Butte County has a Mediterranean climate where drought conditions occur naturally from May to October. A wide variety of succulent plants have become popular across the country in recent years, and our local gardeners are no exception. Not only are succulents drought tolerant, they grow almost anywhere.  They require little care and only small amounts of soil to thrive.  They are bold and colorful.  Some are able to take short dry freezes and hot sun, although most need some filtered shade in the heat of the Sacramento Valley.           

Succulents are one of the easiest plants to propagate. This can be done in a variety of ways:  by removing “pups” or offsets, or through leaf cuttings, stem cuttings or divisions. Propagation is performed most successfully in autumn and spring. Although succulents are easy to propagate, some will take a year or more to become mature. 

Offsets are small plants that grow at the base of the main specimen.  Aloe, Echeveria, and Sempervivum (hens and chicks) all produce offsets.  To propagate more plants from a mature offset-producing specimen, follow these steps:

1)  Remove offsets with a sharp clipper, or by twisting gently.

2)  Be careful to avoid damaging any roots that have already emerged.

3)  Place the offsets into cactus mix or a combination of sand and perlite.

4)  Spray water directly, but gently and sparingly, on the offset daily.  Do not soak the soil.

5)  Wait three to four weeks for strong roots to develop.

Sedum, Crassula, and Graptopetalum are best propagated by leaf cuttings. Each leaf can become a new plant. For propagating these species, follow these steps:

1)  Choose a leaf in good health.

2)  Pull the leaf off neatly.   Leaves that drop from the plant can be used if they are healthy and plump.  If you use clippers be sure the end of the leaf is not cut off.

 3) Let the leaf end dry for 1-3 days.  Do not water.  This allows the wound to seal and keeps pathogens out during the rooting process.

4)  Once the leaf ends are dry, place the leaves on top of dry cactus soil. Do not bury or semi-bury them into the soil. The roots will find their way into the soil on their own. You can also create a rooting medium by mixing together a 50/50 combination of compost and fine pumice or grit.

5) Spray with water sparingly every one to two days for four to six weeks.  Do not soak.

6) After a few weeks you will see pink roots at the ends of the leaves and then tiny baby plants will begin to grow.

7) Once small plants have developed, separate them out and plant them in well-draining cactus soil, then water well once a week.

All succulents can be propagated by division or stem cuttings, but it is more efficient to divide or stem cut Aeonium, Sedum, Cotyledons and Sansevieria, as follows:

1)  For Aeonium, cut the rosette from the stem.  For Sansevieria, cut a leaf in sections marking which way is down. For Sedum and Cotyledon, cut sections of the plants with leaves attached.

2)  Let all the parts dry out and create a callous where they have been cut.

3)  Once they are dry, put the sections into cactus soil.

4)  Spray on top of the cuttings regularly but sparingly.  Do not soak.

5)  They are rooted when you see new growth.

If a succulent looks leggy and unhappy simply cut it back and create a new healthier plant.  From one plant you can propagate enough succulents to plant them in masses. Enjoy the plant magic of propagating succulents!

Interested in propagating other kinds of plants as well?  Attend the Master Gardener workshop on Propagation, Monday October 9in Paradise.  For descriptions of this and all the other workshops in the Master Gardeners' Fall Workshop Series, visit our website.  All workshops are free, but registration is required.

Want some plants propagated by Master Gardeners?  Come to our Plant Sale on Saturday, September 30, 9 am till noon at our Demonstration Garden at Patrick Ranch, 10381 Midway, Durham. For more information, and a partial list of the plants that will be available, visit our Plant Sale webpage.

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.

Many backyard gardeners are familiar with composting, a process which recycles yard trimmings along with vegetable and fruit scraps from the kitchen.  Compost, a humus-like soil, results from the biological breakdown that occurs from microbial decomposition of organic material.  Composting enriches soil, reduces waste in landfills, and conserves water. 

