- Author: Flo Pucci Master Gardener
The promise of warmer temps is a welcome reprieve from bulky clothing and enclosed environments after a cold, foggy, and windy winter. Indeed, warmer temperatures provide the perfect envelope for outdoor activities like backyard BBQs, swimming, and gardening. However, not all is fun and bliss during the warmer months; a vital detail that should not be overlooked is the troublesome mosquitoes that can dampen outdoor activities. In many areas of California, public mosquito and vector control agencies aim to keep mosquito numbers down to tolerable levels all or most of the time.
UC Master Gardeners Integrated Pest Management strategies (IPM) offer the following tactics to reduce or eradicate the mosquito population in your community. Keeping fine mesh screen on windows and outdoor in good repair, draining standing water or treating it with a control agent such as Bacillus thuringiensi subspecies israelensis (Bti), incorporating mosquito-eating fish into isolated ponds and neglected swimming pools, and wearing repellent and protective clothing outdoors when mosquitoes are active.
When the mosquito population becomes bothersome, people can protect themselves and others by applying a mosquito repellent. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using products containing active ingredients registered by the U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA) as repellents applied to skin and clothing.
An EPA registration indicates the active ingredients of the repellent have been tested for human safety when used according to the instructions on the label. The CDC currently recommends two types of repellents for skin use: conventional and biopesticide repellent. Conventional repellent includes compounds such as DEET and Picaridin (KBR). Biopesticides repellent are derived from natural materials or synthetic versions of the natural product, such as the synthetic oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE: use only when formulated as a repellent. The EPA does not currently register the pure form of OLE). DEET is the most effective mosquito repellent if you will be out for long periods where mosquitos are abundant. However, DEET is an irritant to some people, and repellents containing high concentrations of DEET can damage synthetic materials such as clothing or plastics. Special low formulations of oil-based mediums that slowly release the compound and limits the absorption throughout the skin are good for children and adults.
Mosquitoes, like all creatures, are attracted to environments that contain the things they need to live, including certain plants. Mosquitoes do not live on blood alone. Only the female bites and feeds the blood to their eggs. Adult mosquitoes eat the nectar of certain plants, such as Taro, papyrus, water lilies, and water hyacinths. Therefore, removing these plants help reduce the mosquito population in your community.
Here are a few plants worth having in the garden that are not only pretty but can help in the constant war against bugs and will help make outdoor activities fun and blissful for everyone. Peppermint, Lemon Balm, Lavender, Catmint, Basil, Mint, Sage, Rosemary, Marigold, Geranium, Mum, Thyme, Eucalyptus,
Hummingbird Mint, Lemongrass, Society Garlic, and Lemon Verbena are all beautiful additions to a garden.
In short, in addition to growing the plants listed above, homeowners should practice the control practices approved and recommended by the Mosquito Vector Control District as well as UC Master Gardeners Integrated Pest Management strategies in their homes and community so that mosquitoes do not get out of hand.
Please follow the links below for more in-depth information about mosquito control in your area.
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7451.html
http://sjmosquito.org/Mosquitoes-Ticks/Mosquito-Prevention-Tips
- Author: Regina Brennan, Master Gardener
I was recently reminiscing with one of my grandsons about the fun times we had when he was little, and we played in my garden together. In all honesty, grandma had different warm memories than that little guy, who is now in his second year of college. I, of course, was hoping for affirmation of the strongly held belief that involving children at an early age in age-appropriate gardening activities will ensure a lifetime of love of gardening.
As with any learning, repetition is important for the strengthening of retention. For parents, involving children in the cycle of growth and seasons has a better chance of retention than a “one and done.”
For myself, as a child, I learned to love sitting in the garden quietly observing the sights and smells of a wide variety of flowers and shrubs. I was four years old, and the garden belonged to our landlord, and my parents rented an apartment from them. It was a magical time for me, as there were no playmates my age. I was allowed to sit in my little rocker chair by myself because I didn't get into “mischief.” I look to that time as the beginning of my love of the outdoors, especially the peace and joy of being alone with nature.
Fast forward to present day, and I still find myself going out to my garden when I am feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or just plain cranky. I suspect every parent and grandparent wants to pass along the love of the outdoors, and particularly the love of gardening, to their children and grandchildren. In today's stressful and often toxic environment, being able to retreat for a short time to reclaim a sense of stability and calm is something we can achieve without waiting for the weekend and a long drive to find a reprieve from built up stress.
