Looking for that perfect hostess gift, why not try a live plant?   Specifically, the Christmas Cactus:  Schlumbergera bridgessii.  Not a true cactus, more similar in environmental needs to that of an orchid.  This plant is native to Brazil and grows as an epiphyte (plant that grows above ground, deriving its nutrients and water from rain, the air, and natural debris), in the forks of tree limbs.  Right now you can find this plant budding, or in full bloom, at your local hardware store.  The leaves are dark green, flat and grow in segments.  The plant flowers at the tips of these segments with red, pink, and white flowers. Here are some easy care guidelines should you receive one as a gift!

As the holidays wind down and you don’t see any more blooms, your Christmas Cactus needs to rest. (Just like Santa) A month of rest in a cool dark room and very little water is exactly what this plant needs to get ready for new growth in spring.  Do not fertilize during this month of rest. 

Anytime between February – March, you can prune, propagate, or repot your cactus.  A point to remember is that this is one plant that actually prefers to be root-bound and will actually promote more blooms when it feels “cramped”.  A good rule of thumb is to repot about every 2 years.  Pruning at this time is highly recommended because spring begins a period of active growth.  Pruning will help the plant branch out, creating a fuller plant for the next holiday season.  To propagate, take a segment of the leaf and place upright in a small pot filled with soil similar to parent plant.  New plants will begin to grow in 4-6 weeks.

Easy growing tips:

• Don’t overwater; will cause rot on leaves.  If kept indoors, watering weekly is advised, or when top inch of soil is dry.  Water less frequently in fall and winter to promote blooming.
• Prefers humidity:  place pot on saucer filled with gravel.  Create humid environment by adding water to saucer.
• Fertilize:  October/November, September, and February- liquid all purpose houseplant type fertilizer.  Do not use a fertilizer with nitrogen ratio higher than 10 % (1^st number on fertilizer label is nitrogen).

I consider the Christmas cactus a gift that “keeps on giving’ because with proper care it will grow and bloom for many holidays.

I don’t know how your yard is surviving in this series of storms, but mine is doing rather well, thank you.  Because the soil in Solano County is primarily clay – good for making adobe bricks and growing plants when you finally get them established- we have a tendency toward lots of run-off water.

To get the clay soil to hold water and not flood, we need to water slowly and in several “bumps” of water.  Too much at a time and the water sheets off the soil surface, but too many “bumps” or prolong watering and you end with mucky, sticky mud which takes forever ( and sometimes a day) to dry out. How to get the right combination of water/soil/ air spaces is the trick.

Some folks put in French drains which is way of saying:  1) dig trenches where the water collects on their property; 2) put a bed of coarse gravel, road bed gravel which is large (1-2” pieces is preferred) several inches thick in the trench; 3) lay perforated pipe ( has holes evenly spaced along all sides) covered in weed-block fabric or buy the already bagged pipe in the trench;4) cover pipe with more gravel within 3 inches of the trench top and cover with soil.  Remember to install a grate at the end of the pipe, preferably downhill so that the pipe drains out and to the street.  In my case, I attached all the down spouts from the house gutters to my French drain which allows the water that would be standing on stop of my back and side yards to drain to the front street gutter.  However, a caution: do NOT use chemicals during the wet season as the drains allow these products to leach into the storm drains where they do not belong!

I refuse to let my back fence which is falling section by section (repair one section and the next takes a dive in the (wind) to disturb my serene and unflappable self  -- Today is my 1^st  day of retirement.  I shall enjoy immensely! Actually, my serene mood changes each time I pass my neighbor’s house.  A “trained” man with a chainsaw cut the green ash tree in front of it back to stubbed limbs and then cut out the lawn with a Bob Cat tractor.  Serenity to the eyes it is not, but I shall learn to close my eyes when passing by.

During a visit to The Sea Ranch on the California coast, we visited with Janet MacKinnon, an architect/inventor, who has developed a green roof system. Janet was so passionate about her ideas and walked us through her planted pod garden, explaining future plans to develop and market her system.

Each Sodpodmod® is a modular pre-vegetated green roof growing application for homes. They will protect the roofing membrane from sunlight and avoid the breakdown of roofing material. By extending the life of the roof, less material would end up in the landfill. Green roofs keep the roof cooler, reducing summertime needs for cooling. They are a source of oxygen and provide habitat for birds. A green roof would reduce storm water runoff and the amount of storm water that would need to be treated by municipal water treatment. 

There are two types of green roofs. One is an intensive green roof that often has a soil depth of a foot or more and requires substantial structural planning to support the weight of the whole roof. Sodpodmod® is an extensive roof and much shallower (two to 3 inches deep). The pods are planted with California natives from local nurseries. The plants are low-growing, shallow rooted, and drought tolerant with an irregular growing pattern. The roof would have a varied appearance. Plants are placed in an engineered growth medium of light weigh soils, consisting of vermiculite and additional materials that provide a good growing environment.

The shallow depth of the soil aids in keeping weeds from growing, as weeds cannot survive in the arid soil conditions on a vegetated roof.  The pods are planted in recycled/decomposing  cardboard boxes that are 16 x 16 x 3 inches. The boxes or frames are then placed in a fitted non-decomposing membrane that hugs the cardboard. The prepared soil is added, then the plants. The pods are placed in rows on black plastic runners and watered for four months before being sold. When placed on a roof, these modular pods interlock and nature takes care of them. Besides winter rains, The Sea Ranch area gathers moisture year round from the ocean mist and fog.  

It is easier to pre-plan a green roof when constructing a new building with the support needed to hold the pods. Retrofitting an existing house to support the extra weight a vegetated roof would present could be done, but would require major reinforcement. Green roofs work best on a lower sloped roof. They can be installed on a steeper pitched roof, but the design and installation are more difficult and the pods would require additional precautions to keep them from sliding.

Limiting factors in building green roofs are the small number of contractors familiar with installation,  the added expense of the beefed up structure and the costs of the planted pods. An  engineer and architect would need to be involved with the structure from the beginning of the project.

It was fascinating to hear about this system. Green roofs have been used in Europe for years. In fact, while we were at The Sea Ranch, we drove by a house that had native grasses covering the entire backside of the roof.

“We need nature in our lives, whether we live in the country or garden on a rooftop.” Quote by Urban garden designer,  Rebecca Cole

Pyracanthas can offer a colorful addition to our landscapes. Now as we are moving from fall to winter frequently you can see pyracantha in the open spaces alongside many of our community thoroughfares.  These bushes are ablaze in color ranging from oranges to vibrant reds and bring a cheerful punch of color to the surrounding brown landscapes.

Pyracanthas are in the same family as roses and apples which are all susceptible to fireblight. Fortunately many varieties are now available which offer disease resistance, as in case when choosing roses and tomatoes,  make sure and look for the varieties which are known to be resistant. The Sunset Western Garden Book has quite a few named varieties listed as disease resistant.  For example, P. 'Mohave' was originated by the National Arboretum as a disease resistant variety which is suited to climates in zones 3 to 24 (Sunset zones). This variety reaches 12 feet tall and wide and is known to be one of the hardiest pyracanthas. There are many other varieties available ranging from low growing mounding types to tree-like forms.  Don't plan to move these shrubs around once you have them in the ground as like rose bushes they do have thorns. So plan your new location, stand back and let your new shrub grow. The pyracanthas are drought tolerant, and as you may know by reading my previous blogs, I am always on the lookout for hardy plants with modest water needs and the abundant color is icing on the cake.

Besides filling in open spaces on your hillside, the pyracanthas work well as informal hedges and screens as well as good candidates for espalier. Also, the trimmings make really nice wreaths.