by Carrie Strohl
An Invitation to “Propagate and Donate” Expertise or Plants
The main reason I've never given much notice to houseplants is that I prefer to be outside whenever possible. The Mediterranean climate of the Napa Valley allows me to do so. Well, it used to. This year, fire season and COVID-19 were twin thieves of outside time. Being forced indoors has prompted me to adapt my gardening habits, while two recent events further nurtured my budding interest in houseplants.
The first was the UC MG Library Talk about houseplants. At least two MGs (one former, one platinum badge wearer) have written newspaper articles about houseplant care before (that I know of) and others have delivered workshops including information about houseplants contributing to health and happiness. The Library Talk delivered by Master Gardener Jane Lommasson (recorded on November 5, 2020), however, explicitly paid attention to the health benefits of indoor gardens at a time when I needed that message most.
Around the same time, two of my students at UC Berkeley (future elementary school teachers earning a credential) shared their passion for propagating houseplants during our weekly “Scientists of the Week” segment of class. They called themselves “two crazy plant ladies” (perhaps after the book by Isabel Serna or the children's book of the same title by Michael Powell). They made a slideshow including photos of their collections and touted the many benefits of indoor plants. They echoed the evidence-backed ideas that houseplants can reduce stress, boost overall mood, and provide a sense of accomplishment (all of was mentioned in the talk.)
I was immediately inspired, not only to try my hand at raising an indoor garden, but also to use houseplants as a means for revival of a program I've been unable to offer since March: Dirt Girls! Founded in 2016, Dirt Girls provides a gateway to STEM careers through an after-school garden club approach. Houseplants allow me to take Dirt Girls indoors (i.e., in their own homes) and deliver a virtual education program that addresses the mental health impact of social isolation and disconnection due to COVID-19. Horticulture@Home will provide weekly sessions focused on identifying, caring for, and designing with air plants, succulents, and ferns!
I have a lot to learn, so I've started doing a lot of research. I've purchased some new plants to experiment with, including a Chinese Evergreen (aglaonema) duo (white rain and syngonium roxana). After some transplants shock and leaf dieback due to my stingy watering regime, they are doing quite well. Lesson #1: water sparingly, but thoroughly.
I also ordered a mixed box of air plants from SucculentBox, an online subscription program. Unlike any other plants I've ever grown, these low-maintenance friends prompt me to pay close attention to structure (and design). Finally, I bought a beautiful spider plant from Van Winden's (using those green rewards cards to cover part of the cost of purchase).
I'm reading everything I can get my hands on. Of course, I started with Chapter 11 of the CA MG Handbook (2009 ed.) and all of the articles by fellow Master Gardeners. I'm currently enjoying Leslie Halleck's Plant Parenting, which has a strong focus on propagation. This is where I could use an assist from my MG community.
Do you grow houseplants? If so, what are your secrets to success? I'm interested in learning from you, so I'm inviting you to join me in two ways: 1.) Sign up for a monthly forum to share your houseplant knowledge; and 2.) Participate in my “propagate and donate” campaign. The opportunity to earn MG hours can be discussed, but for now, rest assured that your presence or participation will be appreciated.
Click here to sign up for an informal session to learn more.
Master Gardeners are following recommended social distancing guidelines that keep everyone safe, Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Resources:
A Hobby for All Seasons: 7 Science-Backed Benefits of Indoor Plants (Healthline, 2020)
Aglaonema Care (The Leaflet, 2019)
Gardening Indoors (by Gayle Nelson, 2013)
Houseplant Primer (by Eric Nightengale, March 2018)
Houseplants for Health (2020 Library Talk by Jane Lommassen)
Houseplants for Health and Happiness (2018 Workshop by Jill Pahl, Loretta Radey, & Yvonne Rasmussen)
Indoor Gardening, Chapter 2 (by Gayle Nelson, 2013)
Plant Parenting, by Leslie F. Halleck
Spider Plant Care (Gardening Know How, 2020)
Watering Air Plants 101 (SucculentBox, 2020)
By Rainer Hoenicke
Key factors related to the decline of Monarchs are overwintering habitat loss along the coast, breeding and migratory habitat loss, as well as direct and indirect pesticide impacts. Master Gardeners can certainly contribute to spreading the word about applicable practices that can reverse at least two of the key factors of butterfly declines. The information resources that NRCS offers via the agency's website are immense. Many of them are on platforms that are map-based and interactive, such as e-Veg Guide at www.calflora.org/nrcs. That guide can show the various plants and their blooming times that benefit Monarchs during their migration times. The NRCS also has easily accessible technical guides with information about the conservation of soil, water, air, and related plant and animal resources (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/technical/cp/ncps/?cid=nrcs143_026849). Each conservation practice is listed alphabetically and by number. Jennifer provided a brief overview of each applicable practice, among them Wildlife Habitat Planting and Conservation Cover (#420 and #327, respectively), Hedgerow Planting (#422), and Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities (#643). Certain trees and shrubs can provide year-round beneficial monarch habitat for nectar, shelter, shade, and roosting. Coyotebush, e.g., is an important nectar plant from late summer through winter. If concerned about seed spread, you can buy male plants only at nurseries.
