A new program offering local farmers and growers a way to recycle their Ag Plastic for free is now available to the Solano and Yolo Ag community. “Ag Plastic” or agricultural plastics can be recycled at the Yolo County Landfill though a program offered by Encore.

Accepted plastic items include agricultural irrigation drip tape, almond film plastic, black mulch plastic, HDPE plastic grape cover, greenhouse film plastic, and strawberry fumigation tarp. Items not accepted include buckets, ridged plastic, paper, twine, nylon and TIF/VIF films. All materials taken for recycling should be tied or bound into rolls or bales.

Encore is committed to reducing plastic waste and is the first US manufacturer to receive the Environmentally Preferred Rating (EPR). Encore has a state of the art recycling facility in the Salinas Valley and is partnering with their sister company, Command Packaging, who will turn Encore resin into reusable bags called smarterbags™ for the California grocery store market.

For more information contact Pam Hendricks at the Yolo County Landfill at phendrick@yolocounty.org or call (530) 555-8856.

The genus of Haworthia includes more than 70 species from Southern Africa (native to), generally with fleshy leaves formed into a rosette. A pretty sturdy succulent that does not require as much light as others succulents but does require higher temperatures and more moisture than its close relatives, Aloe and Gasteria (Ox Tongue).

Haworthia are extremely variable in growth habit. Some resemble small aloes. Others make small towers of neatly stacked fleshy leaves (H. mucronata) or stem less rosettes (H. hybrid) or deep rosettes of swirling leaves (H. limifolia).   A common windowsill variety is H. subfasciata ‘Little Zebra’. Individual leaves may have pointed, blunt or rounded tips. Many species are green, but others display a range of gray, brown or reddish-brown (especially in sunlight) pigments. And leaves may be attractively marked. The leaves of some species have translucent "windows" on their upper surface. The irregular two-tipped flowers are generally small, white, tubular, and on the end have a long flower spike which can be simple or branched. Differences in flower forms are used to group individual species into sub-genres (Haworthia, Hexongulares, Robustipedunculaves). In their habitat, these succulents often benefit from the shade of shrubbery plants or rocks, which also afford protection from predators (mealybug is the main pest).

Growing Season: the winter months. Roots are often lost during summers. Watering at the wrong time of year may kill the plant, so some sensitivity to the active growing cycle is required. Propagation:   by offsets (side shoots/suckers) formed at base of larger plants. (You can also try seeds if they're available). Soil: equal parts coarse sand and general houseplant soil. (Or, try a soilless mixture.) (Or 1 part loam, 1 part leaf mold, 1 part sharp sand, ½ part crushed charcoal). Fertilize: Do NOT fertilize newly potted plants for the first year. After that, fertilize once in spring, once in fall. Avoid summer fertilizing as plant is in a short rest period. Water: allow soil to approach dryness between waterings, more sparingly in winter. The soil ball must never be allowed to dry out completely. Light: moderate; avoid excessive periods of direct sun. Temperature: 65-90° all year round. If growing outdoors, try placing pot against house where it will be protected, perhaps on the east side where it may get early sun but avoid mid and late-day sun beating down. If growing outdoors, bring it in for the winter months.

Haworthia margaritifera (pearly haworthia) and Haworthia fasciata ‘Zebra’ are extremely easy to grow. They form small rosettes of upward-curving leaves with back surfaces that are marked with various patterns of "warty" protuberances called tubercles. Both are frequently used in dish gardens. Night temperatures of 50-55°, daytime 68-72° is ideal. Repot (in flat pots) in February or after flowering has ceased in June.

H. margaritifera forms a firm rosette 3-6" across which, when looked at from above, is somewhat like a starfish. The 1½-3" leaves are dark green and thickly covered with white spots/tubercles. Long, thin flower stems develop in spring, with a number of small bell-shaped whitish flowers. It is an ideal indoor plant because of the dry air, as long as it receives lots of light. Although some sources say "full sunlight in windows facing south," I advise against excessive periods of direct sun. It is a succulent, not a cactus. It does best in bright indirect or curtain-filtered sunlight.

Each year, I try to grow at least one new plant in my vegetable garden. Whether the trial vegetable is a success is based on two factors: (1) whether the plant actually grows; and (2) whether anyone in my family will besides me will voluntarily eat it. So far, my overall success rate is pretty low, in large part because my success rate for factor #2 is zero. But I’ve decided that’s OK—it’s still fun to try new things!

Last year, I tried growing watermelon radish for the first time. Watermelon radish (Raphanus sativus 'Watermelon') is a larger radish that is white with pale green shoulders on the outside and red on the inside, looking a bit—not surprisingly—like a watermelon! It grows to approximately 3” (the size of a tennis ball) and even larger if you let it.

The watermelon radish is a winter variety of radish that is best grown in cool weather. The seeds should be planted in late summer or early fall, although last year I got away with planting the seeds in early winter. Plant in moist, rich soil with good sun exposure, following the depth and spacing instructions on the seed packet.

Winter varieties of radishes grow more slowly and aren’t as likely to bolt as quickly other radish varieties due to the cooler growing temperatures. When ready to harvest, most radishes will bulge through the ground. If left too long to harvest, radishes tend to become pithy or spongy in texture and may develop a harsh flavor.

The Watermelon radish takes approximately 60 days to grow to maturity. I tried harvesting my watermelon radish at different sizes and noticed that the peppery flavor certainly varied with the harvest time, so it’s worth experimenting with the harvest.  I left a few of my radishes in the ground longer than 60 days and they got quite large – up to 5” – and they were quite spicy (but not yet bitter) when I picked them. No wonder my children didn’t like them, but I sure did. Yum.

This “trial vegetable” was easy to grow and was a pretty, zesty addition to salads and other dishes. It has definitely moved from “trial” status to a regular rotation in my vegetable garden.

I was visiting Marin during the holidays and learned of the Marin Art & Garden Center located in Ross that happened to be en route.  Unfortunately, I chose the wrong time of year to visit and the attached pictures reflect that (i.e., most of the plants are dormant for the winter).  However, it is easy to see how beautiful these gardens will look, come spring, at which time, I plan to re-visit.

The gardens include notable trees (including a historic giant sequoia tree, a large English oak tree, a magnolia tree dating back to 1870), a butterfly habitat garden, a memory garden, a native basketry garden, a rose garden, an herb and medicinal garden, and a succulent and native plants garden.  The National Wildlife Federation has designated the gardens, which are a pesticide-free zone, as a Habitat Sanctuary, which means that the property was/is planted such that it provides food, water, cover, and places for wildlife (birds, bees, beneficial insects, etc.) to hide and raise their young.  As part of its integrated pest management and rodent control practices, the gardens participate in the Hungry Owl Project (HOP) and place owl boxes throughout the garden where barn owls can nest.     

Sculpture is also integrated in the garden.  My favorite of these includes a whimsical unicyclist toting a bottle of wine on his bike (see attached picture). 

Although the Marin Art & Garden Center features themes similar to other gardens I have written about in this blog, it is very different in that the gardens share space with the local school district's offices, an antique store, various historical buildings, a theater, and a reference library which houses the Ross Historical Society.  There is also a very unique, hobbit-like structure at the site called the Bottle House.  There was not a plaque describing this building's purpose or history.  I can only assume this structure was dubbed the "Bottle House" because some of the "windows" are made out of the bottoms of colored glass bottles.  The gardens are maintained by volunteers, including the Marin County Master Gardeners.  It is a lovely space worthy of a visit when all is in bloom.  Admission is free and it is open daily from dawn to dusk.  For further information, please see http://www.magc.org.