By Rainer Hoenicke

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) biologist, Jennifer Kubel, presented a webinar on August 26, 2020, on agricultural and horticultural practices that could benefit Monarch butterflies. As many of us know by now, the western population has declined drastically by more than 90% since the 1980s. What can landowners do to help? That was the key topic of the webinar. While the intended audience was mostly agricultural producers that operate on much larger scales than horticulturalists and hobby gardeners, many of the conservation practices are applicable even at small scales.

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: Courtesy of Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Barbara Campbell 

Like many gardeners, UC Master and otherwise, I've been busy in my yard these last five months.  In fact, I started last November, when I completely cleaned out a 100 foot square patch in my front yard for a California native garden.  I wanted to get the garden going, betting on a wet California winter to encourage the plants to set down roots.  Alas, Mother Nature had other plans:  we had an unusually dry winter, and it seemed as if my garden would never get established.  By the way, it took me a while to determine what "established" meant.  I had thought two, or maybe six, months.  No, the Farmer's Almanac said "two years."  Oh dear.

I had decided not to put in irrigation right away as I am an involved gardener, out almost every day, working.  But my hand watering couldn't keep up with the deep soakings the new plants needed, so I bought a soaker hose and gave the garden an hour soak once a week, in addition to my hand watering. Success! My little garden was now thriving

My second project was a neglected strip in my back yard.  I decided to keep the big mandevilla that was wrapping through my fence and adding sweetness to the yard. I cleaned out some old rocks, added some coral bells, and another project was done.

Next came a more involved project.  I have hated the square pavers and tiny bits of gravel on my patio ever since I moved in. My family members were constantly kicking the gravel loose, and the patio chair legs got stuck in the cracks.  I thought, "No reason why I can't tackle that."

This project was complex and almost broke my 70 year old body.  But what else did I have to do? I put on my kneepads and, one morning, slowly started lifting the pavers and moving the rocks. I could have hired help but I also thought I could do it myself. Just like the little engine that could, I kept at it, working every day. The first day I moved ten, then worked up to fifteen a day.  Three and half weeks and 142 pavers later, I have a new patio. Is it perfect? No. Is it finished? Not quite. I still need to fill in the sand. 

The rest of the summer has been spent  replacing old plants with new plants that seem very happy with all the butterflies and bees in my back yard. A honeysuckle vine and a lilac are wrapping around my trellis. 

One more project awaits me. I have wanted to put irrigation in my two large planter boxes for the last two years.  However, at the beginning of SAH, I threw in some wildflower seeds and let Nature take her course. Two tomato plants, cucumbers, a whole wall of morning glories, lots of basil and herbs later, I cannot bear to pull out my plants and put in irrigation. That will have to wait until November.

Garden on, my friends.

 

 

References:

Calif. Native Plant Society https://www.cnps.org/gardening    https://calscape.org/

Monrovia-Mandevilla https://plants.monrovia.com/search?w=Mandevilla

UC Davis Arboretum-coral bells https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/plant/rosada-coral-bells

UC Master Gardeners Sonoma Co- Honeysuckle http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Plant_of_the_Month/Lonicera/

UC Master Gardeners Solano Co- wandering lilac https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=29358

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: Barbara Campbell

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Edward S. Lopez PhD

The dichotomy of gardening

It has always occurred to me that there is a sort of fundamental dichotomy in gardening. On one hand gardening takes work, energy, perseverance, and money. On the other hand, it is relaxing, fulfilling and provides a sense of accomplishment. I am of an age where spending time on my hands and knees planting spring bulbs is taxing. Carrying bags of compost and potting soil taps into my back and knees. After a day in the garden, I need a hot bath and time to relax my aging muscles.

So, what is it that keeps me coming back and putting more effort into my small plot of land? There is not always an immediate sense of satisfaction. Bulbs takes months to come up and flower. Bare root roses take time to grow and bloom. Of course, there is the ongoing and sometimes time-consuming tasks of controlling weeds and pests. Unless I'm planting a bed of annuals, I'm not likely to get immediate gratification.

