- Editor: Melissa G. Womack
- Author: Skylar Peters
Happy New Year from the statewide UC Master Gardener Program. Gardening in January can be a challenge with the cold weather and shorter days. However, January can be an excellent month for garden maintenance and preparing your landscape for spring and summer.
From giving your garden a makeover to planning for a vegetable garden, there are endless opportunities to stay active in the garden in January. What steps can you take to improve your garden this month? Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Watch weather reports. Accordingly, protect your plants from frost and other weather conditions. Cover them when necessary and adjust watering both for cooler temperatures and for seasonal rains.
- Don't forget about your houseplants. Make sure to keep your houseplants watered, as they tend to dry out from indoor heating during the winter months.
- Clear plants and debris. Clean out soggy leaves, broken branches and dead plants. Maintain unraked patches (if desired) and old rose canes for overwintering insects. Don't forget to pull out weeds.
- Keep your garden tools sharp and clean. Avoid rust and dullness and prepare for the pruning that takes place in January and February.
- Prune dead or damaged branches. Since January is the dormant season, it is the ideal time to prune. Prune your fruit trees while avoiding apricot and cherry trees. For more instructions on how to prune, check out this pruning guide.
- Start your vegetable garden indoors. Expand your growing season and start seeds, you can plant cabbage, chard, broccoli, cauliflower, and spring lettuce, to name a few. You can also start them in a cold frame or greenhouse.
- Plant flower bulbs. Get a jump start on planting flower bulbs this month, which can lead to a longer spring bloom!
- Plan your spring and summer vegetable garden. Design a garden plan now to prepare for spring planting. A great first step is to draw a map of your garden on grid paper and consider which seeds you want to plant and where.
January is a time of new beginnings, including in your garden. By preparing now, you can expect fantastic results in the spring and summer months.
Ask your local UC Master Gardener Program
January can be an unusual time in the gardening world, but we are here to help. For more gardening help and local county resources, click here to Find a Program. You will be redirected to your local county website and contact information. UC Master Gardener volunteers are available to help answer questions for FREE about your garden.
/h3>- Author: Melissa G. Womack
Soil quality is critical to healthy plants and is a vital part of our living ecosystem. Soil is alive with organisms; their populations change depending on what is added, how the soil is used, and environmental conditions. Soil health, much like our own, is best improved gradually over time so focusing on regular or constant improvement helps achieve and sustain soil health. Do you have a soil problem in your garden? Below are some of the most common soil problems and how to fix them.
First, it is important to know what type of soil you have. According to the UC Master Gardener Handbook, good soil is 25% Air, 25% Water, 5% Organic Matter and 45% Mineral Matter. Soils are classified by the size of soil particles. Soil Particles range from large or “Sandy” to medium or “Loamy” to very fine or “Clay” with Loam being considered the best for growing plants. Get to know your soil and soil type with tips from the UC Master Gardener Program of Marin County.
Common home garden soil problems:
- Over-watering –Check your soil, is it soggy? If yes, you may be overwatering your plants. Heavy watering can drown plants when the soil becomes too saturated and forces out vital oxygen. Once you know your soil type, you can test your soil moisture to see if it is above capacity using the “Estimating soil water by feel” table.
- Over fertilizing – Plants primarily get their nutrients from soil and from added amendments (such as finished compost.) Some nutrients might also come from water. Most ornamental plants get what they need for healthy growth on their own, so gardeners should watch plants for signs they need to be fertilized instead of automatically applying based on a schedule. Food gardens on the other hand can benefit from regular application of Nitrogen.
Signs of over fertilizing:
- Crust of fertilizer on top of soil
- Brown leaf tips
- Yellow, wilting lower leaves
- Brown or black roots
- Slow or no growth
- Leaves falling off
- Poor soil tilth – Soil tilth refers to a soil's texture, structure, and organic matter content. Good soil tilth supports healthy root growth, water movement through the soil, introduction of air into the soil, and beneficial microorganisms. Poor soil tilth lacks these things and appears quite lifeless. Maintain good soil tilth by avoiding soil compaction, aerating soil, avoiding tilling, using green-waste as a garden top-dressing for your soil, and mulching.
- Nematodes and soil-borne diseases– Nematodes are microscopic, eel-like round worms. The first sign of a nematode infestation will include wilting during the hottest part of the day, even with adequate soil moisture. Infected plants might lose their vigor and have yellowing leaves, will grow more slowly, produce fewer and smaller leaves and fruit, and may die.Soil contains many other living organisms, including plant pathogens and diseases that attack plants. If you suspect a soil-borne pest or disease UC Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a wonderful resource to help identify and get information on next steps.
