- Author: Margaret J O'Neill
This month's UCCE San Bernardino County Master Gardener Spotlight is on Dee Denton. She is new to our team here in
-Maggie O'Neill, UCCE San Bernardino County Master Gardener Program Coordinator
Tell us a little about yourself Dee:
In 2017 my family found themselves with more fruit than we could eat or share. This city girl found herself wanting to learn about food preservation and found the Master Food Preserver program. I was accepted into the program and was certified that very year. I started preserving a ton of stuff – almost anything I could get access to. I jumped into my volunteer commitment even before I graduated the program and was so excited to talk about the skills I was learning. I felt so empowered that I was learning skills that would help my family one day.
Why did you decide to be a MG?
I joined the Master Gardeners so I could learn best practices and researched based information to ensure the best outcome from growing food for my family. I want to make sure that I teach my younger family members how to be self-reliant - growing and preserving food is a great place to start. I want to make sure they have the skills they need to leaders and a contributing member of their community.
What are your gardening passions?
I want to have a garden that is plentiful. I want to grow items that I may not normally purchase in a store or farmers market. I want to make sure that I teach my younger family members how to be self-reliant and growing food is pretty important. I want to make sure they have the skills they need to be productive.
What is a tidbit or two you've learned as a MG that the public reading our newsletter could gain from?
I have learned that the gardening education is there if you want it. If you have any issues, you can reach out the volunteer staffed hotline for advise and they will get back to you with your options to address your issue. Talk about an EASY button….
What advice would you give someone considering becoming a UCCE MG?
Join the volunteers in San Bernardino to make a change! I know what you are thinking - Public speaking is not for me. Let me tell you something – I FAILED speech in college and now I am excited to get up in front of a group and share with others everything I have learned. This program needs dedicated people to make changes, people just like YOU! There is lots to do, so don't let public speaking stop you from making a difference.
- Author: Deborah Schnur
Ever since Senate Bill 1383 took effect earlier this year, local governments and organizations across California have been scrambling to develop strategies to recycle organic waste. Schools are no exception. As I discussed in my February blog, SB 1383 requires our state to reduce organic waste disposal by 75% and increase edible food recovery by 20% by 2025 (relative to 2014 levels). California schools and universities generate over 560,000 tons of waste per year according to CalRecycle.[1] While implementing programs to reduce and recycle waste, schools are in a unique position to teach youth about a wide variety of environmental topics including resource conservation, composting, and food rescue.
A good way for schools to start developing a waste handling strategy is to conduct a waste audit. The main goal is to characterize the type, quantity, and source of materials being discarded. An audit is often part of a more comprehensive assessment to evaluate school district policies and procedures that affect waste generation. In 2014, CalRecycle performed a waste characterization study using 45 samples from K-12 schools.[2] The study showed that the largest components of the waste stream were organics (50.8%), paper (31.4%), and plastic (12.7%). The organics category included food, plant material, and some textiles.
I recently helped Cassidy Furnari, the Upland School District Farm to School Program Manager, conduct a lunchtime cafeteria waste audit at Upland High School. The Farm to School Program is part of the Nutrition Services Department, which is concerned about food waste and cost. Cassidy and I recruited members of the school garden club, GRO (Grow Recycle Organize), to participate in the audit to empower them to promote change on campus. The students are currently preparing to present their results at an upcoming Board of Education meeting.
The first step we took in planning our waste audit was to write a brief project plan. To keep the project manageable, we decided to perform an audit during a typical 30-minute lunch period. Upland High School has over 3000 students who all eat at the same time. Only seniors are allowed to leave campus during lunch.
To avoid influencing student behavior, we didn't make any major changes to the meal service or trash disposal. Rather than asking students to sort their own waste, we placed distinctive purple liners inside existing trash containers shortly before the lunch period. The week before the audit we counted over 90 trash containers in the areas where students eat lunch.
