Lawson points out that it is not only the beautiful or charismatic species—such as monarch butterflies—that deserve our concern, but that all species play their part in maintaining a balanced, healthy ecosystem, and that their roles are not always well understood. Scrub jays are often considered a nuisance, yet they are responsible for planting nearly all our wild oak trees. Also, natives are important pollinators, and many wild animals, as well as people, depend on the fruit and seeds of plants they pollinate. Habitat is critical to their success: most nest underground, and other find cavities in twigs, logs, or stems, so a highly manicured landscape is not a suitable habitat for them. Additional pressure can come from a hive of honeybees nearby, which creates competition for resources and may introduce diseases into the native bee population. It is not surprising that some of their species are already extinct, and others are in danger of extinction.
In her book, Lawson makes a compelling case for the value of gardening for habitat, with six content chapters covering topics such as “The Beauty of Letting Go: Let Nature Guide Your Garden”, and “Is your Yard Family Friendly? Provide Baby Food and Nesting Sites”. Numerous color photographs illustrate the text. She makes a number of recommendations for gardeners who wish to increase wildlife habitat, including:
- View plants as potential bird feeders, choosing those that provide seeds and those that support caterpillars, which are such an important food source for baby birds.
- Welcome insects such as dragonflies--which can eat hundreds of mosquitoes a day--and syrphid flies which not only serve as pollinators, but also feed on thrips, scales, mealybugs, spider mites and aphids in their larval stage, into your garden by planting native species to attract a greater diversity of insects.
- Keep leaves in place under trees and shrubs to shelter butterfly pupae and queen bumblebees among other wildlife.
- Be careful with lawn mowers and string trimmers; they can easily injure or kill toads and frogs.
- Prevent window strikes, which kill hundreds of millions of birds each year in the United States, by breaking up the reflection with decals, streamers, or screens.
- Check trees carefully for bird or squirrel nests before pruning or cutting them down.
- Keep cats indoors or confined to a ‘catio' when outside.
- Keep outside lights off at night (or use motion-sensing lights) to avoid harming moths and other nocturnal insects.
- Do not use pesticides; they can have unintended consequences for species other than the one primarily targeted.
Many of the suggestions Lawson offers will sound familiar. What I appreciated most about this book was the overarching message: that we as gardeners can observe nature carefully to better understand the insects, birds, and animals around us, and that we should value the needs and lives of the creatures who share our space.
For more information, go to The Humane Gardener website, or The Humane Gardener YouTube channel. Nancy Lawson was also featured on Margaret Roach's A Way to Garden podcast and The joe gardener Show with Joe Lamp'l.
You may be noticing white grubs in your compost piles, lawns, or garden beds. These white, c-shaped critters can be 1/4 inch long or 2 inches long, depending on the species. White grubs are the larvae of some scarab beetles, and though many of them can cause damage to our landscapes, not all of them do.
There are three species that feed on the roots of grasses, making them a potential pest to lawns when in high numbers. These species may also be found in landscape or garden beds that are near grassy areas or were recently converted from grassy areas. Compare the size of white grubs you may find, as some species are much larger or smaller than others and can help you determine which is present.
- The larvae of masked chafer beetles are 1 inch long with dark heads and six legs. Adult beetles are golden brown and can be seen flying around in the evening hours.
- Billbug larvae are 3/8 inch long, also with dark heads andwhitebodies, but these grubs lack legs. Adults are brown weevils.
- Black turfgrass ataeniusls larvae are 1/4 inch long– much smaller than masked chafer grubs. Adult beetles are black and shiny.
One of the largest species of white grubs you might find in California are of the green fruit beetles, also known as figeater beetles or June beetles. The grubs of these beetles can be up to 2 inches long and are commonly found in compost piles, or near ripe and rotting fruits– which they feed on. These grubs, however, won't usually damage your landscape or garden plants. The adults are very large, metallic green beetles that are often mistaken for the invasive Japanese beetle, which is much smaller and, for the most part, is not found in California.
