SAWS: WaterSaver Newsletter

Monday, March 9, 2009

Spring Bloom is Here!
By Donna Fossum

SAWS Headquarters
2800 US Hwy. 281 N.
(at Mulberry Ave.)

Spring is the time of year when everyone is anxious to get back out in the garden and start planting. It's also the time of year when San Antonio Water System celebrates the annual Spring Bloom event.

Now in its fourth year, the event continues to grow with new activities added every year. This year, several new information booths are joining the lineup offering literature on composting, recycling, vermiculture and rain barrels.

SAWS Spring Bloom is the place to be if you're looking to add plants to your landscape. Every adult will receive a free plant, while supplies last. Several vendors – including the Herb Society, Gardening Volunteers of South Texas, Bexar County Master Gardeners and the San Antonio Botanical Society – will have plants for sale.

Representatives from the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, CPS Energy, SAWS Customer Service and the San Antonio River Authority will be on hand to share details on their various programs. Also, presentations on a range of gardening topics will be presented by local gardening experts including Jerry Parsons (SuperStar plants), Calvin Finch (managing your lawn in a drought), Sandy Justice (composting), Bob Packard (vermiculture), Molly Keck (good and bad bugs), David Newman (recycling) and Bob Webster (organic gardening and saving water).

Donna Fossum is a conservation planner for San Antonio Water System.

Monday, Mar. 9, 2009

0 in.	Bermuda (Full Sun)
0 in.	Buffalo (Full Sun)
0 in.	St. Augustine (Full Sun)
0 in.	St. Augustine (Shade)
0 in.	Zoysia (Full Sun)
0 in.	Zoysia (Shade)

Use these amounts to water this evening after 8 p.m. or tomorrow morning before 10 a.m. For a healthy lawn, water no more than twice a month, or less if you have drought tolerant grass.

Remarks:

Refrain from watering. Rain is in the forecast. Donna Fossum, Conservation Planner.

Why do we wait to plant certain annuals like periwinkle and caladium?

Although the spring air is warm during the day, the soil has not yet warmed. Cooler soils combined with moisture lead to rot and disease on certain plants. For caladium, wait until late April to plant the bulbs. For annual periwinkle transplants, wait until June.

E-mail your question to GardenGeek@saws.org

Fix a Leak Week

March 16-20

Make savings a fixture during Fix a Leak Week.

U.S. homes waste 1 trillion gallons each year from leaks. You can save precious resources and dollars with simple fixes.
Learn more by visiting
EPA WaterSense

Crepe Myrtle Confusion

During spring, crepe myrtles are often mistreated when misguided individuals top the ornamental trees in hopes of increasing flowering during the summer. In fact, just the opposite is true. Flower initiation is delayed and the number of flowers is reduced. Instead, to increase flowering, prune only crossing branches and seed pods.

Nature's Soil Aerators

If you have earthworms in your garden, rejoice. Earthworms tunnel through soil making air and moisture available to plants. They also break down organic matter into castings (aka worm poop), which are great soil conditioners. Attract more earthworms with organic matter, but don't saturate the soil as they will drown. Learn more about nature's soil aerators at Spring Bloom.

Essentials of Gardening

March 16 Noon
San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels Ave.

This class features instruction on "New Plants for Spring," with Dr. Jerry Parsons and "Drip Irrigation You Can Do Yourself," with Dr. Tom Harris and Ron Csehil. Light refreshments served, or bring your own lunch. A $5 donation is appreciated.

SAWS WaterSaver newsletter is published by San Antonio Water System. You have received this newsletter because you requested a subscription, asked to receive information from us, or have been identified by SAWS as someone who could benefit from this information.

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Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you! Contact us at conserve@saws.org