THE COASTAL GARDENER:

I’m worried.

We need to manage the water we use in our gardens intelligently; I don’t think there is much disagreement on this.

But I’m worried that as gardeners we are not conserving water adequately.

I’m worried that we are taking water for granted. I’m worried that perhaps as gardeners, we think water conservation is our neighbor’s problem, not our problem.

But what I’m really worried about is that if we don’t take water conserving actions on our own, mandated and enforced water restrictions will be forced upon us. We won’t like it when these water ordinances restrict our activities. But I’m worried that we’re not acting on our own, voluntarily.

Six months ago, at a big press conference, the mayor of Los Angeles asked citizens to voluntarily reduce their water consumption by 10% — only 10% The mayor’s plea was legitimate and reasonable.

But L.A. residents have ignored the mayor’s plea. Since Mayor Villaraigosa’s conservation appeal to his 3.8 million residents, water use has gone up, not down, in Los Angeles.

Now the mayor is being pressed very hard to begin mandatory water restrictions. If implemented, these restrictions will be loathed by gardeners.

On Tuesday of this week, the mayor said he would make a final decision on mandatory restrictions next month.

Are Orange County residents also ignoring the need to conserve water? Possibly.

Conserving water in our gardens is surprisingly simple. I am certain that using less water is easy and, most importantly, there will be no reduction in the health of our plants or the beauty of our gardens.

So, I’m worried. I don’t want to be regulated, mandated or restricted, and I don’t want you to be either. I want to conserve water, and I will, but I don’t want to be told how to.

Besides, government-imposed water ordinances are always overly simplistic and never universally appropriate.

Saving water is too easy — we shouldn’t need an ordinance. I don’t want to garden with the water rules, like those that Long Beach have had to endure since September:

 Watering of grass lawns is limited to no more than three times a week.

 Landscapes may not be irrigated between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

 Landscapes may not be watered so that they cause significant runoff, as determined by the Long Beach Water Department.

 Stream or gear-driven sprinklers may not operate for more than 15 minutes, and other types of sprinklers may not operate for more than 10 minutes.

 Irrigation systems are prohibited, as they are significantly water-inefficient by virtue of excessive overspray, misting, over pressurization, misaligned or tilted heads, or any other malfunction or out-of-adjustment condition.

I’m worried.

Before coming to work this morning, I detoured through several residential streets with beautiful homes and equally beautiful gardens. Sprinklers were running, and water was flowing. Unfortunately, gutters were also flowing. That worries me.

I’ve suggested that sprinkler systems be turned to manual during the next few months.

I’ve advised the use of SMART irrigation controllers and a simple conversion to low flow, super-efficient sprinkler heads. I reminded you that most of the cost of these simple retrofits would be reimbursed by a check from your local water district. I asked you to reconsider your lawn.

I’ve advocated water-conserving mulches, planting California Friendly plants and fixing broken sprinklers. I explained evapotranspiration and how few irrigations our gardens really need during the cool fall, winter and early spring months.

As gardeners, are we taking the steps that we need to take to use less water? Are we doing enough? Are we behaving differently than the residents of Los Angeles?

It’s really a simple choice. Conservation or restrictions. I’m worried — are you?

ASK RON

Question: Are poinsettias poisonous?

Lauren

Corona del Mar

Answer: For years we were warned that poinsettias were poisonous. Thanks to more recent testing, the long-standing belief that poinsettias were poisonous has finally been proven to be nothing more than a myth. Research by Ohio State University and many others reveals that poinsettias are not poisonous at all. The study conclusively proved that all parts of the plant are nontoxic. Today the National Capital Poison Center in Washington, D.C., and poison control centers across the country list the poinsettia as a nonpoisonous plant.

ASK RON your toughest gardening questions, and the expert nursery staff at Roger’s Gardens will come up with an answer. Please include your name, phone number and city, and limit queries to 30 words or fewer. E-mail stumpthegardener@rogersgardens.com, or write to Plant Talk at Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar, CA 92625.

RON VANDERHOFF is the nursery manager at Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar.