7 Simple Tips to Make Your Yard an Ocean Friendly Garden

The warmth of summer has arrived! Thankfully, Orange County is blessed with postcard-perfect beaches for all our gneighbors to enjoy. Did you know that a California Friendly yard is also an Ocean Friendly yard? Every time you stop overwatering or use less fertilizer or pesticides on California Friendly yards, you are helping to reduce the amount of pollutants and bacteria entering our local waterways. By preventing this harmful runoff, you are also working to maintain the beauty and health of Orange County’s beaches.

photo: 7 Simple Tips to Make Your Yard an Ocean Friendly Garden

SurfRider, a national organization dedicated to the protection of the oceans, echoes this statement: “The best way to protect our waterways is through a more natural landscape that supports a diversity of native plants and mimics and supports nature rather than harming it. Instead of maintaining water-thirsty turf lawns and adding chemicals to force them to be green, you can take steps to make your yard an Ocean Friendly Garden” (Herzog 2016). Here are 7 simple tips to make your garden an Ocean Friendly garden. Water your lawn by hand or adjust sprinklers to avoid overwatering. Sweep the driveway instead of using a hose. Read and follow the application directions of fertilizers closely. Do […]