Janet Enright

Check out any of your local nurseries, and you'll find lots of choices right now for colorful perennials that bloom in summer. There are some great options for Morgan Hill gardens that are low water users once established.

Here are two resources to help you decide which plants will work best in your garden.

UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars includes 100 plants that are recommended by the horticultural staff of UC Davis Arboretum. They were selected because they thrive in California's Mediterranean climate and are tough, low-maintenance, and attractive for most of the year.

The UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County Water Wise Garden, located at the Palo Alto Demonstration Garden, includes native and non-native ornamental plants that thrive in our summer-dry climate and clay soil without a lot of extra work. Many of the plants on the following list have been grown in the Water Wise Garden. Check out their favorite plants in the Drought Information section. You can learn about specific sun/shade requirements and other useful information to help make your plant selections.

African Daisy
Many varieties of African Daisy bloom during the summer. Some of my current favorites include Arctotis ‘Pumpkin Pie' for a bright orange pop, or Arctotis ‘Pink Sugar' with its pale, shell pink blooms. The soft grey leaves look good even when the plants are not in bloom.

California Fuchsia
There are a number of cultivars of the California native Epilobium, and all of them are hummingbird magnets. The Water Wise Garden is growing Epilobium ‘Select Matteole'; it's a compact grower and doesn't spread. In my own garden, I've planted Epilobium ‘Everett's Choice'.

Foothill Penstemon
Penstemon ‘Margarita BOP' is a very reliable, long-blooming California native. It was selected as a UC Davis All-Star because it does well in average garden conditions.

Monkey Flower
Mimulus is a California native with a wide range of colors including white, yellow, orange, red and maroon. Hummingbirds are frequent visitors. I'm a fan of Mimulus ‘Curious Orange', the yellow Mimulus ‘Pamela', and Mimulus bifidus ‘White'. There are many new cultivars on the market. It's tough to choose just one.

Red Hot Poker
Kniphofias are great for a vertical accent in the garden. I'm partial to the smaller varieties and am currently growing Kniphofia ‘Creamsicle', with orange and creamy yellow flower spikes.

Yarrow
Achillea ‘Moonshine' is a bright yellow, reliable mid-summer bloomer. Yarrow is a visited by both butterflies and beneficial insects, which is a great reason to plant it. California natives Achillea ‘Island Pink' or the white flowering Achillea ‘Sonoma Coast' are also good options.

Be smart about watering your new plants. At the water-wise demonstration garden, new plants are hand-watered once a week for the first year, then every two weeks the following year. Once plants are established (about three years), they are watered once every three weeks in late spring, summer and fall using a drip irrigation system.

Even in drought conditions, you can have a beautiful garden. UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County are your resource for learning how to do that. Check out our website for ongoing updates, attend our classes, and learn from and with us about how to help your garden thrive.

by UC Master Gardener Janet Enright

This article first appeared in the June 6 issue of the Morgan Hill Times.

by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen

Knowing soil types and water requirements may help us grow healthy vegetable gardens and flowers, but it is also vital when it comes to trees.

Igor Lacan, environmental horticulture adviser for UC Cooperative Extension, says as we move toward warmer temperatures with less predictable annual rainfall, we will need to make smart choices about our landscapes.

“Even in a drought, it is essential to prioritize your trees,” Lacan says. “Trees not only support our native birds, bees and wildlife, they provide major ecosystem services to us as well. Urban trees lower the ambient temperature, thereby reducing the need for air conditioning, sequester carbon from the atmosphere, provide stormwater capture, decrease pollution and enhance the property value and aesthetics of your home.”

Start with soil
In order to practice responsible irrigation — using enough water to keep a plant alive and no more — knowing your soil type really does matter.

Soil type, or texture, refers to the proportions of sand, silt and clay particles in its makeup. Sandy soils are coarse and drain quickly. Plants in sandy soil need frequent watering and may need fertilizer.

Clay particles are very fine and become glued together when wet, and although clay soil can be slow to drain, it retains moisture and minerals, requiring little to no fertilizers.

The roots of newly planted plants may have a harder time getting started if the soil is hard and dense, but once established, plants tend to thrive in clay soils.

Silty soil is found along our riverbeds, lakes and other riparian areas. Particles are smaller than sand but not as fine as clay. It drains well and has good nutrient retention.

Loam represents a combination of sand, silt and clay and most of the Bay Area has clay or loam soil.

To tell what kind of soil you have, moisten a handful of it and give it a firm squeeze. If it holds its shape but crumbles when you give it a poke, you have loam. If it holds its shape without crumbling, you have clay. If it falls apart as soon as you open your hand, you have sandy soil.

Knowing your soil type will guide you in how much water to apply and how often.

To gage soil moisture levels, you will need to dig down to the root level. For trees, use a shovel or an auger to get 12-18 inches below the surface. After watering to this depth, soil should be moist but not drenched.

For mature trees, deep water infrequently, about once a month. Imagine refilling a 12- to 18-inch deep water reservoir around the tree's roots.

It's important to water beneath the entire canopy. Installing a Tree Ring Irrigation Contraption (TRIC) is a great way to accomplish this.

Newly planted trees may need only 10-15 gallons per week, but they may need additional water in extremely hot weather.

In all cases, a good rule of thumb is to water deeply and observe your tree. If the tips of the leaves and branches start to droop, it's time to water again.

You will then be able to properly set up your automated irrigations systems. But remember, they need to be changed seasonally as the weather and temperature fluctuate. Online watering calculators can also be helpful.

This article first appeared in the June 26 issue of the San Jose Mercury News.

by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen

Reports of Africanized bees in Contra Costa County, which turned out to be ordinary European honeybees, has people thinking a lot about bees and their place in our gardens.

