Remember those days when your parents would drive down the highway and the front window and front of the car would be covered with dead bugs? 

The so-called “windshield phenomenon” does not happen much anymore. When I check my car, I don't find any little bug bodies.  

Sadly, the world is suffering an insect loss, and it will lead to other problems. Insects are important because they pollinate plants and feed other creatures. In some parts of the world, plants have to be hand pollinated because there aren't enough pollinator insects. Pollinating fruit trees by hand is much more difficult than relying on bees flying from bloom to bloom.

Where have all the bugs gone? Climate change, monocropping, and pesticides all play a role. 

Not only do insects pollinate many plants that we depend on for food, but they also feed larger animals and birds that affect our food sources. They are also essential players breaking down our waste. Red wiggler worms will eat your garbage, as will ants, sow bugs, fruit flies, and other insects. Imagine living in a world where garbage did not go away.  

You can take steps to limit insect loss in your own garden. Put away the chemical pesticides; they hurt the good guys along with the bad guys. If you must use them, follow package directions carefully.

Grow plants that lure insects into your garden. Insects are attracted to blooming plants for their nectar. Other insects love blooming plants because they attract the insects they like to eat.  I used to try to remove all the oleander aphids from my milkweeds. Then I discovered that if I left the aphids, good bugs would eat them.

In some regions of the world, plants need insects to survive. One example is pitcher plants, which trap insects as a food source. 

Insects appreciate a garden with water. A pond will lure dragonfly nymphs as they need water before they emerge as dragonflies. Just filling a container plant's saucer helps.

Cut back on your lawn mowing. Longer grass gives insects a place to live. Bugs like a messy garden, and so do birds. You might also consider growing a meadow instead of a lawn. Our country adopted the lawn tradition from England, where it rains often. Alas, drought is common here. 

Replace chemical fertilizers with compost or aged chicken or steer manure. Worm compost is a great fertilizer; that's what I use almost exclusively. Sometimes I throw in a little chicken manure, especially in my compost piles.   

Plant native plants wherever you can. The local bugs have adapted to the local native plants over eons. Don't mess with Mother Nature's plan for our part of the world.

According to the UC Davis Bug Squad, insects contribute an estimated $57 million annually to the U.S. economy. Yet many insects are close to being added to the list of Endangered Species.

In 2019, four bumblebee species were added to the list because their numbers had dropped so low. Many of these insects nest in the ground. Be sure to keep an area free of compost so they can create their nests. Usually, they will build these nests in mole, gopher, or mice runs that these creatures have already dug in the ground. 

Become a Master Gardener Volunteer! UC Master Gardeners of Napa County is now accepting applications for the Class of 2023. Click on the ”Join Us” button at napamg.ucanr.edu to read the informational brochure and register to attend a mandatory information session for applicants. Applications are due before 5 p.m. on September 30.

Library Talk:  UC Master Gardeners will host a talk on “Danger and Romance in Your Garden” via Zoom on Thursday, October 6, from 7 pm to 8 pm. Many favorite landscape plants are also poisonous. Learn about these dangerous beauties at this free talk. Register to receive the Zoom link.

 Food Growing Forum: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County for a free forum on “Cover Crops in Depth” on Sunday, October 9, from 3 pm to 4 pm, via Zoom. Register to receive the Zoom link: https://napamg.ucanr.edu/?calendar=yes&g=9191.

Guided Tree Walk: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a guided tree walk at Napa's Fuller Park on Tuesday, October 11, from 10 am to noon. Meet at the corner of Oak Street and Jefferson Street. Space is limited to 12 guests. You must pre-register and each guest must register separately.  

Years ago, on the last day of school, the assistant principal sent out an email to all the teachers.  He suggested we sit down for a few minutes and review our academic year and think about what went well in our classes and what, perhaps, needed some rethinking.   

My immediate reaction was, "Rich, this is the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL and I am busy!"  My second was, "Hey, that's a pretty good idea."  And it was. There is nothing like a review when triumph and failure are fresh in one's mind.

Many of you keep garden journals, and so do I.  Mine is filled with some impulsive notes such as "I hate squirrels!"  I also record what grew well and what I want to plant next year.  In addition, I take photographs of my plants and store them on my phone. It's fun to compare them year after year. 

This is how I realized that my brugmansia, while flowering, wasn't flourishing as it had two years earlier.  It wasn't hard to figure out why. The plant was completely rootbound, even though the pot was enormous. 