The compost process depends upon four key ingredients: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and water.  The mixture of materials in healthy compost should have a carbon to nitrogen ratio of three to one.  This can be accomplished by including equal amounts of “browns” (carbon-rich materials) and “greens” (nitrogen-rich materials).  Examples of “browns” include dry leaves, straw, sawdust, and wood chips.  Paper, cardboard, and newspaper may also be used as “browns,” but should first be shredded or chopped.  Examples of “greens” include vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings, manures, and wilted flowers.  All materials decompose best if they are less than two inches in size.  Many gardeners use a lawn mower for shredding dry leaves, and a shovel or clippers for chopping woody materials. 

To create compost, oxygen and water should also be balanced (50 percent moisture plus 50 percent oxygen).  It is important to consider the moisture content of added material such as food scraps and freshly cut grass prior to adding water.  Compost should be about as moist as a wrung-out sponge, moist to the touch but not yielding liquid when squeezed.  Turning the compost pile aerates it by incorporating oxygen while mixing the materials.  Some compost bins available commercially are designed to turn, eliminating the need to building the pile in layers (and also eliminating the need for a hay fork).  Bear in mind that high summer temperatures will dry the pile more rapidly. 

Temperature is another critical factor in composting.  It is affected by the size of the pile and by the oxygen and moisture content.  Heat is generated by the microorganisms as they break down the organic materials.   Temperatures of about 160 degrees provide the best environment for the microorganisms to do their work.   Heat retention is best achieved in covered bins rather than open piles. Turning the pile will help to prevent overheating.  If the microorganisms are killed by becoming too hot, the pile will cool and the whole composting process will have to be started again.  This is why many gardeners swear by a three-bin method, transferring and turning over materials from one bin to the next every few weeks.  Specialized thermometers are useful in maintaining the proper temperature.

The length of time for composting depends on several factors: the density and size of the materials, the carbon and nitrogen content, moisture content, aeration, and volume.  If you continue to add materials to your compost pile or bin the process will take longer.  Turning the pile or bin on a regular basis is the key to having compost ready for your gardening needs. Various sources state that composting can take as little as two weeks and as long as two years.   Finished compost is a dark brown, easily crumbled material with a musty smell.  The original volume of the compost material is significantly reduced, as is the temperature.  The compost now is ready to be used.  It can be screened through wire mesh to sift out any larger pieces that have not decomposed. 

Once the compost is ready it may be used as mulch around trees, shrubs and other plants. Compost will help suppress weeds while at the same time increasing moisture retention.  It may also be incorporated into the soil to improve soil quality.  The nutrients in compost are slowly released into the soil and are more easily available to your plants.  Once you have started using your own compost you will be convinced that this method of recycling is beneficial on many levels.   

For further information, see Pamela M. Geisel and Donna C. Seaver's UC Publication 8367, Composting Is Good for Your Garden and the Environment (PDF).

To learn more about different methods and techniques for making compost, join our Master Gardener workshop on Composting, October 27.  For descriptions of this and all the other workshops in the Master Gardeners' Fall Workshop Series, visit our website.  All workshops are free, but registration is required.

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.

People new to gardening often ask what tools are needed to maintain their gardens. It's easy to become overwhelmed by the scope and variety of garden tools available in stores, online, and in garden catalogues. Even seasoned gardeners may wonder which tools are really necessary to help make their garden tasks easier and their gardens more productive. Since there are as many types of gardens as there are gardeners, there is no magic list of essential garden tools.  But all gardeners need quality tools that will perform well for many years.

When maintaining the landscape around your home, there are several tools that will make the job easier and more enjoyable. If there is an area of lawn, a mower is needed to keep the grass trimmed. The type of mower will depend on preference and the size of the lawn area. Gas mowers can accommodate any size of lawn or a need for weed mowing and allow more freedom.  Older electric mowers were tethered to an electric socket.  The new lithium battery-powered electric mowers run for over an hour and work well on medium-size lawns typical on a quarter-acre urban lot.  An electric mower is easy to use, starts every time, and does not require running to a gas station to fill the gas can (or the storage of gas between uses). A push mower is a wonderful tool for exercise, and a great choice for a small lawn. With a push mower the person doing the mowing is getting a cardio workout while maintaining the lawn.

