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MCSCgarden Main Gardening Articles Site |
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Sharon Hull
Horticulturist and Writer
Main Gardening Articles Page
Epilobium canum (E. Greene) Raven ssp. latifolium (Hook.)
California Fuchsia
Onagraceae (Evening Primrose Family)
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Sharon's Weekly Gardening Article
This Week
in the Garden
Date of Garden Article:
8.22.2009
By Sharon Hull
A LESSON IN PROTECTING PROPERTY
The horrific Lockheed Fire in the Bonny Doon and Swanton areas of Santa Cruz County has reminded us, especially those who live in the more rural areas, that we should learn more about how to protect our properties. Most gardeners here are aware that there are ways in which we can plan and plant our landscapes to minimize fire danger, but many of us are not entirely sure of the details. To answer that need, a terrific booklet on the topic of fire prevention is available free to county residents through the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County. Call 831-464-2950 for the 2009 edition or go to:
to download an older edition. Other excellent publications on fire protection are also available on the Resource Conservation District Web site.
Called "Living with Fire in Santa Cruz County -- a Guide for Homeowners," this publication is packed with essential information. It includes a tear-out sheet to post on your refrigerator that lists vital phone numbers and a checklist of things to do, both before a fire threatens and as one approaches. In our Mediterranean climate with long dry summers, this information has always been important, but now in our third year of a drought, knowing what we can do to safeguard our homes and families should be top priority.
Two areas of the booklet will be of particular interest to gardeners. The extensive section on how to create a defensible space around a home is the
most complete and understandable that I have ever read; the clear directions make the task of landscaping to create such an area a project that we can all undertake with the confidence that we are doing it correctly. The section on fire safe landscape design, complete with an excellent list of plants that are both drought-tolerant and fire resistant, is a wonderful resource.
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The booklet notes that of the three things that determine wildfire intensity -- topography, weather and vegetation -- we can only have an impact on vegetation. A sentence that got my total attention: "Through proper plant selection, placement and maintenance, we can diminish the possibility of ignition, lower fire intensity, and reduce how quickly a fire spreads to increase a home's survivability." If we gardeners ever questioned whether our garden choices are important, this booklet dispels any doubts.
The section on landscaping includes general goals and guidelines, but also gives specific suggestions along with the explanation of why each suggestion reduces fire danger. For example: "Minimize use of evergreen shrubs and trees within 30 feet of a structure because junipers, other conifers and broadleaf evergreens contain oils, resins and waxes that make these plants burn with great intensity. Use ornamental grasses and berries sparingly because they also can be highly flammable. Choose "fire-smart" plants -- plants with a high moisture content. Gardeners who like to know the "why" of things will like this booklet.
What are some of these fire-smart plants? And can we successfully realize our desire for beautiful gardens with drought-tolerant and fire-resistant plants? The extensive plant list in the booklet, compiled by local expert Rich Casale in conjunction with specialists from the Santa Cruz chapter of the California Native Plant Society and the Resource Conservation District, lets us know that we can definitely meet these objectives.
Listing such decorative flowering plants as our colorful native Rock Rose, the free-flowering California Fuchsia, the stunning red-berried Toyon and the lovely Bush Anemone, the list suggests plant choices that will brighten our gardens while requiring little irrigation. They are all plants that are slow to ignite. This important booklet, with vital information for all county residents, was printed through a joint effort between the Resource Conservation District and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit. Get yours today and follow the guidelines to protect your home and property.
Garden tips are provided courtesy of horticulturist Sharon Hull of the Pro-Build Garden Center. Contact her at 423-0223.
Rock Rose
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Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic materials. It's a rewarding way to recycle your yard and kitchen wastes into a valuable, nutrient rich, sweet-smelling soil amendment. There are probably as many ways to compost as there are creative people composting! The County of Santa Cruz offers many resources and services to start and maintain successful composting systems. We hope the information on this web site will help Santa Cruz County households, schools, and businesses achieve their unique composting goals. |
As you do your fall clean-up, toss in the finished plants that you remove from the veggie garden, all those fallen leaves from deciduous trees and shrubs, lawn clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps from your kitchen, and any chopped or fine-textured disease-free organic matter from your garden. Add some manure from any animal that doesn't eat meat, such as horse, cow, chicken, llama, or goat, and over the winter months, all that garden waste will turn into rich compost to feed next year's garden soil. |
(Turning it all over periodically will speed up the process,
and make it "cook" more evenly.)
