The drought is now officially over and Yosemite National Park is in its full glory with profuse waterfalls. But we all know that California's water resources are fragile.
In the garden, plants cannot grow without sun and water. We have no control over daily sunshine, but we can influence water supply somewhat by making a self-irrigating pot. Such a container provides some assurance that your plants are getting the water they need with less labor on your part.
You can buy ornamental pots for gardening, but if you are growing edibles seriously at home, you may want less expensive, larger-capacity alternatives. Some stores do carry self-irrigating trough containers intended for vegetable growing, but they can be costly. You can create your own with less investment.
Self-irrigating pots and raised beds reduce watering needs dramatically, sometimes to zero in locales that get rain. You do not need to set up a drip-irrigation system. In Napa Valley's Mediterranean-type climate, a self-irrigation pot (SIP) system may still require occasional watering, but depending on your micro-climate, once every few weeks or once a month may be sufficient. In short, a SIP system simplifies your life and reduces watering chores drastically.
For a small SIP system, start with two plastic 5-gallon buckets. For ornamental plants for indoor or patio gardening, choose decorative store-bought pots. For edibles, you can use any kind or size of planter, but 5-gallon plastic buckets have built-in handles and are relatively lightweight even when filled with soil and plants.
Some people use 2-gallon soda bottles with great success, but they generally lack UV (ultra- violet) protection and may leach harmful chemicals. Painting the bottles may solve the UV problem, and the filtering effect of the soil may neutralize harmful chemicals, but plastic buckets are simpler and easier and can water a larger planting area.
Here's how to convert two 5-gallon plastic buckets into a SIP:
With a 3-inch hole saw, drill four 3-inch holes in the bottom of Bucket #1.
Purchase four 3-inch net cups or use four 3-inch plastic drinking cups and drill a dozen ¼-inch holes in each.
Fill the net cups or drilled plastic cups with potting soil. These cups will serve as water wicks. Put the cups in the holes you drilled in Bucket #1.
Drill at least two ¼-in overflow holes in Bucket #2, where the inserted bottom of Bucket #1 lines up.
Place Bucket #1 inside Bucket #2;
Fill Bucket #1 with potting soil. Water the soil until the water reservoir of Bucket #2 is filled and water leaks from the overflow holes.
Plant the edibles of your choosing in Bucket #1. Refill the water reservoir in Bucket #2 only as needed.
For your SIP to be successful, you must establish water wicking between the water supply and the soil. The overflow holes prevent drowning of the roots.
You can build a self-irrigating raised bed using the same principles, but it takes more steps, work, materials and care—a topic for a future article.
Workshops: U. C. Master Food Preservers will teach a workshop on “Pickling and Fermenting” on Friday, July 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Learn the basics of pickling and fermenting, understand the cautions involved in home food preservation, watch a demonstration of each process and discuss recipes easily managed by the home cook. THIS WORKSHOP IS COMPLETELY FULL AND REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.
U. C. Master Food Preservers will teach a workshop on “Food Preserving: Canning, Drying, Freezing” on Saturday, July 15, from 10 a.m. to noon, at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Learn the equipment required and hazards to avoid in this demonstration with recipes provided. The emphasis is on microbial food safety but biotechnology, food quality and food security will also be addressed. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening publi with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
Sowbugs! Pillbugs! Rolly-pollies! UC Master Gardener, Penny Pawl, gives us facts about these creatures, which are not insects and are not necessarily garden bad guys! And as always, UC IPM has some information for gardeners about sowbugs and pillbugs:
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/PESTS/sowbugs.html
Now, from Penny Pawl.
One summer when I was about 10 years old, I had two farms. One was a lizard farm, with a variety of lizards that I had collected and put in a big box. I had alligator lizards and blue bellies. That adventure ended when a lizard bit my mother on the finger. Goodbye, lizard farm.