In most cases, the presence of white grubs does not require treatment and populations of 6 or less per square foot can be tolerated. If you notice them in your garden beds, they can be hand-picked and killed. Some may choose to feed them to their backyard chickens or leave them out for the birds. When infestations of grass-feeding white grubs occur, the lawn may feel soft and spongy, sometimes able to be rolled back like carpet. You may also notice animals like raccoons and moles digging in your yard, looking to snack on some white grubs.
To learn more about identifying and managing white grubs, see UC IPM Pest Notes: Lawn Insects.
- Author: Sue Davis
As the summer swelters on, we can all be thankful that mornings are usually cool enough to take care of a gardening chore or two. Be smart about sun exposure, use sunscreen and drink plenty of water if working outside even in the early morning, and give your body the gift of spreading the work across several days if needed.
July Ideas
ONE –Water conservation is something of which to be aware and practice whether or not it is a drought year. Conserving water in landscapes is not difficult utilizing a few tips. Do not water mature, native California oaks. Mature, drought tolerant trees need deep watering only once per month. Mature fruiting and most ornamental trees growing in our clay-loam soil will need deep irrigation every 14 days. Mature citrus trees can go about 10 days between deep irrigations. Potted trees are not good conservers of water. They need to be checked, and in some cases, watered daily. A lawn that hasn't been replaced with drought resistant landscaping can do nicely with deep watering twice to three times per week depending on the heat. Check plants growing in pots daily during the hottest periods.
THREE- Although the heat tends to make gardeners think of and manage water needs for plants, summer is also a time to attend to feed several of the plants in the landscape, just not in the heat of the day! Apply fertilizer to damp soil and water well after the application. Vegetables, perennials, container plants, and hanging baskets will flourish with a water-soluble fertilizer applied in the cool mornings. Acid loving plants like camelias, azaleas, and rhododendrons need a specialty fertilizer formulated for their needs, while shrubs and garden beds will enjoy an all-purpose fertilizer.
FOUR – The fourth “chore” is a delight. Walk through the garden in the cooler hours pinching back or cutting off spent flowers. Doing so is not only relaxing, but it promotes continued blooms. While taking that walk, determine where a bird bath or other water source could be placed to help birds and thirsty bees through the heat.
In August
ONE – These “Dog Days” of summer are a good time 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.
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 – It is time to think of a cool season vegetable garden, especially if there is a day or two with cooler than usual mornings. Just saying those words,” cool morning, cool season garden” like a mantra, may bring some relief from the heat this month. Seeds need to be planted and nurtured this month to produce over the winter. Lettuce, kale, and Chinese cabbage planted now will mature for fall salads. Try some heirloom lettuce this year to brighten both gardens and salads. Beets, carrots, turnips, and fast-maturing potatoes planted now should yield a crop by Christmas. Beet varieties that do well in our area are those with 60 days or less from seed sowing to maturity (as listed on the seed packet). Carrot lovers might try growing white, yellow, orange-red, or purple varieties from seed.
Lee Miller's article, Planning and Planting a Cool Season Vegetable Garden, in the 2013 summer issue of the Master Gardener newsletter, Garden Notes, provides additional information.
September Notes
ONE – Take a stroll around the garden picking up any fallen fruit and cleaning up plant debris to avoid disease and pests next year. If pest or disease issues are evident on shrubs, shade or deciduous fruit trees at this time make a note of what is happening, and which plant is affected so that you will be prepared to treat the problem during the winter. If help is needed with identification a quick call to the San Joaquin County Master Gardener Hot Line should provide the assistance needed. Talk with a Master Gardener at 209-953-6112.
THREE – Although it seems kind of early to think about spring, now is the time to plant spring blooming bulbs. Bulbs should appear in nurseries right after Labor Day. They are most effective in big flowerpots and in kidney-shaped drifts at the front of garden beds. Some excellent choices include bluebells, daffodils, hyacinth, grape hyacinth, and tulips. Bulbs should bloom beautifully in spring with just rainwater over the fall and winter months. Before planting, check the expected height of different flowers and plant the bulbs so that once blooming, the taller ones won't obstruct the view of the shorter flowers.