Ask your local UC Master Gardener Program
Growing and supporting soil health is something all of us can contribute to whether we have a full landscape to work in, a small patio, or a community garden plot. For gardening help and local county resources, click here to Find a Program. You will be redirected to your local county website and contact information. UC Master Gardener volunteers are available to help answer questions for FREE about your gardening zone, pests, composting, and the soil in your area.
Follow us all week on Facebook or Twitter, or by using the hashtags #HealthySoilsWeek2022 and #HSW2022. For more UC ANR information about healthy soils for a healthy California visit: ucanr.edu/sites/soils.
Resources:
- California Garden Web: https://ucanr.edu/sites/gardenweb/Vegetables/?uid=26&ds=462
- UC Master Gardeners of Marin County, Soils Basics: https://marinmg.ucanr.edu/BASICS/SOIL_813/
- UC Master Gardeners of Tulare & Kings Counties, Nematodes in the Garden: https://ucanr.edu/datastoreFiles/268-861.pdf
Estimating soil water by feel | ||||
TEXTURE | ||||
Coarse (sand, loamy sand) | Moderately coarse (sandy or silt loam) | Medium (loam, clay loam, silty clay loam, silt, sandy clay) | Fine (clay. silty clay or light clay) | |
At field capacity contains: (mm available moisture per meter of soil) |
60-100 | 100-150 | 150-200 | 200-250 |
SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT | ||||
Above field capacity | Water appears when soil is bounced in hand. | Water released when soil is kneaded. | Can squeeze out of water. | Puddles and water form on surface. |
Field capacity | Upon squeezing no free water appears on soil but wet outline of ball is left on hand. | |||
75-100% available moisture | Tends to stick together slightly. Sometimes forms a weak ball under pressure. | Forms weak ball, breaks easily, will not slick. | Forms a ball and is very pliable, slicks readily if relatively high in clay. | Easily forms a ribbon between fingers, has a slicky feeling. |
50-75% available moisture | Appears to be dry, will not form a ball under pressure. | Tends to ball under pressure but seldom hold together. | Forms a ball, somewhat plastic, sometimes slicks slightly with pressure. | Forms a ball, ribbons out between thumb and forefinger. |
25-50% available moisture | Appears to be dry, will not form a ball under pressure. | Appears to be dry, will not form a ball under pressure. | Somewhat crumbly, but forms a ball. | Somewhat pliable. Will form a ball under pressure. |
0-25% available moisture | Dry, loose single-grained. Flows through fingers. | Dry, loose. Flows through fingers. | Powdery, dry, sometimes slightly crusted, but easily broken down into powder. | Looks moist but will not quite form a ball. |
Source: Irrigation Practice and Water Management (1984) |
- Author: Melissa G. Womack
Learn and celebrate Healthy Soils Week with the UC Master Gardener Program and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)! Healthy Soils Week takes place Dec. 5-9 and is full of educational opportunities that celebrate and learn about the many benefits of improving the health and resilience of California's soil.
This year the UC Master Gardener Program, UC ANR and the CDFA are hosting free events across the state. Join us all week for exciting, free healthy-soil activities on the farm, in the garden and at home. Find a full list of partners participating in Healthy Soils Week and a calendar of this year's online activities at: cdfa.ca.gov/healthysoilsweek.
2022 Healthy Soils Week Event Highlights
- Monday, December 5 — 10:00 am.
WEBINAR: Building Belowground Biodiversity
Webinar with CDFA Secretary Karen Ross and members of the Belowground Biodiversity Advisory Committee (BBAC). The committee is made up of world-renowned scientists seeking to better understand how soil biodiversity may impact soil health. The BBAC is tasked with preparing a report of their recommendations on biodiversity indicators as a proxy of soil health and ecosystem functions. This webinar will discuss the importance and impact of belowground biodiversity on soil health and presenters will also share some of the work they have completed. - Tuesday, December 6 — 10:00 am.
Facebook LIVE with the UC Master Gardener Program - Healthy Soil: In Nature Sometimes Less Is More
Understanding the nature and composition of soil is the first step in our understanding of how to achieve sustainable, healthy soil in our gardens.
Speaker: Mike Corby, UC Master Gardener Volunteer Contra Costa County. (No registration required.) - Weds., December 7 — 10:00 am
Facebook LIVE with the UC Master Gardener Program - Harnessing the Magic of the Soil Food Web: Turning Dirt into Gold
Soil is the foundation for life providing habitat, recycling wastes and toxins, providing structural and nutritional support for plants. Over the past 150 years, more industrial practices have replaced natural methods that degrade soil structure and degrade populations of soil organisms, weakening the natural control of soil borne diseases and pests. This has contributed to a reliance on the use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides. These chemicals not only affect the soil, but the biodiversity of organisms that rely on the soil and the plants that grow in it. Nurturing soil is one of the best things you can do as a gardener. Plants thrive in soil that is teeming with life. Learn why this really matters and how to modify your soils to improve plant health and reduce disease and pests. (No registration required.)