She also discussed direct and indirect pesticide impacts on Monarchs. The current generation of extensively used insecticides, called neo-nicotineoids (or “neonics”), have been detected in plant tissues at concentrations that can impact feeding larvae and contribute to their already high mortality rates (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2020.00162/full ).
Neonics degrade only slowly, with a half-life of up to 280 days in soil (https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Half-life-in-Soil-of-Neonicotinoids_tbl1_233795128).
An example of indirect pesticide application impacts is that of applying broad-spectrum weed killers that milkweed species are particularly sensitive to (e.g. Roundup).
Jennifer also listed the native California milkweed species and their bloom times. Asclepias californica and A. cordifolia are early-blooming species, unlike the more commercially available species of showy and narrow-leaf milkweeds that bloom mid- to late-season. Asclepias cordifolia and A. eriocarpa are extremely tolerant of dry, rocky terrain and can survive the dry season without irrigation just fine. The Xerces Society has a milkweed seed-finder on their website, in case you want to create your own milkweed patch in your back yard or get one established in your sidewalk strip, instead of that thirsty Dichondra lawn (https://www.xerces.org/milkweed/milkweed-seed-finder).
Master Gardeners are following recommended social distancing guidelines that keep everyone safe, Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: public domain
by Melody Kendall
I have been intrigued by meditation labyrinths for years and when we recently redid our backyard landscape, I was determined to include one in our design. First, I had to decide on what size and shape I wanted. Researching my options was confusing as there are so many patterns and sizes available. Finally, my husband suggested that I draw out a plan for the entire landscape redo and see what size and shape labyrinth would fit best in the new landscape plans.
The pattern I chose was my interpretation of the classic Chartres Labyrinth which is circular in shape with a path that bends back on itself multiple times, eventually reaching the center. The labyrinth area in the design plan called for a twelve foot diameter circle. To do that I pounded a stake in the center of the labyrinth area and loosely tied a six foot length of string to the stake (picture 1). Using a pointed stick tied to the other end of the string, I used the stake and the string as a compass to draw a circle, keeping the string taut while walking around the stake in a circle. Then I stood back and looked at the circle scratched in the soil. I redid this process three or four times until the location of the circle fit perfectly in the landscape.
The stones for the final design of the paths were laid directly on the blue rock. We used various surplus stepping stones we had on hand and some art projects from our grandkids to create the meandering path to the center (picture 6). This was quite the process as just when we thought we had it, we realized that the way the stones were laid out the path would not reach the center, or that they were too close together so the path was confusing. Naturally we chose the hottest day of the year to do this. I can say without exaggeration that tempers certainly weren't conducive to meditation at this point, but a concise and clear path was finally created.
I could hardly wait for the area to dry to try out our new meditation labyrinth. A fellow MG asked what size the labyrinth was, I told her that it was twelve feet in diameter, but that I thought maybe I should have made it larger – when I completed the circuit I was dizzy. Another MG pointed out that the point of the meditation labyrinth was to take it slow and I might try decelerating and being mindful of the process rather than making it a race.
Who knew that this crazy world situation would happen and that, as luck would have it, I would have the perfect vehicle to shed the stress and conflict right in my backyard?
