Napa Master Gardener Column

by Tom Hixson, UC Master Gardener of Napa County Most Napa Valley residents recognize the plant known as tree of heaven when they see it sprouting wild in fields, taking over their gardens or defiantly establishing itself in sidewalk cracks.

Did you know that 17 different types of bats live in Northern California? Some are pollinators; others are insect eaters. Both are important to our environment. Much has been written over the last few years about the loss of pollinators. Bats are an important pollinator.

Okay, maybe I am cheap, but I hate to waste stuff. Even when I can buy something for a specific purpose, I try to make it first, just to see if it works--sort of like a Rube Goldberg machine. I come from a family of immigrants, which is true of almost everyone in the U.S.

As nighttime temperatures cool and we pick the last of our summer crops, it is time to prepare the garden for winter and next spring. Many activities done now can make your late winter and spring gardening easier and your garden more beautiful and productive.

The Coulter's Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri), a California/Baja native plant, is a paradox. It is described as both difficult to grow and invasive. How can that be? Years ago, I decided the poppy was the plant for me because of the second attribute.