I slid the brugmansia out of the pot, did some root trimming, and repotted it with some chicken manure and compost mixed into fresh, not compacted, soil. This is a stopgap measure until I buy a new, larger pot or (more likely) dig a hole for the brugmansia in the yard. I also took a good look at my yard and made some notes on how to improve it for next year. 

Successful spring and summer gardens depend on fall preparation, and I bring you tidings of good cheer about that. We gardeners do not need to vacuum up every bit of dried foliage or deadhead every plant.  We should prune flowers (such as roses), removing dead blooms and leaves, but we can let our native plants and annuals go to seed. This relaxed approach goes against the grain for some tidy people, but birds love the flower seeds.  

I have an invasive lemon balm that migrated all over the yard from one tiny sprig. Although I remove enough of it to clear paths, I leave a lot for the birds and bees.  Bees like the nectar from the tiny white flowers, and birds eat the seeds.  I will cut the plants down when I don't see any more wrens hopping around in them, and I'll put the trimmings in the compost pile. 

When leaves begin to fall you don't have to rake them all up. Keep a few piles at the edge of your yard. Beneficial insects and microbes love them, and birds forage there as well as hide from predators.  

Leaves also make good mulch. If you have a compost pile and a heap of dried leaves, you can keep your soil healthy without purchasing lots of additives. 

The latest horticultural trend is naturalistic gardening, and it looks like a trend with staying power. Letting plants be themselves and learning to appreciate them at different stages of growth and dormancy is the key here. You have to care for trees and prune plants at the appropriate time, but you don't need to have a garden that looks like it was scrubbed every week.

About those trees: We are still in a drought, and we are experiencing heat waves. Save your water for trees and other plants that would be expensive or impossible to replace. Put mulch around their roots (but not next to the bark) to keep them cool and reduce water evaporation. 

Prepare your soil for fall planting. Remove weeds and amend soil with compost. I envied my neighbor's poppies and sweet peas and made a note in my journal about them.  Now is the best time to plant them. One pack of seeds will produce many plants and save money compared to purchasing seedlings. Calendula, pansy, snapdragon, hollyhock and wildflower seeds should be planted in the fall. Most bulbs should be planted in September and October. Don't forget to mulch to inhibit weed growth.

You can improve soil health by growing vegetables year round. Broccoli, carrots, lettuce, mustard, peas, spinach, and turnips all do well when planted in September. Chard is an indestructible crop. You can plant it any time in Napa. To keep diseases from getting established in your soil,  don't plant the same crop in the same beds year after year.

The main thing is to enjoy your garden.  t should be a place for relaxation; don't worry about everything looking perfect.  For more advice about gardening, visit the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County website, and click on "Garden Questions."  You will find a host of resources to help you. 

Become a Master Gardener Volunteer! UC Master Gardeners of Napa County is now accepting applications for the Class of 2023. Click on the ”Join Us” button at napamg.ucanr.edu to read the informational brochure and register to attend a mandatory information session for applicants. Applications are due before 5 p.m. on September 30.

Food Growing Forum: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County for a free forum on “Alliums: Onions, Garlic and More” on Sunday, September 11, from 3 pm to 4 pm, via Zoom. Register to receive the Zoom link:  https://ucanr.edu/sites/ucmgnapa/?calendar=yes&g=9191.

Guided Tree Walk: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a guided tree walk at Napa's Fuller Park on Tuesday, September 13, from 10 am to noon. Meet at the corner of Oak Street and Jefferson Street. Space is limited to 12 guests. You must pre-register and each guest must register separately.  

Library Talk:  UC Master Gardeners will host a talk on “Danger and Romance in Your Garden” via Zoom on Thursday, October 6, from 7 pm to 8 pm. Many favorite landscape plants are also poisonous. Learn about these dangerous beauties at this free talk. Register to receive the Zoom link.

Last fall I noticed a brown squirrel lounging on top of my owl nest box. She was just opposite my kitchen window so I put my binoculars there so I could watch her.  Often she would be stretched out with her front paws hanging over the edge.

I built the box several years ago and hoped an owl might take up residence. I had had a bigger box that an owl moved into but it departed and left behind the skull of a squirrel plus four big eggs.  I don't know what happened to that owl. 

I do know I have owls because I have seen them, and one little screech owl inhabited one box for a month.  I would walk under the box and talk with him and he would look down at me with an owl smirk on his face. Then one day he was gone.

