- Author: Rho Yare
Rho Yare is a first year Master Gardener in Stanislaus County.
In most cases plants are forgiving, will not lecture you, give away any of your secrets, request money nor the car keys. Those plants in your yard, patio or on the balcony might just need a little love and right now you have the time.
If you are fortunate to have some land around your home perhaps this would not only give you other options of things to do while at home but make your world more attractive and interesting. Wander round your space and reacquaint yourself to what is planted there. This might be a good time to weed, trim, or remove shrubs or plants that are no longer looking their best. Perhaps checking the irrigation system or planning some changes that you might like to make to your outside environment.
At this point all the health experts are telling us that spending time outside is good for us if you are healthy and if we do not congregate with those not in our immediate living situation. Including young people in the exploration of your garden/yard is a wonderful way to talk to them in a relaxed setting and listen to their fears, interests, and frustrations. If there are no young people in your home, then this might be a perfect time for a solo garden experience.
You could invite that person who shares your home to join you outside in your gardening area to keep you company while you work. A change in routine and space can sometimes produce surprising results. Sharing this time might make communication easier and perhaps alleviate some fears and anxieties about COVID-19 and the future.
Getting away from all those screens and looking at something besides the inside of your home could be beneficial to your mental wellbeing. If you have a patio or balcony you can still garden and have the benefits of exercise, stress reduction, beautification, education, and possibly a food source.
Children are especially excited when the seeds they plant in containers begin to sprout little green leaves. You might already have some containers that can be used for your small space garden.
Or consider the next time you make that trip to purchase home supplies at a grocery or variety store you add a container, some soil, and a package or two of seeds. It is amazing how your gardening experiment will be interesting, challenging, and have the bonus of the “I did this” factor for adults as well as for young people.
Although some resources have been curtailed the Internet has many sites that can give you gardening advice. Another source is the UCCE Master Gardeners of Stanislaus County. Master Gardeners are volunteers who have completed a rigorous course of classes and would welcome your questions, offer free advice, and encouragement. Leave a message for us by phone (209) 525-6802 or email ucmgstanislaus@ucanr.edu
Adding gardening and outside time to your schedule might help with some of the long and possibly boring days ahead. None of us want to be “stuck” in our homes but expanding our horizons to a little beyond the four walls just might make this time more interesting for you and give you some new skills and interests.
- Author: Anne E Schellman
Importance of Tree Selection:
When choosing a tree, you want to select one that has the size and characteristics suitable for your site. A well-chosen tree can save up to 15% in energy costs. And, a tree in front of a home can increase the appraised value* of a home by over $7,000!
However, if you select the wrong-size tree for your landscape, you could end up with problems such as:
· A tree that grows into a power line
· A large tree growing too close to your house
· Aggressive roots that are difficult to garden under or break up pavement
· Fruit or flowers that drop onto pavement
Importance of Planting:
Correctly planting a tree helps it get off to the right start so it can thrive for years to come. Often people bury the root ball (area of soil and roots) of trees too deeply. This makes the tree more susceptible to soil-borne diseases.
Importance of Pruning:
The first few years of a tree's life are the ideal time to prune and train a tree. Your tree should have a good structure that includes a single central leader and branches that are well spaced around the trunk. Untrained trees have a greater chance of developing limbs that break away from the tree, especially during storms or windy days.
To Stake or Not to Stake:
In most situations, it's not necessary to stake a tree. When you purchase a tree, the first thing you need to do is remove the nursery stake.
Resources:
You can pick up a free copy of our publication, Trees in Your Home Landscape from our office, or download it free from our Gardening Publications website.
*according to the Pacific Northwest Research Station http://www.itreetools.org/news/articles/PNW_scifi126_Sept2010.pdf
- Author: Anne E Schellman
The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardener Program is planning exciting courses for the public for spring, summer, and fall of 2019! Two classes are happening next month:
- April 11, Growing Herbs for Beginners
- April 29, Planting the Right Tree or Shrub for your Landscape Workshop
Summer & Fall Classes
- Pest Management in and Around the Landscape Class
- Fall Vegetable Gardening Class
- Gardening for Pollinators
- Low-Water Use Landscaping
- Vegetable Gardening for Absolute Beginners
- How to Save Vegetable Seeds
Signing up for Classes and Workshops
You can register for the Growing Herbs for Beginners Class now at http://ucanr.edu/herbs2019 or call Anne Schellman at (209) 525-6800 to reserve your space. Registration for Planting the Right Tree or Shrub for Your Landscape Workshop will cost $10 and is limited to 25 people. This post will be updated as classes are available for registration online.
