A few years ago, we heard from Toby Hemenway who wrote Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture. I studied this book and was very interested in the part he wrote about swales in the garden.
I wanted a habitat garden with native plants in one area of my property. A habitat garden gives small animals places to hide, provides nectar plants for insects and is low maintenance.
I decided that swales were going to be part of this garden since the rainwater needs somewhere to drain. Some swales are filled with twigs and covered with soil, but I wanted my swales to be open so they could be cleaned and so that I could observe what the water was doing. One of my neighbors refers to my swales as “Penny's lakes.”
The ground around the swales has to be saturated from rain before they start to hold water. The water should not remain in the swale more than three days; over that time, it should slowly be absorbed into the soil. The swale creates a damp area where plants can get water during dry periods. My friends are used to me saying,“The swales are full!”
About three years ago, the soil from the swales was mounded and planted with California natives and other low-water-use mediterranean plants. For the first couple of years, I watered them as needed, but last year this area received no water during the entire summer. I may decide to plant some native milkweeds there this fall; if so, I will need to water them next summer.
Mulching is one way to keep plants alive during dry spells. You can mulch with your own compost (if you're not already composting, you can learn to do it in a Master Gardener composting workshop). Or you can buy compost from companies that grind bark and wood into mulch.
After watering the ground well, spread three to four inches of mulch over the soil. You will be amazed how well it keeps water in the soil and available for plants.
Some of the plants I like to use are lavender, lamb's ears, salvias, monkey flower (mimulus), lily-of-the-Nile and yarrow. Some monkey flowers are sticky; others are not. Both types have beautiful flowers in a variety of colors and bloom almost continuously. With a little deadheading they grow right back.
My lavenders have a long bloom period, and bees enjoy them from morning until dusk. Whatever plants you choose, plant them in multiples to make a bigger splash of color and texture.
Local “Cash for Grass” programs are ongoing. You must apply to the City of Napa or American Canyon, and officials will come inspect your grass. Be sure to keep it alive until then. If approved, you will receive a grant to replace your grass. Then you can proceed with plans to create a habitat garden, dry garden, succulent garden or other garden of your choosing.
Walk your neighborhood to see what others have done. Peruse books for design ideas and visit local nurseries for plant suggestions.Gather information before you start.
You don't have to tear out your lawn. You can cover it with large pieces of clean cardboard, and then cover the cardboard with lots of mulch. Worms and other micro organisms will eat the cardboard and decompose it for you. In a few months you will have a dead lawn and some good soil to plant in.
If you're resourceful, drought does not mean the end of your landscape; it just means a different way of doing things.
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will lead a workshop on “Drought-Tolerant and California Native Plants” on Saturday, August 1, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Martha Walker Garden in Skyline Park in Napa. Enjoy a walk around the garden to observe 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 those water-hungry ornamentals.On-line 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. Napa County Master Gardeners ( 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: Susanne von Rosenberg
How much water a plant needs is driven by day length,temperature and wind. Plants lose water as long as they are photosynthesizing—in other words, as long as it is light out. The hotter and windier it is, the more water a plant needs.
Usually plants need the most water in early summer, at the end of June and beginning of July. A few weeks can make a big difference. Six weeks before that peak and six weeks afterward, your garden needs only about two-thirds as much water. By the end of September, plants need only about one-third the water that they did at the peak.
How much water your plants need also depends on how you use it. It can be scary to cut back when you've been successful with your watering regimen.To help you, here are some tips for conserving water in the vegetable garden and orchard:
Start with improving your soil because healthy soil holds more water. Amend with compost or other organic matter. Soil rich in organic material retains five times as much water as depleted soil does. So the healthy soil on my one-acre property holds an extra 100,000 gallons of water. Make sure your soil is thoroughly moist before you plant.
Mulch your garden. A generous layer of mulch will keep soil moisture from evaporating. As a bonus, organic mulches enhance soil fertility and water-holding capacity in future years and reduce the weeds that compete with your plants. Apply mulch to moist soil and make sure that irrigation water penetrates the mulch and reaches the underlying soil. Planting vegetables closer together will also help shade the soil and reduce moisture loss.
Water at the right time and in the right way.Use drip irrigation to apply water where it is needed, and irrigate when wind and temperatures are low to reduce evaporation. Early morning is best; evening is second best. Probe your soil for moisture. If it feels dry two inches down, it's time to water.