Children mimic the actions and attitudes of the significant adults in their lives. Involving them in the planting and general
Gardeners are made, not born, is a fairly common expression that illustrates the importance of involving children at all ages in the growing of a garden. Small children love to help in just about every gardening activity, and extra patience needs to be shown to not discourage their joy and wanting to help. The other half of this reality is when the children are finally old enough to really be of help, they lose interest and want to be out playing with friends. Parents are competing now with electronic devices for the attention of their children. It is increasingly difficult for parents to make the time to work with their children to instill in them the value of real life experiences. Not all is lost, however. Google can be used by school age children as a resource and teaching tool for plant identification and care!
Back to childhood memories of outdoor spaces and the sights and smells of lovely gardens. As parents and grandparents, we hold on to the belief that our efforts to raise our children will eventually bear the best kind of fruit: love of nature, and gardening in particular. Even if the younger ones lose these precious memories with time, we can still hang on to our own, and enjoy the warm feeling of accomplishment of having planted the seed in our next generation of gardeners.
- Author: Sue Davis, Master Gardener
As the summer swelters on, we can all be thankful that there are only four big things to think about each month. Be smart about sun exposure and work in the early mornings or spread the chores across several days if needed.
July Ideas
ONE –WATER – We are officially facing another drought year, so conservation of as much water as possible in the landscape is an imperative. Do not water mature, native California oaks. To save mature, drought tolerant trees, deep water only once per month. Mature fruiting and most ornamental trees growing in our clay-loam soil will need a deep irrigation every 14 days. Mature citrus trees can go about 10 days between deep irritations. Potted trees are not good conservers of water. They need to be checked, and in some cases, watered daily.
THREE – It's hot outside, but the need to garden continues. Try making an open terrarium filled with succulents. Place a layer of stones plus some horticultural charcoal at the bottom of a glass container. Top the stones and charcoal with a thin layer of moss and some soil. Add succulents, a decorative item or two, and water gently. Let the soil dry out completely between watering.
FOUR – Avoid harboring pests that will affect next year's production by cleaning up mummies and old fruit and nuts in and under trees.
In August
ONE – Take some time during these dog days of summer to enjoy the landscape and garden while planning a winter garden and deciding on landscape additions. Select seed, gather whatever soil amendments, tools, and irrigation supplies are needed, and find where that perfect plant, shrub, or tree can be purchased. Visits to nurseries are a great way to beat the heat.
TWO – It is time to think of a cool season vegetable garden. Just saying those words, like a mantra, may bring some
THREE – Apricots and cherries should have their final pruning this month. Pruning during the wet, winter season could lead to detrimental canker infections in the trees. The pathogens for these diseases are spread by rain or tree wounds (like pruning cuts) during wet weather and continue to spread through the wood of the tree for several years.
FOUR –Note Lee Miller's Help Desk article in this Blog and plant a bed of strawberries this month for an abundant crop next year. Since plants only produce well for about three years, try only planting a third of the patch this year, adding a third next year and a third the following year. Planting on a rotation like that will result in a consistent yield and not be such a daunting task in the heat of summer.
September Notes
ONE – While people might like the coming of cooler weather that September signals, so do fleas! Be sure to groom and monitor pets during the cooler months of autumn to detect the beginning of any infestation. In California, Cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, are most common on domestic cats and dogs. Although dog fleas look like cat fleas, they are rare in our state. Adult fleas are no larger than 1/8 inch long, so it is difficult to see a number of the characteristics used to describe them. These reddish-brown, wingless insects are laterally compressed, so they look as if they are walking on edge. Cat fleas have both pronotal and genal combs. For more information on these unwanted insects which can also infest a home if left unchecked, see the UC IPM pest notes on fleas.
TWO – Landscapes can be brightened by setting out transplants of a variety of flowers found in local nurseries. Favorites include pansies, verbena, dianthus, and mums. If there is room, plant a tree on the southwest side of a dwelling to provide shade in the coming years. Be sure to check the mature size (both width and height) of the tree to know if there will be ample room once it reaches maturity. Shrubs and groundcover that are beginning to look a little bedraggled should be replaced as the weeks begin to cool. If this is a more bountiful year for water, nature should do most of the fall and winter watering to develop a strong root structure and beautiful new growth starting next spring. If we are facing another dry winter, remember that even “low water” and “drought resistant” plants need consistent watering until they are established.