I also had a pill bug farm. I put rocks in the middle of a large dish filled with water and put the pill bugs on their individual islands. That was when I first noticed that pill bugs carry their babies between their legs and under their shells. In both cases, I had not made arrangements to feed my pets and can't remember even thinking about that. I also raised tadpoles next to my bed and had a horny toad living in my closet.
I am now a Master Gardener and am still friends with lizards and pill bugs. Also known as roly-poly, sow bugs and wood louse, pill bugs have moved in to live with my worms and at times seem to outnumber them.
When I first started worm composting, the University of California published an article that said the manure or droppings of these creatures was just as nutritious for plants as worms castings. Worm castings are the worm “gold” you read about. Maybe you have purchased some to fertilize your plants. Worms eat 90 percent of the decaying plant material that you give them. Their resulting manure is a mild fertilizer with all the trace elements. Pill bugs eat the same things that worms do.
Pills bugs are not actually bugs. They are crustaceans, members of the same family as lobsters and crabs. They breathe through gills.
They live in dark, moist areas and eat decaying material such as dried leaves, tea bags and banana peels. Occasionally they feed on the tender leaves of emerging plants and seedlings. For this reason, they are considered garden pests. But in the right place, they are not pests.
Some types of pill bugs cannot roll up into a ball when trying to defend their selves. These are the sow bugs. They are built a little differently in the shell area. Also, if you look carefully, you can see their tails. When they molt, only half of the shell comes off initially. A few days later, the other half comes off. These shells look bluish rather than brown.
Pill bugs do not need a male to reproduce. They are self-fertile. The eggs take three to nine weeks to hatch, and a pill bug can lay eggs up to three times a year. The young spend several days in the mother's pouch and then go out on their own.
A pill bug's predators are anything larger: frogs, toads, lizards and small mammals.
If you think your seedlings and young plants are under attack by these little creatures, then make sure you water in the morning so the soil surface is dry at night. That's when pill bugs go out looking for their next meal. I read that you can trap them with a half cantaloupe, but I have found that quail and other birds are usually the ones nibbling on my seedlings.
Workshop: U. C. Master Food Preservers will teach a workshop on “Pickling and Fermenting” on Friday, July 14, from 10 a.m. to noon, at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Learn the basics of pickling and fermenting, understand the cautions involved in home food preservation, watch a demonstration of each process and discuss recipes easily managed by the home cook. THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL, AND REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
I have a manure farm in my backyard. Before you decide to move on to another article, you should know that my farm is small, only about two square feet in size. It consists of a plastic bin in which live hundreds of small, red worms. Known as "red wigglers", they are different from the earthworms you find in your garden. These little wonders will eat your food waste and create nutrient-rich manure that you can use in your garden.
My worms live very comfortably in their little storage bin, nestled in a bedding of shredded newspaper. Every now and then I take some leftover vegetables and place them under the bedding. Before long, the little red wigglers are all over it, chewing it up and turning it into the garden version of "black gold."
Their manure, or castings, looks much like soil at first glance. It is, however, around five times more nutrient rich then regular soil. The worms are good at their job of consuming and excreting up to half of their body weight in organic matter each day. This leaves me in awe. What if I could attempt such a feat?
Getting started on worm composting, also known as vermiculture, is easy. Obtain a wood or plastic container roughly one foot deep. Drill ¼-inch holes on the sides and bottom to allow air and moisture to pass in and out of the container.
Fill the bin with 1-inch thick strips of damp, but not wet, newspaper. This bedding will help your worms stay cool and damp, as well as give them an additional food source. Glossy newspaper inserts or magazines won't work as bedding. Choose a location that is not too cold or hot. I keep my bin in a shady corner of my patio, but many people keep theirs inside in the basement or laundry room.
Now that you have built your worm home, you can add worms and begin feeding them table scraps. Don't overwhelm them with too much food at first. Watch to see how quickly they eat what you give them, and raise the amount as the population grows. They reproduce rapidly, so you won't have long to wait.
