I have to tell you, I literally hit pay dirt. I planted one Echium fastuosum, “Star of Madeira”, and it is not only a major bee-magnet, it is absolutely stunning! With hundreds of profuse bluish-purple flowers atop tall spikes that tower above the attractive, variegated foliage, it has become the focal plant in my garden. It is also a favorite for my hummingbirds and butterflies.
When I planted it about three years ago from a 2-gallon pot, it was about a foot tall. Now It is now nearly 7 feet tall and about 5 feet across. It would actually be bigger but I continue to prune it so that I have room for the apples and avocados that are planted nearby.
There are more than 60 species of Echium, some are native to North America, others are from Europe and the Macaroneisa. Although some are grown as food for humans, butterflies, or moths, most Echium are grown as ornamental plants.
Probably the most common varietal you will find in the Bay Area is Echium candicans, “Pride of Madeira”. Its silvery-green foliage sports masses of very blue/purple blooms from early spring to mid-summer. It can easily grow 8 feet tall by 6 feet wide and is a heavy self-seeder, so you may want to dig up and gift most of those starts.
Echium amoenum, “Red Feathers”, is for those of you who want something a little more on the compact side. They grow only about a foot and half tall by about 6-to-8 inches wide. This plant is known to thrive on neglect, is suitable for clay soil and can handle cooler climates. The red feathery blooms attract an array of bees and butterflies. Although it is known to be short-lived, it will reseed itself if you resist deadheading all of the dried blooms.
Echium vucanorum, is a truly beautiful, and quite rare, white blooming varietal. It is native to a tiny West African island named Fogo. It will quickly grow to 6 feet high and wide and may do best with some afternoon shade in hotter areas.
And for maybe one of the coolest plants you can grow, try Echium wildpretii. It is a biennial from the Canary Islands. In its second year, it will send up tall spikes (up to 7 feet) of gorgeous dark pink/reddish flowers. Let it fully mature so that it can reseed and keep on going … the bees and birds love this one!
I believe every garden and every landscape should have at least one bee-friendly Echium. Most need a good bit of room to thrive and grow and at least six hours of sunlight per day. They are very drought-tolerant but do need regular watering for the first couple of years in order to get established. They prefer well-draining soil, but some can tolerate relatively poor conditions.
Many Bay Area nurseries carry several options. You can also do a Google-search of Echium to find unique and rare varieties. This may become your new favorite plant.
by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen
Photo courtesy of Rebecca Epsen
This article first appeared in the April 22, 2018 print issue of the San Jose Mercury News.
By planting several varieties of “attractor plants” you can invite the good guys in to fend off the bad ones without using harmful, toxic chemicals; certainly not something you want near the food you and your family are going to eat.
Lady Bird Beetles (ladybugs) are good friends to have around if aphids are a problem in your garden. They can eat about 50 aphids per day. They are very attracted to alyssum “Goldkugel” and “White Night”, yarrow, ajuga, marigold “Lemon Gem”, fennel, and sunflowers.
But your new best friend might be the lesser-known lacewing (the aphid lion). It may be so small you don't even see it, but it eats 20 times more aphids each day than a ladybug. You are almost certain to attract them by planting yarrow, dill, cosmos, coriander, Queen Anne's lace, and flowering mustard.
Bees are essential when growing edibles. More than 30 percent of all the food we eat is pollinated by bees. I am happy to report that I have the beautiful buzz of bees in my backyard year-round. To keep them happy I have planted a dozen varieties of salvia. Not only are they beautiful, they are easy to grow, come in all sizes and colors and take very little water once established. What's not to love? And, although most prefer full sun, there are many options that thrive in part sun to fairly deep shade.
Another favorite that both my bees and I love is lavender. It comes in all shades of purple (from very dark to pale purplish-pink) and even white. So why settle for just one? Don't have a lot of space? Choose one of the several dwarf options.
Rosemary is not only hardy, drought-tolerant, fragrant, and great for cooking, it attracts bees even in our wet winter months. For other flowering plants that are attractive as well as attracting try black-eyed Susan, calendula, purple coneflower, butterfly bush, bee balm, and sedums.
Hoverflies, also known as syrphid flies, look like small bees but literally hover over a plant or flower and then quickly dart away. By watching their movement you can easily distinguish them from bees. They do not sting, and they eat aphids, mealybugs, and thrips. They also like yarrow, alyssum, dill, garlic chives, and fennel. But try adding dwarf alpine aster, feverfew, statice, lemon balm and parsley to keep them healthy and happy.