Deciduous trees and shrubs dictate the need for a leaf rake. The flexible metal or plastic bristles of a leaf rake allow the removal of debris like leaves and twigs without overly disturbing the soil. Leaf rakes have a large, fan-like head of tines and come in a variety of head sizes with long or short handles. Adjustable leaf rakes with telescopic handles that can be lengthened and shortened are a useful option for those with little storage space.

A digging shovel is a staple for garden maintenance. The curved blade shovel is used for many heavy-duty jobs such as digging holes for planting trees and shrubs, turning over compacted soil in beds, and moving soil and organic compost from one area to another. They can be used to dig trenches, cut sod, and create sharp edges to outline a planting area. A curved blade digging shovel is truly the garden workhorse.

Hand pruners and loppers are needed for tree and shrub maintenance. There are two main types of pruners:  those with bypass blades and those with anvil blades.  These perform different garden jobs. A bypass pruner cuts like a pair of scissors: a larger sharper blade slips by a smaller blade to make a clean cut in living branches. Anvil pruners work like a knife on a chopping board:  they have a single sharpened cutting blade that strikes down on the flat anvil blade below. Because anvils crush soft plant tissue, they are a better choice for pruning out dead wood, while bypass pruners work well on live tissue. Bypass pruners generally have much broader utility than anvil pruners.  Loppers are tools with longer handles that offer more leverage and larger blades than hand pruners; use loppers to make cuts in any branch larger around than your finger. Loppers come in both bypass and anvil styles and work the same way as hand pruners.

A good-quality leaf rake, digging shovel, hand pruner, or lopper would be a thoughtful housewarming gift for someone new to gardening.

Besides the basic tools used to maintain the landscape around your home, there are other tools that are especially useful for particular garden jobs. Whether you are growing flowers or vegetables, working in raised or flat beds, planting in containers, or growing houseplants indoors, adding to your basic tool inventory can save time and help to prevent sore muscles. The following are some tool suggestions for specific garden types.

• Large vegetable garden. Long-handled tools, particularly a spade (longer and narrower than a digging shovel) and a hoe, are kind to the back and help get chores done in a shorter amount of time. Spades are not only good for digging and turning over the soil but aerate it as well. There are many types of hoes, and gardeners often have several favorites, alternating between them depending upon garden chores. Hoes are a foe to weeds and a much better garden defense than chemicals. Wheelbarrows and garden carts are also useful in a large vegetable garden.
• Raised Bed Garden. With beds usually no wider than four feet, this type of garden is becoming popular because of its ease of maintenance and the ability to grow more in a smaller space. A garden fork will turn the soil, aerate, and mix nutrients into the soil. A trowel will handle planting needs. A garden knife (also called a hori-hori knife) has one multipurpose steel blade useful for weeding and digging and can also be used for other garden tasks like measuring planting depths and cutting open bags. A hand plow and cultivator hoe are also helpful in raised bed gardening.
• Flower garden. A rabbiting spade and edger can make life easier in the flower garden. A rabbiting spade is narrow-headed and ideal for placing plants in containers and moving  plants and shrubs without damaging the plants nearby. An edger will define flower beds. Don't forget a good quality garden hose and nozzle.
• Container gardens and house plants. Whether in the garden or in the house, plants in containers will benefit from a soil scoop. Transferring soil from the bag to the container with a scoop avoids a potentially messy cleanup. A garden knife is also a good addition, as it can be used in weeding and also for performing other tasks. Misters and watering cans keep plants hydrated and happy.

Whatever tools you choose to purchase for your gardening needs, stick to the tried-and-true designs of old-school garden tools manufactured by well-known companies. While you may be able to save a few dollars purchasing a cheaper tool, it will soon add to the landfill, because you'll have to replace it after a couple of years. With proper selection, care, and maintenance, your garden tools should serve you well for many, many years.

