We’ve had a lot of rain over the past month. Lompoc residents can turn their sprinkler controllers off for a while. Residents in Lompoc can save on their water bills by reducing their water use in the first quarter of the year (Jan. Feb. Mar.) The city bases your rate for the remainder of the year based on your use during this time.
Its also time for fertilizing lawns and shrubs, weeding, gopher control and oak pruning. The fertilizer I use on lawns in January also has crabgrass preventative. Take advantage of the moisture now in the soil to make pulling weeds easier. Gophers are very active now so its a great time to control them. Prune oaks now while they are in their most dormant stage to lessen chances of disease spread. We mostly have Coast Live Oaks, Quercus agrifolia, in our area.
Take a look at your garden now to take an inventory of the plants you’d like to remove and replace. Make lawn irrigation and drip repairs. Plan your vegetable garden. Add compost and aerate lawns or other areas where tight clay is a problem. The city of Lompoc is mostly clay soil. Vandenberg Village, Mesa Oaks and other areas north of Lompoc are sandy, chaparral soil. Plan and choose plants according to your soil and you can alleviate a lot of watering, fertilizer and labor later. Chaparral soil has an oily film which causes water to run off instead of soaking in. Drip irrigation with a bowl made from soil for water retention is best for this type of soil, especially on a slope.
Try some new succulents or California native plants. Research each plant before you install it. Expect a beautiful spring full of flowers and greenery!
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