BAT HOUSES

Some people are interested in encouraging bat populations by installing artificial roosting sites or bat boxes. Bat houses aren't likely to discourage bats from roosting in nearby buildings, and there is no clear evidence that their installation will significantly reduce garden insect problems. If you chose to put up a bat house, make sure it is in an area that has minimal disturbance from people and animals. Sometimes sick bats fall out of the roost where children and household pets easily can pick them up.

Bat houses and bat-house designs are widely available commercially. Follow the guidelines below when constructing and installing a bat house:

• Use rough-sided wood on the interior of the house. Horizontally groove the interior surface for toe holds.
• Roosting chambers should be 1/2 to 1 inch wide; chambers larger than 1 inch invite wasps.
• Caulk outside seams to limit airflow.
• Use roofing felt (tar paper) or dark roof shingles on top and 6 inches down the sides to increase inside temperatures; a 90°F inside temperature is ideal.
• Install bat houses at least 10 feet above ground with an eastern or northern exposure. Bats prefer houses that get morning sun and afternoon shade.
• Protect the house from prevailing winds, if possible, and provide an unobstructed approach for flying bats.

Bat houses attached to the sides of buildings tend to have the greatest success, but be careful, since bat droppings will accumulate below. Bat houses on poles in open areas sometimes work, but bats rarely occupy houses placed in trees. Installing bat houses before March improves the chance of occupancy. It is not unusual for bat houses to remain unoccupied for a year or more. Bats prefer houses that are within 1/4 mile of water with enough room to drink on the wing. More information on bat boxes is available in the UC ANR publication Songbird, Bat and Owl Boxes.

This excerpt is from ipm.ucanr.edu.

Cooler Temperatures are on the Way! It's Time to Plant Cool Season Vegetables!

Cooler temperatures are right around the corner, and it will soon be time to plant cool season vegetables!

Planting vegetables at the right time of the year is important to their vitality and their yield. Therefore, knowing which vegetables to plant and when to plant them is in part dependent upon your Sunset Zone and the temperature.

Cool Season Crops Defined

Cool season crops are those that grow best and produce the best quality when the average temperatures are 55 F to 75 F and are usually tolerant of slight frosts. Plants in this group include root crops such as: beets, carrots, parsnip, radish and turnips; stems such as asparagus and white potato; leafy crops such as cabbage, celery, lettuce, onion, and spinach and plants whose immature flower parts we eat, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and globe artichokes.

Vegetable Requirements

Cool season crops are no different in their requirements than warm season crops. Advance planning will help you to determine if you have the adequate space, light (6 hours each day), and using the right amount of water at the right time will help to ensure the success of your plants. Plant according to the seed package directions or the label directions if the plant is a transplant. If you are planting from seed, keep the soil evenly most during germination and the first few weeks of establishment.

Determine the quality of your soil. By squeezing soil in the palm of your hand, the “feel” test can help you to determine the soil's physical properties and behavior. If a cast will form when moist soil is squeezed in the hand and it cannot be handled without breaking, this is an indicator of loamy sand. Loam soil will form a short ribbon with moist soil. The ribbon will split readily and will break away when less than 1 inch long. A moist cast of loam soil will bear some handling. Clay loam can be formed easily with moist soil. This is moderately strong, but will break away when it is 1 to 2 inches long. Clay is a fine textured soil. A strong ribbon can be formed with moist soil. The ribbon will be more than 2 inches long. A moist cast will bear considerable handling.

All plants must have the adequate nutrients to sustain their growth and vitality. Use a high quality mulch to help retain water and deter weeds.

Here are some examples of cool season vegetable planting dates.

Vegetable	Recommended Planting Dates	Amount to Plant for Family of 4
Asparagus	Jan-Feb	30-40   plants
Beets	Feb-Apr	10-15
Broccoli	Dec-Feb	6-10
Cabbage	Feb	10-15
Carrots	Feb-Apr	10-25
Cauliflower	Jan-Feb	10-15
Lettuce	Nov-Mar	10-15
Onions,bulb	Nov-Mar	30-40
Onions,green	Oct-Nov-Dec	30-40
Potatoes,   white	Feb-Mar	50-100
Radish	Sep-Apr	4 foot   row
Spinach	Sep-Jan	10-20   foot row
Turnips	Feb	6-10    plants

 

 

What does your family like to eat? You can grow it! Vegetable gardening provides fresh produce, improves physical health, and can even enhance emotional well-being!

We would like to give a warm welcome to our MG trainees for 2016.  We are very proud of the experience and goals of these new trainees.  Looking forward to their contributions to the MG Program!!

We will be accepting late applications for the 2016 Master Gardener Trainee classes.  Applications should be submitted by January 4 to be considered for the 2016 Master Gardener Trainee classes.  See below for the link to the online application:

 

http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=16435

 

We are looking forward to reviewing your application.

 

For more information contact:

Dona Jenkins, UCCE San Bernardino County Master Gardener Coordinator

djenkins@ucanr.edu