- Author: Susan Croissant
Good ground cover: Echeveria, Ice Plant, Sedum, Senecio
Large/decorative: Aeonium, Agave, Aloe, Cotyledon, Crassula, Dudleya, Echeveria, Kalanchoe, Portulacaria
Small, odd form to flowers: Aloe, some Crassula, Hoya, Ice Plants, Kalanchoe
Don't use too many kinds in one planting. Mass a few species instead of putting in one of each. Can combine with other plants that look right with them. Not all succulents like hot sun, and some do not thrive in summer heat even with some shade.
Distinctive foliage and plant forms:
Cotyledon undulata = looks like a pale green, delicately-carved porcelain
some Euphorbias = appear to have exploded to produce their contorted shapes
many Kalanchoes/Gasterias = handsome, mottled foliage
Aloes/Agave = sculptural quality of sword-shaped provides material of striking interest indoors and out
Echeveria = wide, various sizes and shapes. Miniatures to low-branched shrubs to plants with a single rosette of leaves atop a stem. Colors/textures of leaves (every shade of green dusted with red or purple or frosty white with tinges of pink or blue) make for a nice indoor decoration.
Crassula argentea (Jade) = bright green, rubbery leaves
C. aboresans = silvery foliage blotted with margined red
C. treibneri = pale yellow-green leaves that arrange themselves in a perfect cross
C. teres = carries its leaves in a tightly packed column
Dudleya pulverulenta = white leaves (D. candida, D. farinosa are smaller)
Kalanchoes = panda plant (K. tomentosa) = silvery plush leaves stained red at margins
K. marmorata (pen wiper plant) = heavily spotted gray-green leaves
Sedums = cockscomb, donkey tail, dragon blood sedum
Semperviviums= brilliantly colored with leaves tinted crimson or purple or edged in red
Some Aeoniums = have nearly black foliage tinted coppery or bronze-red
Velvet leaved kinds (like Echeverias) = powdery coating on leaves = is easily bruised
Succulents do not have harmful spines (except some euphorbias and a few aloes)
Flowers
Fig marigolds or ice plants are stunning in flowering season and make sheets of color
Agave/aloe = bright flowers on tall spikes
Wax plant (Hoya carrosa) = gracefully displays exotic waxy-white blooms in clusters on a vine-like plant
Euphorbia = usually inconspicuous, become showy when surrounded by colorful bracts as in the pointsetta (E. pulcherrine)
The diversified forms and colorings of succulents are beautiful, sometimes bizarre, but always interesting.
- Author: Erin Mahaney
Each winter, I start thinking about what seeds I may want to plant in my garden for spring and summer. Before I get too far in my planning, I first rifle through the half-empty packets of seeds left over from the prior year (and in some cases, several years) and wonder if any of them are still viable. I usually shrug, toss the seeds in the ground, and wait to see what happens. If the seeds don't germinate, then I buy some new ones. Obviously, this haphazard approach to planting is far from ideal because it can put me several weeks behind my intended planting schedule by the time I notice that the seeds haven't germinated.
But this year, I decided to do a little research about how long seeds last. I was a little surprised to learn that seed viability varies considerably with the type of plant. Seed viability also will vary depending on whether the seeds are have been pretreated or pelletized. I was less surprised to learn that viability varies even under optimal storage conditions.
Seeds should be stored in cool, dry, dark conditions. Place the seeds in an airtight, watertight container such as a jar with a rubber seal (like a baby food jar or canning jar) or a zip lock bag inside a jar. To keep the seeds cool (ideally, below 50 degrees), some people store them in a jar in their refrigerator or freezer.
Seeds in good condition and stored properly will last at least one year and, depending on the plant, may last two to five years. I found a quite a few tables on the internet indicating the average shelf life of vegetable and flower seeds that are properly stored. Those sources are listed below. Here is a shorter version for a variety of vegetable seeds:
- 1 year: onions, parsnips, parsley, salsify, and spinach
- 2 years: corn, peas, beans, chives, okra, dandelion
- 3 years: carrots, leeks, asparagus, turnips, rutabagas
- 4 years: peppers, chard, pumpkins, squash, watermelons, basil, artichokes and cardoons
- 5 years: most brassicas, beets, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, muskmelons, celery, celeriac, lettuce, endive, chicory
(Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds http://www.johnnyseeds.com/t-faq.aspx#questionshelflife)
If you are uncertain about whether seeds will germinate, you can do an easy germination test. Count out a specific number of seeds, anywhere from ten to one hundred seeds. Moisten a paper towel or a coffee filter and place the seeds on it. Fold or roll up the moistened paper over the seeds, making sure that the seeds don't touch each other, and put the paper inside a plastic bag in a warm place. Check the seeds after two or three days and then every day thereafter for a week or so. Spray the paper as need to maintain moisture. After the standard germination period has passed (as provided on the seed packet), count to see how many seeds have germinated and calculate the percentage of germination by dividing the number of seeds germinated by the number of seeds tested. Compare the germination percentage it to the germination rate (if there is one) on the seed packet label. If the seed germination rate is high, then the seeds are fine to plant. If the germination rate is low, you may want to purchase new seeds.
