- (Focus Area) Yard & Garden
- Author: Jill Santos
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.
– Chinese Proverb
What is your happiest memory that involves trees? Hopefully, most of those memories are positive. Trees provide a multitude of benefits that are hard to overlook. Reflecting on happy memories involving trees often evokes a sense of joy and wonder. These towering guardians not only serve as the backdrop to cherished moments but also provide an array of invaluable benefits.
However, in regions like the Western United States, escalating wildfire risks loom large, burdening homeowners with soaring insurance costs and stringent fuel reduction mandates. Balancing the delicate interface between natural landscapes and urban expansion becomes increasingly intricate, especially when community priorities diverge. As residential areas extend into undeveloped territories, trees, whether vibrant or ailing, transition from assets to potential hazards, underscoring humanity's profound dependence on their presence despite the associated challenges.
Trees are essential components of our daily lives, providing a multitude of human health benefits that we often take for granted. Regardless of whether they thrive in lush forests or line bustling urban boulevards, trees also offer a plethora of environmental advantages. Currently, forest ecosystems are the largest land-based carbon sink on earth. Forests in the U.S. alone offset about 16 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Ninety percent of Americans support tree planting as a climate change mitigation measure.
Trees are also an essential component to ecological systems. They produce oxygen, sequester carbon, lower surface temperatures, control erosion, mitigate stormwater runoff, enhance habitat and biodiversity, contribute to urban cooling, provide food and fiber, promote social-emotional well-being, and perhaps most importantly, provide beauty to the landscape. Trees also boost property values and can even attract shoppers to urban centers.
Amidst a global population surge and escalating food demands, rampant deforestation threatens nearly half of our planet's forests. This perilous trend undermines crucial opportunities for carbon sequestration, allowing emissions from vehicles, industries, and other sources to persist unchecked. Moreover, the absence of verdant canopies in urban landscapes exacerbates the formation of heat islands, posing serious public health risks.
Deciding what tree to plant where can be challenge for some. Some (native) trees are not adapted to urban environments, while others may drop leaves, flowers, fruit, or branches, push up sidewalks, require frequent pruning, become invasive or have other undesirable characteristics. Municipal tree maintenance programs are costly and even controversial in some communities.
The Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute at Cal Poly is a tree information site with "features to assist in narrowing down site conditions, watering needs, and phenological characteristics. The “Select a Tree" feature assists users in choosing a tree with desired characteristics suited to a particular location.
I personally cannot imagine a life without them. As stewards of the environment, it's imperative that we recognize the indispensable role trees play in sustaining life and take concerted action to protect and nurture them for generations to come.
Stay tuned for the upcoming UC Thelma Hansen Symposium webinar series “Trees to the Rescue: Solutions for Climate Change” on May 14-16, 2024. To register, please click here. UC ANR Cooperative Extension of Ventura County will host a virtual Tree Symposium on May 14-16, 2024. To register, please click here.
Green Tip (s) Related to Trees
- Visit the Arbor Day Foundation website to learn about all things related to trees
- Follow some of these ideas from the National Forest Foundation, to inspire others to love trees, especially young children
- Looking for a family-friendly adventure? Check out these guided opportunities with TreePeople LA.
- More local to Ventura County, the Ventura Tree Alliance host various events throughout the year related to urban forestry and community resilience.
- Author: Ryan Daugherty
Water is essential for nurturing vibrant gardens and landscapes. By leveraging water meters, we can effectively monitor water usage, detect leaks, and optimize irrigation practices, ensuring every drop contributes to the sustainability and vitality of our gardens.
Understanding how to read a water meter is invaluable. It allows users to gauge water usage over time, detect leaks, and facilitates utility billing based on actual water consumption. Knowing how to read a water meter is great for tracking your yard's usage and spotting leaks.
How to Read a Water Meter
Most water meters are situated outside near the curb in a concrete box, marked with "water." Use a meter key or large screwdriver to remove the lid. Always check for spiders or other critters before reaching inside.
Understanding the Display
There are three types of water meters: straight-reading meters, digital-reading meters, and round-reading meters. Each type operates differently, displaying and indicating water usage differently.
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Straight-Reading Meters: Have black numbers on a white background. Usually, for residential meters, one sweep of the face equals 10 gallons or 1 cubic foot of water. The black numbers with a white background reflect the current meter read either in 1,000 gallons or CCF (1 CCF=100 Cubic Feet).
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Digital-Reading Meters: Display a flashing indicator when water flows. The display might alternate between the meter reading and the flow rate.
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Round-Reading Meters: These are less common and feature several separate dials. Read each dial from left to right, noting the value indicated by each.
Calculating Usage
Take a reading and run your irrigation. After you're done, subtract the previous reading from the current one to determine the water usage within that specific period. For instance, if the previous reading was 3,000 gallons and the current reading is 3,500 gallons, the usage is 500 gallons.
Basic Leak Detection Using a Water Meter
Some meters have flow indicators, like a small triangle, star, or gear that moves when water flows through it. This can be useful in detecting leaks. Ensure no water is being used on the property: turn off faucets, fixtures, automatic appliances like ice machines, don't flush toilets, and turn off the irrigation system. Look at the low-flow indicator on the meter. Any movement might indicate a leak.