During the planning process, we informed and consulted with the school administration, cafeteria staff, custodial staff, and parents of the garden club members. We also asked for help from our friends at the Community Composting for Green Spaces Grant Program to tap into their experience with waste audits.
To design our data collection sheets, we considered what questions we wanted to answer. What is the total weight of the waste? How much of the waste is food, paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass? How much can be composted or recycled? How much uneaten cafeteria food can be recovered? By answering these questions and others, we can help the Nutrition Services Department make more sustainable and economical food purchasing and packaging decisions.
After a month of planning, the big day of the waste audit finally arrived on March 9th. Our team consisted of nine people from Upland Farm to School and Community Composting for Green Spaces. Our first tasks were placing purple bags in the trash receptacles and setting up a staging area to sort the waste. Before we knew it, the lunch period had come and gone, and the hard work of collecting the bags and sorting the waste began. Sorting was much messier and more tedious than I had expected, especially since we had over 30 waste categories. The garden club members joined us after school to help count, weigh, and record the items in different waste categories. We eventually finished tallying the results and cleaning up six hours after we started. It was a long day!
What did we learn from our waste audit? Although we're still analyzing the results, we've already answered our initial questions. The total waste generated in a single lunch period was 370 lbs. The two largest types of waste material by weight were food (63%) and paper (19%), and more than 80% of the waste was compostable or recyclable. Students threw away over 200 pieces of uneaten whole fruit and 40 unopened cartons of milk, which potentially could have been recovered. Every question we answer gives rise to new questions and new ways to examine the data. We're already thinking about performing a waste audit at an elementary school to see how the waste profile compares.
I hope this story inspires you to support waste reduction, recycling, and recovery efforts in your local schools. Stay tuned for an update on my journey into school waste auditing in a future blog!
[1] CalRecycle. School Waste Reduction Programs. https://calrecycle.ca.gov/recycle/schools
[2] CalRecycle. School Waste Composition. https://calrecycle.ca.gov/recycle/schools/composition
- Author: Margaret J O'Neill
Around the office and at events Roxana was always full of gardening questions and really showed an interest in learning more and improving her skills. Her genuine interest and enthusiasm for gardening was inspiring and she always wanted to the take the program but couldn't quite yet due to her busy schedule. During the COVID pandemic, Master Gardener Coordinator Maggie O'Neill graduated another class of Master Gardeners, including (lucky for us!) Roxana!
Right away she saw what a need there was to offer the classes and information we had for the public about growing food, sustainable landscaping and better living through gardening to the Spanish speaking audience. Roxana was ready to get started right away on translating presentations and teaching classes in Spanish. With her leading the way, we began offering classes in Spanish every month and also held “Ask a Master Gardener” times where we answered questions in Spanish for the public. With Roxana's help, other Spanish speaking Master Gardeners volunteered at information tables, events and gave presentations. Roxana's enthusiastic personality and genuine interest in growing her own knowledge as a gardener and program ambassador has helped us reach many new audiences! Her genuine desire to make a difference coupled with her knowledge about improving mental and physical health through gardening have made her an invaluable contributor to our Master Gardener program. We look forward to continuing to expand and develop our Spanish language gardening outreach with Roxana and know with her determination she is really “growing” places!!
Let's hear a little bit more about Roxana in her own words!
Hi there!! My name is Roxana Price, and I was asked to describe my experience as a Master Gardener with you. Before
I became a Master Gardener in 2021 through the online course (due to the COVID pandemic). I have to say, if it wasn't for the MG program being offered online at the time, perhaps I would not have been able to achieve such an endeavor, and that to me was the silver lining I needed. (But it would be a lie if I told you I did not miss the in-person interaction.)
Prior to becoming a Master Gardener, I remembered simple things I had learned in school long ago about flowers, seeds, the process of growing plants, and fruits, and vegetables. I realized I had become accustomed to purchasing my fruits, veggies, and plants at grocery stores, not making the connection that I too could grow, plant, harvest my own food. The Master Gardener class provided infinite possibilities and options for my family and me and provided another tool under my belt to better serve the community I work, and live in. Especially my gente (people), the Spanish speaking community, where now I can share evidenced based gardening tips in Spanish to!
