I don't even have to walk down the street to see striking trees. From the front porch of our home, I can look a block away and see what I now know to be a deodar cedar (Cedrusdeodara) that is easily 50 feet tall standing in front of a still taller Mexican fan palm (Washingtoniarobusta).
But my fascination with the trees of Napa didn't really begin until the day I spied what looked like spiky, green bowling balls beneath a tall, pine-like tree in Fuller Park.
“What's that funny-looking tree?”
“Bunya bunya.”
By this time, I'd followed my sister-in-law and wife into the University of California Master Gardener program. To help me identify the local trees, I was directed to Trees of Napa Valley written by John Hoffman, a respected local arborist and one of the original UC Napa County Master Gardeners.
This book spurred me to pay more attention to the trees around me. I read the section on the bunya bunya (Araucaria bidwillii) and learned that it, along with most of the trees in Fuller Park, was not native to the Napa area. This prehistoric tree hails from tropical Queensland, Australia, and appears to be little changed in appearance from fossilized remains dating back to the Mesozoic Era.
The large cones that so interested me can weigh up to 15 pounds. Seeds from the cones are larger than almonds and prized as a food source by Australian aborigines. Another fine specimen of the bunya bunya can be found not far from Fuller Park on the grounds of the Bali Hai Apartments in the 1700 block of Pine Street.
The dawn redwood (Metasequoiaglyptostroides) is another “living fossil” growing in Fuller Park. This remarkable tree was planted in the park by the Browns Valley Garden Club in 1954 and is reported to be the oldest tree of its species in California. A plaque at its base identifies it as being planted in memory of Herman J. Baade, a University of California farm advisor from 1914 to 1951.
John Hoffman writes of a tree thought to be extinct whose fossilized remains were found in many areas of the world. The fossil leaves and cones look much like those of the California Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). In 1941 a Japanese botanist placed the fossils into genus Metasequoia.
Coincidentally, in the same year, a Chinese forester discovered a new type of deciduous conifer in a remote area of China. It was subsequently identified as the thought-to-be-extinct dawn redwood. Its seeds were propagated and seedlings were distributed to institutions all over the world, including Kew Gardens in London. That tree, planted in 1949, still stands today.
These are just two of the many interesting trees on view in Fuller Park. Purchased by the City of Napa in 1905, this former orchard and site of bygone playing fields has become a repository of trees from around the world.
The originalTrees of Napa Valley is no longer in print. However, the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County have recently published an updated version, Trees to Know in Napa Valley, with technical editor Bill Pramuk. A certified consulting arborist and long-time local columnist, Bill has an extensive knowledge of our local trees.
This book includes fold-out maps detailing tree walks in Fuller Park and downtown Napa, a collection of John Hoffman's original essays about some of the finest trees in the area, a tree-selection guide for home landscapes, and information about Napa's Registry of Significant Trees.
Guided tree walks in Fuller Park will be offered in the future by UC Master Gardeners of Napa County. For information on upcoming tree walks and other research-based information to aid the home gardener in Napa County please visit: http://ucanr.edu/ucmnapa/
Garden Tour: The UC Master Gardeners of Napa County invite you to their sixth garden tour, “Down the Garden Path”, on Sunday, September 13. On this self-guided educational tour you will see seven gardens by Master Gardeners in and around the City of Napa. These gardens illustrate how Napa County Master Gardeners use University of California research-based horticultural information to develop and maintain their own gardens.Tickets: $30 Advance/ $35 Day of Event. Purchase tickets at http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa. Or you can purchase tickets at the UC Master Gardener office (address below). For more information, call 707-253-4143.
Workshop: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County for a workshop on “Vegetable Vexations” on Saturday, September 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the University of California Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Understanding pests and blights that affect your vegetables is key to managing them. Squash that doesn't grow, tomatoes with peculiar markings, artichokes full of earwigs, plants that fail to thrive—all these and more will be discussed. Bring your own vegetable vexations to show and tell, and see how integrated pest management techniques and Master Gardeners might help.Online registration (credit card only); Mail-in registration (cash or check only).
