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.
Cayce Hillby UC Master Gardener Cayce Hill
Feed Your Plants What They Need
OK, who's hungry? Depending on when you're reading this article, your stomach might be growling for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or my favorite, the late afternoon snack. Not that I always need those chips and salsa at 4:30 p.m., but there they are right there in the pantry, after all. Similarly, I have a garage shelf lined with a variety of fertilizers for my bursting backyard garden. There's the fish emulsion, “rose food,” and the more generic “plant & vegetable fertilizer,” among others. They are all labeled organic and are supposed to be good for something. But do my plants need any of it?
Truth be told, most of these fertilizers end up on my shelf because I am the neighbor that is willing to find a home for everything the other neighbors give away. Old patio umbrella? I'll reuse it. Bought a new gas grill? I'll take the old one to work. Can't take that box of flower fertilizer when you move? I might use it at some point. And so it goes until I have many boxes of many garden fertilizers. But when to use what? Just like us mere humans, plants aren't meant to eat just because there's something in the fridge (I mean garage.) Unlike us, they can't walk over and pick out whatever sounds good at the time. So here's how to give them a healthy serving of what they need at the right time. Also known as fertilizing your plants appropriately:
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Let's take the long view here. Compost is a slow-release fertilizer, and slow-release fertilizers are best. It not only adds nutrients to the soil, it also helps to retain soil moisture.
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More is not better! It is just more. Too much fertilizer can result in plant damage, excessive plant growth and additional water needs by the plant. And we all know there is no additional water these days. If you use a commercial organic fertilizer, follow the instructions on the box very carefully.
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Most woody ornamentals (think nonflowering trees and shrubs) don't require fertilizer, even at planting times. This is also true for California native plants.
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Does your plant look unhealthy? Give it some TLC! However, don't assume that it's fertilizer it needs. Unhealthy roots, poor soil conditions or improper care (gasp) are all potential culprits.
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Not all plants have the same appetite. Follow plant care guidelines carefully to be sure that you are addressing the individual needs of your fruit trees, vegetables and flowering plants.
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Don't – listen carefully here – please do not apply fertilizer directly on the trunk or crown of your trees and shrubs. It's the roots that need the food, and they can be quite a bit further out from the crown of the plant.
And I would be remiss to give fertilizer tips without mentioning the importance of appropriate irrigation. None of this plant-feeding business matters if they are not adequately hydrated. So please be a good garden host(ess) and offer a tall glass of water with that fertilizer.
References:
- Landscape Plants: Fertilizing & Watering: UC IPM
- The California Backyard Orchard: University of California
- California Master Gardener Handbook: Fertilizers.
This article first appeared in the May 11, 2016 issue of the Morgan Hill Life.
Remove all lower leaves, keeping just the top two to three sets. Allow the wounds to heal for a few days, then plant in a deep hole or sideways in a trench so that only the remaining leaves are above the soil. Roots will form where the leaf nodes were, resulting in a stronger, more stable plant as it grows.
Prepare your soil by mixing in 2 to 3 inches of compost. Add in some organic fertilizer if your soil is lacking in nutrients. For raised beds or containers, add in some fresh potting soil and slow-release organic fertilizer to ensure plants have the nutrition they need to grow and produce.
Choose an area that gets 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day.
To avoid problems with fungus and disease, don't plant in an area where in the past three years you have grown tomatoes or plants from the same family, including eggplants and peppers.
Rotating your crops will help to avoid fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt, two common fungal diseases that affect tomatoes.
Fusarium wilt invades the plant through its roots. It is a serious problem that causes branches and leaves to become yellow and wilt; infected plants usually die. Look for plants labeled "F," which means they are resistant to fusarium.
Verticillium wilt causes leaves to yellow and turn brown before dropping off. The infection usually appears in a V-shaped pattern. Although it is seldom fatal, it reduces vigor and yield. Due to significant leaf drop, sun damage to the fruit also may occur. Buy plants labeled "V" or "VF."
Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium deficiency, often a result of irregular watering as well as a lack of calcium in the soil. Symptoms first appear as a water-soaked spot near the blossom end of the fruit. The spot will become brown, leathery and sunken, and may cover half of the fruit's surface. It's unsightly, but the fruit is still edible -- just cut off the damage and enjoy the rest. Avoid blossom end rot with regular and deep irrigation.
Another common tomato ailment is tobacco mosaic virus. It causes light green, yellow or white mottling on leaves, which may become stringy or distorted. It is usually caused by contact with tobacco products. Don't smoke or allow tobacco in or near your garden. Look for disease-resistant plants labeled "T."
Tomato and tobacco hornworms cause extensive damage to both plant and fruit. Look for black droppings or eggs on the leaves. It is best to hand-pick and discard them. If necessary, spray with Bacillus thuringiensis.
