Photo by Polly Nelson

Sage

By Polly Nelson  UCCE Master Gardener

Common name: Salvia or sage

Scientific name: Pictured is Salvia microphylla x chamaedroides ‘Christine Yeo'

Planting area: USDA 7-24

Size: This specific species, 12-18” tall, 3-4 feet wide

Bloom season: Mid-spring to late fall

Exposure: Full sun or part shade

Pruning needs: Deadhead to promote re-blooming.

Water needs: Moderate until established, then minimal; however, it blooms better with additional water in summer.

Snapshot: Salvias are rich in diversity and are perfect for our climate, as they can thrive in dry conditions. Salvias, also referred to as sages, are the largest genus within the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Salvia varieties are distinguished by characteristics including leaf size, color, texture, and shape; growth habit (mounding vs upright, for example); and flower shape and color. All Salvias do, however, have a squared stem just as all the other members of the mint family.

Two distinct Salvia species have merged to form the hybrid ‘Christine Yeo' (pictured). Salvia microphylla has dark green, oval tooth-edged leaves, with shades of red flowers. Salvia chamaedroides has narrow, half-inch, gray-green leaves with dark blue flowers. Both are native to northern Mexico.

Which brings us back to the pictured hybrid, ‘Christine Yeo', featuring bright green, textured, oval leaves on square stems and beautiful purple flowers. It reminds me of two parents producing a child with wonderfully blended characteristics!

Plant ‘Christine Yeo' in soil with good drainage. Soggy roots are prone to disease and will not withstand freezing winter temperatures. If soil is heavy, work in organic matter to improve drainage. Plant in full sun if your summer temperatures are mild. Otherwise, plant in partial shade.  ‘Christine Yeo' is a mounding salvia whiles other varieties are upright or prostrate creepers. Give this mounding variety enough space to develop and spread. Water deeply once a month during summer until the plant is established.  Do not fertilize, as excessive growth can weaken the plant, invite aphids, and promote root rot. Encourage new growth with a hard prune in late winter or early spring when weather is cool. Shape during the growing season by pinching stem tips or cutting back stems by no more than one-third.

Propagation is done by division or by taking softwood cuttings early spring from vigorous non-flowering shoots. Alternatively, you may also collect seeds from pods at the base of flower spikes. 

Explore the many varieties of Salvias to add color and texture to your low maintenance landscape!

Advice to Grow By Workshops

Our next Advice to Grow By Workshop will be October 21st, 2023, at 10:00 to 12:00 p.m. in our Garden of the Seven Sisters Demonstration Garden at 2154 Sierra Way, San Luis Obispo. The topic will be “Vertical Vegetable Gardening.” The workshop is free and open to the public. Docents will be available after the workshop until 1:00 pm. If inclement weather, the workshop will be canceled.

You can view workshops on Instagram live at slo mg or visit our You Tube channel at “San Luis Obispo County UC Master Gardeners.”

Visit our website at ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/ or email questions to anrmgslo@ucanr.edu.

UCCE Master Gardener Helpline offices:

San Luis Obispo: 805-781-5939 (Monday and Thursday 1:00 to 5:00)

Arroyo Grande: 805-473-7190 (Wednesday 10:00 to 12:00)

Templeton: 805-434-4105 (Wednesday 9:00 to 12:00)

Photo by Andrea Giacoletti

Grandaisy Yellow

By Andrea Peck  UCCE Master Gardener

Common name: Grandaisy Yellow

Scientific name: Argyranthemum frutescens

Planting area: USDA Zones 9-11

Size: 18-24”

Bloom Season: spring to summer

Exposure: full to partial sun

Pruning needs: to promote midseason bloom

Water needs: low

Snapshot:

If you're in the market for showstopping, Grandaisy Yellow is just the ticket. Large blooms, bright yellow petals, and a teddie bear brown center make this plant the highlight of any garden. Grandaisy gives you a boost in the morning, welcomes you in the evening, and word travels insect-speed as bees and butterflies fly like the crows to visit.

Yes, the Grandaisy is indeed Grand. A vigorous flowering plant, it grows up to two feet in width and height and blooms heavily in early spring---perfect timing as we shed the doldrums of winter. It grows best in temperatures that range between 60ºF and 70ºF. Depending on your location, plant in full sun or partial sun. The Grand Lady may fade in high temperatures, but as summer approaches, we want to keep this star of the show happy.

She is not picky, however, when it comes to the dirt beneath her feet. It won't be necessary to special order soil; just the basics will do. Perhaps the swooning blooms on her head, keep her mind off of her toes, but do make sure the soil drains well. Excess moisture around her roots may cause rot. Which leads to that important California question, to which we answer ---yes, Grandaisy is drought tolerant. Just make sure to irrigate the plant under very hot, dry conditions. Like other athletes, promote maximum performance by using a well-balanced, all-purpose liquid fertilizer once monthly. Pruning as blooms fade will encourage a second flowering.

This plant is equally comfortable potted or in the ground. But beware if you plant her en masse, you may cause a traffic jam as your neighbors slow down to ogle the display.

There's nothing better than a bright bushy plant with a head full of sunny yellow flowers. When the experts describe it with the word 'vigor', it's even better.

Advice to Grow By Workshops

Our next Advice to Grow By Workshop will be October 21st, 2023, at 10:00 to 12:00 p.m. in our Garden of the Seven Sisters Demonstration Garden at 2154 Sierra Way, San Luis Obispo. The topic will be “Vertical Vegetable Gardening.” The workshop is free and open to the public. Docents will be available after the workshop until 1:00 pm. If inclement weather, the workshop will be canceled.