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. UC Master Gardeners of Napa County ( http://ucanr.org/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.
For the Napa Valley, El Niño refers to a weather pattern in which warming sea surfaces cause heavier-than-average winter rains and wind with warmer-than-normal temperatures.The U.S. Climate Prediction Centerhas predicted 65 percent likelihood that we will feel the effects of El Niño as summer ends, with that probability rising to nearly 80 percent by the end of the year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that this weather pattern usually continues for nine to twelve months.
Because of the current drought, the idea of a wet winter is welcome to me. The coming rains are too late for a number of my trees and shrubs, which are either dead or have dead branches. And the high winds that accompany El Niño storms could blow any of these trees down. Clearly I need to trim dead branches and trees and make sure weak plants are staked properly.
El Niño storms often dump massive amounts of rain in a short time, creating flash floods and heavy water build-up in yards. You can find some good suggestions on how to handle storm water as well as how to collect it for future use at www.countyofnapa.org. In the search box, type “slow it spread it sink it” to find an online reference guide by that name.
Since good drainage is extremely important to plant health, my other pre-storm chores involve clearing a place for the rain water to go. These tasks include clearing weeds from the run-off ditches in my yard as well as cleaning out rain gutters and spouts.
Highly saturated soils make it hard for plants to survive. In wet soil, t is almost impossible for roots to take up all the oxygen that the plant needs, which causes the roots to decay. Deep roots are the first to rot. If the condition continues shallower roots will also be damaged. Even plants that don't appear to be flooded may have problems during extended wet weather. And you may not see the damage until next summer. One of the best defenses for your winter vegetable garden is to make sure you have well-drained soil and to plant in mounds.
After an El Niño season, everything may appear normal in your garden until summer temperatures top 90°F. After the 1997-98 El Niño season, Napa County farm advisor Dean Donaldson warned Master Gardeners about this phenomenon in the group's newsletter. “Sometimes tree growth is simply stunted,” wrote Donaldson. “Usually, however, people observe their beautiful trees and shrubs suddenly turning from green to yellow or reddish brown. Usually it is the entire tree and it happens within a few days of hot weather. Insects are attracted to those weakened trees and often get the blame. If the whole tree dies, you can blame El Niño.”
When those record-breaking El Niño rains subsided and weather warmed up, fungal and bacterial pathogens emerged on foliage. Many trees and shrubs evidenced phytophthora root and crown rot. Slime molds appeared on soil surfaces, and snails and slugs proliferated.
Anthracnose, fire blight, and powdery mildew all thrive after a mild, wet spring. When you see evidence of these diseases on plants, cut out and discard the affected material immediately. Sanitation is the number-one way to keep these diseases from spreading. Iron chlorosis may also be a problem in wet soils.
The best thing we can do for our gardens before an El Niño-influenced winter is to create good drainage. Afterward, watch for symptoms of root rot, fungus or bacterial diseases.
Garden Tour:The UC Master Gardeners of Napa County invite you to their sixth garden tour, “Down the Garden Path,” on Sunday, September 13. On this self-guided educational tour you will see seven gardens by Master Gardeners in and around the City of Napa. These gardens illustrate how Napa County Master Gardeners use University of California research-based horticultural information to develop and maintain their own gardens.
Tickets: $30 Advance/ $35 Day of Event. Purchase tickets at http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa. Or you can purchase tickets at the UC Master Gardener office (address below). For more information, call 707-253-4143.
Workshop: The UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a free workshop on “Worm Composting” on Saturday, September 26, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the Napa Valley Museum, 55 Presidents Circle, Yountville. Explore worm composting, an ideal solution for composting kitchen scraps and returning the nutrients to your soil, especially when outdoor space is limited. Co-sponsored by Napa Recycles! Free Online Registration.
