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Hi Erin,
As you are already a month in, I'd say use this season as a learning experience. Take note of what works and what doesn't and use that to shape your plan for the next time. In the meantime check out all the great resources for garden prep and planning so that next time around you can be 100% confident! Happy Gardening!
Mulch is a good thing and I would continue to use it as you have described.
Hi Kay:
Take a look over at the UC Integrated Pest Management site. For strawberries it lists several pests, maybe what you're seeing is a Corn earworm? Hope it helps, link listed below.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/strawberries.html
Hi Diane: The number of plants you leave really depends upon the size of the pot. You might just start with 3 plants. They get big and need room to spread to be able to produce good quality pumpkins.
Transplant the rest to an open area where they get some water.
Hi Diane: It is hard to say from the limited information. Can you send some pictures of the symptoms on the cucumbers? Send to pgeisel@ucdavis.edu
Alternatively, you could go to our UC IPM Website and look at the problems cucumbers are likely to have and see if any of them match your symptoms. Go to: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/cucumbers.html
Hi Leo: A couple of things may help. Be sure that the soil is moist but not soggy wet. You may want to incorporate some well-decomposed compost as well as some green waste...like kitchen scraps, shredded newspaper, or chopped up garden produce. This will give the worms something to eat....You may want to add some worms to the soil initially to get them started. Here is a link to a fun publication on vermicomposting that will give you information on the types of worms (red wigglers)... http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/worms/
and here is another site with more info for you: http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=3649
Hope this helps. Pam
We recommend cutting the roots out and laying down a weed cloth that will continue to allow water to penetrate but will help stop those roots. Good Luck!
Hi Nancy,
It sounds like what you are seeing is just decomposing organic material due to the high organic materials component in the soil you used. Your veggies are safe to eat!
Hi Leslie,
We can give it our best guess! Go ahead and email your photo to pmelam@ucdavis.edu. Thanks!
Hi Katie,
Voles can quite a problem. Consider trapping as an option or check out the other options listed on the UC Integrated Pest Management page. Good Luck!
Hi Ted: It sounds like you found either some type of beetle larvae or a cut worm. But given your decription of how you found your carrots, we're putting our money on cut worms.
Hi Jan: You can plant most things that are considered warm season vegetables at that time. Please go to our website under vegetables and you will find a list of planting dates for all the crops. Here is a link to a PDF that also provides that information. http://ucanr.org/sites/gardenweb/files/29040.pdf
Enjoy the summer abundance! Pam
I am hopeful that you are looking for cabernet and perhaps zinfandel grapes? You would be most successful looking at on-line mail order sources if you are purchasing one or two plants. Since these are wine grape varieties, they are more difficult to find in local nurseries although many may be willing to order them for you. For example, Dave Wilson Nursery (a wholesale and retail fruit tree nursery) does list both variatals on their website. Most of the time, they are most available in the dormant season.
The best thing to do would be to cut it back close to the ground and then dig out what you can. As it resprouts you can then treat with either a broad leafed herbicide that contains 2,4-D, or a non-selective herbicide such as Glyphosate (Round-up). It may take several treatments to get rid of it permanently.
Thanks a bunch for your nice comments. Go Master Gardeners!!!
Hi Anne: I really couldn't tell you who to call except to perhaps reveiw options in the yellow pages of your phone directory. Look under landscape or under gardeners. In terms of being poisonous, they are only toxic if you eat the blossoms, leaves etc. They are not poisonous just by touching the plant parts. Also, the taste is so bitter, it makes it difficult for poisonings to occur. Nontheless, if you feel nervous about it, then by all means remove the plant. If they are very large, you may need to have a person who has a backhoe come and dig it out.
Yes, pine needles can be used as a mulch. If you can chip them up first, they are even better since they do take a long time to breakdown. They can also be a bit of a fire hazard so be sure that if you are in a fire prone area that you follow your fire safe council recommendations.
It may be a soil ph issue but I can't be sure. A way to see if making the soil more acid would improve the blossom color is to incorporate soil sulfur around the base of the plant during this growing season. Now would be the best time. In terms of amount, I can't say just because we don't know what the soil pH currently is. You could have your soil pH checked and then follow the label instructions of the soil sulfur to adjust the pH to something in the 6-6.9 range.