Presently, I am experimenting with composting and preparing space for my future vegetable garden. I have learned that planning is key to successful gardening. I have learned to propagate my house plants and have gained a tip or two about proper watering techniques. I am far from being an expert on gardening, but I have discovered that the more I experiment and put what I have learned in the Master Gardener program to practice, the better my garden will be. I love being connected to the Master Gardener community, and the volunteers in it. I have plenty of resources, and plenty of volunteers that are willing to lend a hand or a tip. In addition, I get my “fitbit” steps at the events throughout the San Bernardino community I volunteer at as a Master Gardener and connect with members that, like me, enjoy gardening, and building community.
I look forward to continue to volunteer as a UCCE San Bernardino County Master Gardener for many years to come. I am also presently enrolled in the Master Food Preserver class. There is No stopping this chica (girl). That is right, I will be able to grow, harvest, and now preserve my own food 2022! I hope my husband is prepared to be the test taster! I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to work, and learn, and play with the San Bernardino UCCE team. I hope that my shared experience inspires the next Master Gardener prospect to become certified Master Gardener too. Hope to see you around the gardening watering hole, peeps!!
By Barbara Dawson (on behalf of the UCCE San Bernardino County Master Gardener Drought Committee)
Landscape irrigation in California accounts for 1/3 to 1/2 of all residential water use. Due to the current drought and impacts of urban heat islands, planting drought and heat resistant, environmentally friendly landscape plants is important. Currently sixty-six percent of the state is now considered to be in a severe drought (drought.gov) with droughts expected to be more common and frequent over the coming decades.
Planning ahead is important! Let's reconsider the grassy cool-season lawn (tall fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass). While all living plants cools urban heat islands as they grow (through transpiration), cool season lawns require about 30% more water than warm season lawns (Bermudagrass, buffalograss) and many types of drought-resistant groundcovers. Also, since sprinkler irrigation is not as efficient as drip irrigation and much of the water applied never reaches the rootzone of the plants, even more water is often wasted. (Please remember that artificial grass, asphalt, and dark colored mulch super-heat our urban heat islands and should be avoided in inland and desert areas!)
If it makes sense in your specific situation to remove your lawn and replace it with lower maintenance plants that save time and money, what steps do you need to take to be successful? First and foremost, plan ahead.
Once there is a plan it is time to get rid of the grass. This is no fun but keep the end goal in mind. There are several options: let the grass die (by not watering it), use a sod removal machine, or cover the grass with old carpeting or newspaper covered with mulch. Using a sod removal machine will gain the quickest results. The other options may take one to six months. Once the grass is gone check the remaining soil for sod netting although this doesn't necessarily need to be all gone before planting begins. When planting, group plants with like watering needs together (hydrozone). Check the plant tags for the height and width they'll reach when mature and make sure there's adequate space as well as their drought and heat tolerance. Consider this when planting. There will be some bald areas between the plantings at the start. Allow plenty of space if you're planning on adding trees! They should not be crowded out. Before adding new plants wait until the first ones fill out. It's ok to have a few plants that need moderate water but make sure they are in their own hydrozone.
Water regularly (once or more per week) until the plants are established (a season or two) and then go longer between waterings to let the roots dry down some and avoid root rot. Adding organic matter (such as compost) to planting sites that will not be used for trees may be useful since it helps retain water in sandy soils and enhances drainage in heavier clay soils. Check the soil to determine how often to water. Sandy soils require watering much more often than clay soils. Many natives and succulents require a fast draining soil. Continue to pull out weeds and grass clumps. After one year reassess the garden. Do you want to add more plants, take out those that are not working, add more rocks? Consider this a work in progress until you're satisfied.
One last comment. Like most gardens this will take work. But, in the end, your yard will attract pollinators and beneficial insects and you will save many gallons of water (which will result in a savings on the water bill). Southern California is an arid zone so let's create a more fitting space.
