The devastating Camp Fire of 2018, along with the numerous fires North State residents have experienced since then, have led many of us to focus on creating a defensible fire-resistant landscape around our homes.   As noted in this column last Friday, the key to establishing defensible space is to utilize plants that are fire resistant and judiciously space them both horizontally and vertically.

The good news that some plants are more fire-resistant than others, but it must be emphasized that fire-resistant plants are not fireproof!  It is important to realize that creating a “firewise” landscape entails much more than choosing the right plants.  Still, a working knowledge of fire-resistant plants is a good starting point for creating a firewise landscape.  Fire resistant plants are relatively slow to ignite and tend to have certain characteristics in common.  They have moist, supple leaves and their watery sap usually lacks a strong odor.  Fire resistant plants also tend not to accumulate dry, dead material within or beneath the plant.  Plants that are slow growing will accumulate fuel at a slower pace, so they require less maintenance.   Native species can play a role in firewise landscaping as well.  Drought tolerant native plants often maintain a high internal water content without needing much water and native trees commonly have a high tolerance for fire.  Native trees may also restrict the growth of more volatile invasive species.

Examples of fire-resistant ground covers include ajuga, creeping thyme, creeping phlox, wild strawberry, snow-in-summer, sedums, hen & chicks and California fuchsia.  Some fire-resistant flowering plants are yarrow, allium, columbine, coreopsis, delphinium, gaillardia, daylily, iris, lavender, Echinacea, lupine, poppies, penstemon, salvias (which are exceptions to the aromatic sap guideline), lamb's ear, evening primrose, hosta, coral bells, dusty miller, and bulbs of all kinds.

Shrubs that are fire resistant include ceanothus, butterfly bush, spirea, rose of Sharon, Oregon grape, lilac, mock orange, potentilla, forsythia, cotoneaster, island bush poppy, currants, camellia, azalea, monkey flower and viburnum.  Aloe and other succulents are generally considered fire-resistant but avoid succulents such as ice plant that produce mats of flammable dry material.

Choose deciduous trees such as maples, oaks, sweet gum (liquidambar), locust, redbud, dogwood, ash, toyon, and smoke tree.  Citrus and deciduous fruit trees such as cherry, peach and plum are fire resistant.  Although most conifers are highly flammable, redwoods are the exception to the rule and are a desirable tree in a firewise landscape.

Highly flammable plants often have an excess of fine dry or dead material and contain volatile waxes, terpenes, or oils.  Their sap is gummy or resinous and aromatic.  They may have loose, papery bark as well.  Examples of flammable plants are sagebrush, conifers (cedar, pine, juniper, fir, Italian cypress), broom, rosemary, eucalyptus, palms, feather and fountain grasses and dry annual grasses.  These plants should be avoided when planning a firewise landscape; if they already exist in a landscape, consideration should be given to removing them. 

For more information on creating fire resistant landscapes, see the Firewise section of our website devoted to this topic.

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) 538-7201. 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.

 

Even when homeowners have created a defensible space, the job of protecting their home from fire is never done.  There will always be ongoing and annual jobs to do.  Additionally, there are special tasks that will need to be completed every few years or on an as needed basis.

A key ongoing yard maintenance goal is to keep plants green and lush, especially within the 30 feet closest to the home (the “home ignition zone”).  Of course this means regular watering, which can be time consuming, but employing a drip irrigation system on a timer largely eliminates that concern.  Using appropriate native plants should cut down on the overall need for watering as well. 

The ground in the inner 30 feet around a home should also be kept free of leaves, pine needles, weeds and other ground fuels.  Dead plants and/or tree branches should be immediately removed, as should any tree branches overhanging the roof.  Tree branches should also be kept at least 10 feet away from a chimney.  Vines growing on trees, shrubs, or fences can act as fire ladders and should be removed.  Roofs and gutters should be kept free of leaves, needles and twigs.  Gutter covers can reduce, if not eliminate, fuel build-up in this area. 

If raised decks or porches are present, prevent combustible materials from accumulating in the areas beneath them.  A preferable alternative to continually raking under decks and porches is to screen or enclose them with fire-resistant materials.  If screening is used, the mesh should be no greater than one-quarter-inch.  Flammable materials should be cleared from decks.  This includes not only natural materials like leaves and needles, but items such as brooms and stacked wood.