Bees are responsible for pollinating nearly 30 percent of all the food we eat. Their cross-pollination also is crucial for the survival of most of our native plants.

"The diversity and abundance of bees in your backyard varies greatly on the diversity of flowers available," says Robbin Thorp, entomology professor emeritus at UC Davis. "Help encourage bees into your backyard and garden with a variety that blooms all year long."

Thorp recommends growing lavenders, rosemary, salvias, ceanothus, ribes, lupines and California poppies. For pops of color add asters, sunflowers, cosmos, penstemon, cuphea and nepetas. Plant herbs that both you and your bees will enjoy such as parsley, chives, dill, basil, borage, mint and fennel.

Here are some of the more common bees you'll likely find in your yard.

Honeybees, which are ¾-inch and can vary in color from blonde to black, represent only a small fraction of the total bee population but they play a critical role in pollinating more than 40 varieties of fruit, nut, vegetable and seed crops valued at more than $1.5 billion per year.

Bumblebees are up to 1-inch long. They are more round, and are black or yellow with white or orange bands. Bumblebees are social and, although similar to honeybees, generally have much smaller colonies. They produce only enough honey to provide for themselves and are not used for commercial production.

Carpenter bees are shiny, black and as large as a bumblebee. They drill into wood, a trait that gives them their name, to create tunnels where they breed and raise their young. Although you might see carpenter bees drilling into the side of your home or other wood structure, they will seldom do significant damage. Make sure all surfaces and your siding are painted as they prefer untreated wood. However, if you suspect they are doing significant damage, you can treat the holes with insecticidal spray or dust. Wait two to three days, make sure the holes are empty, and then plug them with steel wool and caulking.

Leafcutter bees are small, smoke-colored bees with pale abdominal bands. They are productive pollinators, often doing 20 times more pollinating than honeybees. They are passive, solitary bees that need bare ground in order to nest and lay their eggs. For this reason, don't practice wall-to-wall mulching. Leave some bare spots for the bees.

While some may be upset by seeing a bee swarm, Elina Niño with the Honey Bee Research Facility at UC Davis, urges people to remain calm.

"If you see a swarm or nest of bees, don't panic," she says. "Just move away as quickly as you can and call your local extension office or beekeeping association. Don't swat or try to kill them; a dead bee can release an alarm pheromone that could mark you as a potential threat to other honey bees."

This article first appeared in the May 29 issue of the San Jose Mercury News.

Seedlings for winter greens

By UC Master Gardener Kate Russell

Ornamental shrubs, trees, lawns, and countless unknown plants fill most landscapes. These plants provide shade, beauty, and erosion protection, but you can't eat them.

As older plants are replaced, or new areas are developed, consider adding edible plants to the landscape. Often more flavorful than grocery store produce, homegrown edibles come in all shapes and sizes, making it easy to match any landscape design. Gardens are not limited to traditional rows of tilled soil. Even if all you have is a balcony or a sunny window, you can grow edible plants!

What do these plants need?

Nutrient rich soil, adequate water, and 6-8 hours of direct sunlight are all that's needed by most plants. Our soil tends to be heavy clay, which holds more water than other soil types, but it can be a tough barrier for young roots. Adding compost and mulching your soil will make it more hospitable and productive. If you have shady areas, mint, blackberries, chives, spinach and parsley can be planted. Before planting, be sure to read and follow the directions for specific planting depth, sun and water needs, and spacing. Mature plant sizes should be kept in mind, too. Some of those tiny seeds turn in to really big plants!

Creative Planting 101: Towers, Containers & Raised Beds

Many edible plants can be grown in containers, towers, or repurposed pallets. While there are many vertical or container gardens for sale, a little creativity can go a long way to adding edibles to a landscape without spending a lot of money. Leaky buckets, broken down wheelbarrows, plastic coffee tubs, even old boots can be used as planting containers! Just make sure there is good drainage.

Raised beds are easy to make and they have the added benefit of being easier to weed and work than traditional garden beds. They also allow the soil to get and stay warm sooner, extending the growing season.

The Stuff of Salads

Lettuce, spinach, radishes, arugula, onions, garlic, fennel, cucumber, tomatoes and peppers can be added to most landscapes. Alternating green Romaine and red leaf lettuces make a lovely border. Repeat planting can provide many months of edible landscape. Cucumbers, squash and melons can be trained up a fence or trellis, providing beautiful greenery and blooms, plus a surprising bounty of food.

Culinary Herbs

Herbs are very easy to grow and most of them require little to no care once they are established. Tender basil is an exception, but its favor more than makes up for the effort. Thyme, lavender, lemon balm, chives, lemon grass, parsley, cilantro, and sage all grow well from seed. Most of these plants are perennial, which means they will last for many years. Instead of traditional house plants, mint and oregano drape beautifully from a hanging planter and they add flavor to many favorite foods. They can be paired with a more upright plant, such as chives, to make the most of the space and provide twice as much food.

Fruits & Nuts

Fruit and nut trees, bramble fruits, and vines add value to property and they produce delicious edibles each year. Dwarf fruit trees can be grown on balconies, in containers. Bramble fruits, such as raspberry or blackberry, can be grown along a fence, providing extra protection along with luscious fruit. Instead of an ornamental trumpet vine over your pergola, why not plant grapes? Just picture those sweet clusters hanging above your head, only an arm's reach away.

You can learn more about edible gardening from your local UC Master Gardeners. Check out the Vegetable Planting Chart for Santa Clara County. Free talks are regularly offered to the public. For more information, check our events page. For gardening questions, ask online or call 408-282-3105 between 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

This article first appeared in the May 13, 2016 issue of the Morgan Hill Times.