If you want to know more about the compost process, go on-line, read any number of books on the subject or attend a workshop.
Call 423-HEAP or go to
www.compostsantacruzcounty.org for dates for free workshops offered by the Home Composting Program of SC County. Master composters will teach you how to build "hot" or "add-as-you-go" compost piles or bins. |
Annie's Annuals & Perennials
Asarina Scandens 'Sky Blue'
Many local gardeners think of the Annie's Annuals company as a source of strange and wonderful plant material. Sold at most area nurseries, Annie's specializes in natives, rare and unusual plants and old-fashioned species annuals and perennials adapted to our coastal climates. Annie Hayes grows most of her stock from seed in her Richmond nurseries, and every spring she has some exciting new plants available for sale. A few of this year's introductions [and a few especially interesting plants] are discussed below.
Asarina scandens 'Sky Blue'- a climbing relative of the Snapdragon, this graceful vine from Mexico has fresh green foliage and large clusters of clear light blue flaring flowers. Hummingbirds like the flowers. It gets 8'-10' high and likes sun near the bay, part shade inland. Great scrambling over a rock wall or on a trellis. Give average water; cut back in fall. |
Clematis ligusticifolia - an evergreen vine with white flowers in summer, this plant will grow to 15'. It is native from NeW Mexico to British Columbia. Give it sun or part shade. Drought tolerant but lusher with some summer water.
Eccremocarpus scaber 'Tresco Gold' - multitude of 6" flower clusters of soft gold beloved by hummingbirds. Produced all summer on a 10' vine with ferny foliage. Thrives in part shade in good soil, average water. This golden flowered one is less often seen than the more common red flowering form.
Puya mirabilis - from Bolivia, this slightly spiny plant grows to 2', with flower stalks up to 3'. Flowers are a nice chartreuse that contrasts with the dark gray calyx. Drought tolerant; give it sun or part shade. Tolerates 20 degree cold. |
Ribes aureum - the "Golden Currant" is native to the western US. Small yellow flowers are freely produced in spring, followed by black berries; excellent bird-friendly shrub up to 9' [Hummers love the flowers, other birds the berries.] Good red fall color. Drought tolerant, for sun or part shade. Lovely arching form.
Stylophorum lasiocarpum - the Chinese Celandine Poppy loves dry shade. Long bloom season, bright yellow four-petaled flowers. 18" tall and wide. Tolerates clay soil. Silvery-haired seed capsules are interesting; reseeds freely.
Trachymene caerulea 'Rose Lace'-wonderful cut flower. Pink lace cap blooms on a nice multi-branching 2'-2.5' annual. Blooms soon after planting. Average soil and water, sun. The species produces 3" powder blue flowers.
Pycnostachys urticifolia - South African native with freely produced cobalt blue "Witches Hats" flower clusters up to 3' all winter. Multi-branching and dense. |
EARTH ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS TO GARDENING PROBLEMS
SOME NON-TOXIC SOLUTIONS TO GARDENING PROBLEMS
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One of the many great things about Santa Cruz is the wide-spread awareness among local gardeners that there are very effective alternatives to pesticides and herbicides for nearly all gardening problems. Some fall into the category of "home remedies" and others are modern products that are non-toxic to the environment. I have tested many such things and am listing below those that I have found to be effective and easy to use on local pests and problems. Since I always aim for inexpensive, most are that as well. They are listed as safe to use by the agency that writes the standards for the organic farming industry.
Very important: don't discount the effect that good sanitation, clean tools and hands, and crop rotation can all have to prevent spread and reinfestation of disease and insect problems. Clean mulch can prevent disease organisms from being blown or bounced back up onto the plants, and soil rich in organic matter can enable strong healthy plants to better fend off both insects and diseases. And proper watering can keep a plant in a less stressful environment, and therefore more resistant to attack. If you want help with any of these problems, check with me, or with another of our very experienced gardeners. Among us, we must have several hundred years of hands-on gardening experience, and all of us seem happy to share our knowledge and experience with each other.