Certainly, there is a sense of accomplishment at the end of a day in the garden that can reinforce our hard work behavior. Of course, there is the satisfaction of knowing that in the not too distant future there will be beauty, but I think there is more to it than that. In my career I was a researcher and a teacher. My area of expertise is psychology. Since I have retired, I have more leisure time on my hands so I turned to gardening as a fulfilling pastime. I signed up and went through the Master Gardener training with the University of California Cooperative Extension. I thought I might be able to combine my career knowledge with my developing knowledge of gardening. I started looking at the psychological impact gardening has on us as humans and how we can use gardening as a way to recover from stress, help us heal, relieve our depression, and enhance our sense of well being.

This is your brain on gardening

There are some interesting changes that occur in our brains when we spend time in the garden. In a well-controlled, peer reviewed study¹  that I found quite interesting, experimenters used thirty gardeners to see if gardening resulted in reduced stress and an increased sense of well being. The researchers measured levels of cortisol in the saliva of a group of 30 gardeners (average age of 58) after they were required to take a stress inducing, computer generated test. Cortisol is your body's main stress hormone, and it's associated with your fight or flight response. It is generated by your adrenal glands and is regulated by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in your brain. High levels of cortisol are associated with a bunch of unhealthy conditions including: anxiety, depression, headaches, digestion problems, sleeping problems, weight gain and memory and concentration problems.

Immediately after the test they sampled each person's cortisol at its highest level, then they sent them to participate in one of two activities. Half of the subjects stayed indoors and read books, while the other group went outside and worked in a garden. After 30 minutes of engaging in these activities, the researchers took another sample of each subject's cortisol level. They found that while both groups had lower levels of cortisol, indicating a recovery from stress, the subjects that worked in the garden had significantly lower levels or cortisol in their saliva than did the subjects that read. Also, the subjects from the gardening group reported a greater sense of wellbeing than did the book reading group.

This study shows one of the many values of gardening. We can use our time in the garden to help us recover from stressful events and experience a sense of well being.

Healing effects of gardening

Over the past few decades there has been an important movement toward using gardens for therapeutic² ( and rehabilitative purposes. Having a background in clinical psychology, I was fascinated when I discovered the field of horticultural therapy. This is an area within clinical psychology that uses gardens as an intervention for therapeutic and rehabilitative purposes.Gardens have been shown to both improve the social psychological and physical well being of older adults and help us overcome the depression that is sometimes associated with aging.  

The healing powers of gardens and nature in general, have also been shown to have a positive effect on people recovering from injury.A group of researchers³ followed 46 post-surgical patients that were assigned to one of two groups. Half of the patients recovered in rooms that had window views that faced a brick wall and the other half of the group had windows that faced a small stand of deciduous trees. The group that had the view of the trees spent less postoperative time in the hospital, received fewer negative evaluations from the nursing staff, and took fewer strong pain medications than did the patients who viewed the brick wall from their room.

Research has also shown⁴ that exposure to natural settings can make people feel better when compared to people exposed to urban scenes that lack natural elements. Compared to the urban scenes, people exposed to nature scenes had an increase in positive affect including feelings of affection, friendliness, playfulness, and elation.

We can see the profound importance of gardens⁵ when we look back in history. The Koran and the Bible both refer to the garden of Eden as being the wellspring of humankind; an idyllic world of peace and harmony. In the Persian culture the idea of a garden of paradise goes back 6000 years. Even the Neanderthals valued the beauty and serenity of flowers. In graves dated back as far as 60,000 years ago, there was evidence of cornflowers, hyacinth, and yarrow being placed around bodies at burial.

Gardens can heal body and spirit and have subtle yet profound effects on us as we age and our lifestyles change. When we move away from the challenges of a full time career and toward a more leisurely life, retirees long for leisure activities that offer the possibility of engagement, self-fulfillment, and satisfaction. Gardening is one such activity. We can improve our mood and sense of well-being through the power of beauty in nature.