Yes, it is best to remove the lower leaves to reduce the rotting in the soil from them.
Hi Michael: It really wouldn't be a problem to mulch around your fruit trees. In fact, it will be good for them. A two to 4 inch layer will also help to reduce weed growth. You could also put a circle of "Weed Mat" cloth under the mulch to even further reduce weed growth. I would, however, make sure that the mulch is not piled up against the trunk. This would provide a habitate for pests and perhaps increase the likelyhood of root and crown rots. Also make sure that the irrigation you apply is enough to get through the mulch all that way to the rooting depth of the trees.
Hi Heather: There are lots of great plants. A couple of resources would include the UC Davis Arboretum and specifically the Arboretum All-Stars list. http://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/arboretum_all_stars.aspx
In addition, you might look at the new version of the Sunset Western Garden Book and even consider going to your local nursery for ideas. Finally, I would suggest contacting the Yolo County Master Gardeners for specific information for your area. You can find them at: http://ceyolo.ucdavis.edu/Gardening_and_Master_Gardening/
Hi, the brown leaf tips may be frost/cold weather damage or it may be excess salts. It is hard to say without seeing a picture of the damage. I would be patient with your tree. Many avocados won't bear until they are about 5 years old.
Typically, most systemic materials will break down in the garden soil by the time you are ready to put in your vegetable garden. I would encourage you to incorportate a lot of organic matter to help facilitate the chemical breakdown in addition to some deep irrigation. The mixing process and irrigation will help those products break down faster. I do not think it will be a big problem unless the person used some weird long lasting pesticide that happened to be in the garage and is now no longer legal. Do you know what the chemical was that was applied? Barring that, it should be fine.
Hi: Grapes are usually plants that we want to slow their growth rather than encourage a lot of vegetative growth. I would encourage you to visit the California Garden Web where we have a lot of information on growing grapes in the backyard. http://ucanr.org/sites/gardenweb/Growing_Grapes_in_the_California_Garden/
Hi Otis: Now is a great time to replace old roses. They are available as bare root roses and early container roses and you will have a great selection. our best bet would be to try and find varieties that are resistant to Black Spot. Some that have a known suseptibility to black spot include Chicago Peace, Dynasty, First Prize, Garden Party , Cold Medal, Peace, Prima Donna and Simplicity. I apologize but the only list of resistant varieties is from a publication from Ohio State. You can view it by linking to it here: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/pdf/3072.pdf
Black spot is a disease that is foliar. Changes to your soil won't really impact the black spot problem. This publication also provides good mangement practices for managing the black spot disease.
Hi Catherine:
Black spot (Entomosporium leaf spot) on Photinia can be quite devastating to the plant over time. They tend to recover during the summer but will lose many leaves because of the disease pressure, especially with late spring rains as we are having. You may want to spray with a protective fungicide next spring as the new growth comes out in spring. These sprays are primarily protective rather than curative so you have to have it on before the disease shows up. For more information on Black spot of Photinia and what fungicides to use, go to our UC IPM Website at: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/DISEASES/entomoslfspt.html
It may be that the temperatures are just a bit too cold for Okra...they like it on the really warm side. If you can up your temperatures a bit where you are starting your seedlings it might help.
Companion planting doesn't really have much basis in science based research. I think in terms of matching ornamental plants together it is best to think in terms of water needs...group plants with similar water needs together so you don't over water one in an attempt to adequately water another.
It woudl be expensive to test for something that may or may not be there, especially if we don't know what "it" is. I would just dig out the chunks. If the plants grow weirdly or have odd symptoms, then it might be worth doing some soil testing. If you are concerned, I would add a lot of organic matter and grow in raised beds (they don't necessarily need a wooden frame around the raised beds) just to give the roots a good quality soil near the surface, which you have amended. Most of the roots are going to be in the top foot of soil anyway so the odds of picking up stuff deeper in the soil are probably limited.
