- Author: Kathy Low
As you prepare for the holidays, it's also a good time to prepare for potential frost in your yard and garden. This preparation consists of having the knowledge and materials you need to protect your sensitive plants. There are several actions you can take to protect your frost sensitive plants and trees from damage when a freeze is predicted.
- If possible, move the plants close to your home. During the day buildings absorb heat which they then radiate.
- Keep the soil around tree trunks free of ground cover, weeds, and mulch since bare soil radiates more heat.
- Keep the soil moist since moist soil retains heat better than dry soil. Ideally, you should irrigate the soil two to three days in advance of a freeze so it maintains the proper water content for maximum absorption of solar radiation. Avoid watering your plants right before a freeze because if the surface is wet, it increases evaporation and the energy loss from the evaporation counterbalances the benefit of better solar radiation absorption.
- Don't water succulents right before a freeze. Because of their ability to retain high levels of water, it increases their risk of ice crystals forming and bursting in their cells.
- Insulate the trunks of young trees by wrapping them in cardboard, fiberglass, or foam pipe insulation.
- Before the sun sets, cover sensitive plants and trees with floating row covers, nursery foam covers, burlap, or sheets or blankets. (A double layer of row cover or nursery foam cover can provide up to 10 degrees of protection.) If using burlap, a sheet or blanket, use stakes, tomato cages or other supports to keep the fabric from weighing down the foliage on the tree or plant and to allow greater air flow. Note that if the material you use as a cover gets wet, it could lead to colder temperatures near the fabric. Be sure to remove the cover during the day to recharge the heat in the soil, and to allow the greenery to absorb sunlight.
- Place old style holiday lights in the interior of trees to help raise the temperature up to 3 degrees. Be sure to use lights and power cords rated for outdoor use.
For more information on protecting sensitive plants from frost, check out the document “Frost Protection for Citrus and Other Subtropicals” from the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources accessible at https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8100.pdf
and the book titled Frost Protection: Fundamentals Practice and Economics, by Richard Snyder, UCD Dept. of Land, Air and Water Resources, and J. Paulo de Melo, which can be downloaded for free from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization website at http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/y7223e/y7223e00.htm#Contents.
- Author: Lanie Keystone
During the recent drought years, we've focused on filling our gardens with beautiful succulents. Even though they seem to be “the easy child” in the garden, they still need proper attention to grow and thrive in your home. So, here's a review of basic care techniques for these ancient and exotic plants when bringing them in to create your own desert landscape indoors.
Water Sparingly! A cautionary note to all of the doting moms and dads out there: with indoor cacti, it's better to under-water than over-water. About once a month! A cactus can survive without water for many, many months, but rot is an instant killer. Using a moisture meter eliminates the guesswork—or—just water when the soil is completely parched and dry.
Let Your Cactus “Play Outside! Leave your cacti outside during the growing months from March to September. Introduce them to their new outdoor conditions gradually to avoid sunburn. They will be so much happier and robust when you bring them back indoors for the fall and winter when they go dormant.
Choose the Right Pot! Make sure to use a pot with a drainage hole at the bottom. Also, include an inch of pumice or a small rock to aid in the drainage.
Soil Matters! Cacti do not like to sit in wet soil—so, no regular potting soil. Use only a specialized cactus mix and after repotting in the new soil, don't water for two weeks. (I know—it's against your parenting instincts!) Planting typically breaks a cactus's roots and you want to take care not to expose cut roots to water as it can create that deadly rot.
Watch for Warning Signs of Distress!
- Thinning of the top growth means not enough light
- Yellow scarring or splotches of extremities exposed to the bright sun can mean sunburn.
- Thinning of overall cactus ribs means under-watering
- White clumps or scale means insect infestation.
Did we say that cacti are the “easy children”? Well, they are. And just by a little observation and minimal care with the proper amount of light and water, they will grow and thrive in your home for years and years. Enjoy!
- Author: Martha White
I watched July and August out my bedroom window this summer, as I recovered from spine surgery. Friends tell me I missed scorching temperatures and smoky air! As fellow gardeners, we still keep track of what is going on outside, even when we can't be out there, don't we! A few days ago, I ventured out to the backyard, just to see what had been happening without me.
The plants that were correctly placed with my drip irrigation were thriving, which made my investment in drips well worth the money. I lost a few plants where the spray connectors didn't give them quite enough water. I decided that was a mixed blessing since it gave me permission to shop this fall for replacement plants (after those pesky spray connectors are replaced by drips!).
My happiest surprise came when I saw the large colorful zinnias! In the late spring, I tossed the seeds into a large planter barrel that holds my dwarf mandarin orange tree. The seeds were leftover from a planting project with my granddaughter. It is hard for me to throw away leftover seeds in a packet. Anyway, the zinnias thrived! I have never grown zinnias before, but I have definitely become a fan!
Zinnias are annuals, which means they grow for only one season. They are considered one of the easiest plants to grow and are often selected for children's projects for that reason. The brightly colored flowers attract butterflies. Plant seed after the last frost has passed, and give them as sunny a location as possible. Sow seeds only one-fourth of an inch deep. For most varieties, seedlings will sprout in 4 to 7 days. More information on types of zinnias is available online.