You can view workshops on Instagram live at slo mg or visit our You Tube channel at “San Luis Obispo County UC Master Gardeners.”

Visit our website at ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/ or email questions to anrmgslo@ucanr.edu.

UCCE Master Gardener Helpline offices:

San Luis Obispo: 805-781-5939 (Monday and Thursday 1:00 to 5:00)

Arroyo Grande: 805-473-7190 (Wednesday 10:00 to 12:00)

Templeton: 805-434-4105 (Wednesday 9:00 to 12:00)

Photo by Jutta Thoerner

Bear's Breech

By Jutta Thoerner  UCCE Master Gardener

Size: 4 feet tall (6 feet in bloom) and 3 feet wide

Blooms: 2 feet flower spikes with flattened, hooded, multitoned white to lavender flowers. Blooming time is early spring.

Pruning needs: remove flower stalks after bloom.

Planting Zone: 7-10 USDA

Exposure: partial shade.

Water needs: drought resistant once established

I have several clumps of this perennial in my front yard and I always get the question: what is this?  That my visitors don't know the name is understandable, since the common names: bear's breeches or britches, bears foot, oyster plant or sea dock do not describe it well. Acanthus comes from the Greek word “akantha”, translated to spine, a reference to the tall spike that caries the blooms. The large leaves have a rich glossy green and make the plant attractive when not in bloom.

In the spring, Acanthus grows the 2-3 foot spikes that have tubular white to purple flowers. These look a bit like gigantic snapdragons, due to their hooded appearance. Bees and other pollinators love them. I appreciate how long the stalks stay in bloom and that they make a great addition to larger bouquets.

So what does it take to grow Acanthus? The recommended planting zones are zones 7-10. A well-drained soil is a must; they don't like “wet feet”. They appreciate a thick layer of mulch before the colder weather sets in. Plant in partial shade. Mine are under a large tree. They can multiply via rhizomes, and it's recommended that these are planted in contained areas, where they can't spread freely. This has not been a problem in the warmer Paso Robles climate.

Once the plant is established, their water needs are minimal. Be prepared when they go dormant. All leaves dry up and you are left with a clump in the dirt. But as soon as the fall and winter rains come, the beautiful showy leaves reappear. Consider adding this low maintenance and beautiful Acanthus to your garden.

For Gardeners in the cooler parts of our county:

If you'd like to learn more about plants that grow well in the cooler coastal climate, join the UC Master Gardeners for an Open Garden Day at the Victory Garden in Oceano at the Oceano Train Depot and Victory Garden, 1650 Front Street, Oceano, September 3, 2023, from 1:00 – 3:00. This is a free event, and all are welcome. There will be family friendly activities and Master Gardener volunteers will be ready to answer your gardening questions.

Advice to Grow By Workshops

Our next Advice to Grow By Workshop will be September 16th, 2023, at 10:00 to 12:00 p.m. in our Garden of the Seven Sisters Demonstration Garden at 2154 Sierra Way, San Luis Obispo. The topic will be “Turf Replacement-lawn removal and lawn alternatives.” The workshop is free and open to the public. Docents will be available after the workshop until 1:00 pm. If inclement weather, the workshop will be canceled.

You can view workshops on Instagram live at slo mg or visit our You Tube channel at “San Luis Obispo County UC Master Gardeners.”

Visit our website at ucanr.edu/sites/mgslo/ or email questions to anrmgslo@ucanr.edu.

UCCE Master Gardener Helpline offices:

San Luis Obispo: 805-781-5939 (Monday and Thursday 1:00 to 5:00)

Arroyo Grande: 805-473-7190 (Wednesday 10:00 to 12:00)

Templeton: 805-434-4105 (Wednesday 9:00 to 12:00)

Photo by Phyllis Molnar

Wildlife Ponds

By Phyllis Molnar UCCE Master Gardener

What is a wildlife pond? It is a freshwater environment created to support and encourage wildlife including beneficial insects.  A true wildlife pond does not use a water pump for air and water circulation.  Instead, there is an biotic/abiotic relationship that creates its own ecosystem.  Biotic factors are living organisms within an ecosystem: plants, animals, and bacteria. Abiotic factors include non-living components: water, soil and atmosphere.  

Your pond can be as simple as an old wash tub, repurposed sink, oak barrel or a water trough. Larger more intricate ponds are designed with a pond liner set into the ground. 

The inside of a wildlife pond is made with a base of sand or soil with layers of rocks, stones and old tree branches providing essential access for animals to climb in and out of the pond.  Water plants are submerged and floating with leaves flowers or stems partially or fully submerged providing food, shelter and nesting areas.  Water plants also help to keep the water clean. 

Plants, rocks and wood along the edge of the pond provide habitat for visitors.  A backyard wildlife pond is not the best home for large koi or goldfish that will damage water plants and attract raccoons and other mammals.  Mosquito fish and mosquito dunks in the pond are used to minimize mosquito development.  Avoid using chemicals in or near wildlife ponds.  Birds, bats, insects and other animals that use the wildlife pond as a source of fresh water can be harmed. 

A well-developed pond will be a home to damselflies, dragonflies, frogs and other aquatic lifeforms. It's a joy to sit quietly and watch the activity around your wildlife pond, a wonderful and beautiful asset for your garden.