HI Jane: You could take the chance and reposition the tree. The success will depend upon how well it rooted in the first two years. My guess is that it isn't that well rooted. The best time to have done that repositioning would have been during the dormant season. However, to wait another year would just increase the risk of failure so go ahead and do it now. You may lose the plant but you wouldn't be happy with it leaning anyway so it is worth the risk.
Not sure what is happening other than perhaps most of the orange glads developied from bulbs that grew from seed. The seed would have come from the flowers you planted. It isn't likely that they would all "bud sport" to change color.
Hi Deanne: I would just pot the blueberry up into a container (that has drainage) with all purpose or "acid" potting mix, water well and then keep it in a protected location. The cold won't bother it that much but the snow load may break down the tops if you should get another snow. When the soil is workable, then plant it out in its permanent location. If you can work the soil now, there is no problem in planting it out now but do protect it from any snow load.
Hi: You are on the right track for a budget oriented solution to gardening in crummy soil. You will need about about 6-12 inches of soil to grow most crops and you can build up the existing soil to that depth as you have described using well decomposed organic matter mixed with the native soil on top of hardware cloth to keep the moles, voles and gophers out. You will want the wire to come up above the ground because many rodents will travel above ground and get into your beds. Fencing above ground will also help. Good luck!
Hi Lyn: Glyphosate has no residual affect in the soil on plants. It could be the regular watering that is causing the problem. Since it is a native plant species, it really doesn't need much in the way of "regular" irrigation after it has become established. However, in one year, the plants are not established and as such they do need more water than they will later--but you could still be giving it too much water. What do you mean by "regular"...daily, weekly, two times a month and for how long at each irrigation do you water. Is your irrigation system a drip system or sprinklers? I suspect that you will begin to see growth this spring because it does take a while for the plants to become established and once they are, they will grow.
The best thing to do, especially considering that things may not be too friendly, is to get an unbiased third party to provide input on the trees. A certified arborist would be well worth the investment to the valuable trees and would provide written advice on management practices for your Stone Pine. With regard to the Coral Trees you need to take that up with your community board and again, have a certified aborist provide recommended tree pruning practices. You may want to contact the International Society of Arborists (ISA) to find a list of certified arborists in your area.
I don't think Raspberries would do well for you in that climate zone. While you do have some colder drainages, the hot summer temperatures would cause the berries to shrivel. Consider Bababerries, tayberries or perhaps some thornless blackberries.
The sapping will likely stop as the wound closes. It isn't really hurting the tree but is rather more of an eyesore. I would not put pruning paint or anything on the wound since it will likely delay wound closure. If the sap is staining the trunk, you could place a copper tube at the base of the wound inserted like a pipe out away from the trunk and perhaps that will direct the sap out from the trunk and thus avoid staining. Hope this helps. Pam
Bermuda grass is well adapted to the warm regions of California such as Fresno. From the description you are providing it would be best to start over with a new lawn. Please note that Bermuda grass does not tolerate shade and you are aware that Bermuda grass turns brown during months of continued low temperatures. In renovation any lawn, the first step is determine the cause of the poor quality of your present lawn. Lawns usually require renovation for the following reasons: poor fertilization practices, inadequate drainage, excessive traffic, weed invasion, shade, excessive shade, insect or disease damage.
You might want to consider the following hybrid varieties: Santa Ana, Tifdwarf, Tifgreen, Tifway, Tifway II. The quality of the grass seed or stolons will greatly influence your success with your new lawn. Follow the directions provided regarding seeding and stolonizing rates. The optimum time to start a Bermuda grass lawn is late April or early May.
With lawns, site preparation is essential. First, control all weeds in the lawn area by removing the weeds and/or using glyphosate herbicide. This is the time to make any necessary improvements in your irrigation system. Prepare the poil well, grading allowing the soil to settle for 1 to 2 weeks. Water and control weeds and fill low spots. Minimum topsoil depth is 6 to 8 inches. Since you have stated that you have concerns about your soil, you can purchase a soil test kit at a home improvement store.