Your new friends will be happy to have any leftover vegetables, fruit, dead flowers, tea bags, coffee grounds and even egg shells. They are vegetarian, however, so don't feed them any meat or dairy products. It is also best to minimize acidic foods such as citrus.
If all goes well, in a few months you will start to see worm castings accumulating at the bottom of the bin. There are many ways to harvest them, but I find the following method to be the easiest. First, remove the finished compost and set it aside. After adding fresh bedding, place hardware cloth across the top of the bin. Put the finished compost on the hardware cloth and let the sun or another bright light shine onto it. The worms will move away from the light, through the compost, and out the bottom into the new bedding. Afterward, pick through the compost to find any stragglers that you can transfer by hand.
Now you have a highly nutritious, homemade fertilizer. You can use it wet, but to store it for later use, let it dry. Just sprinkle it in your garden before watering to enrich your soil. I also like to put a handful in the bottom of a planting hole to give the new plant a healthy start in my garden.
Red wigglers can be found at many fishing supply stores and online. You can also get some worms and a free bin if you attend a Master Gardener worm-composting workshop (https://compost.naparecycles.org/). The workshop is also your chance to get more detailed information on vermiculture. I started my bin after attending such a workshop, and now can't imagine how I ever gardened without it.
Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “Landscape Trees, Shrubs and Maples” on Saturday, June 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. The workshop continues from noon to 2 p.m. with a field trip to a local garden. Trees and shrubs add pleasure and value to your garden. Discover an array of options for the home garden and how to add structure and interest with landscape trees and shrubs. Tips for selecting, planting, and caring for trees and shrubs will be discussed. Please bring a sack lunch, dress for outdoor conditions and wear good walking shoes. Online registration (credit card only)
Mail-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
By Robert Williams, UC Master Gardener of Napa County
With consistently warmer weather at hand, our gardens are a flurry of activity. Bees and other pollinators are active, and many songbirds greet us with their chorus.
Napa Valley gardens will soon begin their most productive period, so now is a good time to review a few basics to ensure your success.
If you have not already done so, check your irrigation system. Young plants will fail without adequate water, so make it a priority to check timers, irrigation lines and emitters. Keep ahead of weeds and pests. Mulching with cloth, straw or wood chips can help reduce water use and weed growth. If you don't have one, designate a compost area for clippings and spent plants.
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and squash are all heat-loving vegetables to plant now. Check local nurseries for unusual varieties. And if your summer garden is humming along, it's not too early to think about fall. Start seeds for cool-weather crops like broccoli in midsummer to ensure that seedlings are hardy and ready to plant in late summer. Thinking ahead allows you to plan for crop rotation and to order rare or unusual cultivars from a favorite catalog.
Deadhead roses to encourage them to bloom again; vigorous growers may need some summer pruning. Check container plants to make sure they're getting enough water on hot days; containers can dry out quickly. Keep your garden clean and tidy. By picking up and discarding diseased leaves, like rose leaves with blackspot, you can keep disease from spreading. Sanitizing equipment and practicing crop rotation will also help keep your garden healthy. While plants are growing rapidly, it's a good time to check on their fertilizer needs.
Make safety in the garden part of your everyday mindset. Safety goggles, gloves and closed-toed shoes offer an extra level of safety against accidents and unforeseen occurrences. If you use pesticides, review the labels to prevent poisoning humans, pets and the environment. If you have children in your garden, educate them about safe practices, too.
Keep garden tools sharp and in good working order. Sharp tools make garden jobs easier and alleviate fatigue. Before using electric tools, check cords for fraying or other safety issues. Also, make sure to use the correct tool for the job. Injuries are more likely when a tool is not meant for the task.
Working in the garden can be a relaxing and refreshing experience, but on warm days, be sure to stay hydrated. Protect your skin with sunscreen. A wide-brimmed hat and light-colored clothing can also help prevent sunburn. Even better, take frequent breaks and plan your garden activities in the cool mornings or late afternoon. Also on the safety checklist: use proper lifting techniques and wear adequate hearing protection when necessary.