Russet mites are minute pests that can't be seen by the naked eye. Use a hand lens to identify their yellowish, conical-shaped bodies. They feed on leaves, stems and fruit, and if not controlled they will usually kill the plant. Apply sulfur dust or spray to young plants, and avoid planting near petunias, potatoes or other solanaceous plants that are often a host for the pest.
Blossom drop is caused by environmental issues. Insufficient pollination, lack of water, extremely high or low temperatures, and even smog -- all conditions we can't control -- are to blame.
by UC Master Gardener Rebecca Jepsen
This article first appeared in the May 1 issue of the San Jose Mercury News.
The benefits of Bugs
Don't squash those insects -- some may be good for your garden
by Crystal Tai / Palo Alto Weekly
While "benefits" and "bugs" seem like antonyms, certain insects actually help organic gardens be healthier.
The key is not to be too liberal with bug sprays, she said. "It is important to avoid broad-spectrum pesticides, even so-called 'organic' or plant-based insecticides, as they will kill beneficial insects as well as pests," she said.
Instead, Simpson, who teaches a class on bug benefits to gardens, suggests that home gardeners should manage pests through things like physical barriers and traps, hand removal, and encouraging natural enemies to prey upon plant parasites.
When pests do multiply too quickly to be brought under control by natural enemies, Simpson suggests choosing pesticides that have the least negative effect on the environment or any organism other than the one to be controlled. Good options include dormant oils, which might be used to smother insect eggs on dormant fruit trees, and insecticidal soaps, which might be used on a very bad aphid infestation.
Also, a bacterial pesticide called Bacillus thuringiensis, or "Bt" for short, can be used to destroy cabbage worms, according to Simpson. She said Bt wouldn't affect bees or other beneficial insects, though it can kill caterpillars.
"Fortunately, many butterflies lay their eggs on plants that are not for food," said Simpson. "So if you just apply Bt carefully to food plants that are being eaten by caterpillars, only those caterpillars will be affected. Or a good alternative is to handpick caterpillars that are eating your veggies and skip the Bt. That is what I do."
Caterpillars are not the only insects that blur the line between beneficial bugs and pests, Simpson said.
"All insects have a role to play in the ecosystem. Flies and mosquitoes can pollinate flowers, and ants eat insect eggs and also aerate the soil. Pest insects and snails, which are not insects but mollusks, and their eggs are food for other organisms," she said.
Although mosquitoes may contribute to pollination, Simpson recognizes the annoyance and danger of their bites and the reasons for eliminating them. She only advises against using a pesticide that will kill other insects as well.
"Mosquitoes can be prevented from breeding by making sure there are no containers of standing water where they can lay eggs," said Simpson. "Or by using 'mosquito dunks,' small solid cakes of a bacterial pesticide that you float in water. They only kill mosquito and fly larvae. Or we can smash them. Or wear protective clothing or use insect repellent."
Palo Alto resident Sue Luttner also likes the "smashing" approach in some cases. She said she keeps an eye on all the leaves in her garden, and as as soon as she sees holes, she checks out the backs for eggs and larvae of pest insects, and then she smashes them.
"I like to spend time in the garden, and that gives me a chance to intervene early," said Luttner. "Most of the native plants don't seem especially susceptible to insect damage, but the vegetables and the fruit trees are, so I try to stay alert to bad bugs and kill them whenever I see them."
Gardeners can also discourage exploding insect populations by intermixing different crops -- placing tomato plants in ones or twos around the garden, for example, with beans or onions or something in between, so that if one patch gets infected, the bugs won't necessarily march unimpeded right through the entire crop, Luttner said.
"I've learned not to crowd the crops, because that invites aphids. When I do see signs of aphids, I either cut off the affected shoots or pull out the plant immediately," she said.
When it comes to aphids, Palo Alto Master Gardener Callie Elliston said she would wait for ladybugs to eat them. "Ladybugs can eat 30 to 50 aphids in an hour," said Elliston. "Some of my rose buds are covered with black and green aphids. I used to hose them off with water, but now I know that if I'm patient, the ladybugs will soon come to the garden and eat all of the invaders."
Ladybugs and their larvae help control aphids as well as other pests such as beetle larvae, white flies and mealybugs, said Elliston. She said ladybugs often lay eggs on the underside of leaves and gravitate to certain plants, such as cilantro, oregano, dill and yarrow. Some local hardware stores carry live ladybugs for purchase, something that can delight child gardeners.
Another idea is to get a good look at bugs with a magnifying glass. "An inexpensive 10X hand lens is a good investment for a gardener, to get a better look at insects and their activities," Simpson said.
Even with magnification, some beneficial bugs may be hard to distinguish from pests, Simpson said, adding that she can help people learn what to look for in terms of insects during her upcoming seminar on beneficial insects on April 21, 7-8:30 p.m. at Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Road in Palo Alto.
This article first appeared in the Palo Alto Online website, Friday, April 15, 2016. Reposted with permission.
