Advice for the Home Gardener from the
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program
of Contra Costa County

Home Gardener's Request:  Thank you for calling the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk concerning moles in your lawn. I'm sending links (below) for the information that we promised.

Master Gardener Help Desk Response: 
For Moles:  http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74115.html.
You mentioned that you have had grubs previously, and it may be that moles are still present because grubs are a food source for them. If you can eliminate the grubs, the moles may move on. The above 'pest note' link (above) suggests that trapping is the most dependable control method for moles, and it gives detailed information should you decide this is necessary.

For Grubs:  The links following also provide some information on lawn grubs: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/TOOLS/TURF/PESTS/inchaf.html
This link gives more details about treatment: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7476.html

Turf Management:  Finally, UC has an extensive website on general lawn management at:
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/TOOLS/TURF/

Most control methods for grubs are only effective while they are actively feeding and as we move into the colder part of the year, grubs are not so active. You can check your lawn by rolling back a bit of turf to see if grubs are present. If the mole damage is not too great, you might want to wait until spring to reassess the situation. Meanwhile, plan on giving your lawn the best care, with adequate irrigation and care and not to over-fertilize. This will give it the lawn its best chance to withstand pest damage.

If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Help Desk again.
Good luck with your lawn!

Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SMW)

---

Notes: Contra Costa MG's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone:  (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at  http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.

Advice for the Home Gardener from the
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardeners
Program of Contra Costa County

Master Gardeners' Help Desk Request:  I recently moved into a home in Clayton and am very fortunate to have inherited many beautiful perennials! One, in particular, has stumped me and I was hoping you would be able to help me identify it. I have attached a few pictures.  

Along with identifying the plant, I am also curious as to seasonal care. It is obvious the flowers are finished. It is also very large and many have fallen to the ground (the plant isn't able to support itself). Should I cut it way back, deadhead the flowers, etc.?
 
Growing up in the Midwest, I don't have any experience with perennials in this climate! I am enjoying reading up and learning about the plants in my new yard. I appreciate your time and help on this endeavor!
 
Response from the MGCC Help Desk: Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk about your unknown perennial. Any plant identification done from a picture must be considered tentative, however, I think that this plant is a Lepechinia sp., and I suspect it is Lepechinia hastata.

Originally looking at your pictures, the plant looks like a salvia. It has broad thick leaves, with well-defined veins. However, most salvias flower on a single stalk and the flowers do not branch as you get to the top of the plant. This branching of the flowers is very prominent in your pictures as is the calyx (the cup that holds the flower on the plant). Lepechinia sp. have very similar leaves to salvias, but can have these branching flowers and a very prominent calyx.
They are in the same family as salvias and are so similar, they are frequently referred to as the false sage or the pitcher sage. There are Lepechinia sp. which are native to California but these seem to have a more drooping carriage. With the upright flowers on your plant, it likely is Lepechinia hastata, a variety that possibly was native to Mexico or Hawaii.

According to the Sunset Western Garden Book, Lepechinia sp. can grow up to 6 feet tall and wide. They require almost no summer water except under the hottest conditions and deer are rarely interested in them. It was difficult to find any clear advice about caring for this plant as it seems to require almost no care. It likes well-draining soil and does not want to be soggy.

A few nurseries recommend deadheading the plant or cutting it back after blooming so it seems reasonable to clean up the parts of your plant that have fallen down. In areas that are warm enough, it might continue to produce some flowers year-round.

Hope this helps.
Best of luck with your new garden

Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SES)

---

 Notes: Contra Costa MG's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone:  (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at  http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.

Advice for the Home Gardener
from the MGCC's Help Desk

Gardener's Request:  Hi Master Gardeners!:  I'm into my third year with my artichoke crowns, and generally they seem to be doing well - I get a crop in the spring, then they die back, then new rosettes come out in about September and grow over the winter for a next crop in the spring (I'm in Walnut Creek - I assume it's too hot here for any hope of a fall crop, and that's fine). My question is about these new rosettes in the fall - there are something like four to seven rosettes coming out of each crown (see attached pictures - I have multiple crowns in my garden, spaced very far from each other as part of my front yard landscaping, each picture is a single crown). Should I be thinning these out? Is there an optimum number of rosettes per crown to get the biggest and most artichokes in the spring? Thanks for your help! Best!!

MGCC Help Desk Response:  Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk regarding your question about reducing the amount of rosettes on your artichoke plants. I was unable to find any UC research to indicate that thinning the rosettes would contribute to an increase in the production of artichokes.

The information I read about improving crop and taste had to do with cultural practices such as adding organic matter and ensuring proper watering for the plant. Artichoke plants do best in a 6.5-8 pH soil. They are heavy feeders and benefit from lots of organic matter. They like good drainage and generally do best in sun to partial shade. They require protection from prolonged frost. The pictures of your artichoke plants show that your plants look quite healthy.

There was one article I read through the UC Davis vegetable research that suggested during harvest season that the old bearing stalks could be removed to encourage the development of new shoots. The stalk was removed below the ground. The process was called “stumping”.

It was also interesting to read in several different UC resources that generally the life of an artichoke plant is about 5 years because the root area becomes crowded and the plants lose vigor. 

If you would like more information about growing artichokes, below is a link to an article written about growing artichokes by the Sonoma County Master Gardeners.  
http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Food_Gardening/Feature_Vegetables/Artichokes/

Good luck with your artichoke crop!

Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (JRB)

---

Notes: Contra Costa MG's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone:  (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at  http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.

Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program in Contra Costa County

Updated Situation:  Bed bug encounters are on the rise in California. In response, the UC Statewide IPM Program is providing all UC Master Gardener programs with a preserved bed bug lifecycle mount in resin for education and outreach. It will be available soon at the Concord Help Desk (location below) to show our interested gardeners.

Bed Bug Facts:  To refresh your memory about bed bugs, here are some bed bug facts:

• The Help Desk has (formerly real live) bed bugs encased in a mount for close-up viewing.
  Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are not microscopic. While small, you can see all life stages with the naked eye.
• Both nymphs (immatures) and adults only feed on blood and must have a blood meal in order to develop and survive.
• Bed bugs do not jump or fly but they are good hitchhikers.
• Bed bugs generally feed at night and typically hide in dark cracks and crevices during the day.
• Common hiding places are typically located within 6 feet from areas where humans sleep or rest including box springs, along mattress seams, behind headboards, or inside furniture and upholstery.
• There are several ways to prevent bed bug infestations in your home.
• When traveling, check for bed bugs in your hotel room. Inspect your luggage before leaving, and wash and dry all your clothing when you get home.
• If you purchase second-hand furniture, thoroughly inspect the item for bed bugs before bringing it into your home.
  
  Here are some UC IPM web resources on bed bugs that you might also find of interest:
• Pest Notes: Bed Bugs
• Bed Bugs Quick Tip Card (English) and Chinches de Cama (Spanish)
  
  YouTube videos
• Don't bring bed bugs home when you travel
• How to use a bed bug detector
• How to inspect for bed bugs
  YouTube videos Spanish versions:
• Cómo saber si tiene chinches de cama
• No traiga chinches a casa al volver de viaje
• Cómo usar un detector de chinches de cama

If you have more questions, please contact us via our Help Desk or at our “Ask a Master Gardener” tables at Farmers Markets and other events. (see addresses below) 

Help Desk of the UC Master Garden Program of Contra Costa County

---

Notes: Contra Costa MG's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone:  (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at  http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.