by Melody Kendall

I just love walking in our neighborhood. As I have mentioned many times, we have been living in this particular neighborhood for almost 40 years. When the kids were little and we walked as a family, I didn't get many chances to ‘stop and smell the roses' because the purpose of those walks was to burn that wonderful energy my lovely children had in abundance.  Now that I am retired these walks are slower paced and a much more relaxing experience. It's just me and the dog. 

We cruise around taking different routes to keep track of any new developments. I consider it wonderful exercise on so many levels. My husband calls me ‘Mrs. Kravitz' after the nosy neighbor from the ‘60s TV show “Bewitched,” but I choose to look at it as a chance to enjoy the fresh air, get some cardio and see new ideas for plants and landscaping. Plus, it is often a total sensory experience. 

-Walking by one neighbor's home is a mobile ‘spa treatment' with the smell of their lavender blossoms in the warm sun. 

-In the fall, leaves crunch as I walk on the sidewalk.

-Our main street is lined with older gingko trees and during fall the trees, and then the whole street, are covered with almost fluorescent, bright yellow leaves. It is such a beautiful display that I've witnessed families lined up for a family portrait using this amazing color for a background. 

-On a nearby street the most magnificent tree house you'd ever see is in the front yard.

-The folks that live in the corner house are Hawaiian transplants, so there is always a display of amazing tropical blooms and foliage in their front yard. I could not figure out how it was done until I walked by early one morning and saw them replacing the pots with spent plants with new pots containing fresh blooming plants from the small greenhouse in the back. What a great idea.

-I have a small succulent garden in my front yard. One day I noticed a neighbor taking pictures of that garden bed.  A few weeks later I discovered what must be her yard because there was a new succulent garden in the front yard that was my garden's twin. Very flattering.

-I have started taking my cell phone with me and when I see a plant I admire, but can't identify, I take a picture of it.  I use one of the many available plant ID apps and, voila, instant gratification!  I immediately know the name of the plant that I am looking at.  Pretty cool.

-A young couple on another corner ran a drip system to the parking strip and planted flowers and bulbs.  It is the best-looking parking strip in the neighborhood for color and diversity.  Daffodils and tulips make way for cosmos, zinnias and black-eyed susans.  In the late summer a wonderful display of naked ladies (Amaryllis Belladonna) rises above it all. 

Speaking of parking strips there are so many different ways of dealing with what some call the ‘hell strip' that one should never be at a loss as to what to do with their own.  If you are the least bit undecided just walk around the neighborhood and check out all the options. There are cobbles, grass, lavender, weeds, gravel, pavers – the list goes on. 

The same is true about mulch choices. One of my pet peeves is when it rains the mulch floats from the garden into the walkway. If I saw mulch on the sidewalk after a rain, I nixed that material when I was deciding on what to use in my landscape.  Mostly, I've used cobbles and blue rock (I found pea gravel was too slippery and didn't remain in the garden area) but I've observed the product called ‘small fir bark' does a good job sticking, as well.  I have also created a barrier between the planting beds and the walkways with used bricks I collected on one of my ramblings in the neighborhood.  This reused surplus supplies and looked nice afterward.

Reuse and recycle is a great concept, and my neighbors have had some very creative ideas.  Old wheelbarrows are filled with soil and annuals; cast iron bathtubs are overflowing with petunias; old rusted wrought iron panels are used as trellises for climbing plants; broken pots and used bricks create garden edging material; wine barrels are deconstructed and made into fences and seating; rusted corrugated metal stuck in the soil and filled with cactus mix then filled with succulents; lumber can be reused for the construction of raised beds and planters. There are lots of ideas out there!

I don't think that I have come home from one of my walks without some food for thought and my stress level reduced. One time I even found a small geranium plant that someone had tossed out alongside the road.  I have found that there are so many rewards and benefits from walking through my neighborhood. I believe that you, too, can discover this wonderful educational and stress relieving resource right in your own neck of the woods. All of you ‘Mrs. (or Mr.) Kravitzs' out there, put on your walking shoes and take a cruise through your neighborhood. 

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

Resource links:

UC ANR Mulches http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/ENVIRON/mulches.html

Pacific Horticulture.org-parking strip https://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/on-the-verge/

UCMG Marin county-reuse/recycle http://marinmg.ucanr.edu/BASICS/MINIMIZE_WASTE/Recycle_Reuse_Repurpose/

 

 

by Melody Kendall

We have lived in our home now for almost 40 years; gosh, time flies when you are having fun! Until about five years ago we had been unsuccessful in establishing a garden in the front yard under the only window seen from the street, wanting it to be a major design feature of our home. About every three years we had to totally rip out the languishing current garden incarnation and start over. As a busy young family we dealt with it, but it sure became boring, tiring and just plain frustrating.

