It's #Giving Tuesday! Have you gained knowledge as a result from meeting our UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners at a library class, outdoor event, or while visiting one of gardens? If so, we hope you will consider making a donation to our program.
Every dollar counts! Your support makes our mission of promoting gardening education in our community possible! Visit https://donate.ucanr.edu/givingtuesday/ and select UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardeners from the drop down window to give today, on #GivingTuesday.
Thank you for considering us when making your year-end, tax deductible donation. (We are a 501 c(3)).
- Author: Heidi Aufdermaur
We wondered about that too! With this in mind, a group of UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners toured the City of Modesto's Compost Facility on 7001 Jennings Road.
Recently in California, there has been an emphasis on green waste collection. This was sparked from recent legislation, AB1383-short-lived climate pollutant reduction strategy--, which in simple terms is to “adopt regulations that achieve the specified targets for reducing organic waste in landfills.” Of course, there is much more to the legislation, but how does this relate to the ‘green cans?' Earlier legislation started the ball rolling, AB 939, AB341 and AB 1826 which focused more on commercial waste.
The main goal of this bill is to reduce the materials taken to our local landfills, which have ever-diminishing space. When organic materials are sent to the landfill, they create methane gas, toxic soup leachate, and hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg gas). Not only that, but homeowners are missing out on a great resource. This compostable material could be kept at home, providing environmental and gardening benefits!
Environmental benefits: Waste reduction, keeping soil fertile, improving air quality, water conservation. Gardening benefits: saves money, enriches soil, contributes to health lifestyle.
How can you benefit from using the green waste from your garden? Come learn more at our workshop. Even if you are already composting or want to learn how to best put that waste to use in your garden, come join us and see how much fun composting can be. We will also talk about vermicomposting and show you how to start your own container of green-waste-eating worms.
Registration Details:
Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Where: Harvest Hall Rooms AB&C
Register: https://ucanr.edu/compost/2023
The workshop is free! However, if you'd like an 11 gallon compost bin to take home, you can make a $35 donation to our program (while supplies last). Children interested in learning about compost and worms are also welcome at this workshop!
Join Heidi Aufdermaur, UC Master Gardener and experienced Seed Saver for this class and learn:
- What types of seeds to save and the difference between heirloom and hybrid seeds.
- How flowers are pollinated and how seeds develop.
- How far apart to plant varieties of vegetables to ensure seed purity.
- How to save seeds and how long saved seeds last.
Diced tomatoes ready for seed saving.
Registration Details:
Date: Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Where: Online
Register: https://ucanr.edu/seedsaving/2023
Link: you'll be sent a link to log in with before the class. Please register at least one hour before the class.
This free class will be available the following week on our YouTube Channel at http://ucanr.edu/youtube/ucmgstanislaus Subscribe to our channel to be notified when the class has been posted.
Heidi Aufdermaur has been a UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Stanislaus County since 2019.
I have always loved lavender's fragrance, its colorful prolific blooms, its delightful oils, and soaps. I recently had the pleasure of taking a Stanislaus County UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener workshop on lavender. It was led by fellow Master Gardener Heidi Aufdermaur, and I learned so much more about lavender.
History
A member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, lavender (Lavandula spp.) is an ancient herb. It is believed to have likely originated from Greece and is indigenous to the Mediterranean area, including Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Cape Verde. Long coveted for its fragrance, calming presence, and healing properties, lavender use has been documented for over 2500 years in many cultures around the world. The word “lavender” is derived from the Latin verb ‘lavare' which means “to wash.” In Medieval and Renaissance France, women who took in washing were known as ‘lavenders.'
- The Egyptians used lavender for cosmetics, medicines, and embalming mummies.
- Lavender was used in perfumes by the ancient Aztecs, in addition to mummification.
- In the 17th century, Arabs domesticated the plant and brought it to Spain. The Spanish brought the plant to North America.
- The ancient Greeks used lavender to fight off insomnia and back aches.
- Romans used lavender oil for cooking, bathing, scenting the air, and in soaps.
- In the 17th century lavender was used as a remedy for the Great Plague in London.
- Queen Elizabeth I of England required lavender to be served at the royal table and fresh lavender flowers throughout her residence. She also used lavender tea for treatment of severe migraine headaches.
- Queen Victoria took an interest in lavender in the 19th century and the English variety became popular.
Making a wand involves weaving ribbon around each stem, Rachel Bahn. - History states that the Shakers were the first to grow lavender commercially in the Americas.
- Today lavender is cultivated commercially in France, England, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, United States and Canada.
Growing and Caring for Lavender
Lavender is an evergreen, herbaceous, semi-woody perennial with silvery-green square-shaped foliage whose spike-shaped flowers come in many hues of purple, pink, and white. While lavender grows well in California Central Valley's Mediterranean climate, and will tolerate some neglect, they do have some basic requirements:
- Full sun.
- Thrives in poor soils with little to no fertilizer providing there is good drainage.
- Since lavender is difficult to grow from seed, it is best to plant a young plant in the spring, after the threat of frost has passed when the soil has warmed up to at least 60°F.
Hidcote (English) lavender, Denise Godbout-Avant. - If planting in summer, make sure you water regularly to keep the soil moist.