I would occasionally see Mama Squirrel going in and out of the owl box, sometimes carrying sticks.   Previously some kingfishers had nested in the box. This spring the birds came back and took turns looking in the box hole.  

I had not been too pleased with squirrels as they stripped my walnut tree in July and would drop the half-peeled green nuts in my fish pond. I decided to watch this squirrel and see what happened.  

One day two big grey squirrels, which are native to our area, came into the back yard. Apparently Mama was not letting them in. There was a scuffle and the “boys” left.  

If brown squirrels breed with grey squirrels, the babies will be black. Mama Squirrel's offspring were all born brown. 

Mama was going in and out of the box often. She also started taking short rests on the roof.  And I noticed that she was nursing babies. This behavior went on for about six weeks. One day I saw two babies on the side of the owl box and Mama trying to coax them to the roof.  After a day or two they made it on to the roof and would sun themselves with their mother.  

Most squirrels have a litter of four, but I only saw two babies at a time. They spent more time on the top of the box  while their mother was away. They would play and sometimes go up and down the tree.  

One day I saw one of the babies grooming his mother. At that point I said to myself, “How could I ever kick these kids out?”  Off and on throughout the summer, mother and offspring would appear on the top of the box. I also would see the little ones running around the trees and playing.  

The mother is very comfortable around me. On one very hot day she got under a hose I was using and got wet and spread herself out on a rock in the shade.   

Now Mama is still here but without the babies. I read that squirrels can have two litters a year, but I hope she is not expecting again. My neighbors will not be happy to have more squirrels, I fear. 

I've had my walnut tree removed, but when it was still with me, I tried deterring squirrels with fox urine. That did not work.  Another time I constructed a large plastic collar around the tree. Alas, squirrels are good jumpers and that didn't work either. If you have a serious squirrel problem, first read the pest notes on tree squirrels published by UC Davis. If you're still unsure how best to manage the critters, contact the California Department of Fish and Game and discuss the problem with them.

Become a Master Gardener Volunteer! UC Master Gardeners of Napa County is now accepting applications for the Class of 2023. Click on the ”Join Us” button at napamg.ucanr.edu to read the informational brochure and register to attend a mandatory information session for applicants. Applications are due before 5 p.m. on September 30.

Food Growing Forum: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County fo ra free forum on “Alliums: Onions, Garlic and More” on Sunday, September 11, from 3 pm to 4 pm, via Zoom. Register to receive the Zoom link:  https://ucanr.edu/sites/ucmgnapa/?calendar=yes&g=9191.

Guided Tree Walk: Join UC Master Gardener docents on a free guided tree walk of Napa's Fuller Park on FREE Guided Tree Walk at Fuller Park on Tuesday, September 13, from 10 am to noon. Meet at the corner of Oak Street and Jefferson Street. Attendance is limited to 12 people and you must pre-register. Each person must register separately.

Got Garden Questions? Contact our Help Desk. The team is working remotely so please submit your questions through our diagnosis form, sending any photos to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org or leave a detailed message at 707- 253-4143. A Master Gardener will get back to you by phone or email. For more information visit https://napamg.ucanr.edu  or find us on Facebook or Instagram, UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.

On any given day, air and surface temperatures tend to be higher in urban areas than in surrounding rural settings. This phenomenon is called the heat-island effect.

Temperatures can also vary within a city depending on the concentration of heat-absorbing buildings and pavement and the cooling presence of parks or green roofs. Surface temperature and air temperature differ across environments, although air temperatures do not vary as widely during the day as surface temperatures do.

heat island effect (epa)

(Chart courtesy of the EPA)

According to the EPA, several factors contribute to heat islands. Urban areas with few natural landscapes, such as parks, are potential heat islands. The asphalt and concrete in urban areas absorb and later release the day's heat. The narrow streets and tall buildings in our cities create “canyons” that block wind flow, and the concentration of streets and buildings holds the heat longer. What's more, cities have more vehicles, more air conditioning, more industrial facilities—all of which contribute to the heat island effect.

Those are all human causes, but weather and geography play a role, too. Calm, clear weather allows more solar energy to reach surfaces, whereas cloud cover and wind keep temperatures lower.  Nearby mountains can block wind from reaching a city.