Five years ago we entered our retirement years, began an uncluttered lifestyle and had more free time. We decided to tackle this problem area head on. First, we had to discover what was causing anything we planted in this area to decline and eventually die.  So, thinking that the soil was the culprit, we planned to dig out all the soil in the 4 foot wide by 20 foot long area to about 8 inches.  Right away the mystery was solved. Oh my goodness, the entire area was literally clogged with clumps of hair like roots. My husband likened it to hairballs that are usually found when unclogging a drain  in bathroom sinks.  Removing the soil required the use of sharp bladed tools and a lot of back-breaking work.  We used a hoe to chop and a shovel to stand on to cut through the wads of compacted roots. These humongous root masses filled an entire large yard waste container.  After we removed all the root material there was only about a quarter of the soil remaining, mostly because the root masses were so compacted no amount of pounding or chopping could break them up enough to release contained soil. Okay, we had planned on replacing the soil anyway. 

Now we know why plants in this area didn't thrive. Those roots were taking all the nutrients and water and the poor vegetation was literally being starved out. Where were these roots coming from?  We have some absolutely lovely Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) all around the circumference of our front garden area, and I guess they didn't want to share the space with any other plants.  Because the garden bed area was regularly watered and fertilized, those lovely Maples turned into very nasty neighbors, sending thieving roots into the bed to leach all that tasty food and water from the helpless tiny plantings. With research we found that this is perfectly normal behavior and to not judge the trees too harshly.  Since we didn't water or feed the trees, why wouldn't they seek out an easy meal nearby?  So, short of removing the trees, which was not an option, how could we create a garden area in this space?

We went on a hunt for information and helpful advice on this problem. The best info we could come up with said exclusion was the best method to avoid this root ‘hairball' situation.  So we lined the excavated garden bed with two layers of a permeable weed cloth. The permeability will make sure the garden area is still drained properly so plastic is not recommended. We read that because the weed cloth is intended to be left in place, it's not recommended for vegetable gardens or annual flower beds.

We had intended to replace the soil and replant but we had a brainstorm and thought why not create another layer of exclusion and decided to purchase large planters to put the plants in. We placed these directly on the weed cloth, laid irrigation lines and surrounded them with large cobbles to match the rest of the landscape. 

We then filled the planters with fresh soil and, based on the mostly shaded location, put in 5 Azaleas Rhododendron spp. and we were done. NOT! 

Two years ago I noticed that the azaleas were looking pekid and when I walked over the pots were full of water. I was not a happy camper. I decided to take one of the azaleas out of the pot and see what the problem was, quite a chore by itself.  Bending over while gently removing the soil around a shrub, trying not to spill onto the cobbles and/or the adjacent lawn was a nightmare.  Finally, I was able to disinter the shrub and put it temporarily into another area of the yard. This way the roots would not dry out until I could put it back into the pot.  Once all the soil was removed I found out just how insidious those pesky tree roots were. They had not only come through the two layers of weed cloth but had totally clogged the drain hole in their enthusiasm for the water and nutrients in the pot.

So now what!? I was a woman on a mission. I reread all the old information on excluding tree roots from planters and found some new recent information and decided what I needed was an air gap.  When planting a shrub in the soil it is always suggested that, once the plant is in the ground, you add water and gently tamp down the new soil around the plant to remove any large air gaps.  This means to me that large air gaps are not a good thing for roots.  So, if I deliberately created a large air gap between the tree roots and the planter this just might be the answer. 

After removing all the soil from each of the five planters, which took a week and much back liniment, I was ready to put my theory to the test.  I tore out those cheeky roots, relined the area under each pot with new weed cloth and created a three inch base out of bricks that the pots could stand on.  I now had a large air gap.  As I am not getting any younger and certainly don't want to do this again, I went one step further.  I created a brick base in the bottom of each pot and  put a layer of weed cloth on top of the bricks to create a second large air gap.  I finished up by purchasing cloth planter bags to sit on that base.  Now there were two complete large air gaps.  The reconstruction was accomplished and we were ready for the test of time. Two years have gone by and the Azaleas seem to be thriving and the pots draining nicely.  I think my plan is working… fingers crossed 

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

Information links:

Morton Arboretum-tree root problems

https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/tree-plant-care/plant-care-resources/tree-root-problems/#!

UC IPM

Maple http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/maple.html

Azalea http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/azalea.html

UC ANR-Solano UCMG-correct planting http://solanomg.ucanr.edu/files/246185.pdf

 

This is the last post in this series following concepts and information from UC Master Gardeners of Napa County presentation, “Soil is the Solution, healing the earth one yard at a time,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqA8DqBtRuo . The presentation describes practices we can learn and implement about soil to help slow and ultimately reverse the damage humankind has done and slow global warming. Soil carbon sequestration has a great potential for reducing emissions at the lowest cost. Previous posts were May 24, June 7, June 28, July 19, and August 9, 2021.

It may seem obvious to practice judicious water use since nearly all of California is in extreme drought and our landscapes have dried to a crisp. Maybe the decision has been made to remove the lawn. The simplest path forward would seem to just stop watering altogether and watch it perish. This isn't advisable – water molecules bind together and if the lawn dries out completely, we're back in the dust bowl again. The soil becomes hydrophobic and water just runs off, taking precious topsoil with it as it flows down the gutter.