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.org/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.
- Author: Denise Seghesio Levine
Freesias are a member of the Iridaceae family. They were first found in Cape Province, South Africa, about 200 years ago by a German physician named Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese. Most of the varieties that thrive in California descend from just two of the many hybrids Dr. Freese discovered.
Freesia blooms grow along one side on a slightly branched stem with tuft-like narrow leaves. Most varieties reach about one foot in height.
Many flowers have ancient myths attached to them, but freesias, being of recent discovery, leave no tales in their wake. In modern florist language, freesias symbolize innocence and friendship and are the commemorative flower for the seventh wedding anniversary.
Like other plants indigenous to Mediterranean climates, freesias do best where winters are wet and summers are dry. Many favorite plants in Napa County gardens—perhaps some you grow—originated in southern Africa.
Freesias look best planted in groups or masses rather than in tidy little rows. They bloom pretty dependably 10 to 12 weeks after planting, so with careful planning, you can have blossoms in beds and pots throughout dreary winters and rainy springs. Read the labels at the nursery, however, because some propagators pre-force corms to provide blooms as early as five to eight weeks after planting.
While gardeners in most areas wait until March to plant freesias, Napa County has warm-enough winters to give us a jump on these colorful, fragrant blooms. You will see freesia corms in local nurseries this month.
Freesia corms are fragile, and the fresher, the better. Know where you intend to plant them before you head to the nursery to pick them out. For the most robust blooms, get them in the ground or into pots as soon as you can.
To plant in beds, prepare the soil about a foot deep. Make sure the bed drains well since standing water will rot the corms. Freesias prefer full sun or light morning shade but have done well almost everywhere I have planted them. Plant the corms two to four inches apart and two inches deep, then water the bed well.
Freesias also thrive in pots. Just fill the pots with good potting soil and plant the corms about an inch deep with their pointed ends up. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet. Six corms will fit comfortably in a five-inch pot. Be sure to plant them where you can enjoy the sight of their arching, trumpet-shaped flowers and catch their wonderful scent.
Once foliage emerges, keep the beds or pots moist. Do not let the soil dry out until the flowers have faded and the foliage begins to yellow. You can deadhead the blossoms so your garden looks neat, but leave the foliage to die back naturally. The leaves provide the energy for the corms to store for next season's blooms. If your freesias are in pots, you can move them to a resting spot, out of sight, until they are ready to bloom again.
You can experience freesias indoors in two ways. You can force bulbs in dishes or pots, or you can enjoy the blooms as cut flowers in vases.
To grow freesias indoors, plant fresh corms an inch deep, pointed end up, in regular potting soil. Water well and find a sunny, south-facing window to perch them in. Expect your bouquet in 10 to 12 weeks.
When the show is done, let the pots dry out and start over. A favorite ceramic pot full of freesias is beautiful on a desk, on a kitchen windowsill, or in a sunny bathroom.
Long-lasting freesias are a lovely choice when you are ordering a bouquet from a florist for friends or family. With a change of water daily and a little floral preservative, freesias can look fresh and smell divine for up to three weeks.
Workshop: The UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a free workshop on “Worm Composting” on Saturday, September 26, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the Napa Valley Museum, 55 Presidents Circle, Yountville. Explore worm composting, an ideal solution for composting kitchen scraps and returning the nutrients to your soil, especially when outdoor space is limited. Co-sponsored by Napa Recycles! Free Online Registration.
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.org/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.
- Author: Denise Seghesio Levine
If you are patient and forgo harvesting tasty green spears the first two years after planting, a properly sited asparagus bed can pay off in bountiful spring harvests of asparagus for the next 12 to 15 years. Some well-tended asparagus beds still produce after 25 years.
Asparagus is a hardy perennial that adapts to a variety of temperatures. But it is happiest in a climate like ours, where winters are cool and the ground might freeze just an inch or two.