Get to know the signs that your vegetables are thirsty. Rather than a “set it and forget it” watering routine, look at your plants. Are the leaves getting dull? Is the plant a bit droopy? Then it's probably time to water. Squashes and pumpkins are an exception; they often look wilted in mid-afternoon. As long as they recover in the evening, they probably still have sufficient soil moisture.
Give new plants a good start. Apply adequate water early on and then taper off.As the plants mature,water less frequently but more deeply to encourage deep roots.
Avoid or minimize your plantings of the “thirsty” vegetables. Corn, soybeans, squashes, pumpkins, most watermelons and some cucumbers require a lot of water. If you can't live without them, look for varieties bred for drought tolerance and consider planting “bush” varieties if available. Plants with less foliage will use less water. Good vegetable choices include tomatoes and pole beans. Both yield over a long season without requiring large amounts of water.
Shade your vegetables during extreme heat with an umbrella, shade cloth or floating row cover. Remove the shading as soon as temperatures return to normal; summer vegetable plants prefer at least eight hours of sunlight per day.
In late summer, plant a cool-season garden. Even with below-normal rainfall, cool-season vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and greens require less water. In a wet year, you might not have to irrigate at all after the plants are established.
Finally, if water rationing means that you have to choose, let your annual vegetables go and water your fruit and landscape trees instead.
What's your best tip for saving water in your vegetable garden? Leave us a note on our Facebook page. And if you'd like to learn more about the physiological adaptions that plants make to water stress, take a look at this blog post on the Master Gardener website: http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=13978
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will conduct a workshop on “Habitat Gardens at Home or School” on Saturday, May 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Skyline Park, Martha Walker Garden, 2201 Imola Avenue, Napa. Participants will tour the Martha Walker Garden to discover the plants and garden elements that attract bees, birds and pollinators. Master Gardeners will explain the value of habitat corridors whether the garden is in a rural, urban, or school setting. 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. Napa County Master Gardeners ( 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.
Sure enough,a little research enlightened me about the good side of this troublesome weed. The dandelion that grows in the Napa Valley (Taraxacumofficinale) is, in my opinion, a major problem in the garden. Thriving in just about any garden venue, dandelions have a taproot that is hard to remove permanently.
The dandelion has been used as a pot herb and medicinal plant since Roman times. The seeds were so valued that people carried them on the Mayflower to the New World. High in vitamins and minerals, the young leaves are eaten in salads; the mature blossoms scent dandelion wine; and the roots are brewed for a coffee substitute. The dried leaves can be steeped for a mild tea, and the dried roots are a mild diuretic. I remember, as a child, seeing my dad come in from the yard with fresh dandelion leaves for the salad. My mom was not amused.
I am sure that my fellow gardeners agree that these plants are persistent. Although the taproot does break up the soil and provide nutrients for other plants, I'm not ready to give it any encouragement yet.
I have worked and worked to remove dandelions from my lawn, positive that I had the entire root structure only to have this annoying plant re-emerge in a few weeks. Dandelions prefer moist areas in full sun but can survive in some shade and dry soil if they get established.
The plant grows pretty much year-round in California except in the coldest areas, where it lies in wait for warmer weather. The taproot, while usually only 6 to 8 inches long, can reach 10 to 15 feet. No wonder I have a problem getting it all.
The leaves grow in a rosette.They have no true stems. Leaves are usually two to four inches wide and about up to fourteen inches long. Some have smooth edges; others have a jagged, tooth-like appearance that explains the plant's name. Dandelion comes from “dent de lion,” which is French for lion's tooth.
As a child, I picked the flowers to make necklaces, and then blew on the seed balls to watch the puffs float on the wind. No wonder this plant is prevalent. The seed heads have up to 300 seeds, which can travel by wind, sometimes helped by the breath of children, for miles.
There are more than 60 dandelion species. Taraxacumofficinale has small leaves, so harvesting them is labor intensive. If you are thinking of selling your crop, that idea is probably a “no go.” The summer dandelion is more upright, with larger leaves that are easier to harvest. For the most part, the variety sold in grocery stores is a hybrid of the chicories‘San Pasquale' and ‘Catalogna'. Commercial dandelion farmers are required to control their seed in some manner. Can you imagine living downwind from a dandelion farm?
