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.
They have been waiting patiently, and now their time has come. Creatures that love the wet weather are finally able to come out and do what they do best: make you miserable.
For many Napa Valley gardeners, this time of year can be frustrating. We have been watching our plants prosper under relatively consistent conditions for months, then the weather shifts. It starts to rain, and if we're lucky, it rains a lot.
The wet weather is a game-changer. Having grown up in the damp Pacific Northwest, I know this game well. Particularly familiar to me is the battle against mold, mildew and other fungi.
These plagues seem to come from nowhere and not reveal their presence until they are such a problem as to make you question your commitment to gardening. Only the truly devoted (or crazy) will find themselves scraping white, stringy fungus from a clogged planter box on a dark and rainy afternoon.
However, there are steps you can take to minimize these winter challenges.
If you have plants in containers, check the drainage. A container that was perfect a few weeks ago may now be draining too slowly. It is disheartening to see a formerly healthy plant succumb to root rot from standing water. Remove any debris that may be preventing drainage, or move the container to a location shielded from the rain.
Inspect your irrigation system and be sure you are not overwatering. Watering schedules probably need to be adjusted to avoid flooding the lawn.
Plants suffering from overwatering can look deceptively similar to those suffering from under-watering. I have made this mistake before and spent a good deal of time angry with myself for drowning an already saturated plant. Investigate the cause of the damage you see before applying a remedy.
Do a detailed inspection of landscape plants, especially deciduous trees and shrubs. The lack of foliage will make any pests and damage much easier to locate and identify.
Some pests, such as scale, will soon be in their dormant, over-wintering, phase. During this stage they are more vulnerable to applications of horticultural oil. They are not breeding either, so you need not worry about missing their offspring when you spray.
Many plants have well-known pests, and an experienced gardener will recognize the culprit from the damage. The University of California's Integrated Pest Management website (http://ipm.ucanr.edu/) is a useful resource. You can enter the name of a plant and see a list of possible pests and diseases, often with photos. Should you see damage that you can't identify, take a photo and email it to the Master Gardener Help Desk (information below). You can also bring the damaged plant parts to the Help Desk and a Master Gardener will help you identify and manage the problem.
At this time of year, many people have unwanted visitors in their homes, and I don't mean the in-laws. The best way to manage rodents and ants in your home is to deny them access. Inspect the exterior of your home for possible entry points that may have developed over the summer.
Just because you haven't had problems in recent months does not guarantee future security. A small hole that pests ignored while they were comfortable outside can quickly become a superhighway during cold and wet weather. Fill holes with wire mesh or other strong materials that pests cannot chew or dig through.
If you are unable to seal a hole used by small insects, try blocking them with a line of diatomaceous earth. A powder made of ground silica, this product is safe for use around the home and has a high success rate. When it comes to your in-laws, however, I have no advice. You will have to figure that out for yourself.
Workshop: U. C. Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a workshop on “Rose Pruning” on Saturday, January 7, from 10 a.m. to noon, at University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. Certified rosarian Lynne Andresen and other Master Gardener rose enthusiasts will demonstrate and explain proper pruning techniques and review rose types, common rose disorders and routine maintenance. 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.