Follow the directions that accompany your grass seed or stolons regarding all matters, including seeding, fertilizing, and irrigation. Begin a comprehensive lawn maintenance program immediately.
We hope this information is helpful. If you do employ a commercial company to install and maintain your lawn, you will be wanting to locate a company that is licensed and insured. The Master Gardeners do not, however, make specific recommendations regarding private companies.
Sharon Rossi, UC Master Gardener, Fresno County
Grapes are usually pruned when they are dormant as you have stated. Since you need to do this in the middle of spring you can make a few passes on your vine. First remove all the dead vines. Next keep only the sturdiest vines. Remove diseased vines that have leaves with brown leaf spots, powdery mildew, or mottling. Is there any trellising for the grape vine?
If there is a trellis then the height of the vine should be the same as that of the trellis so prune for height control. Next check the vine at the soil level and prune away any suckers that are below the soil line as close to the trunk as possible. Lastly keep in mind that light should penetrate through the foliage so cut off those vines that shade fruit to promote ripening and discourage pests. Grape vines are very forgiving so don’t be afraid to prune!
A non pruning suggestion to improve the vine would be to eliminate weeds at the vine site. Check the soil pH as grapes do best between pH 5.0 and 6.0.
Grapes can have nitrogen, potassium and magnesium deficiencies. You can add a light dressing of organic matter to correct pH deficiency. Add a good drink of aerated compost tea for your vine to complete the process to add back valuable microbes into the soil. Compost tea and dilute seaweed extract sprays are also good foliar fertilizers.
Good luck with the restoration.
Vivian N., Los Angeles County Master Gardener Volunteer
After much discussion amongst the Santa Clara County Master Gardeners, we'd like to suggest that you undertake summer pruning to encourage growth which will then flower, and hopefully fruit, next year. You will want to cut down canes that show fruit or flowers after harvesting any that fruited, leaving about 4 or 5 strong canes per plant. In terms of poor yield this year, your plants are still young and may need to become more mature in order to produce the yield you're looking for. Raspberries also have chill hour requirements, so it would be worth looking into the requirements for your variety.
Santa Clara County Master Gardeners
Unfortunately, I think a white sapote tree would grow too large for you to maintain in a 5’ by 7’ area. Young trees tend to grow vertically without much branching and they can reach a height of 25 feet with a 30 foot spread at maturity. Removing flowers and pinching out terminal buds on newly-planted trees will encourage branching and create an umbrella-type form. The white sapote is native to Mexico and trees grown in San Diego county are semi-deciduous. Established trees produce large crops of custard-like fruit that are 3-4 inches with a pale-green to yellow skin. You can find more information on white sapote varieties and culture in a Fruit Fact Sheet at the California Rare Fruit Growers’ web page, www.crfg.org
Vincent Lazaneo, Urban Horticulture Advisor, UCCE, San Diego
Currently, we have been having a lot of problems with the spotted wing drosophila which infests cherries and can wipe out an entire crop. The pest also infests berries and various other soft fruit so if you plant huckleberries, that may be a problem for you. Also huckleberries generally prefer acidic soil and the soil in Davis tends to be very alkaline, so if you really want to grow huckleberries, you may wish to consider a container or raised beds. We do not have a lot of information for “huckleberry” specifically but I am enclosing a link to information about blueberries and also the spotted wing drosophila.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/EXOTIC/drosophila.html
http://ucanr.org/sites/gardenweb/Berries/Blueberries/
Celia, Yolo County Master Gardeners
Our climate in Southern California is considered “Mediterranean”. This means that we have mild, wet winters (with little or no frost) and dry, hot summers. Plants from Mediterranean climates do particularly well here and include plants from California and Baja California, The Mediterranean basin (including the Canary Islands), parts of South Africa, parts of Australia and parts of Chile in South America. There are many plants from these regions that are drought tolerant, meaning that they can survive on little water. However, even drought-tolerant plants still need some amount of water to grow and thrive. In some cases, the plants get all the water they need from our winter rains and either do not need, or cannot tolerate, irrigation during the summer months. In other cases, they may need a small amount of irrigation in the summer to get them through our hot and dry season. Additionally, most plants, even the most drought-tolerant, often need extra water their first year in the ground, as their root system is getting established.