Next spring, I plan to experiment with planting several types of zinnia seeds. I love the bright colors attracting butterflies to my garden. And, I value how easily they grew this summer, completely without any interference from me!
- Author: Melinda Nestlerode
A few years ago, our cat disappeared during the night. We were devastated by the loss of our beloved Teddy and blamed the nocturnal coyotes who live in the open space near our home. However, during a visit to the Animal Shelter, we were told that opossums, raccoons, and birds of prey are capable of killing cats. We quickly turned our anger on the opossum (Didelphis virginiana) who ran along our fence at night and taunted the dog. It was easy to hate such an animal; with their rodent-like snouts, beady black eyes, and thick, hairless prehensile tails.
Last week, I attended an excellent presentation by the Suisun Wildlife Center. They brought owls, snakes, a turtle, and an opossum as demonstration animals. The opossum was tame, having been hand-raised by humans, and was (almost) cute. The presenters did not believe opossums were capable of killing cats and extolled their virtues, which include eating slugs and snails. Suddenly, I felt guilty for hating a harmless animal!
So, which is true? Is the opossum a vile cat-killing predator, or a docile, garden-pest-removing friend? The truth is, the opossum is neither of these.
The opossum is a native of the eastern United States, and the only marsupial indigenous to this country. They are nocturnal omnivores and eat fruits, nuts, green plants, insects, snails, snakes, frogs, birds, and their eggs, as well as small mammals such as meadow voles, mice, and rats. The opossum will eat fresh meat or carrion and is often seen feeding on road kill. Opossums do not prey on cats or other larger mammals but will attack them if cornered, or if competing for food.
Opossums cause loss to home gardens by eating nuts, berries, fruits, and grapes. They eat pet food left outside and may raid compost bins. The animals carry a variety of diseases, including leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, and Chagas disease. They may also be infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice; and are hosts for cat and dog fleas, and flea-borne typhus.
There are several steps you can take to deter opossums from occupying your yard. Be aware that it is illegal to trap and relocate wild animals without permission from the State of California Department of Fish and Wildlife: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=45902. Here's what you can do:
- Cut back overgrown shrubbery and trim back trees that overhang rooftops at least 5 feet from the roof edge
- Remove fallen fruit
- Stack firewood tightly, leaving no gaps suitable for a den; store scrap lumber and other items about 18 inches off the ground
- Ensure garbage cans have tight-fitting lids
- Do not place food items or table scraps in your compost bin
- Remove pet food placed outdoors by nightfall
- Block access to areas under stairs, porches, decks, and buildings with 1/4–inch mesh hardware cloth – BE SURE THAT THE ANIMAL HAS VACATED THE AREA FIRST
- Use poultry wire around gardens
- Use electrically-charged wire near the top of the fence. Visit the University of California's Pest Note regarding raccoons for more information: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74116.html
- Use a motion-activated sprinkler system
- Use light, and sound from a loud radio to annoy the animal at night
For more information about how to deter opossums from inhabiting your property, visit the University of California's Agriculture and Natural Resources website at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74123.html
- Author: Kathy Low
With the annual Master Gardener's Wreath Making Workshop coming up on December 1, 2018 (see the flyer below), I thought it might be interesting to look into the history of wreaths. What I discovered were two different histories of the wreath.
The first history dates the wreath back to the 8th century BC. In ancient times wreaths made from laurel, ivy, olive leaves, oak, wheat, and vines were worn as crowns by Etruscan rulers. In ancient Rome and Greece, wreaths were used to represent a person's status or accomplishments. Roman magistrates and leaders wore golden wreaths to demonstrate their lineage back to Rome's early Etruscan rulers.
Wreaths made of different plants had different meanings. For example, according to mythology, Zeus made decisions while resting in an oak grove, so wreaths made of oak symbolize wisdom. Laurel wreaths are often associated with love because according to Ovid's Metamorphosis, the target of Apollo's love, the nymph Daphne escaped his pursuit by being transformed into a laurel tree. Since he couldn't have her, he cut off a branch and proclaimed that since he could not have her, he would always wear her on his hair. So he's often depicted wearing a laurel wreath as a symbol of his love for Daphne.
The ancient Greeks are also credited with introducing wreaths made of bay laurel (native to the Mediterranean region) as a symbolic award to victors of military, music, poetry and athletic competitions. Because wild olive trees grew in Olympia where the Olympic Games were held, olive wreaths were awarded to victors of athletic games.
The other history of wreaths dates back to 1000 BC. It's believed that Pagans created the wreaths as part of the solstice celebration as a symbol of perseverance through a harsh winter and hope for the coming spring. It's theorized that in the 16th century Lutherans, Protestants, and Catholics in Germany adopted the wreath to celebrate Advent. Advent wreaths have four white candles, with a candle in the center, which is lit on Christmas Day. Advent and Christmas wreaths are made of evergreens as a symbol of growth and eternal life. Wreaths made of holly branches are symbolic of the crown of thorns Jesus wore when he was crucified, and the red berries represent the blood he shed for us.
If you are interested in making a wreath for the holidays, consider registering for the Wreath Workshop on December 1st. The Master Gardeners will provide you with instruction on making a wreath, and all the supplies (frame, evergreens and other decorations) needed to make a wreath. See the flyer below for registration information.