Carol Cumes, in her book Chakra Gardens, describes our wholistic relationship to gardens: In the Andes mother earth is referred to as Pachamama. Throughout the world, healers, shamans and sages hear Pachamama's cry to restore the planet to balance. ‘First heal the world, by healing yourself,' She whispers, while extending an invitation to mankind to return to Her gardens. Go where nature draws you. Breath in the energies. Inhale the fragrant perfumes. Listen deeply, with your eyes closed, as Pachamama works with you to provide all you need.

There is much made in the literature about Zen gardens–gardens specifically designed to give us a sense of well being and to focus our healing energies. I, however, think that we do not need a specifically designed garden to give us peace of mind, a sense of wellbeing, and soothing comfort from the stress of day-to-day life. Being in any garden, being with the beauty of nature, and touching, feeling, and smelling all that the garden holds will heal us. Even if you don't have a yard, you can make your own garden space with a potted plant in a window⁶ or for that matter you can build your own Zen garden in the smallest of spaces.⁷ The important thing is to be with the beauty of nature and allow it to restore us.

 

Ed Lopez is a retired organizational psychologist, university instructor and researcher. His research has been presented at international conferences and published in peer a reviewed journal. He became a Master Gardener in 2019.

Reference: loveofaging.com

¹ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1359105310365577

² Therapeutic Gardens: Design for Healing Spaces  – May 19, 2015 by Daniel Winterbottom (Author), Amy Wagenfeld  (Author)

³ https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/43df/b42bc2f7b212eb288d2e7be289d251f15bfd.pdf 

⁴ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01426397908705892

⁵ https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Garden-Natural-Mind-Body/dp/1843335840

⁶ https://balconygardenweb.com/diy-indoor-window-garden-ideas-urban-gardeners/

7 https://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Zen-Garden

Photos: Top Deb Nystrom, Creative Commons; below Creative Commons free use

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.

 

 

Following is a summary of a Library Talk by UC Master Gardeners on July 2, 2020. 

by Carrie Strohl

I was recently grateful to be able to get out of town for a few days. In the mountain elevation of Truckee, CA, I was surprised to get stuck in a downpour while on a hike! Although summer thunderstorms are a familiar event in my home state of Wisconsin, I've never experienced one in California. I reveled in the rain, but having lived in Napa for over a decade now, I've grown accustomed to our summer dry climate. Especially in the face of extreme drought, growing dry is not just for the most daring and progressive gardeners, it's an imperative in the 21st century. 

When preparing to “grow dry” prepare to rethink your garden aesthetic. Growing dry is a commitment, so be sure to consult many resources and set a budget before you begin. Consider what your home landscape says about what you value. What my neighbor may see as a weedy tangle on my curbside strip each spring I know is actually a pollinator friendly barrage of native wildflowers that self sow each year. Eventually they dry out, and yes, they look a little messy, but they provide forage for native bees, mating cover for beneficial insects, and seeds for birds. 

The first tip with the most impact to reducing water use is to lose the lawn. This was really easy for me. I moved to CA in August of 2008 and didn't feel a drop of rain until Nov. 1st that year.  After we purchased our home in 2009, we quickly grew tired of the monotony of lawn mowing. Mowing not only uses fossil fuels, emits carbon, creates waste and makes noise; it also takes time! It's a completely redundant landscape practice–mow, water, grow, repeat–for an aesthetic that is sorely outdated.  

In 2010 we became one of the first City of Napa “cash-for-grass” adopters. We chose drought-tolerant plants, but if I had known then about “no mow” grass, I would have taken that route. Clumping varieties like fescue are becoming increasingly popular. If you have a small amount of space, sowing grasses from seed can be very easy (bulk purchase is available from local nurseries). 

Some of you may be thinking but what about the kids and the dogs who like to play on the lawn? Kids and dogs will like no-mow grass just as much as a cut lawn. I actually think it's more aesthetically balanced, providing a much more natural transition from grass to shrubs than the typical “foundational plantings” that typically separate lawn from house. 

When planted close together, perennial/no-mow/native grasses cover the ground, shielding the surface from evaporation. They'll also grow in part shade, but wait! There's more...as science and agriculture tackles twin enemies of soil erosion and carbon release caused by tilling, researchers have discovered that the roots of native perennials grow much deeper and wider than annual grasses, thus have access to water and nutrients often depleted in the first layer of topsoil. So when you think about ditching the lawn, look at the good you can do besides saving water (like sequester carbon and improve soil health)! 

