- Author: Cindy Yee
Karen Norton, my neighbor and friend, passed away peacefully at midnight after a brief illness. It seemed fitting to her master gardener friends that today is National Gardeners' Day. Karen was a very nice neighbor, veteran master gardener, and accomplished ceramist and art teacher. One of the things I will miss about her are the most enjoyable garden-themed ceramics classes she would hold in her garage studio twice a year.
When Karen put out an email re: a future class, if you were lucky enough to be on her mailing list, it was imperative to reply immediately. Her classes would fill within minutes. Even when I was late however, Karen always managed to fit me in. She even allowed me to invite my friends if she had space.
I really looked forward to her classes. They would always begin with a stroll around her gorgeous garden for inspiration. The first picture shows my leaf wreath, where I picked leaves in her garden that were then rolled onto the prepared clay, cut and affixed to the wreath form.
Karen's classes were so enjoyable partly because she greatly minimized the opportunities for mistakes by her students. Karen prepared and rolled out the clay herself beforehand, so we never had air bubbles in our clay (or resulting explosions in the kiln).
Drawing and painting seem to come naturally to me. But not so with ceramics. Karen was an unfailingly patient and helpful teacher, and never ever rolled her eyes at my many flubs. Thanks to her, every project of mine was a success and I love them all!
After the projects were glazed and fired, Karen would have an unveiling where we would "ooh" and "aah" over our beautiful work, followed by a potluck lunch in her lovely home.
RIP Karen. I will miss your friendship, and your ceramics classes. Have a wonderful time growing and tending your heavenly garden where everything blooms and nothing dies, until we meet again.
- Author: Jennifer DeDora
A few months ago, I decided to try out an idea I've had for a while, creating a “closed” terrarium. I say closed with quotations because over the six weeks I've been working on it I've opened it it 4 or 5 times to add or take away items and finesse the correct amount of water needed to create the perfect balance. It has now been closed for a month and it is actively growing and thriving! Here are the steps I followed to create this fun little habitat.
1. I ordered a terrarium kitonline for my first try at this, (I know, I know) but from now on I'll buy each portion individually as it is less costly and allows for more personalization.
2. The lowest/first layer is horticultural charcoal. This helps prevent mold and mildew.
3. The next layer is a drainage layer of gravel.
4. The next layer is a layer of larger gravel. The different layers help facilitate the water cycle and add visual appeal to the terrarium.
5. Next, I layered moss for moisture retention.
6. The next layer is a mixture of potting soil and native soil from outside. The reason for adding the outside soil is I plan on adding isopods (roliepolies) to my finished terrarium and they rely on organic matter to survive until the natural plant cycles take over.
7. After I added all the ground layers a good wipe down inside the glass was needed to beautify and add visibility to the terrarium.
8. Time for plants! I ordered a terrarium kit online that came with plants, but the plants weren't labeled! Grrr! But any plant that thrives in a warm, moist environment should work. The fern in particular is thriving.
9. Some crystals, bark, stones, decorative moss or small statuary will add to the beauty of the build. Any slowly rotting sticks or wood will also help keep the isopods eating well.
10. Water….vitally important. Water should be added with a spray bottle to the soil and plants. A few tweaks might be necessary to keep the right balance, it seems like a “feel” thing so I have no guidance about how much to add, everything should moist but not sopping.
11. Now it's time for optional “pets” Theisopod market is thriving. I joined anisopodFacebook group and they advised me to pick up a few. I purchased 15 and most are still thriving in there after a month of being completely enclosed.
12. Lighting-Terrariums do require light. I bought a lamp with a timer to put my terrarium under, but any well lit window area should provide enough sunshine.
13. The top. When you're finished setting up all the parts and you're ready to display don't forget to securely close the top so as to not let the isopods escape or water dissipate.
I am so happy I went out on a limb and tried this! This was my first venture into closed terrariums, but I'm sure it won't be my last!
- Author: Mike Gunther
Spring blossoms full of color
Super blooms beginning their show
Spring fever, allergies and plant rebirth
- Author: Paula Pashby
I recently received a gift from a friend, a lovely brooch pin that is shaped like a lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) flower, with beautiful oval-shaped petals. My friend said that she chose the lotus brooch because of my love for yoga and nature.
“Lotus” is a term used in yoga to describe a cross-legged sitting pose for meditation, where each foot is place on the opposite thigh. The lotus flower represents strength, self-realization, and positive transformation. The reason the lotus flower represents these positive elements is because the plant seems to be “reborn” each day during its bloom cycle.
The lotus plant is rooted in mud,and the flower will rise above water for a full dose of bright sunshine. At night, the whole plant - beautiful petals and all – will “dive” back under the mud where it instead will remain immersed all evening. The next day the flower will again push up through the mud and surface to open its petals for the day. The petals have a waxy protective coating that repels water and dirt, so the flower emerges cleansed of the mud and ready for a sunny day of nourishment. The flower petals will open clean and shiny each day, which is why the lotus has become a symbolic association with rebirth.
I now wear the lotus brooch gift on my favorite gardening hat. I appreciate the sentiment of the gift, which is the same feeling I carry whenever I am digging in earth while tending my garden.
- Author: Tina Saravia
There's a verse in a song that starts off like this, “It's a wondrous time in spring, when all the trees are budding,
the birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming”… Those are exactly what I have been observing.
With all the rain we've received last winter, the light green leaves of the persimmon (Diospyros kaki) tree covers what has been a dreary looking skeleton of branches. The olive (Olea europaea) tree leaves are so abundant they are criss-crossing in every way — note to self: cut-off the crossing branches. The ‘Black Pearl” graft on the cherry tree has flowers on the grafted stem.
I hear the birds singing from every open window of the house. The red freesias are the envy of friends, and the California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), the California state flower, are all over the front yard. The rhubarb plant has abundant fresh gigantic leaves and striking red stems, as if saying, “I'm here you can't ignore me.” Everything feels fresh and exhilarating, and I want to see and do everything.
A few years ago, I built a rustic potting bench for myself in the side yard. I've tweaked it a few times over the years. I re-organized and cleaned it up.
I'm finally happy with how it turned-out, for now.
What's next?
The Spring Plant Exchange is coming up soon, where we bring a plant from home, and take a plant (or 2) home. Here's a link to the Master Gardener website that also shows other upcoming events. April 20 from 9 am until 1 pm at the UC Cooperative Extension office, 501 Texas Street, Fairfield.
“It's fresh like spring, I want to sing, I want to pass it on.”