Annually, before fire season starts, grasses and weeds should be mowed to a height of about three to four inches for at least 30 feet around homes and other structures. Grasses and weeds should be maintained at this height throughout the fire season.  In fact, ground fuels should be kept at a minimum throughout the defensible space.  As an alternative to mowing, string trimmers are a safer option for vegetation removal.  To reduce the risk of fire due to mowing, make sure your equipment is properly maintained, mow before 10 a.m. and never mow on a hot or windy day. 

Vegetation throughout the defensible space should be pruned for proper spacing, both vertically and horizontally, at least once per year.  Cal Fire recommends that the lower branches of a mature tree be pruned to create a clearance of three times the height of the shrubs beneath it, while the distance between shrubs should be at least twice the height of the shrubs. In addition to maintaining proper spacing, pruning also makes plants more fire resistant.  Cutting back woody perennials encourages less flammable new growth and thinning overgrown shrubs reduces their fuel load.  Avoid topping landscape trees.  Topping not only increases the fire hazard by encouraging excessive branching, but it is not healthy for trees.

Woodpiles should be located at least 30 feet from a home and should have at least 10 feet of cleared space around them.  Covering a woodpile, or storing wood in a fire-resistant structure such as a metal shed, lowers the odds of the pile igniting during a wildfire.  In addition, miscellaneous combustible materials including construction debris and brush piles should be removed from your yard as quickly as possible.

To aid firefighters, be sure your address is clearly posted so that it is easily visible from the street, especially at night.  Also, be certain firefighters have easy access to water sources in your yard and, if possible, clearly mark those water sources.  Fires often lead to power outages, so if you are on a well, it would be prudent to have an emergency generator to operate the pump if the power does fail.

Cal Fire has developed a “Homeowners Checklist” that describes how to make your home fire safe.  It is an excellent, easy-to-use, comprehensive guide for homeowners. It is highly recommended.  For more information on creating fire-resistant landscapes, see the Firewise Landscape section of the UC Master Gardeners of Butte County website.  Other helpful sources include Yard Maintenance by UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County and defensible space tips by the Butte County Fire Safe Council.  

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 (preferred) or call (530) 538-7201.

Milkweed is a drought-tolerant and deer-resistant perennial plant named for its milky latex sap.  It is a great host plant for many beneficial insects including Monarch butterflies, bees, beetles, and lady beetles (ladybugs).

Of the 2000 varieties in the milkweed genus Asclepias, just 15 species are native to California. The California native milkweed species that are most commonly available commercially and grow well in this area are narrow-leaved milkweed (A. fasicularis) and showy milkweed (A. speciosa). Both these varieties are growing in the Butte County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at The Patrick Ranch in Durham.

Other native milkweed species that are suitable for our climate are California milkweed (A.californica), woolly milkweed (A.vestita). woollypod milkweed (A. eriocarpa), and heartleaf milkweed (A. cordifolia), which is better suited to the Sierra foothills (2000 ft. elevation). The native milkweed species are not invasive.  

Milkweed plants develop large fleshy seed pods which pop open when mature, freeing the seeds. Attached to the seeds are fine tufts of hair (called pappus or silk) which aid dispersal of the seeds: as the wind blows, it catches the silky hairs, carrying the seeds away from the plant. The seeds can be collected from the pods for later propagation or left alone to re-seed themselves.  Milkweed can also be propagated from cuttings or root divisions.

Milkweed is the only plant on which the Monarch butterfly will lay eggs. If larvae hatch on your milkweed you might notice the plant's leaves being devoured by the caterpillar. Do not cut it back or pull it up. Once the caterpillar morphs into a butterfly the leaves will grow back.

Home gardeners can aid the Monarch population by adding milkweed to their landscape, pollinator garden, herb garden, or even a patio container. If you own a larger plot of land you might consider letting some of it remain wild, so that the wild nectar producing flowers are available not only for butterflies, but for other pollinators as well.

Milkweed commonly attracts a yellow aphid known as Oleander aphid. This aphid will not destroy the plant and will not infest nearby roses or vegetable gardens. It is plant specific: think of the Oleander aphid as food for the lady beetles.  Avoid using pesticides or herbicides that might damage these breeding and feeding areas.  