If your meter doesn't have a flow indicator, mark the position of the hand or record the numbers on the meter. Wait for a while, such as 30 minutes, without using any water. After that, recheck your meter. Any change in position or numbers indicates a potential leak.
Subtract the initial reading from the final reading taken after the waiting period to calculate the leak rate (gallons or cubic feet per minute).
Understanding how to accurately read a water meter and perform basic leak detection will make it easier to manage your water consumption efficiently and identify potential issues for timely repairs.
A colorful perennial has been brightening spring gardens for many weeks. Azaleas are the easy-to-care-for stars of semi-shaded locations. The most common varieties are evergreen azaleas, which are more accurately described as having “persistent-leaves.” They grow a set of spring leaves which are dropped in the fall, and a set of summer leaves which persist through the winter.
Azaleas are long-lived and can be used as permanent plantings, so consider the following factors before planting them in your yard.
Exposure: Azaleas prefer cool, partially-shaded sites, such as under under pine, oak or maple trees.
Mulch: A two- to three- inch layer of organic mulch (leaves, pine bark, wood chips) will conserve moisture and help discourage weeds. Extend the mulch a couple of inches from the main stem to keep the bark dry.
Watering: Azaleas are shallow-rooted. If possible, use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to slowly water the base of the plants. Overhead irrigation may promote disease.
Fertilizing: If planted properly, supplemental feeding is unnecessary.
Pruning: The best time to prune is in spring, just after the plant has finished blooming.
My existing plant didn't bloom, now what? --You may already have azaleas and are disappointed that they no longer bloom. You may need to give them more sun, perhaps by opening up the branches of the overhead trees, as well as pruning the azaleas to increase next year's buds.
Reasons for stingy flowering or lack of blooms include:
- The azaleas were allowed to dry out or to have wet feet. A two- to- three-inch- deep layer of mulch can help with water retention. Check the irrigation to make sure they are not being over-watered.
- Fertilizing with too much nitrogen may interfere with blooming. Did the plants receive fertilizer while you were feeding the grass?
- If you pruned after the flower buds developed, next year's flowers were inadvertently removed. Prune shortly after this year's flowers fade.
- Less than three hours of sun per day reduces the number of buds. Prune overhead trees, or consider moving the plant and its root ball to a better location.
PLANT SALE! Mark your calendar for our plant sale onSaturday, May 18, 2024 from 9 am–noon. The sale will be held at the Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden at Patrick Ranch. The plants, which are selected to thrive in our climate, have been propagated by UC Master Gardeners of Butte County. For more information and a partial list of the plants that will available, visit our website.
UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu or leave a phone message on our Hotline at 530-552-5812. To speak to a Master Gardener about a gardening issue, or to drop by the MG office during Hotline hours, see the most current information on our Ask Us section of our website.
- Author: Christine Casey
The Haven was created in 2009: we celebrate our 15th anniversary this year. I joined the garden in 2012 and was tasked with creating an outreach and education program. Tours, social media pages, classes, and this blog soon followed. This will end in June, when my position at the Haven is being eliminated.
I've enjoyed introducing so many of you to bees, providing information about gardens and bees, and answering your questions. Working with our amazing volunteers and donors has been extraordinary.
This blog is a short reflection on what I've learned from this work. Look for additional posts throughout May that will provide more bee gardening information, including resources beyond the Haven.
Some random thoughts:
- Children often arrive at the Haven afraid of bees but leave excited to learn more. If you are an adult with children in your life, take advantage of their curiosity to teach them about the natural world. Events like the UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day are a great place to start.
- You're probably overwatering your garden. Irrigation information for California gardens is here.
- Go on as many garden tours as you can. There's always more to learn.
- There's a lot of bad gardening information on social media. Stick with reputable sources like universities, government agencies, and good independent garden centers.
- In shared public spaces, please don't litter or use a speakerphone.
- Small public gardens and museums are passionate about what we do but operate with minimal resources. Please give what you can and understand that we can't always meet every need or provide all the programs we'd like to.
- Support local nurseries and plant sales.
- Pick up after your dog and leash them in areas where it's required.
- Leave some bare soil for ground-nesting bees.
- There's always room for one more plant.
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
The multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis, has a bad reputation. There is a common myth online that this lady beetle (ladybug) is invasive and aggressive, which can sometimes lead to people killing these beetles.
While this species of lady beetle was introduced to California from Asia in the 1990s to control aphid pests, it is not considered invasive. For an organism to be considered invasive it must be nonnative and cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. Fortunately, the multicolored Asian lady beetle does not cause harm. Like many native lady beetle species, it feeds on pest insects like psyllids, scales, and especially aphids.
In the fall, multicolored Asian lady beetles can become a nuisance when they enter homes seeking shelter to overwinter. If you experience this problem, you can vacuum or sweep them up. Make sure windows, doors, and other openings to the outside are properly sealed to prevent the lady beetles and other insects from coming indoors. In the garden, adults may be attracted to ripening fruit when pest populations are low. In general, there is no need to control these lady beetles with pesticides.
Find out more about these predators and other beneficial insects in the UC IPM Natural Enemies Gallery.