Sources for seed viability tables:
Vegetable seeds
- Iowa State University Extension: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1995/3-3-1995/seedv.html
- Virginia Cooperative Extension: http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-316/426-316.html
Vegetable and flower seeds
- Clear Creek Seeds: http://www.clearcreekseeds.com/seed-viability-chart/
- Hill Gardens: http://hillgardens.com/seed_longevity.htm
- Author: Betty Homer
If you have children or grandchildren or are a child at heart, consider visiting the newest exhibit at the Lawrence Hall of Science located on the UC Berkeley Campus, entitled, “Xtreme Bugs.” The exhibit consists primarily of larger-than-life, robotic animatronics of insects (some as tall as15'!), that you find in your backyard garden (e.g., honeybees) and the sort that is the stuff of nightmares (see e.g., the Chinese Earth Tiger Spider, an aggressive predator measuring 8” long!). Animatronic insects on display include the: Chinese Earth Tiger Spider, Giant Vinegaroon, Orchid Mantis (my personal favorite because of the mantis' brilliant purple/pink hues—to camouflage itself amongst orchid plants), Peruvian Giant Centipede, Army Ant, Atlas Moth, Hines Emerald Dragonfly, Monarch Butterfly, Leaf-Cutter Ant, Periodic Cicada, the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, the Black Corsair, Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, African Fat-Tailed Scorpion, European Honeybee, Japanese Giant Hornet, Golden Orb Weaver, and Seven Spotted Ladybug.
The exhibit is designed such that you are viewing the animatronic insects at ground level. Each display is replete with a different background, and sounds recorded from the actual insect, are played over speakers as the animatronic insect moves. From the articles I have read about this exhibit, the animatronic insects are an accurate representation of the actual insect. This means that attendees can get an up-close and personal look at the insects which live in their own backyard and beyond.
Basic information and fun facts about each animatronic insect, accompany each of the displays. For instance, did you know that Japanese honeybees will collectively defend its colony against the Japanese Giant Hornet by forming a cluster of 500 honeybees around the hornet, causing the internal temperature of the cluster to rise to 117 degrees, which is sufficient to kill the hornet? Pretty amazing.
“Xtreme Bugs” is on display until September 1, 2014. The cost of entry for an adult is $17 per person and the price goes down from there for children, seniors, etc. For more information, please see http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/visit/exhibits/featured/xtreme_bugs.
- Author: Betsy Buxton
Lo and behold, it appears that Old Man Winter has finally finished doing his worst to gardens. The sun is out, slightly today, and the air was warmed up – again slightly! Now is the time that roses get pruned, pre-emergent is sprayed in the flower beds and other places where weeds like to congregate, and gardeners troop out to assess the frost and cold damage.
I admit that I was hesitant to look at various plants too closely in order to keep my tear ducts from working overboard! I figured that there was lots of dead and “melted” leaves out there; but imagine my surprise when I found that all my clematis plants where not only alive, but thriving! New growth and plenty of it; the early spring clematis were in full bloom and looking very healthy. Some of the older roses had joined the “heavenly choir”, but none of us are around forever and their places can be filled with other potted plants looking for a forever home.
My new prize magnolia tree in the front yard which was babied during the heat of last year's summer has grown a full 12 inches and has a big fat purple flower bud at the end of each branchlet (small branches) to you, thanks!
The star magnolia, Magnolia stellata, which suffered from the direct sun during the late spring and summer, recovered nicely enough to envelop itself in pure white raggedy flowers. The bulbs are coming up through the grass of the lawn and will show their clear colors of yellow and orange. The Muscaris are popping up; only the pink are blooming now – but the light blue, cobalt blue and bi-tones aren't far behind.
I've lost lots of succulents. The Aeonium ‘Sunburst' that I was soo proud of is toast; others just look black and dark brown with dry, leathery remains for leaves and very dead! Oh well, a trip to a nursery was past do anyway. Just a hint, don't toss anything just yet though, plants can be tenacious things. I'm not really counting too many plants out just yet.
On a slightly different note, has anybody seen the listing in various seed and plant catalogs for the “CHA-CHA Chive”? It's touted to be the next best veggie for the garden yet. BUT, the problem is that you can't order it to grow in CA. Why, you ask? I've emailed two growers and got no real answer other than “Just can't, sorry”. Well, that didn't answer the question so I did a little digging (what a pun!) of my own about this chive plant. The real answer: is its Allium schoenoprasum which is classified as an wild onion and therefore against the CA Dept. of Agriculture guidelines as a pesky weed plant. And here, all the growers wanted was a mere $6.95 for a 4” pot of wild onion. Oh well, another “choice” plant that can't be had.
- Author: Trisha Rose
Well, I am confused about what to do in my garden? I usually wait until late fall to place new plants in the garden. Fall came and went, no rain. I usually like to plan my plantings so they occur between rainy days. I let the first couple of rain storms soften up the tough soil then start planning my new plants. I check the weather app on my phone each morning, I watch the news reports on TV and get my soil , mulch, plants etc ready to go. But so far through mid-January, as you all know, we have had glorious sun shiny days and record-breaking warm weather during January after the freakish cold of December. So no new plants.
Well, I think I will pull off the leaves of the roses I pruned a few weeks ago. I haven't done this in the past but know gardeners who do this routinely. I am too lazy to go out and muck around in the usually rainy weather for this chore but removing the old leaves is supposed to encourage the growth of new canes besides helping to deter "over/wintering" of pesky insects.
At this point I am befuddled by what may happen in the next few months. New plants have not gone in, frost damaged plants haven't come out just in case we get another round of frost. The already damaged parts of the plant will provide insulation to the main plant in the event damaging frost returns in February or March, who knows?
So now I am remembering those old tricks we used in past drought years, so will get some bricks for the toilets again. Glad the front yard lawn is gone. Now drought-tolerant plants are in place, but drought-tolerant doesn't mean "no water" they need moisture from somewhere. It just feels wrong to run the irrigation system in January, but that is what I am doing. At least I don't feel guilty about those rain barrels I haven't put in place yet.
There are bound to be some positives as well as negatives we will need to work through as we care for our gardens this year. I have noticed that the crop of weeds I usually see sprouting up along the fence line in the park across the street are nowhere to be seen so far, they need moisture too.