There is no single, complete list of drought-tolerant plants, but here are a few good resources to consult to find appropriate plants. The books listed should be available either at bookstores or at the library.
1. The Sunset Western Garden Book is an excellent resource for finding and selecting plants. In the front of the book is a Plant Selection Guide and there is a category for “Dry Areas” that will list a lot of the drought-tolerant plants that do well in our area. The other great thing about this book is that it has detailed descriptions of various climate zones here in Southern California and lists the climate zones most appropriate for each plant.
2. Another excellent book that has useful information on plants’ water usage is Landscape Plants for California Gardens by Bob Perry. The author also uses the Sunset climate zone system and has many photographs. The two books work well together.
3. Many plants that are native / indigenous to California are specifically adapted to thrive in our climate, often with little or no supplemental water. A good source for information on native California plants is the Theodore Payne Foundation and they have a comprehensive list of plants on their website: http://www.theodorepayne.org/
4. Los Angeles County is lucky to have many botanic gardens that are great places to see the plants you are considering close-up and they also have events and classes that can help you choose plants for your garden. Some good places to visit include:
I. South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes Estates II. The Hungtinton Library and Garden in San Marino III. The Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia IV. Descanso Gardens in La Cañada V. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont.
Any websites referenced in this email are provided for information only. The University of California does not endorse any site provided other than UC sites. There are many other sources of information but these will get you started in the right direction.
If you'd like more information on our program, please see our website
(http://celosangeles.ucdavis.edu/Common_Ground_Garden_Program) or contact our Master Gardener Program Manager Yvonne Savio at email ydsavio@ucdavis.edu Thank you for your interest!
Maggie Lobl, LA County Master Gardener Volunteer
From your description it sounds as though your citrus was indeed over watered. Dwarf citrus varieties up to 8 feet tall are suitable for containers. Regular water is essential but make sure to let the soil drain well between watering. The soil shouldn’t dry out or be too soggy. Your soil should be a light well drained mix with numerous drainage holes.
Citrus are shallow rooted and planting strawberries would provide a competition for nutrients and water, and also light requirements may be affected by low growing branches. Therefore, it is not recommended that citrus be under-planted with any plant material for optimum growth.
We hope this is helpful and that your tree recovers from the plentiful watering.
Noreen and Shaunna, Yolo County Master Gardeners
In this situation there are two options. One is to have the arborist grind out the stump after the tree is removed and then spot treat with a chemical herbicide any shoots that sprout from large roots that remain. If remaining large roots are at the soil surface, the herbicide can be applied directly to them as well. This option usually makes it quicker and easier to kill roots and repair the lawn by replanting grass over the area where the stump was ground out. Option two is to allow the stump to remain after the tree is removed, then treat the stump’s cut surface along with any remaining surface roots and shoots that sprout with a chemical herbicide. The stump can be cut close to the ground surface if desired. This option saves stump grinding but it may take several months to kill the stump and roots, plus the stump will probably need to be dug out to restore the lawn. The herbicide concentrate products most widely available for this purpose will be sold as brush or stump killers with triclopyr or glyphosate among their active ingredients listed on the label. These products may also damage desirable plants if not applied properly. Using a paint brush to apply these materials directly to the cut stump surface, large roots, and emerging sprouts is often the safest and most effective means to deliver them. Be certain to carefully follow all the safety and application directions on the product’s label. Dennis Pittenger, Area Environmental Horticulture Advisor, UCCE, Los Angeles County & UC Riverside
UC Cooperative Extension does not perform soil tests, however, please look under 'Managing soil & fertilizer' in the 'Gardening Basics' section of this website. There is a guide on how and where to obtain a soil test. The laboratories provided in this listing are for informational purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement or recommendation by University of California Cooperative Extension. For information regarding freeze dates in your county, please contact the Lassen County, UC Cooperative Extension office at: (530) 251-2601.