As the summer season winds down, prepare for next year by saving seeds from the vegetables that performed best. (Save seeds from non-hybrids only; seeds from hybrids will not come true.) Consider letting some of your vegetables plants flower to support pollinators and beneficial insects. Compost unwanted plant material. Store tools properly when not in use.
By taking a comprehensive approach to summer gardening, you can look forward to a bountiful harvest.
Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Rose Care” on Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to noon, at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. The first spring blooms have faded, and many roses are beginning to show stress in the form of black spot, rust, mildew and aphid infestation. U.C. research-based help is at hand. Bring your questions. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
By Cindy Watter, U. C. Master Gardener of Napa County
There were some benefits to the lavish rainfall we experienced this winter and spring. First, Napa residents got proof that the flood-control project worked. Second, and just as important to a rose gardener, the frequent rains washed off all the aphids that like to prey on emerging rose buds.
In addition, the roses appreciated the rain and responded with an explosion of bloom, climbing over fences and up trellises, filling borders and yards, and making a walk in the neighborhood a decidedly enjoyable experience.
Alas, this riot of scent and color was followed by a three-day heat wave that caused many roses to burst into bloom all at once, and then droop and fade soon after. What can the home gardener do to revive roses and coax them to bloom again?
First, recognize that some old (often called "heritage") roses bloom only once a season, while the typical ever-blooming rose can keep up a display into fall. Sharpen your clippers and deadhead your roses. I am serious about the sharpening, as working with dull clippers is an arthritis-inducing chore.
Roses that bloom only once should be pruned at the end of the growing season. Other types should be pruned in winter, at the end of the dormant season. However, all roses can benefit from a light pruning for shape. Remove weak or crossed branches, especially on the inside of the plant, and any suckers that emerge from the rootstock.
Remove any leaves that show signs of disease, such as black spot, rust or fungus. Clean up fallen leaves. To avoid spreading the pathogens, do not put diseased leaves in your home compost pile.
Black spot (Diplocarbon rosae) is a fungus that attacks leaves and stems, leaving them yellowed and covered with black marks. To minimize it, plant roses where sunlight will dry them quickly after watering. If you use a fungicide, apply it after the leaves have been watered, so it stays on for a while. For nontoxic control, Sunset's Western Garden Book recommends a spray composed of 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 2 teaspoons of horticultural oil dissolved in a gallon of water.
Rust (Phragmidium mucronatum) is another fungal disease that leaves rusty-looking pustules on the underside of leaves. Powdery mildew (Podosphaera) looks like talcum powder coating leaves, stems and buds. The University of California's "Rose Pest Notes" recommends a garlic-based or copper soap fungicide for rust. This product also works for powdery mildew, as does the baking-soda spray. Always wear gloves and follow package directions when applying fungicides.
The abundant rain has also encouraged weeds. Pull them before they develop seeds. Weeds can harbor pests, and they compete with roses for water and nutrients.
Fertilize roses after each bloom cycle. A dry fertilizer dug into the ground will encourage repeat flowering.
Sunset's Western Garden Book recommends dehydrated alfalfa pellets for a burst of nitrogen. Local nurseries carry other rose fertilizers. Follow package directions. After fertilizing, apply a thick layer of mulch to keep the roots cool, retain moisture and discourage weeds.
After I attended a U.C. Master Gardener rose-pruning workshop last winter, the presenters gave me a rose bush that had probably been untended for decades. They had salvaged it from a lot destined for the bulldozer. I used it for another pruning demonstration, took it home, planted it and left it alone. I was rewarded with an abundance of creamy white roses with pale pink centers. So far, my rose is perfectly disease free. The experience reminded me of the main point of home gardening: to work outdoors but relax on occasion and enjoy the results of your work.
Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a workshop on “Rose Care” on Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to noon, at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. The first spring blooms have faded, and many roses are beginning to show stress in the form of black spot, rust, mildew and aphid infestation. U.C. research-based help is at hand. Bring your questions. Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in registration (check only or drop off cash payment).
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
