to non-native species, native plants support a much greater diversity of insects and birds, and by extension, other wildlife that depend on those animals for food. 


GO “LOCALLY” NATIVE

What’s the difference? California is a large state with an unusually wide diversity of habitats. A plant species found in the high sierras may not grow well in Silicon Valley, nor will it provide food and shelter for as many of our local birds and insects. Which variety of a plant species you plant matters too, as one variety can hybridize with another and spread into wildland areas. To ensure your garden plants are well-adapted to our unique local conditions and wildlife, plant species and varieties that are native to the area. Purchase native plants collected from local watersheds from our Native Plant Nursery.


LEAVE THE LEAVES

Instead of removing dead leaves from your garden, allow as many leaves as possible to stay on the ground once they fall. This added layer of leaf matter will suppress new weed growth, hold moisture into the soil, and restore precious nutrients to the soil as the leaves break down. If you need to remove leaves, compost them in a bin or just a pile in your yard. Consider a worm bin or other rodent-free compost bin for your kitchen scraps as well. Compost will add needed carbon to your soil, and keeping your kitchen scraps on site will reduce the carbon footprint of the garbage service hauling it away.


LOSE THE LAWN

Lawns consume too much of our precious water and time. By replacing your lawn with locally native and drought-resistant plants, you will save water and eliminate the hassle, noise, and pollution involved with mowing and maintaining your lawn. For more information, check out Grassroots Ecology's helpful guide, How to Convert Your Lawn to A Native Plant Garden.


NIX THE CHEMICALS

Pesticides, herbicides, rodenticides (rat poison), and chemical fertilizers can have a devastating impact on wildlife—not just on the plant or animal you are trying to target. Owls, hawks, bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes, and other animals that prey on rodents can be killed or harmed when they eat rodents that have consumed rodenticide. Fish and other aquatic life are harmed when pesticides and chemical fertilizers applied to our lands leach into creeks and ultimately, the bay. And those beneficial insects in your garden, such as butterflies and ladybugs, can be harmed by pesticide use. Not all sprays are equally harmful, but when in doubt, cut it out! And if you use fertilizer, choose organic instead of synthetic/water-soluble fertilizers that leach into groundwater.


BE WATER WISE

If you are using a conventional sprinkler system, upgrade to high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles or drip irrigation to cut back on water use while still keeping your landscaping alive. Water before or after the heat of the day to minimize evaporation, but make sure you are watering at a time when you will notice any leaks


DON’T PLANT A PEST

Thank you for having a heart, but if you use live traps to catch garden “pests” such as raccoons and gophers, please do not release them on our public lands and open spaces. Some of these species can become invasive and throw the ecosystem out of balance, harming other wildlife in the process. Invasive plants are another type of “pest.” In spite of the serious problems they cause, they are sold at most conventional nurseries. Make sure you don’t plant a pest in your garden. To find out whether or not a plant is invasive, check the California Invasive Plant Council’s “Don’t Plant a Pest!”. However, some common ones used locally that you should avoid planting and even consider removing from your garden include:

  • Perennials such as pampas grass, Mexican feather grass, fountain grass, ivy, and periwinkle

  • Shrubs such as broom, cotoneaster, Italian buckthorn, and privet

  • Trees such as eucalyptus, acacia, tree of heaven, and privet

  • Did we say privet? Yes, but let’s say it again: privet!!!


MAKE CARDBOARD YOUR FRIEND

Reused cardboard is a free and environmentally friendly resource for a simple weed suppression method called “sheet mulching.” Got a particularly weedy patch in your garden? Cover it with a layer of cardboard boxes and then 2-3 inches of woodchips to block out the sunlight. With rain and time, the cardboard will break down to improve soil health, and weeds will have a much harder time growing there. If you want to put new plants in the sheet mulched area, break a hole in the cardboard and plant into the soil beneath. Your new plants will benefit from the increased protection they get from other weeds as well as increased soil moisture.


ADD A HABITAT

Aside from native plants, there are other habitat features that you can add to your garden:

  • A log located in a shady, quiet spot is great for salamanders.

  • Water features (such as bird baths or ponds) bring new species of birds and butterflies to your yard.

  • Keeping some bare soil for bees is also important, as about 75 percent of our native bee species nest in the ground. So, find some areas to leave unplanted and un-mulched.

  • The other 25 percent of native California bee species nest in holes in wood. You can drill holes in your porch railing (has been done!) or drill holes in blocks of wood that you can then fix to a fence or tree.


CAPTURE THE RAIN

Make your home and garden more resilient to drought and help recharge groundwater by installing rain barrels or a rain garden. A rain garden is a low-lying area of land that collects and filters rainwater — decreasing stormwater runoff, recharging groundwater, and providing wildlife habitat. A rain barrel captures water from your roof that would normally flow into a storm drain. This water can then be used to irrigate your garden, allowing you to save water and help recharge local groundwater supply. To learn more, visit one of our rain barrel demonstration sites.


GO DARK SKY COMPLIANT

Urban lighting impacts our ability to enjoy the night sky, impacts birds and other wildlife that fly at night, and wastes energy. Consider reducing your outdoor lights to a minimum and use fixtures that shield the light from going up. For more information, please visit the International Dark Sky Association website.


RESOURCES

Following are links to a list of professionals to contact as well as resources to help get your gardener or corporate landscape crew certified in sustainable landscaping:

ReScape California: Bay-Friendly Qualified Professionals
Santa Clara Valley Green Gardener