There are many varieties of parasitic wasps. Again, at first glance they may look like a bee, but, if you look closer you will see that they have few if any, hairs. Bees are pollen collectors so are generally quite hairy. Wasps feed on tomato hornworms, cabbage worms, beetles, stink bugs, squash bugs, fly larvae and more. These little guys are great in the garden, and again they do not sting. Plant buckwheat, lemon balm, creeping thyme, cosmos “White Sensation”, lobelia, zinnia “Liliput”, parsley and Linaria.
Your garden is its own ecosystem. It takes time to build a healthy, thriving, environment that can mostly take care of itself. So, be patient, strive for diversity and trust me, if you plant it … they will come.
by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen
This article first appeared in the May 27, 2018 print issue of the San Jose Mercury News.
The Going Native Garden Tour, now in its 16th year, features more than 50 gardens from Morgan Hill to San Mateo. These gardens will delight and inspire you to replace that thirsty lawn with gorgeous, low-water, low-maintenance native and Mediterranean options. Not only are they beautiful, they support our local birds, bees, bugs, and wildlife.The North Bay tour is on April 7 and the South Bay tour is on April 8. Both run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour: To view gardens throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties, don't miss the 14th annual Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour on May 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Various gardens will feature live music, artwork, and native plants for sale and plenty of activities for the kids.
Spring Garden Market: The oldest and largest edible gardening event of the year, you won't want to miss the 24th annual Spring Garden Market, brought to you by the Santa Clara Master Gardeners. Over the last several months they have seeded, up-potted, watered, trailed and tested nearly 20,000 plants just for you.
With more than 70 varieties of tomatoes, it is almost impossible to pick just a few. There will be all sizes, colors and taste selections to choose from. If standard red is your tomato-du-jour, there will be dozens of options ranging from beefsteak to cherry. If you make your own sauce, don't miss out on the paste tomatoes that range in size from 1-5 inches long. But, if like me, you like to color outside the lines, try growing a few black, green, orange, yellow or even bi-colored varieties. Some tomatoes are extremely sweet, some have very low acid, and some have very few seeds. Just ask one of the experts that will be on hand to help you find what exactly what you are looking for.
With tomatoes, size really does matter. If you are gardening in containers or a small space, opt for determinate varieties that only grow 2-4 feet high. Indeterminates usually grow from about 5-8 feet tall, and semi-indeterminates fall somewhere in between. Some fruit in as little as 50 days and others will take well over 100, so you can definitely extend your harvest by choosing wisely.
Like tomatoes, peppers come in all colors, sizes, and tastes and there will be plenty to chose from. Some are so sweet you can eat them right off the vine, others will make you feel like a fire-breathing dragon! There are lots of reds, but try a few orange, yellow, green, purple and blacks as well. Most peppers will do fine in a pot, and some are very ornamental, so would be a great addition to your sunny deck or patio. Others can get several feet tall and need staking or a trellis for support.
For all of you chefs out there, don't miss the fabulous herbs that will be offered. There will be many varieties of basil, chives, dill, fennel, lemongrass, oregano, parley, tarragon, and thyme.
Here are more fantastic Master Gardener events happening soon throughout the Bay Area:
South Bay
- Martial Cottle Park, April 14, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., 5283 Snell Ave., San Jose
- Guglielmo Winery, April 21, 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., 1480 East Main Ave., Morgan Hill
Peninsula
- San Mateo Event Center, April 21, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., 1346 Saratoga Dr., San Mateo
East Bay
- Our Garden, April 7, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., 2405 Shadelands Dr., Walnut Creek
- Contra Costa County Fairgrounds, April 14, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., 1201 W. 10th St., Antioch
- Richmond Public Library, April 28, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., 325 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond
Happy gardening and see you at the market.
by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen
Photos by Pam Roper
This article first appeared in the March 25 print issue of the San Jose Mercury News.
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One simple, cost-effective way to reduce your water use is to set up a greywater system that allows you to capture and redirect water from your washing machine for use on landscape trees, shrubs, ground covers, and lawn. (It should not be used on vegetable gardens where you are growing root crops or where edibles touch the ground.)
On average, a laundry-to-landscape system will recapture 17 gallons a day per person. For a family of four over one month, that amounts to a whopping 2,000 gallons for reuse.
