- Author: Ed Perry
Sunburn is damage to leaves and other plant parts caused by a combination of too much light and heat and insufficient moisture. The first symptom of this problem may be leaves that appear dull or wilted. A yellow or brown “burned” area develops on the leaves, which then dies beginning in areas between the veins.
The best way to avoid sunburn is to choose plants that are adapted to the planting site. Trying to grow shade-loving plants in full sun is asking for sunburn problems. But even sun-loving plants will suffer sunburning of leaves if the plants are growing in dry soil. You need to provide your plants adequate irrigation water to prevent most sunburning problems. If you notice the symptoms early enough, you may be able to restore the color to sunburned leaves before they killed.
Sunscald, also sometimes called sunburn, is damage to tree or shrub bark caused by hot sunshine. Sunscalded bark becomes cracked and sunken, and is susceptible to attack by wood-boring insects and wood-rotting fungi. In fact, I almost always find evidence of flatheaded borer injury in trees that have sunscalded bark. Sunscalded trunks and limbs can develop cankers, become girdled, and die.
Sunscald often occurs on young woody plants. Their bark is thin and may not tolerate exposure to direct sun because they were grown in nurseries where their trunks were shaded. Older trees can be damaged if you expose branches to the hot sun by pruning heavily, especially during the summer months. Removing taller trees that provided shade, or adding pavement or buildings that reflect light onto plants can also lead to sunscald. Even in well-watered soil, sunscald may injure bark if plant roots are unable to absorb enough moisture when it's hot.
You can prevent sunscald through proper planting and pruning. Prune newly planted landscape trees very little or not at all. Leaves not only shade the bark, but manufacture foods necessary for root growth. If there is no foliage growing along the trunk of a newly planted tree, paint the trunk with white interior latex paint, diluted 50 percent with water. Old bark that has been recently exposed to the sun by pruning or limb breakage can also be painted white. Wood chips and other organic mulches can reduce reflected heat and light, thereby reducing the danger of sunscald.
As always, it's important to plant species that are well adapted to the amount of light available in your garden. Also, avoid changing the environment in any way that significantly changes the amount of light your established plants are receiving.
Ed Perry is the emeritus Environmental Horticultural Advisor for University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in Stanislaus County where he worked for over 30 years.
- Author: Terry Lynn Pellegrini
Insects. I never knew there would be so many insects. Nor did I realize how many failures I would have, how much trial and error are involved, and just how many weeds would rear their prickly heads. My idealized image popped like a child's balloon, leaving me with the reality all gardeners face. Gardening is not for the timid.
As a gardener one must accept that there will be insects. Everywhere. Both beneficial and destructive. It takes time to learn how which is which, how to control the destructive ones and to cultivate the beneficial ones. While you may never become bosom buddies with the wolf spiders jumping around your petunias, you can at least learn to appreciate what they do for you in your garden. We must get over the “ick” factor and become appreciative of all the little miracles insects make happen. Pollination, breaking down decaying matter and wastes, and providing food for many other species. Yes, some will eat your plants, destroy your tomatoes, and burrow into your fruit. However, these tiny destruction machines are fewer and farther between than the good guys.
plant to save my life. I have tried by seed and by transplant, in pots, in the ground, and in raised beds. That darn dill looks great for a week or two then shrivels and dies. When I step back and look at my garden, I realize that I can raise other plants many others seem to have a hard time sustaining. Where I have one failure, I have ten successes. That is what I focus on.
Finally, gardening is hard work. We must prepare the beds, sow the seeds, or plant our nursery transplants into the soil. Gardeners weed down on their knees, hands pulling and tugging. They hoe, dig, trim, water, and harvest. We toil, strain, and swear – sometimes a lot. Yet we do this happily despite the sweat, grimy fingernails, dirty knees, and sore backs. For we are happiest out in our gardens – in the fresh air, sunshine, and gentle breezes. This is our paradise, our pride and joy. Whether it is a patio brimming with bright colored pots filled with flowers and a tomato or two, or a sprawling two-acre homestead, the garden fills us with joy. Our garden is where we share a piece of our souls with the World. No, gardening is not for the timid. But we gardeners would not want it any other way.
- Author: Anne E Schellman
We are excited to announce our program's THIRD online class is now available on our new YouTube Channel! Please watch the video and subscribe to our channel.
