- Author: Kathy M Gunther
It has been just over six years since Mike and I picked up stakes and moved from our hometown of Saginaw, Michigan to sunny California! A very big adventure…and a bit scary…to move away from everyone and everything we had known for 50+ years. After being in California for several months, we happened to talk to a Master Gardener at the downtown Fairfield farmer's market, and proceeded to sign up for classes! I had previously been a Master Gardener through Michigan State Extension and had enjoyed it very much. So, to make our new home really feel like home, I figured that making friends with a bunch of gardeners would be the way to go! Little did I know! Since joining the Solano County Master Gardeners, we have met and become friends with so many wonderful people, that it made our transition as Californians so much easier! The first time I met Jennifer Baumbach, I knew she and I would become close friends….we have the same goofy sense of humor! And, after listening to Ken Williams teach our Intro to Horticulture and Irrigation classes at the Master Gardener office, we decided to continue our education with him at SCC! Such a fun and educational experience! And, also, Ken became another of our closest friends!
So many changes for us…and so many differences in our gardening life! I'm sure I drove Jen nuts at our first wreath workshop as we were walking back to our cars and I was constantly pointing out plants and saying “What's this?... What's that?” WOW! A whole new world of green growing things!
So, this article will be my first attempt to show you some of the differences in gardening in Michigan vs. California! The first, and most obvious, is the growing season! Michigan has approx. 3 to 4 months of growing time. Planting after the date of last frost in Michigan is Memorial Day! In Fairfield, I think it is sometime in February! Oh my gosh! In February in Michigan, we are still having cabin fever, watching all the white stuff coming down! We can plant here in February and March? NO WAY! To be continued…
- Author: Trisha Rose
Well the process has begun, the backyard lawn is now gone, lawn guys accidentally sprayed with weed killer, who knows why, there went their job security. We were planning to take it out, so now is the time.
It's been 10 days with dirt and dead grass bits and 3 large dogs. Vacuum on overload. Raised bed going in Saturday with drip. Next Tuesday the rocks show up, they are permeable so water can still reach the soil below. Then drought tolerant plantings need to replace 25% of the previous turf area.
Trying to satisfy both the Solano County Water Agency's Water-Efficient Landscape Rebate Program $1 per square foot "solanocash4grass@scwa2.com" and the California State "SaveOurWaterTurf@egia.org" rebate program for a total of $2 per square foot of turf removed. The state program piggybacks on our local program to make up the difference up to $2 total per square foot.
In my case, I began with the county program, had my pre-inspection and my notice to proceed. I just found out about the state program so I went on-line to complete the submission process, very slick website, easy to navigate and upload photos and tie in our local program details. Hit the submit button and shortly thereafter got my application number via an email.
So now just need to keep my wits about me til next Tuesday.
- Author: Karen Metz
A friend asked me what the plant growing next to my driveway was, she said she had never seen anything like it. I looked over to see what she was talking about.The Russian Sage or Perovskia atriplicifolia was looking pretty nice that afternoon. Of course one of the reasons it was standing out is that everything else looks so brown and crinkly. In contrast, this plant was thriving on the heat and drought. It was in full bloom and had been blooming for weeks. That particular day though it was swarming with bees, the insects were also appreciating the small purple/blue flowers that appear in sprays. This plant is thought to be native to Afghanistan, Iran,Tibet and Pakistan per the Sunset Western Garden Book.
It is good in Zones 2-24 likes full sun and a variety of soils as long as it has good drainage. Dead heading helps lengthen the season. Mine has been in the ground about 2-3 years and this is its best bloom season yet. It's also the first season I tried deadheading. Sunset says I should cut the plant nearly to the ground in spring before new growth starts.
These sprays of flowers do dry well when hung upside down in a dark area, so that's another added benefit.
- Author: Betty Homer
Over the past few months, I have been featuring every month, one site to an urban farm tour that I attended in June 2015. The good news is that if you are interested, there is one more opportunity this summer that will take place on Sat, 9/12/15 to attend one of these urban farm tours. It will be a little bit of a trek, as the final set of urban farm tours for 2015 is to take place in the Hayward/Castro Valley area (so about a 1 hour+ drive from Solano County).
This is the third installment of my visits to various urban farms this summer. My third destination was Green Skies Vertical Farm, a mostly hydroponic urban farm using vertical gardening techniques, located in Oakland, California. Unlike the other urban farms previously featured, Green Skies is a business owned by David Ceaser who is renting this site from the property owner. Green Skies' business model is to specialize in growing in-market crops (e.g., specialty leafy greens, microgreens, etc.) and selling them directly to restaurants.
Green Skies is considered a “medium” site, the lot size consisting of 4000 square feet, of which 2500 square feet is used for cultivation. Among other unique features of this urban farm, is that David designed it be portable should he decide to relocate his business to another site someday. This urban farm can be set up and broken down quickly for transport.
David has incorporated vertical gardening techniques to maximize space. Much of his farming is done using inexpensive rain gutters which one can buy from any hardware store, on elevated scaffolding (see pictures). The farm specializes in growing soil-based kaiware (aka, daikon microgreen) and herb cultivation including, but not limited to, chives, oregano, and thyme. David also cultivates spearmint, peppermint, sorrel, minutina, stevia and chives hydroponically. Green Skies produces and sells starts including various types of tomato plants, basil, beans, lemon cucumbers, ornamental plants, etc. Water catchment from the roof on an adjacent house located on the property, and catching water from crop drainage for reuse, are integral to this farm. The farm also grows wheatgrass (in a converted rubber tote designed to be a coldframe—see pictures).
One of my favorite discoveries of this farm was/is sorrel, which is perennial leafy green great for salads that has a surprisingly refreshing, tangy, lemon taste. After visiting Green Skies, I knew I had to have sorrel for my garden (which I was able to buy locally from Morningsun Herb Farm in Vacaville). If the sorrel starts to flower, all that is needed is to cut back the flowers and the plant will continue to grow, giving you leafy greens when other vegetables may not be available.
For more information regarding these urban farm tours, please see http://www.iuhoakland.com/.
- Author: Sterling Smith
Pandorea jasminoides, or Bower Vine, originated in Australia; it's a great decorative vine with beautiful glossy green foliage. Flowers are trumpet shaped with deep pink throats and bloom on the previous year's growth. They are normally found in a more moderate coastal climates; Sunset zones 16-24, H1 and H2 which would include the Bay area and greater Los Angeles area.
They perform best in soil with rich organic content and with regular water. A leeward site is preferred out of the wind. After blooming season concludes; it's best to shape and thin their vines to control size. Bower vines will not tolerate prolonged freezing, so best to cover it when cold weather is forecast.
Our specimen is located in Sunset zone 9; our soil and water are pretty good, it's sited on the west side of our yard against the fence. Too the west is a 2-story home that helps to provide a robust wind-tunnel from time to time. Despite the site challenges, our specimen, with it's variegated leaves, provides an excellent visual interest in and out of bloom. Their growth is moderate, only occasionally needing to be guided onto their support.