Despite having the word ‘weed' in its name, milkweed can be an interesting addition to your home landscape. It is generally non-invasive and easy to grow and care for. Milkweed requires full sun. It will need some water until it is established. Some varieties will die back with a heavy frost or snow but will return in late spring. If the plant re-seeds itself, you can either leave the new plants in place or dig them up to share with neighbors.

Milkweed is bitter flavored and unpalatable. It is recommended that you do not plant it near livestock as it can be toxic.

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) 538-7201. 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.

Nestled in the old mill town of Sterling City at an elevation of 3500 feet is Clotilde Merlo Park, a special place known by only a few. And many of those who do know about this place have never taken a road trip up the Skyway to discover for themselves its 20 acres of natural beauty.

The privately owned and operated grounds are maintained by the Harry A. Merlo foundation. The park is dedicated to Merlo's Italian mother, Clotilde Camussa Merlo, and also to the original settlers of the community, many whom were, like Clotilde, immigrants. These early pioneers helped build the Diamond Match Lumber Company in Sterling City; the success of the mill and lumberyard was due to them.

Clotilde, widowed in WWI, left northern Italy for the United States seeking a better life and a decent education for her young son. She met and married Joseph Merlo, an Italian immigrant widower with two young children, and together they built a life in the mountains around the mill. Three boys were born of this union: John, Harry, and Frank. Clotilde ran a boarding house for the Diamond Sawmill. Her children helped with the chores at the boarding house, as well as helping to tend a large vegetable garden, and raising and caring for rabbits, goats, and pigs.

Sterling City was a company town in those days, meaning that housing and food were all purchased from the company. As was so often the case with company towns in industrializing America, many workers and their families became heavily indebted to the company. Their paycheck-to-paycheck existence could not cover debts incurred for daily living expenses. Yet, even with this harsh reality, fond memories of life on the mountain were passed down to family members. These idyllic times of childhood joy are captured in a series of playful bronze sculptures placed throughout the park.

A quote that Clotilde took to heart, “Chi non lavora, non deve maiare mangiare (if you don't work, you don't eat), was instilled in her children. Hard working and frugal, Clotilde moved to Berkeley following WWII with her three youngest sons, helping them work their way through the University of California.

After graduation, Clotilde's second son, Harry, went to work at a lumber company. He eventually became the CEO and president of the Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (when Harry died in 2016, more than one obituary referred to him as “the last of the great timber chiefs”). Harry never forgot his roots, or the life lessons learned from his mother who had a profound influence on his achievements. Harry's character was shaped not only by his mother but also by growing up in Sterling City and the work ethic found around the mill. To honor that legacy, Harry began purchasing land and buying up old homesteads in the area that once housed immigrant Italian families.

Harry's land purchases now make up the twenty-acre Clotilde Merlo Park. Walking along the boardwalks and footpaths, visitors are comforted by the area's natural beauty and tranquility. Three large ponds are surrounded by Ponderosa pine, sugar pine, incense cedar, white fir, Douglas fir, black oak and quaking Aspen trees. When in season, roses, rhododendrons, and shade-loving flowers bloom. Blacktail deer and grey squirrels inhabit the park, and multitudes of birds feast from and live in its trees and shrubs. Trout abound in the pond; fish food can be purchased on-site for a small fee. Feeding the trout is fun for young and old alike, but there is a no fishing rule. The fish are there to enjoy, not to eat.

In addition to the “no fishing” rule, pets, smoking, swimming, bikes and skateboards are also prohibited. These rules support the quiet, contemplative atmosphere found at the park. The good news is that there are picnic areas, restrooms, a horseshoe pit, and a bocce ball court on site. Sterling City is also noticeably cooler than the valley in the summer months, so a picnic in the park can be a refreshing outing.

Clotilde Merlo Park is scheduled to reopen for the season Sunday, May 14, in honor of Mother's Day. It will resume its regular hours of 10:00am -7:00pm Thursdays through Sundays. The drive through the forested landscape is an easy and beautiful one from either Chico or Oroville. Consider spending a day in the park!

For more information and directions to the park, go to Explore Butte County | Clotilde Merlo Park

MASTER GARDENERS PLANT SALE THIS SUNDAY!  Mark your calendar for our plant sale onSunday, May 14, 2023 from 9am to noon.  The sale will be held at the Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden at Patrick Ranch, 10381 Midway, Durham.  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 list of the plants that will available, see 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) 538-7201. 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.