Follow us on Facebook or twitter for announcements about class @ucmgstanislaus. You can also visit our Classes and Workshops page for updates. https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/Classes/
Links to Helpful Pages
Who are the UCCE Master Gardeners? https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/
How do I apply for the Program? https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/Become_a_UCCE_MG/
- Author: Ed Perry
We recently wrote the blog post “Wait! Don't Prune Apricot and Cherry Trees Just Yet,” to caution gardeners against pruning these trees in winter. Now we'd like to discuss when and how to prune avocado and citrus trees.
Avocados
Most avocado trees need little or no pruning. Whenever possible, allow them to develop naturally. Avocado leaves produce and store food for the tree. If this food supply is reduced by pruning, fruit production will also be reduced. Usually, removing dead or weak branches is the only pruning you need to do. Avoid pruning in late summer and early fall, as this stimulates new shoot growth that is susceptible to frost injury. In general, remove as few green branches and leaves as possible.
If you need to remove lower branches, prune them out completely, or cut them back to an upright growing shoot. Prune only after your tree has developed enough upper foliage to prevent sunburn damage on the lower limbs or trunk.
Sometimes a young tree grows tall without branching, grows sideways, or grows a top that is unbalanced. Correct these conditions by cutting the unruly limb or trunk back to a strong lower branch, or by staking the tree. Keep in mind that avocado trees grow naturally in an irregular way and will develop a better structure if they are not pruned at all. If you want to control the height, it's best to do so while the tree is young.
To prevent tall, upright growth, pinch back the terminal bud of the upright shoots on the young tree. Repeat this after each growth flush during the first few years. Your tree will spread out to the sides and develop a more compact form. If you reduce the size of an older tree by heading back large branches in the top of the tree, be sure to thin out the new growth which follows. Otherwise, the tree will soon grow back to its original height.
Citrus
If necessary, light pruning can be done in citrus trees any time of year. However, the best time to prune citrus is in early spring, after danger of frost has passed and before the start of spring growth.
Nearly the same rules for avocado trees apply to pruning citrus trees. The foliage of a citrus tree is an important food (carbohydrate) storage area. Pruning removes foliage and stored foods and causes the tree to produce a flush of vegetative growth instead of fruit. For the most part, prune out only dead or broken limbs.
Citrus trees normally produce vigorous shoots from the base of the tree called suckers, which you should remove as they grow. Vigorous shoots that grow from branches are called watersprouts. Remove watersprouts if they are not well placed but leave them whenever possible. Young trees need no pruning for the first two or three years after planting, except to remove suckers. As the tree grows older, prune lightly only to remove branches which are too closely spaced or entangled. Do not remove low-hanging branches, as they bear fruit within easy reach and shade the trunk and soil. The ideal citrus tree has a skirt of foliage that extends almost to the ground. Left alone, citrus trees normally develop an even, round-headed shape as they mature.
Lemons usually need a bit more pruning than other types of citrus. Cut back some of the more vigorous shoots on young trees. Lightly thin the branches of mature lemon trees each year to improve the size and quality of the fruit.
Ed Perry is the emeritus Environmental Horticultural Advisor for University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in Stanislaus County.
Winter is the time of year when many people prune their deciduous fruit trees. However, did you know that now is not the right time to prune apricot and cherry trees?
In the past, home gardeners were advised to prune stone fruit trees (cherries, apricots, plums, peaches, and nectarines) after trees lose their leaves and go dormant. However, cherry and apricot trees are more likely to be attacked by certain diseases that can be spread by rain.
![Oozing from fungal infection in cherry that was pruned during the cool season. [Credit: Chuck Ingels, UCCE Sacramento]](http://ucanr.edu/blogs/StanislausSprout//blogfiles/57473_original.jpg "Oozing from fungal infection in cherry that was pruned during the cool season. [Credit: Chuck Ingels, UCCE Sacramento]")
Gardeners who prune cherry and apricot trees during winter create wounds that may be invaded by fungal and bacterial canker diseases. Symptoms show up in spring and summer, when infected tree limbs wilt and suddenly die with their leaves still attached, or when bark becomes discolored and limbs produce an amber-colored ooze.
This year, wait to prune apricot and cherry trees until late spring or early summer. For more information about fruit trees, visit The California Backyard Orchard.