The problem, of course, is that soil is left lifeless, and our aspiration in this series is to sequester carbon from the atmosphere with plants and their ability to do this, along with their roots, the soil biome and all of the other trimmings that go along with it.

Field capacity is a term used to describe the amount water that is able to be held by soil after runoff and time to dry out a little bit. The more organic matter in the soil, the more available water there is for plants. A better choice than lifeless soil is to have some wonderful plants that have adapted to our summer-dry climate. The choices are endless, but a good place to start might be with UC Davis Arboretum All Star plants. Using the right plant in the right place will probably mean less pruning, maintenance and yard waste. Any waste that is collected can be used for mulch or a compost pile.

We can also keep water out of the gutter by using permeable hard surfaces for driveways and sidewalks. The water saving mantra is this: Catch it, slow it, spread it, sink it. Irrigating by hydrozones is another good practice. Achieve this by grouping plants together with similar water needs, adjusting irrigation times accordingly. Rain gardens can be installed to catch water. Create a depressed area in the landscape to collect rain from a roof or driveway allowing it to soak into the ground, making it a cost effective and beautiful way to reduce runoff from your property.

The final concept for reducing carbon in the atmosphere is to reduce energy. The usual suspect, cars, are mainly culpable, but it might be shocking to learn about the polluting capacity of gas powered leafblowers. Edmunds automotive engineering editor, Jason Kavanaugh, reported that a two-stroke leaf blower generated 23 times the CO and nearly 300 times more NMHC (non-methane hydrocarbons) than a crew cab pickup. In perspective, that means to equal the hydrocarbon emissions of about a half-hour of yard work with this two-stroke leaf blower, a person would have to drive a Raptor pickup for 3,887 miles, or the distance from northern Texas to Anchorage, Alaska. Right now would be a great time to rethink the use of these abusively noisy polluting nightmares, delegating them to a historical footnote.

A recap of what we have learned about healing the earth and what we should actively keep in mind:

• Increase soil organic matter
• Use compost, not chemicals
• Maximize living roots
• Minimize soil disturbance
• Keep soil covered
• Increase plant diversity
• Practice judicious water use 
• Reduce energy use.

When it comes to our landscape practices, at the risk of sounding facile, maybe we can ask ourselves WWND, what would nature do? Let's help mother nature sequester carbon so she can breathe and so can we; she's been pretty good to us.

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: Richard McNeil, Creative Commons 3.0

References: https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/arboretum-all-stars

https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/features/emissions-test-car-vs-truck-vs-leaf-blower.html

 

by Melody Kendall

I am not usually the type of person that colors outside the box.  Following rules and being on the straight and narrow have been my usual modus operandi and, if the truth be told, my comfort level. Six years ago I took a brief trip on the wild side.  When touring a local public garden, I took some unauthorized cuttings.  Whether you scoff and ask “what's the big deal,” or react with a sharp intake of breath, I still get heart palpitations thinking about that adrenaline rush.  This slight straying from the straight and narrow allowed me to acquire cape balsam (Bulbine frutescens), that has forever changed my garden. 

That small bulbine cutting has since grown into multiple plants that are featured throughout my landscape. In fact, in a recent yard redo project I created an entire section showcasing this low-water, low-maintenance pollinator friendly plant.

The leaves of the cape balsam are thick and fleshy, well adapted to store water. There are two colors of cape balsam flowers: yellow and orange. The plant cutting that I took on that fateful day was the orange variety of bulbine. The orange has longer thinner leaves than the yellow variety that look more grass like and tend to stay in a globular shape with the flowers growing throughout the globe. The yellow has thicker, fleshier leaves that grow in clumps and the flowers tend to originate around the circumference of this irregular plant mass.  Both types add great interest in the garden with their 3+ foot wide spreading green shapes, the interesting succulent-like leaves and the 12” to 15” thin stalks displaying small orange or yellow blossoms on the ends. Needing little water once established, these evergreen native perennials from South Africa are hardy down to 25 degrees F and can take multiple hardships in stride while still providing volumes of pollinator friendly blooms.  Enjoying full sun but doing quite nicely, thank you, in mostly shade, the bulbine blooms from early spring through late fall and only requires removal of spent flower stalks to neaten their appearance. The flowers also work well in flower arrangements. 

The bees and butterflies definitely reap the rewards of my little pilfering adventure.  The neighbors have commented multiple times about the look of these plants in my landscape, so I have been giving out the little self-started seedlings to anyone who wants one.  I hope to pay back my bad behavior in this manner with the aim of balancing my “garden karma.” Though I don't think I will do anything like that again, I am glad that I discovered this amazing plant. 

Plants self propagate, seedlings in 4" pots

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

Information links:

UC Davis arboretumYellow https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/plant/cape-balsam

Monrovia-orange https://www.monrovia.com/orange-stalked-bulbine.html