- If planting in fall, choose a larger, more established plant to ensure their survival over the winter.
- They do not like “wet feet.” If use organic mulch, keep it away from the crown to prevent excess moisture. A better choice is inorganic mulch such as pea gravel, decomposed granite, or sand.
Caring for lavender:
- Water regularly until the plants are established, after which they need little water. Yellowing leaves is often a sign of over-watering.
- Prune during the fall months.
- To keep plants neat and compact, shear back by one-third to one-half every year immediately after bloom.
- The flowering stems can be harvested while in bloom or snipped off after the flowers fade. Consider letting some of the blooms go to seed for small seed-eating birds such as finches and sparrows.
Spanish lavender, creative commons license.
Varieties of Lavender
The three most common varieties of lavender are English, French, and Spanish:
- English lavender (Lavandula angustifola) is also known as True or Common lavender. Fragrant-rich, coming in both dark and light purple colors, it is a favorite culinary lavender, adding a sweet floral flavor to beverages, desserts, savory dishes, and meat.
o Cultivars include: ‘Hidcote', ‘Lady', ‘Campacta', ‘Ellegance', ‘Goodwin Creek', ‘Jean Davis', and ‘Pastor's Pride'.
- French lavender (Lavandula dentata) is related to English lavender, but French lavender is larger, has a lighter scent and is less frost tolerant. It has a long bloom time, from spring through summer. It is used as cut flowers and potpourri.
o Cultivars include ‘Allwood', ‘Lambikins', ‘Linda Logon', ‘Ploughman's Blue' and ‘Pure Harmony'.
- Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas), otherwise known as Butterfly lavender, are frost tolerant, low bushes with long stems, and distinct dark purple heads that have “rabbit ears.” Due to their smaller size, they grow well in pots. Highly aromatic, they are a magnet for bees and butterflies. Used in aromatherapy, soaps, cooking, in tinctures and oils, as well as cocktails!
Lavender wands, Rachel Bahn.
o Cultivars include ‘Anouk', ‘Ballerina', ‘Munstead', ‘Otto Quast', ‘Papillon', ‘Regal Splendor', and ‘With Love'.
Lavender Uses
The most popular use of lavender today is in cosmetics and fragrances, including making bouquets, wreaths or wands, small sachets, eye pillows, potpourri, soaps, perfumes, facial and body oils. Culinary uses include herbal teas, cookies, lavender ice cream, as a flavorful addition to wine, and even as a spice rub for beef and lamb.
If you enjoy doing crafts, make a lavender wand, which makes a great gift.
Here are a couple how-to-do links:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UboN-V4Mv-c
- https://blog.pelindabalavender.com/2021/06/how-to-make-woven-aromatic-lavender-wand-instructions.html
For creative cooks, there are many lavender recipes from sweet to savory. An excellent book is The Lavender Cookbook by Sharon Shipley.
More Love for Lavender
Visit the local Pageo Lavender Farm in Turlock (http://pageolavenderfarm.com/) to see its fields of lavender and visit its shop with many lavender products.
Learning more about lavender has increased my appreciation for this beautiful, versatile plant. I made a lavender wand which lightly perfumes my closet, have a lavender eye-pillow for when I do the savasana pose in yoga (very relaxing!). I look forward to baking lavender shortbread, exploring other uses of lavender, and increasing the diversity of lavender plants in my garden!
If you do not already have lavender in your garden, consider planting some. Along with their lovely flowers and aroma, ease of care, they also attract bees, butterflies, and birds. You will love them!
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to fellow UCCE Master Garden Heidi Aufdermaur for sharing her love and knowledge of lavender!
Resources
- Lavenders for California Gardens: https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8135.pdf
- Sunset Western Garden Book
- The Timeless Allure of Lavender by local author Cynthia Tanis (Kindle Edition on Amazon)
- How to plant, grow and care for lavender: www.almanac.com
- Lavandula: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavandula
Denise Godbout-Avant has been a UCCE Master Gardener with Stanislaus County since 2020
- Author: Anne E Schellman
Time for a fun pop quiz!
- Do you spend a lot of time gardening or thinking about gardening?
- Are you often asked for gardening advice by friends or family members?
- Do you enjoy learning new information about gardening and pest management?
- Are you interested in helping others and giving back to your community?
If you answered an enthusiastic “yes” to these questions and you live in Stanislaus County, please consider applying for the UCCE Master Gardener Program!
What is the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program?
The program was created in the 1980's to help extend research-based information from University of California directly to the public. Volunteers are trained to preserve and encourage healthy environments with sustainable gardening, green waste reduction, and water conservation.
How are Master Gardeners Trained?
Master Gardener volunteers spend 5 hours per week for 19 weeks learning about soil, water management, ornamental and drought tolerant plants, landscape tree care, pest management, and much more. Classes are taught by University experts and advisors.
How do you become a UCCE Master Gardener?
We are taking applications for our 2020 class that will start in January. To learn more and apply:
- Visit our Become a UCCE Master Gardener website and read the training information on the page.
- Click on the bright yellow button to fill out our application form before September 8, 2019!
- Attend a mandatory orientation meeting in October
- Interview in November
- Acceptance letters mailed in early December