Rob Fanno from Fanno Saw Works will discuss garden tool selection, care, and maintenance at a Master Gardener Workshop on October 3, 2023.  For descriptions of this and all the other workshops in the Master Gardeners' Fall Workshop Series, visit our website.  All workshops are free, but registration is required.

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.

 

It is time to order spring-blooming bulbs from the many catalogs that may be turning up in our mailboxes.  Daffodils are perhaps the easiest bulbs to depend upon for a colorful display that can last for several months, if you choose varieties carefully.

The genus ‘Narcissus' (amaryllis family) includes daffodils, jonquils, and paperwhites. All forms of narcissus make lovely additions to the garden, and daffodils in particular are hardy and easy-to-care-for perennials.  Depending on the daffodil type, their leafless stems will bear between one and twenty showy flowers in yellow or white, accented in some varieties with orange or even green trumpet or cup-shaped central coronas. Daffodils will cheer up an area between shrubs or in a border, and are especially effective planted in drifts beneath deciduous trees. They make excellent cut flowers, and attract pollinators such as butterflies and hawkmoths.  By carefully selecting varieties and considering their bloom times, you can enjoy a pageant of daffodils flowering in your garden from late January through April. Many varieties are also good for planting in pots and “forcing” to bloom indoors ahead of their regular flowering times.

For outdoor display, daffodils should be planted in the fall, between September and December (November is perhaps the best time). Select high-quality bulbs that have not dried out. Generally, the larger the bulb, the better. Plant in full sun or part shade.  Daffodils tolerate a range of soils but grow best in moderately fertile, well-drained soil that is moist during the growing season.  They prefer neutral to acidic soils.

Daffodils are most effective if planted in groups of ten or more of a single type. Pay attention to bloom times and plant heights if you are planting different varieties in the same area. Bury bulbs with their pointy ends up, two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall, spacing them three to six inches apart. To prevent bulb rot, avoid watering in warm fall weather, but do water them for two to three weeks after they have bloomed if the weather is dry.

Over time, daffodils that have naturalized will become crowded and will bloom less.  Apply a low-nitrogen, high-potassium fertilizer after flowering if bulbs are not performing as well as expected (or as well as in previous years). Lift and divide the clumps when they become over-crowded and/or flowering becomes sparse. Plants can actually be divided and transplanted when they are flowering, which can help you place them for best effect over the years.

After bloom, allow the plants to grow until the leaves die back (in May or June) so the bulbs can store energy for next year. Let dead leaves decompose in place or remove them by twisting and pulling lightly, to avoid pulling up the bulbs.

Daffodils are both deer-resistant and rodent-proof but are poisonous to pets. Common pest problems include large narcissus bulb fly, bulb scale mite, narcissus nematode, slugs, narcissus basal rot, and a number of viruses.

Here is a suggested list of four varieties for continuous daffodil flowering from late January to April. Each is a naturalizing variety, so they will increase and continue to bloom in succeeding years if left in the ground.

• “King Alfred,” a large, trumpet type that blooms early to mid-spring, with one flower per stem, 13 to 18 inches tall. Others of this type are “Dutch Master,” “Golden Harvest,” and “Marieke.”
• “Jetfire,” a cyclamineus type with a bright orange cup that blooms early to mid-spring, with one flower per stem, 13 to 18 inches tall. Performs wonderfully in pots; terrific for forcing; more tolerant of partial shade and moisture than other groups.
• “Quail,” a jonquilla type, blooms mid- to late spring, has two to three highly fragrant flowers per stem, grows 12 to 18 inches tall. Good choice for containers, rock gardens and dainty spring bouquets.
• “Geranium,” a tazetta type, blooms mid- to late spring, has up to six flowers per stem, grows 13 to 18 inches tall.

The sight of daffodils blooming on a spring day can pay dividends long after their bloom has past – William Wordsworth certainly found this to be true, as demonstrated by one of his best-loved poems:

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

By William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

The Master Gardeners' Fall Workshop Series begins on Monday, August 28^th with the first of a two-parter on home canning and preserving.  All workshops are free, but they do require advance registration.  For descriptions of all sixteen workshops and to register, 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.