FOUR – 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. In addition to conserving water, mulching around trees and shrubs keeps the roots warmer during the winter months, deters weeds, and as it decomposes, the mulch will improve soil structure, aeration, and fertility.
Information for this article has been gathered from:
www.ucanr.org
www.ipm.ucdavis.edu
www.sunset.com/garden
www.farmerfred.com
Sloat Garden Centers
- Author: Lee Miller UCCE Master Gardener
SUB-SHRUB: Salvia greggii; Salvia microphylla and their hybrids. Salvia greggii is a popular, usually evergreen sub-shrub native to Central, West and South Texas, and Mexico.
- Author: Amy Fritz, Master Gardener
One of the most popular kinds of plants that can be purchased from big box stores, local nurseries and specialty websites is lavender. Lavender (Lavandula) is a member of the mint family and a genus that includes 47 species with over 400 named varieties which can be used for the landscape, essential oils, or a myriad of other ways! Lavender loves the sun and does best in well-drained, unamended soil, doesn't require much water once established and is pest and disease resistant. The most popular varieties are English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), French Lavender (Lavandula dentata), Lavandin Hybrids which are English Lavender Hybrids (Lavandula x intermedia), Portuguese Lavender (Lavandula latifolia) and Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas). Each is unique in its own way, but always stunning in the landscape. What is so wonderful about lavender, way beyond enjoying it aesthetically in our garden, is the ease at which you can make lavender essential oil which can be used to enhance your life in so many ways.
But first the basics. When should you harvest your lavender? The definite time to harvest depends on the variety but most start blooming in the early summer and continue blooming all the way to fall. Harvest the flowers in late morning ensuring that all the dew has had a chance to dissipate from the buds and you notice that the first few buds have blossomed into flowers. This is the time that the oils will to be at their peak. Since you will see your lavender bush blooming often throughout the season you can watch the stems for the first few buds to flower and you will know then is the time to cut the stems just above the leaves which also encourages even more buds to form! Try not to harvest all the flowers from your plant though because it is a wonderful source of food for our pollinators who appreciate our help!
In order to make the essential oil, the lavender should be dried. The easiest way to dry lavender is to hang a bundle of stems (maybe 10-15) into a loose bouquet to ensure the lavender doesn't get moldy. Tie the base of the stems with twine, leaving one end longer for hanging. Hang it somewhere warm and airy to dry, out of the sunlight for a week or so. Check it for mold every few days.
Probably one of the most versatile things to do with dried lavender is to make essential oil. There are many ways to make it, but one easy way is to completely cover slightly crushed lavender flowers and buds with vodka in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store the jar in the sunlight for at least two weeks. Give the mixture a good shake every so often. You can then strain the oils from the lavender through a coffee filter and into another jar. When the oil has been strained out of the lavender, use another coffee filter to cover the jar and strain it again for a few days to get every bit of that precious oil from the lavender before transferring your oil into a spray or storage jar.Voila!
There is a lot of research that shows that lavender essential oil can relax the nervous system, calm stress, support sleep and help repair damaged skin. Rub 2 or 3 drops of lavender oil on your palms and breathe the scent deep into your amygdala gland where your emotions lie in your brain. This will help calm your mind. You can then rub it into your feet, temples, and wrists for a quick calming effect on your whole body.
Some other ways to make your life a little sweeter with lavender essential oil is to spray it on your pillowcase to enhance your sleep or fill the air in your home with the scent of lavender by putting a few drops in a diffuser and feel your body begin to relax. Lavender oil has also been used for a long time for cleansing and soothing the skin. Enhance your daily skin care routine by adding a few drops of lavender oil to your body lotions, face creams and hair products to support healthy-looking skin and scalp. It also has anti-inflammatory properties which will soothe insect bites, sunburn and reduce redness and acne scarring while always adding that sweet aroma.
So, as you can see, lavender is one of the most versatile herbs around not to mention its heavenly scent!