Hopefully you're convinced that growing dry does not mean having a yard that looks like the dry hillside. Scientists are developing new varieties all the time. Take, for instance, the knockout rose, which is bred to be a low maintenance and low need for care rose bush. They aren't exactly “drought tolerant” but they aren't greedy like some roses; and they also require less of other inputs (e.g., fertilizer). Good soil preparation and an initial feeding will do just fine. Even a peony, typically suited for regular water, can be grown in the Bay Area, but remember they are likely to bloom for less time than the climate they are native to. 

In contrast to many trees or shrubs, native plants do not need inputs like compost and amendment when planting because they are already adapted to live in the soil types we have. However, it's still important to plant the right plant in the right place, so don't plant a bunch of low water plants near an area that gets regular water (like a lawn). They won't be happy, especially if they've already gone dormant! When I buy native plants, I check to see what “plant community” they belong to and select the just right plant for the area I want to add plants to. However, with well- established natives, minimal watering will keep them flourishing longer (prolonging the onset of dormancy).  

Dry gardening requires understanding why it is important to conserve water. Not using as much is one way, but replenishing groundwater is another. All plants need water, so an obvious way to reduce water is to reduce the number and type of plants you have. Incorporate permeable hardscape in the form of pervious pavers, decomposed granite, or gravel pits. Permeable hardscape reduces runoff and the associated damage while creating a more natural landscape appearance.

Conserving water in your existing landscape can be achieved through diversified irrigation. Just as my neighbor frowns upon my native landscape, I scoff at his oscillating sprinkler in the summer. Of course, drip irrigation is one of the most efficient ways to keep gardens lush, but these systems are often costly and require ongoing maintenance. I choose to grow vegetables in galvanized water troughs, so drip irrigation is not the most practical solution. Instead, I use ancient technology: buried terra cotta pots called “ollas.” I fill them about once a week. Not only do these keep the water from leaching out of these tubs, they also lower the ambient temperature (those steel tubs can get hot!). 

With the support of the Napa County RCD, we had a laundry-to-landscape greywater system professionally installed in 2016. This system of buried mulch basins slows, spreads, and sinks water in a way that replenishes groundwater supply, while giving a few natives occasional water. 

Although I love succulents, especially aeoniums, they don't tolerate the cold snaps in my backyard. In addition, they often require significant soil amendment to mitigate drainage in Napa clay soils. Other than the tubular flowers of some aloes and agaves, they don't provide much in the way of habitat. You can have a dry garden without cactus, succulents, or xeriscaping by selecting drought-tolerant natives. 

To get more design ideas, view this presentation or visit the City of Napa's website. Teaming with other local agencies, they sponsor Free Water-Wise Landscaping Workshops made possible by the expertise of the UC Master Gardeners, the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Napa Valley Chapter, the Napa County Resource Conservation District (RCD), and area professionals.. Water conservation is a way of life in California. 

Resource List for Dry Gardening Library Talk 7-2-2020

Information Resources (How-to, Plant Choices, etc.)

• Bay Area Gardening
• City of Napa Water-Wise Landscaping
• Water Conservation State of California
• UC Master Gardeners Santa Clara 
• Sierra Club:The Art of the Dry Garden
• Dry Garden Plans: The Old Farmer's Almanac
• Pacific Horticulture: Dry Gardening Handbook
• Gardenista: Low Water Landscapes
• WUCOLS: https://ucanr.edu/sites/WUCOLS/
• Plant a No-Mow Lawn
  

Design Resources

• Contra Costa Water-Wise Garden 
• Sonoma-Marin Water Saving Partnership
• South Bay Area Green Garden Designs 
• Sunset Western Garden Magazine

Commercial Resources

• California Native Plant Society Napa Valley Chapter
• Source for Native Grass: Delta Bluegrass Co.
• UC Davis Arboretum 

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: top, Pacific Horticulture, 2nd, 3rd, Public Domain, 4, 5, Carrie Strohl