Information links:
The Labyrinth Society https://labyrinthsociety.org/make-a-labyrinth
Veriditas.org https://www.veriditas.org/
Master Gardeners are following recommended social distancing guidelines that keep everyone safe, Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: Mel Kendall
by Cindy Watter
The hawthorn is attractive, with its shiny green leaves. It has white blossoms in the spring, red berries in late summer and fall, and multicolored autumn foliage. The leaves are about two and a half inches long, oval in shape, with lobes, rather like a tiny oak leaf. When they fall, I rake them into piles and let them stay there. They turn into natural mulch, supporting microorganisms and gradually decaying. Of course, I put some in the compost bin, too.
The hawthorne's main purpose, however, is to provide habitat and food for birds. Sparrows, robins, mockingbirds and chickadees all eat the berries in the winter, when other foods are scarce. They also enjoy sitting in the branches, singing, and some will build nests there in the spring. My hawthorn tree is home to several birds, and they added to the sociable atmosphere during this last COVID summer, when human visitors were rare.
The hawthorn is part of the rose family, and is native to Europe, Asia, and North America (temperate regions only). The English varieties are easy to grow and very popular here. Hawthorns do not require much care once they are established, beyond a pruning now and then. Mine is quite tall because I neglected that part, but the birds don't care. The fruits (called "haws" in England) look like tiny red apples and I have seen birds swallow them whole.
Hawthorns are difficult to propagate from seed, but do throw out shoots that can be replanted. Local nurseries sell hawthorns. They should be planted in full sun, and fertilized in the spring. They do require some water the first year or so, and during unusual stretches of hot dry weather, like any tree. Mulch helps retain moisture. Mine is over forty years old and is thriving.
I have seen hawthorns grown as shrubs and hedges in Europe. About thirty years ago, the City of Napa planted more street trees, and instead of the ubiquitous liquidambar, inserted some hawthorns in my neighborhood. They are pretty and support the avian population.
Information links:
Cal poly selectree https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/crataegus-autumn-glory
National Wildlife Federation https://www.nwf.org/
Master Gardeners are following recommended social distancing guidelines that keep everyone safe, Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: Cindy Watter
Cynthia Kerson
My miserable failures are depressing. I don't like to kill anything – well maybe an obnoxious carnivorous wasp, even then with feelings of guilt for removing them from their place in the ecology of my garden. The two seasons I tried growing from seed, fall '19 and spring '20, I was able to grow only 10 plants from the about 100 seeds I tried to nurture. Those 10 plants took an elevated position in the garden as they were my “first born.” But, half of them died within a week of getting them into the ground. Of those that did survive, my favorite was the Cosmonaut Volkov heirloom tomato with its red and green striped skin and green tiger-mottled insides and a flavor to die for. I made salads, ate them raw with Maldon salt, made sauce and roasted them. I couldn't get enough.
And while I revel in that one success, I am saddled with the loss of all the rest. Last winter, I seeded cucumbers, tomatoes, summer squash, beets, and sunflowers for this spring and summer. In addition to the tomatoes, the sunflowers were the only other success!
Here's how I lost all those the ‘lil buggers:
- Seedlings grew out of the seedling mix – cutest little cotyledons. I transplanted them too soon. I learned after that I have to wait for the first real leaves to appear.
- Seedlings were spindly. Okay, so I forgot to turn the lights on a few days.
- Overwatering. Underwatering. Inconsistent watering. . .
- Heating mats heated the soil to almost 90*. Most seed instructions say 55*-75*.
- I planted outdoors too soon. I even tented the seedlings. But alas, they still perished.
- Planted outdoors so soon they had no recourse to whatever pests came their way.
- I used the heat mat and lights for fall seeds when I should have taken advantage of the natural light and heat of August and September.
So here I am at trial 3 of parenting seedlings and literally ending up with about four beet plants in one container, which I planted in the ground last week. They died within three days. I tried a few varieties each of beets, carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli. So, the summer's tomatoes while still my “first born,” are also my only children. Thank goodness for the resources we have here in Napa to buy starters or my veggie beds would be bare. I'm not giving up; any resources or advice is very welcomed here.
Information links
UCMG San Mateo/SF http://smsf-mastergardeners.ucanr.edu/Elkus/Cool-climate_tomato_trials/
UC IPM Tomato http://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/tomato/index.html
Sunflower http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FLOWERS/sunflower.html
Cotyledons http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/C116/m116hscpestdamage.html
Master Gardeners are following recommended social distancing guidelines that keep everyone safe, Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143. Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.
Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.
Photo credits: Oledd, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons