- Author: Maria Gaura
- Editor: Kamille Hammerstrom
Thanks to our mild winter weather, home gardeners on the central coast can grow vegetables year-round – lading their holiday tables with homegrown kale, carrots, snow peas and broccoli.
But before you hit the couch, take a fall afternoon to prepare your garden beds to make the most of our rainy winter season. A green cover crop or a straw-covered layer of manure will work slowly over the winter to enrich your soil, attract earthworms, and feed the legions of beneficial microbes needed for healthy spring crops.
Both techniques have their pros and cons.
Cover crops such as fava beans, vetch and mustard thrive in our winter weather, the beans and vetch teaming up with soil bacteria to pull nitrogen from the air and into the soil. The pros of cover crops include their beauty and variety. Mustard and vetch are spectacular in full bloom, and fava beans grow impressively tall and vibrantly green. Fava beans can also be harvested and eaten.
But cover crop seeds may require watering, at least until winter rains are constant enough to keep the soil evenly moist. And care must be taken to prevent weeds from infesting your cover crop. It's best to plant cover crops before the end of November, and to till them into the soil while they are still green and tender. UCSC's Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems has a great reference for cover crops here.
Layering manure and straw onto your planting beds, on the other hand, is a one-and-done deal. Simply pile on 2 or more inches of herbivore-generated manure – horse, cow, goat, llama or bunny leavings are all equally good – and tuck it up with a fluffy layer of straw or dry leaves three times as deep as the manure layer. The straw stays neat-looking for months, and thick layers of organic material will smother most weeds.
Winter rains keep the pile moist, attracting earthworms and helpful decomposers. Straw and leaves hold in moisture and prevent rain from compacting the soil. In spring, turn the composted manure and straw into the top layer of soil before planting.
The cons of this method include sourcing, transporting and shoveling animal poop, and waiting a couple of days for the barnyard aroma to dissipate.
Whichever method you choose, the result will be richer springtime soil with better tilth. And, possibly, a well-rested and ready-to-go gardener.
Don't forget to subscribe to our blog so that you receive an email notification when a new post goes up. If you have questions, contact us online, by phone or in person to get answers to your gardening quandaries!
- Author: Kamille Hammerstrom
Before you buy!
- Does your city allow chickens? Better find out!
- Set up a brooder or home for the chicks.
- Set up a coop and fence it off.
- Purchase feed for chicks or chickens.
- Have a secure storage container for feed.
- Read as much as you can about chickens. Knowledge is power!
- Find a veterinarian that treats chickens.
Cute Li'l Chicks
Coop-ward Bound
When chicks are 6-8 weeks old they are ready to live outside in a coop. A well designed coop and living area contains:
- Fencing to prevent unwelcome animals from getting in and to prevent chickens from getting out.
- Shelter area, such as a coop, which protects the chickens from extreme weather.
- Nest box – this is where hens lay their eggs.
- Scratch area – chickens like to peck and scratch with their feet.
- Perch – Remember, chickens are birds and birds like to perch off the ground.
- Food and water area with room for all the birds to access both
There are many other considerations for keeping happy and healthy chickens. To find out about the particulars of chicken care, different breeds, what kinds of coop maintenance to perform and when, as well as much more, attend one of our FREE classes "Chix in the City, Hens in the Hood" at Boulder Creek Library on January 16th or Coastanoa Commons on February 25th. We hope to see you there!
References
UCANR Food Blog Chickens, Chickens Everywhere
UC Cooperative Extension Backyard Poultry Resources
Don't forget to subscribe to our blog so that you receive an email notification when a new post goes up. If you have questions, contact us online, by phone or in person to get answers to your gardening quandaries!
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- Author: Kamille Hammerstrom
"But he who dares not grasp the thorn Should never crave the rose."
-- Anne Bronte
Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Well, duh! It would still be a rose, even if it was called a nwliduwldkg! But ‘rose' is much easier to say, so we're lucky that way. If you've been dreaming of roses but haven't yet gotten up the nerve to give them a try, this post and our FREE Class on Jan 13th are for you. Sources for more detailed information are found at the end of the post.
- Hybrid tea roses
- most common roses in home gardens today
- form a shrub 3-5' tall
- large, single flowers
- Floribundas
- form a shrub 2-4' tall
- small flowers borne in clusters
- higher bloom production than hybrid teas
- Grandifloras
- intermediate between hybrid teas and floribundas
- large flowers with increased bloom production
- form a shrub 5-8' tall
- climbers
- flexible stems to 20' long
- need support on a wall, fence, etc.