- Author: Margaret J O'Neill
Have you found yourself in the garden looking at a plant and wondering what is going on with those leaves? You think your plant is getting enough, but not too much, water but it just doesn't look right. Or have you been out checking your veggies and seen strange bugs and wondered what they are and if they and are they harmful to your plants? Do you have an old tree in the yard that is just not looking its best and wonder what to do?
Well, we have the resource for you!! Our Helpline is here for you! Our helpline is a free resource for the community where we answer questions on a wide variety of topics. Some examples include: what vegetables to plant this time of year; what is eating your plants; why are your plant's leaves twisting; what type of tree would be good for your area; why are your tomatoes not producing; how should I use compost or mulch in my garden; how do I fertilize my plants; what is the best way to manage ants and other pests in my yard; what type of tree is this in my new back yard……and much more…but you get the idea! We get questions about anything and everything gardening related and we love to help!
Kelly, one of our Master Gardener helpline volunteers says:
“We at San Bernardino Master Gardener Helpline learn from our clients every time we pick up the phone or read email inquiry. It's a mutual sort of learning like a cross pollination of information that occurs when fielding the broad range of questions from our residents in surrounding communities (& Sunset Growing Zones). Whether it's about identifying a strange crop from client photos or how to deal with pests in productive ways, researching these subjects to provide practical real-time answers is always interesting and fun, because gardens and gardening are ultimately about sharing food, flowers, information, and experiences. The MG helpline is a strong hub of researched information and resource gathering which helps us to grow our program, because we communicate with so many clients from all the surrounding regions and Sunset Growing Zones consistently, Monday through Friday of every week. I really enjoy being a part of the MG Helpline Team and serving as a San Bernardino Master Gardener since 2017. I think my fellow Master Gardeners would agree that working the MG Helpline has made us strong, more informed representatives for the Master Gardener Program in the field at events and working on community projects, and I look forward to learning more.”
Master Gardener Helpline volunteer Loleta adds: “The Helpline is one of the world's best-kept secrets. It's a place where people can get answers they can trust. Our answers are based in science and research, and they're specific to our western climate zones.” So, if you know about the helpline or have been using it be sure to pass the information on to friends and family so that everyone knows we are a free gardening hotline here to help you out every step of the way!! ….and don't forget that the only silly question is the one that you don't ask, so don't be shy…send us an email or give us a call today! We are looking forward to hearing from you and taking the mysteries out of gardening!
So how do you use this resource? It's free and available to you 24/7! Just send us an email or give us a call (contact information at end of blog) and leave a message and we will get back to you within a day or two and get to solving your challenges! It's great when you can send us photos of your troubled plants as well, and that is a big help in having us figure out what's going on in the garden.
Typically, a phone call to the helpline will go like this: you will call and leave a message with your question and contact information and then we will research the topic and get back to you. We often will get back to you with some follow up questions to help focus in on specific details so we can give you the best answer possible and follow up with an email if possible. Email questions are great since you can send photos! We respond to your emails in a timely way that often includes follow-up questions to clarify your issue/problem. Besides finding an immediate solution, our goal is to provide resources for you to use in the future that help you find solutions as problems occur, and mostly, to prevent the problems from occurring in the first place! As another one of our Helpline volunteers, Cindy, (who is also the Helpline committee lead, helping to organize Master Gardener volunteers and manage the Helpline infrastructure) says “I can tell that many of the people who use the Helpline have really come to depend on it in a personal way and that (we) are dedicated to helping them no matter how hard or mysterious the questions are. It's like being the detectives of the gardening world.” So let us help you with your garden mysteries!!
Many members of the public use this resource regularly and we are so happy to see that they know we are here for them to help with their gardening journey's and adventures, but still there are people out there who don't know about it!
Helpline Contact information for all areas of San Bernardino County:
Phone number: 909-387-2182
Email: mgsanbern@ucanr.edu