Speaker: Kit Veerkamp, UC Master Gardener Volunteer in El Dorado County.
Weds., December 7 — 11:00 am
NRCS Webinar: Web Soil Survey Presentation
Hosted by California NRCS, the Web Soil Survey (WSS) provides soil data and information produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. It is operated by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and provides access to the largest natural resource information system in the world. NRCS has soil maps and data available online for more than 95 percent of the nation's counties. Moderated and presented by Phil Smith, California NRCS Area Resource Soil Scientist, and Tony Rolfes, California State Soil Scientist. This is a presentation on WSS and other Soil Web Tools for gathering soils information and maps. - Thurs., December 8
UC Master Gardener Statewide Blog Post: Tips to Improve your Garden Soil
- Friday, December 9 — 9:00 am - 3:00 pm.
Healthy Soils Program Demonstration Field Day in Salinas
Demonstrations from the University of California Cooperative Extension, California State University Monterey Bay, Central Coast Water Board, and the resource conservation districts of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Morning and afternoon sessions will be available. (Registration is required.)
Ask your local UC Master Gardener Program
Growing and supporting soil health is something all of us can contribute to whether we have a full landscape to work in, a small patio, or a community garden plot. For more gardening help and local county resources, click here to Find a Program. You will be redirected to your local county website and contact information. UC Master Gardener volunteers are available to help answer questions for FREE about your gardening zone, pests, composting, and the soil in your area.
Follow us all week on Facebook or Twitter, or by using the hashtags #HealthySoilsWeek2022 #HSW2022.
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- Editor: Melissa G. Womack
- Author: Skylar Peters
The day that inspires acts of generosity is here again on Nov. 29 it's Giving Tuesday, and we hope you support the UC Master Gardener Program in its 7th year of participating!
Giving Tuesday is a global movement that takes place every year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. November is the month of gratitude and a time we reflect on all we are grateful for in our lives. Gratefulness for what we have often leads to a desire to give back to organizations that improve lives.
The UC Master Gardener Program helps create gardening resources, virtual workshops and empowers gardeners to support food banks, schools, and community gardens. Many studies illustrate the benefits of gardening on health and how important it is to get outside and be around green spaces. Through gardening education, the UC Master Gardener Program allows participants to spend more time outdoors, which improves mental and physical health. Your support helps us to continue evolving this education and give back to our community through workshops for all ages, resources for every gardener, and produce donations for those in need.
How can you help? Here are a few simple ideas:
- Join us and donate. Your gift can be applied directly to support your local county program.
- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for exciting updates. Tag @UCMasterGarden and include the hashtags #GivingTuesday and #GiveBack.
- Please share this message with friends and family and encourage them to join the movement!
We're asking you to join us in supporting the UC Master Gardener Program by helping spread the word to friends and family who want to support you in making an impact. Thank you for all you do for the UC Master Gardener Program and for joining the #GivingTuesday movement! For more information visit: ucanr.edu/givingtuesday
- Author: Lauren Snowden
Spotted Lanternfly
SLF is a destructive invasive insect threatening agricultural and ornamental plants across the United States. Although the pest is not in California at this time, a key to slowing its spread is early detection and rapid response if detected. Through the education of California residents and resource professionals, we can all be part of keeping this invasive pest at bay.
With the assistance of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, UC Academics, and Penn State Extension, the UC Master Gardener Program “Spotted Lanternfly in California” eLearning course was created and is now available to all. Pest information and additional resources are available online.
How to Enroll
Course enrollment is free and accessed through eXtension Campus, you must either have or create a free login to enroll in the course. If you encounter problems or have questions about creating your account, please see the Campus Help Page. The course takes approximately 40 minutes and includes a graded quiz, completion time may vary by user. Learners may stop and restart, or take as many times as needed.
How to Receive a Certificate
To receive a certificate for the “Spotted Lanternfly in California” eLearning course, you must view and complete the module, as well as pass the quiz with a score of 80% or higher. Once you have passed the quiz, you can print a certificate and collect a virtual Spotted Lanternfly eLearning badge.
Continuing Education
UC Master Gardeners are eligible for one hour of continuing education for completing the “Spotted Lanternfly in California” eLearning course. It is the volunteers' responsibility to enter their hours in the Volunteer Management System to receive credit.
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