Please look under 'Managing soil & fertilizer' in the 'Gardening Basics' section of this website. There is a guide on how and where to obtain a soil test. The laboratories provided in this listing are for informational purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement or recommendation by University of California Cooperative Extension.
Peppers are a warm-season crop. Seed germination is best at 75-80 degrees F. Seed can be started indoors with the aid of a propagation heat mat with fluorescent lights placed a couple of inches above the plants when they sprout. If days are warm outdoors plants can be placed outdoors in a sunny location and brought indoors at night. Young transplants should not be set out in the garden until the soil is thoroughly warm and night temperatures are at least 60 degrees F. Cold soil and weather will result in very slow growth. Plants that are stunted may not recover or grow vigorously in the yard. Feed young plants with dilute fish emulsion or a liquid chemical fertilizer to maintain good growth. Pepper requirements are similar to tomatoes, however peppers are a little more sensitive to cool temperatures. Information on the disease resistance of some pepper varieties can be found at http://vric.ucdavis.edu . If peppers are set out in the garden during spring cover them with hot caps at night or use a floating row cover cloth to trap hear and promote faster growth. I hope this information is of some help. If you have additional questions please contact me or call our Master Gardener office on weekdays at 858-694-2860 between 9 am and 3 pm.
I have also attached an article on peppers by Joyce Gemmell, one of our Master Gardener volunteers. Joyce has a lot of experience growing vegetables and has gardened in the El Cajon area for many years. I think you’ll find her notes helpful. Pepper PDF Vince Lazaneo, Horticulture Advisor, UCCE, San Diego County
Many fruit tree varieties can be grown successfully in the San Diego area. Unfortunately, pears do not do well here because they require more winter chilling than we receive and they are very susceptible to the bacterial disease fire blight which is common in our area. Pomegranate can be grown here. You might also consider growing Cherimoya or White Sapote if you like the fruit. I suggest you review the series of fruit fact at www.crfg.org, the California Rare Fruit Growers state web site. Their San Diego chapter also has a site www.crfgsandiego.org which has information on many fruit varieties that can be grown in our area. Two low-chill cherries, Royal Lee and Mini Royal, can also be grown in the San Diego area if you have well-drained soil. They are grown by Dave Wilson, a whole sale nursery and sold by local retail nurseries like Walter Anderson’s Nursery during the bare-root season beginning late December or early Jan. I hope this information will be of some help. Vince Lazaneo, Horticulture Advisor, UCCE, San Diego County
Hi Kristine: UC Master Gardeners are an Ag/Educational outreach program, we do not sell seeds. However, we can advise you on how to grow & harvest your vegetables and other crops; please explore the vegetable/flower sections on this website. You can also contact the UC Master Gardeners of Calaveras County (email: dlpowell@ucdavis.edu phone: 209-754-6473).
You can find information on growing basil, chives and additional herbs on the UC Davis Good Life Garden website. In regards to growing basil and chives in the Central Valley, they will need some over-head protection from the central valley's hot summer sun, also be careful not to over-water them. Basil and chives also do well if grown in containers.
You can find this information and much more about growing blueberries in the central valley in the blueberry section of the CA Garden Web.
Adding organic matter, such as peat moss or compost will improve the structure of clay soils. Find further information here: Improving Heavy Soils in Lawns & Gardens
It is mainly determinate on the growth habit of the bell pepper variety that you have in your garden. It would also be beneficial to slightly prune the plant and apply fertilizer when it starts growing again, later on this season. Please report back to us and let us know the results - Brenna Aegerter, Vegetable Advisor, UCCE, San Joaquin County.
Posted by Debra Ekdahl on July 8, 2012
Hi Debra, It really just depends on which source you want to go with the USDA Plant Hardiness zone is an option, although the Sunset Western Garden Climate Zonesare a more popular. Gardeners in the western United States sometimes are confused when confronted with the 11 Hardiness Zones created by the USDA, because we are used to a 24-zone climate system created by Sunset Magazine. The Sunset zone maps, considered the standard gardening references in the West, are more precise than the USDA's, since they factor in not only winter minimum temperatures, but also summer highs, lengths of growing seasons, humidity, and rainfall patterns. Good luck!