Some cities are taking steps to mitigate the heat-island effect by creating more parks and green roofs and planting street trees. Others are exploring the emerging science of cool pavement technology by using lighter-colored road surfaces and replacing hard, dark surfaces on playgrounds. Varying the heights of buildings can decrease the urban canyon phenomenon and increase airflow. Some cities are encouraging more “green” and energy-efficient buildings and the use of cooler roofing materials. Others are providing shelters and shade trees at bus stops.

Will weather patterns change if cities can eliminate some of the causes of a heat island? Only time will tell.

The heat-island effect affects all of us. It increases energy consumption, raises emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants, harms water quality, and negatively impacts our health and comfort.  We run air conditioners more often, which increases the demand for fossil fuels that emit pollutants, thereby increasing greenhouse gases.  

The toll on health is largest on the elderly, who often have chronic conditions and disabilities; on low-income folks who live without air conditioning and in more crowded conditions; and on people who work outdoors. From 2004 to 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded an average of 702 heat-related deaths per year in the U.S.  With climate change, these figures will only increase.

How does all of this relate to home gardeners? Organic matter is what keeps soil alive and healthy. A teaspoon of healthy soil contains millions of living organisms. But high temperatures can devastate these organisms, turning your soil into plain dirt. Read the chart from the bottom up:

Rate of Soil to Dirt (USDA)

(Graphic courtesy of USDA)

A team of Master Gardeners recently recorded temperatures in one Napa neighborhood on March 4 and again on June 21.  On June 21, temperatures were recorded twice, at 10:30 a.m. and at 3:30 p.m.  Of course, you remember that 104°F day!

surface temperatures (UC MG Napa County)

What can you do to counter the heat-island effect? Plant more trees. Trees protect against high winds, erosion and flooding. They keep carbon in the ground and keep groundwater clean. Plus, they shade our homes, reducing our energy consumption.

Cover the ground with living plants to absorb carbon dioxide rather than reflect the sunlight.  Lawns require heavy watering and contribute little to soil health because the roots are shallow.  If possible, choose other plants and shrubs that provide abundant roots, create healthy soil and sequester carbon.

Cover bare ground with organic mulch. As the chart shows, the soil under mulch is significantly cooler than the mulch itself. But choose your mulch carefully. Some dyed mulches may leach toxins, and dark or black mulch gets hot and can harm tender plants. Rock may be a good choice around cactus, but be wary of covering large areas with rocks or stones, which absorb and retain heat, later releasing it into the atmosphere. Limit rocks or stones to shady areas.

Use permeable material for hardscape instead of concrete or other solid surfaces. With permeable material, rain is absorbed by the soil rather than running off.  Permeable surfaces also don't retain heat like non-porous and darker surfaces.

Avoid artificial turf. Not only is it hot to the touch, but it also kills anything underneath it. There is truly nothing beneficial about it. Notice that it produced the hottest reading on the Surface Temperature chart.

To learn more about heat islands, visit the websites of Heat.gov or the EPA. For children, NASA has a “Climate Kids” website, full of great information and age-related activities. 

Become a Master Gardener Volunteer! UC Master Gardeners of Napa County is now accepting applications for the Class of 2023. Click on the ”Join Us” button at napamg.ucanr.edu to read the informational brochure and register to attend a mandatory information session for applicants. Applications are due before 5 p.m. on September 30.

Workshop: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “Dealing with Heat and Less Water in the Garden” on Saturday, August 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Las Flores Learning Garden, 4300 Linda Vista Avenue, Napa. Learn about hot-weather plant care while still conserving water. Workshop is outdoors. Space is limited and registration required. 

Library Talk:  UC Master Gardeners will host a talk on “Lawn Alternatives” via Zoom on Thursday, September 1, from 7 pm to 8 pm. Learn about alternatives to lawn that will enrich your soil, attract pollinators and enhance the beauty of your yard. Register to receive the Zoom link.

Food Growing Forum: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County fo ra free forum on “Alliums: Onions, Garlic and More” on Sunday, September 11, from 3 pm to 4 pm, via Zoom. Register to receive the Zoom link:  https://ucanr.edu/sites/ucmgnapa/?calendar=yes&g=9191.

Got Garden Questions? Contact our Help Desk. The team is working remotely so please submit your questions through our diagnosis form, sending any photos to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org or leave a detailed message at 707- 253-4143. A Master Gardener will get back to you by phone or email. For more information visit https://napamg.ucanr.edu  or find us on Facebook or Instagram, UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.