- possess glossy green leaves
- have few thorns
- require little pruning
- require little disease and pest control
- well suited for low maintenance landscapes
- do not require deadheading
- flower throughout the year with greatest bloom in mid-spring and early autumn
Rose cultivation involves multiple factors, many of which are influenced by microclimate. In general, roses require:
- protection from wind
- lots of sun (full sun all day near coast, afternoon shade in hot inland areas)
- space with good air movement to prevent diseases
- well draining soil that still retains water
- light fertilization before each flush of growth
- watering by flooding basin around the plant with 1-2” water or using drip irrigation when the soil is dry to 1”
- avoidance of frequent wetting of leaves to reduce diseases
- when washing leaves to dislodge pests such as spider mites and aphids, do it in the morning so leaves are dry by nightfall
If you'd like to learn basics of rose care, be sure to sign up for our FREE class "The Basics of Rose Care" on January 13th at 10am here! Information in this post was taken from this Garden Information Series flyer. The UC IPM website has lots of information about pests and disorders of roses here and information about cultural practices and pest control here. For information on abiotic disorders and diseases, go here. And for information on rose insect and mite pests and beneficials, visit this page.
Don't forget to subscribe to our blog so that you receive an email notification when a new post goes up. If you have questions, contact us online, by phone or in person to get answers to your gardening quandaries!
- Author: Kamille Hammerstrom
Happy New Year from the UC Master Gardeners of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties!
So where does that leave our gardens and landscapes? Dry, dry, dry.
Evergreen plants are often the hardest hit by La Niña because they continue to use water for photosynthesis. Deciduous trees and shrubs require less moisture, but will benefit from some irrigation during periods of little to no rain. Remember, infrequent deep irrigation is better than frequent shallow irrigation. Don't forget to water your container plants as well.
Warmer temperatures sometimes cause shrubs to start putting out leaves early and while there's not much to do about that, be on guard for cold snaps that will freeze tender new growth. Before a freeze, water your plants, as soil moisture and hydrated roots will improve their cold hardiness.
In summary, La Niña has put us back in drought conditions. Unfortunately, we've had a lot of experience with drought here in central California.
For La Niña forecast information, visit the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center. For reminders on gardening in a drought, visit the UC California Garden Web. Don't forget to subscribe to our blog so that you receive an email notification when a new post goes up. If you have questions, contact us online, by phone or in person to get answers to your gardening quandaries.
/h4>/h4>- Author: Kamille Hammerstrom
First of all, fertilize!
Citrus is a heavy feeder, particularly on nitrogen. Fertilizers are generally labeled with numeric ratios such as 3-1-1. Those numbers reflect the ratio of nitrogen (N) to phosphorus (P) to potassium (K), or N-P-K. Because citrus likes a lot of nitrogen, you want to purchase a fertilizer with at least a 2-1-1 ratio, or twice as much nitrogen as phosphorus and potassium. Citrus also requires trace minerals, which may be present in the fertilizer you purchase. If not, supplement with trace minerals such as a foliar kelp-based application. Feed according to the directions on the packaging.
Pruning
According to the Four Winds Growers website, citrus can be pruned any time of year, except in the winter for outdoor trees. If you will be overwintering your citrus tree indoors, you can prune now to reduce legginess and suckering. If your trees stay outside like mine, save the pruning for spring. Visit the Four Winds Growers website for more information on pruning.
Watering
Protect from Cold Temperatures
Citrus trees vary in the amount of cold they can tolerate. Lemon and lime trees are the most cold-tolerant, probably one reason why there are so many of them around the central coast. But all varieties of citrus need some protection from frost and/or freezing. A quick and short-lived plunge in temperature won't be as damaging as a prolonged exposure to cold. If you hear that a cold front is coming, get ready:
- Water all garden plants thoroughly before a freeze, since freezing soil will pull moisture from the plant roots
- Put old fashioned heat producing Christmas lights on your trees or landscape lights under your trees. Be careful that the hot bulbs don't come into direct contact with leaves as the leaves may scorch.
- Use frost cover blankets draped over your trees and attached to the ground to trap daytime heat. Be careful if using plastic covers because the trees could overheat during the day.
- If you have the space, you could also overwinter your citrus tree indoors to avoid frost. Move the tree gradually to avoid shocking it. It's also best to let the roots get a bit dry to ease the transition and prevent the roots from staying too wet through the winter. Ensure the tree gets at least 6 hours of sun per day, or supplement with grow lights. Once danger of frost has passed, gradually move the tree back to full sun in your yard.
The gift giving season is nearly upon us. Consider a potted citrus for yourself or a loved one! They'll repay you with evergreen foliage, sweet-smelling blossoms, and tasty fruit for years to come! For much more information on citrus, visit the Four Winds Growers website. There is also an abundance of information on citrus on the UCANR website (search for citrus). And visit our earlier blog post on how to prepare your citrus for winter here. Don't forget to subscribe to our blog so that you receive an email notification when a new post goes up. If you have questions, contact us online, by phone or in person to get answers to your gardening quandaries.
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