When you are looking around for the best place to plant asparagus, keep a few things in mind. The vegetable wants plenty of sun and good drainage. And because asparagus beds last a long time, put them where they will not be bothered.
Even if home-grown asparagus won't grace your table the first two seasons, the plants provide beauty and interest in your garden. Asparagus makes a beautiful screen with soft, ferny foliage and red berries. But it is tall and can shade other plants, so plan accordingly.
If you prepare your asparagus bed correctly, you will not be digging it again for a long time. Break up the soil 18 to 24 inches deep. Add organic matter to feed the plants and provide good drainage. Aged manure, bone meal, blood meal, wood ashes, compost, worm castings and leaf mold are all good choices.
Dig in these amendments before heading off to the nursery. Asparagus crowns do best when you get them into the ground and watered soon after purchase.
You can start asparagus from seed—more economical than buying crowns—but you will need to wait an additional year before harvest. That's why most gardeners plant one-year-old crowns. At the nursery, choose plump, grayish-brown crowns that look healthy. Remove any rotten or dried roots. Plant crowns 12 inches apart; measure and mark the planting spots before you head to the nursery.
To plant, dig a trench 18 to 24 inches wide and set that amended soil aside. Return 2 to 3 inches of the amended soil to the trench spreading it along the bottom of the bed. Gently spread the roots of each asparagus crown over the mound so the crowns are slightly above the roots. Cover the crowns with 2 to 3 inches of amended soil and firm it well. As the asparagus begins to grow, add more amended soil to the trench to cover the exposed crowns until the trench is filled. Water as needed if nature doesn't.
To maintain your asparagus bed, weed thoroughly in the spring. Pull weeds gently instead of hoeing to avoid damaging the fragile new growth underground.
Do not harvest the first year after planting. The second year, harvest only lightly. Newly planted asparagus grows long storage roots. These pencil-thin, fleshy roots store the carbohydrate synthesized from sunlight that the ferny foliage captures all summer long. The following spring, this energy pushes up through the earth in exuberant growth. It is an amazing thing to see fresh asparagus spears push toward the light, sometimes growing a foot a day.
When it is time to harvest, snap off 6- to 8-inch spears at or below the soil surface. The plants can get away from me, and I am not averse to using spears that are up to 18 inches tall. But the stalks still have to snap off to make it to my kitchen; if they don't, they aren't fresh. Harvest daily in season and use immediately, or refrigerate in a plastic bag for a few days. Asparagus freezes well and can be steamed, baked, braised, grilled and used in cold and hot soups. Pickled asparagus is wonderful for appetizers or Bloody Marys.
After the harvest, let the ferny foliage grow. Female plants set attractive red berries. When the ferns start to yellow and die, or if there is an early freeze, cut the foliage back to 2-inch stubs.
Some people have a reaction to eating asparagus; it's harmless but hard to ignore. We will not talk about that, however. You know who you are.
Workshop: The U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “Drought-Tolerant and California Native Plants” on Saturday, October, 3, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Pope Valley Fire Station, 5880 Pope Valley Road, Pope Valley. Learn about drought-tolerant and native plants and discover the elements that help them thrive in our Mediterranean climate. Learn how to use them in your own garden to replace some of your thirsty ornamentals. You will also learn about irrigation modifications to make your water use more efficient and effective.ONLINE REGISTRATION
This is a free workshop but pre-registration is requested. A minimum of 10 attendees is required or the workshop will be canceled.
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.org/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.
Oak trees typically grow in woodlands, in conditions ranging from shallow soils with little moisture to the deep, fertile soils of the alluvial valley floors. These trees are as diverse in appearance as the conditions they grow in, ranging from 15 to150 feet tall. They differ in shape, color, leaf texture and type of acorns, and whether they are deciduous, evergreen to semi-evergreen.