DISEASES
Roses:
For blackspot, rust and powdery mildew, I like horticultural oil. Several brands are available, such as Ultrafine, All-Seasons, Rose Protector. These are either paraffin oil or a mix of that and garlic and other ingredients. All work. Neem oil is also effective but in my experience can burn or stunt tender new growth. And I don't much like its smell. When I am very organized and manage to spray oil on my roses weekly, these diseases never develop. Some studies indicate that baking soda mixed 1T per gallon of water can kill powdery mildew. I've tried adding baking soda to the oil spray but stopped because the oil alone was doing such a good job.
I do pick off and put in the trash any rust-infested leaves that I find when I haven't sprayed frequently, but since I check the undersides of the leaves often, I can catch the problem before it becomes widespread.
Tomatoes:
The biggest problems locally seems to be the blights,
both early and late. If newly set tomato seedlings are sprayed immediately upon planting and every week thereafter with copper sulfate as a preventative, the blight organisms have a difficult time getting established. It is less effective if the plants aren't sprayed until after the pathogens have gotten into the plant tissues when it may slow the disease down but won't cure it. |
INSECTS:
Roses:
Weekly application of horticultural oil stops insects from becoming established before they can do much damage. Even the dreaded sawfly larvae are controlled by oil if the plants are treated weekly. A well-established infestation of sawfly can turn the leaves to lace rapidly, and those leaves don't improve even if the insects are killed, so it really pays to control these pests before the plant's appearance is ruined. If heavy infestation occurs in a period when you are unable to apply the oil (such as in illness or vacation), Rose Protector will eradicate them though it won't undo the tattered appearance of the leaves. Spray several times to insure full coverage. Soap spray helps but is less effective against sawfly, though it is quite effective against aphids. But so is a strong blast of water or the determined fingers of an attentive gardener.
All plants:
A fascinating study published in 2002 indicated that earthworm castings applied to the soil can markedly lessen the insect damage of plants grown in that soil. Though it sounds too good to be true, it made sense when I read the study. (Ask me for details...) I plan to run my own not-so-controlled study in summer of '05 - will post the results for anyone interested.
OTHER GOOD REMEDIES:
Soap spray, either homemade or purchased, is very effective in controlling most insects. Diatomatous earth can be dusted on any plant that is being attacked by insects. BT is an excellent treatment for any kind of caterpillar infestation. Ladybug beetles, lacewings and other predatory bugs can be purchased and will help stop damaging insects, though it is harder to keep these helpful guys where you want them - they will leave your plot and go off to your neighbor's once they have little to eat where they were first released. Try to avoid spraying if you notice that these helpful insects have appeared on your plants, give them a chance to work. They all have voracious appetites and can eradicate most of your problems if they are allowed to keep eating. |
Deer:
Good fencing is by far the best remedy but it is expensive and in a community garden like MSCS's, not very practical for individual plots. Netting can be thrown over your plants to protect them but don't allow it to touch the ground since small animals may become caught in it. Birds don't seem to get trapped for some reason. Netting also has the disadvantage that the plant can grow through the small openings and then be broken or have leaves stripped off when you need to remove it. And it can be a pain to take on and off for harvest and care. Various sprays can be made at home or purchased. Most contain "putrescens of egg solids",rotten eggs, and ingredients like pepper and garlic. Many gardeners recommend rotating sprays so that deer don't become habituated to a particular spray. My favorite, which works well both in my plots at MCSC and in my home garden, is a commercial spray called Liquid Fence. It lasts much longer than most, seeming to soak into the plant tissues and continuing to repel deer long after my nose can no longer detect it, so that it doesn't require such frequent application. It is eco-friendly and easy to use, but unfortunately not cheap. But then, losing my harvest to deer is not cheap either ...
Gophers:
Physical barriers, such as raised beds lined with wire netting, or wire baskets, are definitely the best protection against these animals. Trapping may be non-toxic but many people have strong feelings against the inevitable cruelty involved. Commercial poisons and gasses can have pretty dire environmental costs and are not safe to use where food plants are grown, or pets, like our garden cats, roam. Several of our gardeners have been willing in prior years to help set up gopher-proof beds. Should you wish to spend the money for such an investment, ask our head gardener for a referral.