The most interesting species of dandelion by far is the Taraxacumkoki-saghyz, also known as TKS or Russian dandelion. This variety has greyish upright foliage and more natural latex than the others types. During World War II, rubber supplies were sorely depleted. The Swedish Seed Association conducted a dandelion breeding program to increase the latex content in the root. The new TKS produced four to five times more usable latex than the common dandelion.
The Swedish study had been back-burnered until recently, when automotive-industry researchers began investigating TKS as a source of rubber for tires. Other scientists are looking closely at the hypoallergenic properties of the latex from this species, and exploring whether it could be used as a source of ethanol.So as you wrestle with dandelions in your landscape, keep its positive attributes in mind. One gardener's weed is another person's dinner.
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will conduct a workshop on “Habitat Gardens at Home or School” on Saturday, May 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Skyline Park, Martha Walker Garden, 2201 Imola Avenue, Napa. Participants will tour the Martha Walker Garden to discover the plants and garden elements that attract bees, birds and pollinators. Master Gardeners will explain the value of habitat corridors whether the garden is in a rural, urban, or school setting. 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. Napa County Master Gardeners ( 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.
Sweet potatoes aren't started from seed like most other vegetables. Rather, they are started from slips, which are shoots from a mature sweet potato. When I wasn't able to find sweet potato slips at local nurseries, I did what I usually do when I have a need. I Googled “sweet potato slips” and found quite a few online sources.
Most of them did not ship to California. On the California Department of Food and Agriculture's website, I learned that certain states are prohibited from shipping sweet potatoes to California because of the presence of the sweet potato weevil in those states. If I wanted sweet potato slips, I would have to find a source that was not in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee or Texas. Fortunately there is a source in Virginia.
Sweet potatoes slips are shipped from Mid-May to early June. Once received, they should be planted within a few days.
Before your slips arrive, you have a little work to do. Sweet potatoes need loose, well-drained soil to form large tubers. Loose soil is more critical than almost any other factor. You don't want the roots to face resistance when they try to expand.
If you have clay soil or drainage problems, work in lots of compost. I have both, so I grow all of my vegetables in raised beds to which I have added four to five inches of compost. Sweet potatoes grow best in moderate to slightly acidic soil so pH should be in the 5.5 to 6.5 range. If your soil pH is higher than that, add more compost but don't expect the pH to change overnight.
Plant slips 2 to 3 inches deep and 12 to 18 inches apart, with the leaves above ground. Space rows 3 feet apart if possible to accommodate the sprawling vines. Plant in late afternoon so that the slips can settle in before being exposed to direct sun.
Give plants a thorough soaking after planting. Water daily for the first week, then every other day the second week. Each week, space the watering a little farther apart until you're watering once a week. Sweet potatoes can withstand drought but they'll produce less, so make sure you keep the ground moist during the hottest part of the summer. Regular watering will assure a larger harvest, and even moisture will help prevent splitting and cracking.
Like other vegetables, sweet potatoes don't like to compete with weeds for soil nutrients and water. Start with a weed-free environment and then keep it that way. Your sweet potatoes will soon produce foliage that will crowd out weeds, so you only need to be vigilant for a short time.
Historically, sweet potatoes have been regarded as a poor-soil crop, one that produces a decent harvest in imperfect soil. But they do much better with a little fertilizer. About two weeks after planting, feed with a balanced organic fertilizer such as 5-10-10. Use about 2 cups per 30 square feet (the size of a 4x8 raised bed). Gently scratch the fertilizer into the soil. Then cover soil with an inch of your favorite mulch.
Harvest sweet potatoes when they reach your preferred size. Dig one up when your crop reaches the recommended growing time for the variety (generally between 90 and 120 days.) If the tubers are still too small for your liking, try again in a week. Sweet potatoes left in the ground will continue growing until frost, although growth slows as the weather cools. For best storage quality, harvest sweet potatoes before the soil temperature drops below 55°F.
Sweet potatoes require a curing process to heal any scratches or other damage, develop sweetness and improve storage quality. Immediately after harvest, let the sweet potatoes dry fully, then shake off excess soil. Do not wash the sweet potatoes. Cure them by keeping them at 90 percent relative humidity and 85°F for seven to ten days.