FOUR – In case rain is sparse again this year, organic mulch applied several inches thick around plants will help keep roots moist. Keep the mulch 3-5 inches from the trunks of plants to avoid problems with rot. This is basically just good practice in the landscape whether or not there is ample winter rain.
Information for this article has been gathered from:
- Author: John Giehl, UC Master Gardener
Growing Knowledge: Book Published by Viking Press in 2017, The Songs of Trees was written by David Haskell, professor of biology and environmental studies at University of the South. Professor Haskell is a Guggenheim Fellow, and a Pulitzer Prize Finalist (basically a guy who spends a lot of time in the woods).
The book is broken into three sections or parts: wilderness trees, fossilized trees, and metro trees. Along the way in discussion of the types of trees, the author travels from a Canadian boreal forest to the Scottish highland to the Amazonian tropical river basin to the snow shrouded mountain peaks in Japan. Within the United States, he visits Appalachia; the Florida Keys; Denver, Colorado; and New York City. Whew, a lot of research.
During the journey, soil science, climatology (the scientific study of climate), forestry, geology, and paleontology are discussed in essay form. These essays are punctuated with fascinating Jeopardy-worthy factoids! Some examples include:
“3% of earth's surface contains 50% of earth's population.” p196
“Pigeons, starlings, and sparrows constitute 80% of earth's birds.” p195
“The epicenter of hunter/gatherer culture is the campfire. Their songs and stories create society.” p113
“Physical death is not the end of life. Half the forest species find food and/or habitat within fallen trees.” p83
….and if you wonder if any of this is relevant, “20% of the CO2 released into the atmosphere each year is due to forest fire.” p136
The mood of the book is meditative/contemplative. It might have been written by Thoreau or Whitman - had they been arborists. It is an invitation to stop, look, and listen, a beckon to mindfulness. For example, casual observations include differential acoustics relative to conifer needles versus deciduous leaves, and the malleability of trunk, branches, and twigs which establish distinctive series of sounds not unlike an instrumental melody. Therein, the construct of “song.”
The role of trees is defined as mediator and connector between earth and sky, plant life and animal life, humans, and all life. For example, trees provide edible nuts and fruit, wood for cooking and heating, lumber for habitat and shelter, pulp for paper, protective shade, biochemical balance with O2- CO2 exchange among a multitude of different uses that all humankind enjoy.
This book is a reminder that we as a people have begun to suffer from Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD). We each, individually and collectively, need to take a moment to stop and “Listen to the Songs of Trees!”
- Author: Lee Miller UCCE Master Gardener
What do you need to do to establish strawberries and keep them productive?
All strawberries require full sun and a soil with a slightly acid pH between 5.6 and 7.0. There are lots of varieties and it is best to go with varieties recommended for the area where you garden. A local nursery can provide info on the best varieties. A variety commonly grown here is ‘Chandler,' but ‘Parajo,' ‘Sequoia,' and ‘Douglas' are also recommended.
There are two planting systems for strawberries: Winter planting and Summer planting. The one recommended for the Central Valley is the summer planting system whereas winter planting is used in Southern California. In the Central Valley plants are planted in August using plants dug from the previous winters that were stored at 28° F. These plants develop during the fall and winter months and then begin fruiting heavily in the spring. If short-day varieties are planted in the spring at the beginning of long days, they will not flower and fruit adequately. All of the plant's energy will go into runners and all of your energy will go into weeding and watering for no good result.
Strawberry plants should be grown on raised beds to avoid wet feet and root rot conditions; it also makes them much easier to pick. Crowns can be planted with a trowel, digging a hole 6-7 inches deep and placing the roots out in a fan shape in the hole and cover with soil, firming it around the roots. You can fertilize at this time with a level teaspoon of slow-release fertilizer or ammonium sulfate in the bottom of each hole and cover with approximately 1” of soil to prevent root burn; or you can enrich soil by adding compost to the planting areas before planting. Planting depth is important as planting too deep or too shallow is detrimental. Set plants at the exact level that they were growing in the nursery, not too high nor too deep.
It is important to keep weeds out of the beds year around and to keep beds irrigated throughout the year. It is also important to prune runners that are in excess of starting daughter plants. Daughter plants are good for filling in any extra spaces in the beds. Evenly space plants from 8-10” apart in the bed. Properly tended plants survive winter without damage and may continue to set fruit well for three or four years. Beds can also be expanded or rejuvenated by moving daughter plants to new beds after the picking season is over and removing the older plants.