Birds:
Netting and other physical barriers are the best defense. The only bird damage I've had at MCSC is to newly emerged seedlings: the sparrows relish the tender new growth. Wire netting formed into a "tent" over the bed keeps them away quite effectively. - when I remember to use it.
Other flowering plants, shrubs and vegetables:
powdery mildew and other fungi can be a problem on many plants and the horticultural oils work well on them also. You can harvest food crops immediately after spraying with oil: just wash your plants as you would do after harvest anyway. Plan on applying the oil several times during the growing season.
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OTHER PROBLEMS:
Those listed are the problems that seem to keep recurring, and to cause us at MCSC the most grief. If you are looking for a non-toxic solution for something not mentioned here, or you'd like help diagnosing a problem, please contact me. If I don't have an immediate answer, I have access to much good reference material and to many other professionals. I can be contacted at work at San Lorenzo Garden Center: 423.0223, or you can leave a note for me on the gazebo bulletin board - I will check it frequently, except during the short wet days of winter when I'm more likely to be at home researching and planning next year's garden, than actually gardening. |
Seed Starting Kit: Homemade by a Local Gardener
If you start your veggies and flowers from seed, but have had mixed results from your efforts, this article is for you. A local gardener has designed a seed starting kit, made from commonly available parts, that does a superb job of getting even difficult seeds up and growing well. [He wants no publicity so I will call him Fred.] Read on for details.
You will need:
- 1 plastic cooler that has inside dimensions of 12" x 24" like Coleman 6286
- 1 seedling heat mat that is 10" x 21"
- 1 heat mat thermostat
- 2 double fluorescent light fixtures that are 24 inches long
- 4 full spectrum or Gro-lux light bulbs
- 1 plastic seed starting tray, 10" x 21"
- 1 clear plastic cover for the starting tray
- Containers for starting your seeds: clean recycled containers, plastic 6-packs, expandable peat pellets, or your choice
- Seed starting mix of your choice
- Something to raise the cooler contents up off the bottom to insure good drainage [Fred uses clean empty upside-down yogurt containers] 21 containers fit exactly
- Meat thermometer
- Black plastic concrete or soil mixing tray that is approximately 27"x20"
First remove the hinged cover of the cooler. Set the items up inside it in layers. Place the yogurt containers on the bottom of the cooler, and put over them the heat mat connected to the thermostat. Place on the mat the seed-starting tray, containing the planted growing containers, with the clear plastic cover over all. [Punch a small hole in the center of the cover so the meat thermometer can protrude down among the seedlings, and punch a hole in one corner so the thermostat probe can be placed near the center of the containers also.] Plug the heat mat into the thermostat, and plug the thermostat into an outlet. Set the thermostat to maintain a temperature of between 70 and 74 degrees, and use the meat thermometer to monitor the temperature so you can make any necessary adjustments. Cover the whole thing with the concrete mixing tray that excludes light, contains warmth but allows some air circulation. Check often for emerging seedlings. |
As soon as you notice the "knuckles" of the sprouting seeds poking up, add the two light fixtures to your set-up. They will rest on the little lip on the inside of the cooler so are supported above the seedlings. You can turn them on and off manually or use a timer set to be on for about 16 hours a day. Monitor the temperature carefully at this point; slightly cooler is better than too warm. The seedlings will grow in the cooler for one to two weeks, when they can be potted up and moved to a less protected environment.
Fred controls the humidity in the cooler by raising and lowering the clear plastic cover. He says to keep careful watch for snails and slugs if your cooler is located outdoors. In addition, he recommends that between plantings everything but the lights be cleaned with a 20% bleach solution. He likes to use a little spray bottle with the bleach/water mix, and sprays everything three times, allowing thorough drying between sprayings, to kill any fungal or disease organisms.
This set-up is easy enough for anyone to create and maintain, and seeds and seedlings seem to find it the perfect environment for rapid sprouting and sturdy growth. |
© 2003 Amira S. Bramson www.mid-county-center.org
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