For long-term storage after curing, choose firm, round, bruise-free, well-shaped sweet potatoes with fairly even coloring. Store them in a cool (over 55°F), dry, well-ventilated area away from light. Do not refrigerate sweet potatoes unless they are already cooked. Cold temperatures will give sweet potatoes a hard core and affect the flavor. Properly cured sweet potatoes should store for 5 to 12 months unrefrigerated.
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will conduct a workshop on “Habitat Gardens at Home or School” on Saturday, May 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Skyline Park, Martha Walker Garden, 2201 Imola Avenue, Napa. Participants will tour the Martha Walker Garden to discover the plants and garden elements that attract bees, birds and pollinators. Master Gardeners will explain the value of habitat corridors whether the garden is in a rural, urban, or school setting.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. Napa County Master Gardeners ( 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.
Some homeowners diligently establish an organic landscape using no pesticides or herbicides. They carefully select low-care plants that thrive in their climate and attract birds, butterflies and beneficial insects.
But most of us aren’t quite such purists. We try to encourage the creatures we like or the ones that benefit the garden. We welcome owls that reduce the plant-eating rodent population and bees that pollinate our vegetables and fruits, but we regard yellow jackets and mosquitoes as pests.
Some gardeners may not mind yellow jackets too much. Others are severely sensitive to their stings. Most of us want to use (and be exposed to) as few chemicals as possible, yet we still want an attractive and comfortable yard with reasonable upkeep.
Napa Valley offers a promising climate for achieving most gardeners’ dreams. By selecting California native plants, we can minimize water use, chemical inputs and labor. Creating or restoring natural habitat on our property can enhance our enjoyment of the land and its inhabitants.
Most people “inherit” plants when they buy a property, and typically they keep some, especially the trees. Occasionally, a new homeowner starts with a clean slate. Either way, having a plan is crucial. Good landscape design marries beauty with functionality. You may want a play area, a sitting area, a vegetable garden, and a habitat for birds and butterflies. These desires are all compatible.
If you like to hear songbirds early in the morning, place feeders by the bedroom, bath or kitchen. A welcoming habitat for birds would also include moving water, plants that provide cover and shade, and food sources (often just trees with furrowed bark that hides insects). A shady sitting area that offers a view of a bird feeder or birdbath is a great asset to a yard and a pleasant place to relax in the evening.
Trees of all sizes attract birds. Consider dogwood, oak, mulberry, or any nut or fruit trees. Native shrubs such as coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica), toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) and common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) provide shelter and food.
Cedar waxwings love mistletoe berries and dogwood berries, and these birds are among our most beautiful.
The following plants are all good hummingbird hosts. The starred plants on the list attract butterflies.
Abutilon (flowering maple)
Acacia
Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree)
*Arctostaphylos (manzanita)
Aquilegia (columbine)
*Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed)
*Buddleia (butterfly bush)
Callistemon (bottlebrush)
Campsis (trumpet vine)
*Ceanothus (California wild lilac)
Cercis occidentalis (Western redbud)
Correa (Australian fuchsia)
Crocosmia crocosmiiflora (montbretia)
Eucalyptus
Grevillea
Heuchera (coral bells)
*Heteromeles arbutifolia (toyon)
Kniphofia uvaria (red-hot poker)
*Lantana montevidensis
*Lavandula (lavender)
*Lonicera (honeysuckle)
Mimulus (monkey flower)
Monarda (bee balm)
Penstemon (beard tongue)
*Ribes (currant and gooseberry)
Salvia
Sambucus (elderberry)
*Zuaschneria(California fuchsia)
Many of these plants are California natives. Others are drought-tolerant plants from Australia, which has a Mediterranean climate similar to ours.
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will host a workshop on “Cool Season Veggies” on Sunday, August 18, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Grow your own vegetables even when days are short and nights are cold. The key is starting while weather and soil are still warm. Learn which vegetables will thrive in cooler temperatures, how to protect them from heat when they are getting started, and how to time plantings for months of harvest. Register through Town of Yountville, Parks and Recreation: Mail in or Walk in registration (cash or check only).
Garden Tour: Napa County Master Gardeners will host a self-guided garden tour, “Down the Garden Path,” on Sunday, September 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit seven unique gardens in and around downtown Napa, all maintained by Master Gardeners. Tickets: $25 advance/$30 day of event. Purchase tickets online at http://ucanr.edu/ucmgnapa. For more information about the tour and tickets, visit our web site (address below) or call 707-253-4147. Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( 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