Some counties offer rebate programs that cover all or part of the material costs for setting up a greywater system. The Santa Clara Valley Water District offers a Graywater Laundry to Landscape Rebate for properly connecting your washing machine to a greywater irrigation system. For most cities in the district the rebate is $200; some, such as Cupertino, are subsidizing the program and offering $400 per household.
According to Justin Burks, manager of the rebate program, “laundry to landscape greywater systems are simple, relative to other greywater systems. Most folks are able to set the system up over a long weekend or two.” But if you aren't all that handy, or just don't have the time, there are many trained professionals who can do the job for you. Installation prices range from around $700 to $1,000, including materials. A properly maintained system should last about 10 years.
Greywater can't be stored; it needs to be distributed to one or more areas that have been dug out, backfilled with mulch and are large enough to absorb the water. The mulch basin must be large enough to prevent runoff or pooling, and tubing needs to labeled appropriately so the water isn't used for drinking.
When you apply for the rebate, the water district will provide you with the square footage needed for a minimum mulch basin, based on your washer's age and type, the amount of laundry you do and the soil type on your property. In many areas, no permit is needed, but customers must verify that with their local planning or building department before starting the project.
No pre-inspection by the water district is necessary, but after installation, an inspector will visit to verify the system was set up and is performing properly. After passing the post-inspection, applicants will receive their rebate checks in four to six weeks.
When using the system, you will need to use biodegradable and non-toxic detergent (widely available) and avoid bleach, since it can be harmful to plants and soil. It's also best to avoid using greywater to irrigate acid-loving, pH-sensitive plants, such as blueberries, ferns, camellias, and rhododendrons.
“Recycling and reusing every drop of water that you possibly can not only saves you money, it's the right thing to do,” says Richard Santos, vice chair of the district's board of directors. “Using water wisely, especially on your landscape, is a win-win!”
But before you reach for that toolkit, go to the website valleywater.org to check out the rebate requirements and fill out the application. Wait to receive a Notice to Proceed before starting work.
Although a greywater system may not be at the top of your holiday wish list, it truly is a gift that will keep giving back — to you, your family and the planet!
by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen
This article first appeared in the December 10 print issue of the San Jose Mercury News.
If you want to stay ahead of the game in the garden, now is a good time to do some, or all, of the things on today's list.
Fruit-tree pruning
Fruit-tree pruning is best done this month and in February. Trim off dead or damaged branches. Open up the tree's canopy by removing crossing branches. After pruning, apply a dormant oil spray to ward off scale, mealy bugs, whiteflies, and mites. Pruning should be completed by the end of February before buds begin to open. Aso see the UC Publication on Fruit Trees: Training and Pruning Deciduous Trees.
Don't prune frost damage yet. Tender plants may have suffered from our December frosts, but pruning them early can do additional harm. Wait until the chance of frost has passed, probably mid-March, before removing unsightly leaves and branches.
Fireproofing
Fireproofing the area within 30 feet of your home can mean the difference between saving or losing it in a blaze. Never plant pines, junipers, eucalyptus or greasewood trees within this zone, since they are high in oils and resins, and so extremely flammable. Keep brush and small branches trimmed back from structures. Small plants, no taller than 18 inches, and fire-resistant groundcovers are recommended. See UC's publication on Home Landscaping for Fire for more information.
Lawn care
Moss and algae in the lawn is usually caused by neglect. Specifically, it may mean poor drainage, too much water, soil compaction, restriction of airflow, too much thatch or a soil imbalance. Reduce watering, dethatch, aerate to reduce compaction and/or perform a soil test. The pH level should have an acidity range between 6-7. An application of fertilizer will with help eliminate the moss, while algae needs a reduction of fertility.
Protect plants
Frost-protect sensitive plants by keeping soil moist and covering plants with a blanket or cloth during the night when there are warnings of a possible freeze. If possible, move outdoor potted plants under eaves, preferably on the east or south side of the house.
Move houseplants to a bright, sunny location. Clean foliage by washing sturdy leaves with a moist cloth or rinsing the entire plant under a tepid shower. Dust leaves of succulents with a soft brush.
- Find a complete list of January Gardening Tips.
By bare root: artichokes, asparagus, blackberries, grape vines, onions, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, roses, fruit trees, perennials.
By seed: arugula, Asian greens, bell beans, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, peas, salsify, spinach.
- Find a list of cool-season vegetables that do well in Santa Clara County.
by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen
Pruning photo: Kenneth Silver/Newport News Daily Press
Bare root plants photo: Courtesy DIY Network
This article first appeared in the January 7 print issue of the San Jose Mercury News.