If you are preparing to plant an oak tree (or an acorn), you need to know the soil type, sun exposure and available water at the potential planting site. The valley oak (Quercuslobata) flourishes in the deep, fertile, well-drained soil typical of floodplains and valley floors. The scrub oak (Q. berberidifolia), black oak (Q. kelloggii) and coast live oak (Q. agrifolia) all thrive in Mediterranean-type climates characterized by mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. These species want no summer water. If you are looking to plant an oak tree in a dry habitat, on shallow, rocky, infertile soil, your best choices would be blue oak(Q. douglasii), canyon live oak (Q. chrysolepis), Oregon oak (Q. garryana), interior oak (Q. wislizenii), or the humble leather oak (Q. durata).
There are many reasons to keep an existing oak tree.They increase your property value, prevent soil erosion, provide shade and shelter for wildlife and are beautiful to boot.
To keep an oak tree healthy, take care to protect the sensitive root system. Roots can extend beyond the tree's drip line by at least one-third of that distance. Do not dig, grade, trench, compact, asphalt, concrete or pave around your oak tree. These activities may fatally damage the root, trunk or crown.
Changing the grade, trenching, mounding or creating a swale may also lead to changing the natural drainage. If a mature oak gets more water than it is accustomed to, it will decline.
Keep thirsty plants and plantings out of the root zone. Irrigation from agriculture plays a big role in the decline of the valley oak. Choose compatible plants to site under and around your oak.
Many California native plants cohabitate happily with oaks. Here are some great resources for suitable plants:
http://www.napavalleycnps.org/
http://www.californiaoaks.org/ExtAssets/CompatiblePlantsUnder&AroundOaks.pdf
http://www.mostlynatives.com/plant-characteristics/under-oaks
http://www.laspilitas.com/groups/oaks/Planting_under_oak_tree.html
The only fertilizer an established oak needs is its own organic leaf litter for mulch. Keep leaf litter in place, just not up against the trunk. Mulching conserves water, helps moderate ground temperature, improves soil structure and increases organic matter.
If you must prune an oak tree, follow the Tree Care Industry Association guidelines, which you can find online. Pruning improperly can lead to wounds that attract insects and promote decay. Poor pruning may also stimulate rapid shoot growth that increases the potential for powdery mildew. It will also compromise the natural beauty of the tree and may make the tree structurally unstable. For the best results, consult a local arborist.
Many organisms have symbiotic relationships with the oak tree. Lichens flourish on oak trees where there is sufficient moisture, taking nothing from the oak. Many creatures find the acorns a carbohydrate-rich and fatty addition to their diet. Acorns are appreciated by deer, squirrels, woodpeckers, livestock and boar. Oak trees also shelter many nesting birds, arboreal salamanders, invertebrates and insects.
The most complicated relationship the oak tree has is with mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi live in and on the roots and extend way beyond the root system. The oak provides carbohydrates (food) for the fungi and brings up deep water that the fungi can't access. In return, the fungi break down minerals and nutrients and make them available to the oak. In addition, they produce chemicals that inhibit bacteria, thus protecting the tree from disease. With some attention, we humans can also be among the organisms that live symbiotically with the oak tree.
Tree Walk: Join the U.C. Master Gardeners of Napa County on Monday, October 5, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., for aguided tree walk in Napa's Fuller Park. The walk is free but pre-registration is strongly recommended as space is limited to 20 people. The walk will repeat on Monday, November 2, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Both walks start in Fuller Park at the corner of Oak and Jefferson Streets in Napa.Online registration
Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “California Oaks” on Saturday, October 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Martha Walker Garden in Skyline Park, 2201 Imola Avenue, Napa. Stroll around Skyline Park and the Martha Walker Garden to view oaks in their native habitat. Discover what grows alongside and underneath oaks. Learn about planting under oak trees in your own garden, how to care for oaks and about Sudden Oak Death and other stresses on oaks. In case of rain, the workshop will move to the University of California Cooperative Extension office,1710Soscol Avenue, Napa.Online registration (credit card only)Mail-in registration (cash or check only)
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.org/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.