Herb Gardening was recorded on June 30,2020. Our speakers' included two very talented Stanislaus County Master Gardeners, Terry Pellegrini and Rho Yare. The class offered fun insights on growing and using herbs in the garden, with some fun tips for how to use them, and a word from our local Stanislaus County library on herb books you can check out.
To get a free copy of our Herbs in Your Garden publication, please visit our publications page where you can find this and many more free publications for download. http://cestanislaus.ucanr.edu/Gardening_Publications/
- Author: Anne E Schellman
Our dedicated group of trainees began an intensive learning program in January, meeting each week for 4 ½ hours. They heard form expert speakers from University of California on topics including soils, water management, ornamental plants, drought tolerant plants, turf management, landscape tree care, integrated pest management, weed identification and management, fruit and nut tree care, vegetable gardening, and so much more!
During the classes, we had hands-on learning activities, plenty of time for questions, all while enjoying delicious potluck food. Everything was going smoothly. In mid-March, we learned that due to COVID-19, we could no longer meet in person. Several UCCE Master Gardener Programs across the state canceled their trainings.
We are so proud of this new group of 31 Master Gardeners who have joined our 2019 class to make a total of 55 UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardeners! Although they cannot be out in the community just yet, we are finding opportunities for them to share their knowledge through Zoom, our help line, and other projects.
Will there be a 2021 Master Gardener Class?
We know that many of you are disappointed. We feel this way as well. If you are interested in the next program, and haven't signed up yet, please fill out this survey at https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=28350
We will contact you when it is time to start recruiting for our next class.
- Author: Heidi Aufdermaur
About 75% of all flowering plants rely on animal pollinators. Most pollinators (about 200,000 species) are beneficial insects such as honey bees, native bees, butterflies, moths, flies and beetles. As the saying goes, if you build it, they will come. So what are some ways in which gardens can be made more attractive for the pollinators of all kinds?
First, know the pollinators. Everyone knows the European honey bee, which was imported 400 years ago and brought to California around 1850. But did you know there are over 4,000 species of native bees in the United States, of which 1600 are found in California?
Approximately 70% of native bees are solitary ground nesters, while 30% are cavity nesters. As well as providing pollinator-friendly plants to your yard, help ground nesting bees make their homes in your garden, by leaving a sunny area mulch-free. For cavity nesting bees, provide artificial nest sites, which are easy to construct or purchase from commercial outlets.
Hummingbirds, with their long beaks and tongues draw nectar from tubular flowers. Pollen is carried on both the beaks and feathers. To attract these fun loving birds to your garden, be sure to include bright colored tubular flowers in your landscape.
Butterflies are eye-catching, as are the flowers that attract them. Not only are specific flowers important, but also providing open areas such as bare earth and large stones where butterflies may bask and moist soil from which they may get needed minerals. To support butterflies, a gardener may also be willing to accept slight damage to host plants that provide food for the larval stage of the butterfly.
Moths are mostly evening fliers attracted to flowers that are strongly sweet smelling, open in late afternoon or night, and are typically white or pale in color. Moths are easy to differentiate from butterflies if you look at their antennae; moths do not have a swelling at the end of their antennae whereas butterflies do.
Bats are nocturnal pollinators that play an important role in the pollination of agaves and cacti in the Southwest, however not necessarily in our specific region. Bats are usually found visiting light-colored flowers that open at night and often produce copious amounts of pollen and nectar.
Flies are not typically thought of as pollinators, however, many masquerade as bees in the garden. Syrphid flies, also called hover flies, are considered to be very important pollinators in agriculture.
Over 30,000 species of beetles are found in the United States, they may not be efficient pollinators but they do play a role as they visit flowers to sip nectar or feed on the flower parts. This activity may result in pollination. Some have a bad reputation because they damaging plants.
If you haven't seen it yet, please watch our YouTube video, Native Pollinators, to learn about different kinds of bees you may find in your garden.
National Pollinator Week is a campaign by the Pollinator Partnership.
Helpful Resources
How to Attract and Maintain Pollinators in Your Garden. Free ANR Publication 
Build Bee Houses. Free publication from Michigan State University.
US Forest Service: Pollinators
Heidi Aufdermaur is a graduate of the 2019 Class of Master Gardeners in Stanislaus County.
