The Digging Fork -- Sept-oct 2007

The Digging Fork A Davis Garden Newsletter September - October 2007 September Planting

Cool season annuals: Annual chrysanthemum

Perennials: everything except frost tender plants, snapdraggons, stock, primroses, Iceland poppies, pansies, etc.

Cool season bulbs

Cool season vegetables: Good idea to shade transplants

see Plant notes

Seeding directly into the garden

see Plant notes

Fertilize

October

Cool season annuals: annual chrysanthemum

artichokes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, elephant garlic, lettuce, bulbing onions strawberries, alpine strawberries Cool season annuals Cool season vegetables: Good idea to shade seedlings

arugula, beets, broccoli, carrots, Florence fennel, kale, leeks, lettuce, dill, green onions, parsnip, peas, radish, Swiss chard, turnips Lawns and roses as needed Fertilizing in early September will help plants grow through the winter. Fertilize young fruit trees

Perennials: everything except frost tender plants (see September) Cool season vegetables: artichokes, broccoli, bulbing onions, cabbage, garlic, shallots, leeks, elephant garlic, lettuce, strawberries, alpine strawberries Cool season annuals Cool season vegetables: arugula, broccoli, beets, carrots, cauliflower, fava beans, leeks, lettuce, miner’s lettuce, green onions, parsnip, peas, radish, spinach, dill Swiss chard, turnips, cilantro Cool season lawns as needed If you haven’t already, now is the time to add soil sulfur to citrus and other acid loving plants and those showing iron deficiencies. (will lower the pH of soil making iron more available to plants. Mix soil sulfur with top 6” of soil and water well)

Pest & Disease Control Tasks

see Plant notes

Water

Tomato hornworms – pick off Snails, slugs and earwigs damage –use baits or traps Aphids and whiteflies -can spray off with water

See September.

Garden clean-up and mulching begins -- find space for new plants

Continue garden clean-up and mulching, finding space for new plants

Weed control continues Divide hardy perennials

Weed control continues

Order perennial plants for fall planting. Order hardy annual seeds for direct seeding. Plant, plant, plant!!! Continue watering as needed. Make sure new plantings have the water they need.

Divide hardy perennials Planting continues!

Same as September

Calendar layout thanks to Lyle Wilen

CA native farewell-to-spring

Ammi majus

cabbage

knotweed

Planting Cool Season Annuals and Biennials --Flowers and Vegetables Growing annuals is not as easy as growing perennials. Perennials are planted once and grow for many years, usually only requiring some cutting back or pruning each year. Annual flowers, herbs and vegetables only live for one season and must be replanted or reseeded each year. Some plants readily disperse large quantities of seed in the garden that germinate at the proper time. Unfortunately, the seedlings often come up where they aren’t wanted and/or in much greater quantities than needed. This requires thinning. Annual flowers that self-sow give the garden a more natural look as plants appear in drifts and pop up in unexpected places. Some annuals do not transplant well!! These often have a tap root that is damaged when transplanting. Direct seeding into the garden proves to be much more successful and this is why nurseries don’t sell plants of some of the annuals we want to grow. Some examples of plants that are best direct seeded are carrots and beets, poppies, cornflowers, sweet peas and our native farewell-to-spring. Many plants we treat as annuals in Davis are really perennial plants in their native climate. Many of these perennials are from tropical areas. Nurseries start plants in greenhouses from cuttings or seeds so they can then be transplanted into the garden in spring when danger of frost has passed. Plants and seeds labeled as a tender perennial (TP) or tender annual (TA) must be grown here during the warm season as they are killed by a frost. Don’t plant these now -- the best time to direct seed and transplant is mid-April through May. Because Davis usually has a mild winter with few hard frosts, many annuals are grown in the cool season. Plants and seeds labeled as hardy annuals (HA) will take quite a bit of cold and are rarely killed in our mild winters. These plants are best seeded or planted in the fall. Another option is to seed or plant very early in the spring, usually late January to early February, so the plants still have plenty of cool weather for growth. Most of these hardy annuals bloom in the spring to

Marlene & Patricia’s Garden Workshops

early summer, but some, like knotweed will bloom all summer until a frost. Half-hardy annuals (HHA) can also be seeded in the fall, but unless we have a very mild winter there is a good chance the plants will be lost. It is much safer to plant or seed these in March. A couple examples are cosmos and bells of Ireland. Biennials are plants that require two growing seasons to flower. They grow foliage the first year and must go through a cold period, or vernalization, before they will flower and set seed. After the seed is dispersed, the plant usually dies. Some biennials do live a year or two more, however. Many of the vegetables grown in Davis during the winter are biennials. The timing of planting is the most important factor for success when growing vegetables. Carrots are biennials. When planted in the fall they will go through a cold period, and if not eaten, will bolt and go to flower in the spring. When this happens, the roots become woody and are no longer good to eat. Carrots planted in the early spring will not bolt until the following spring after the winter cold. It is possible to eat these carrots into the summer. Parsley is another biennial example. When transplanted into the garden in the fall, they usually bolt, set seed and die in the spring. Transplants added in the spring will grow a whole year before bolting. So now is the time to start thinking about transplanting or direct seeding hardy annual and biennial flowers and vegetables. Transplants will start appearing in nurseries soon. When direct seeding into the garden, the tender seedlings are choice food for birds, snails and slugs -so control will be necessary. And don’t forget to thin seedlings! If plants are too crowed, they compete for water, nutrients, sunlight, etc. Type of plant Hardy annual

Half-hardy annual

Tender annual Tender perennial often treated as annual

Code HA

HHA

TA TP

Workshops are held in Patricia’s one acre country garden in Davis. There is time to explore and ask lots of questions. Cost of workshop $25. If you bring a friend or spouse the cost is $20 per person. Class size is limited.

Vegetables for Cool Season Sunday, September 23

12:30 to 4 pm

Fall Garden Cleanup and Planting Sunday, October 7 12:30 to 4 pm (rain date October 14 12:30 to 4 pm) For more information or to register for workshops: Call Patricia (530) 753-0607 or Marlene at (530) 574-5680 or email [email protected]

More local classes and workshops Landscaping with California Native Plants Classes and field trips are in Sacramento Classes: September 5 and Sept. 11 7 to 9 pm Field trip: September 16 10 am to noon For information www.sacsplash.org/nature/landscaping.htm

Master Gardener’s Autumn Gardening Festival Held at Woodland Community College Saturday, September 29 Registration begins at 8 am. http://ceyolo.ucdavis.edu/Gardening_and_Master_Gardening/

Iceland poppy

breadseed poppy

California poppy

Plant sales and events Plant Sale and Garden Snoop Sunday, September 30 11 am to 3 pm Patricia Carpenter’s garden --36951 Russell Blvd., Davis Frances Andrews and Patricia have been propagating plants for fall planting. Plant list will be sent to subscribers mid Sept.

When to plant Grow in the cool season in Davis. Best planted/seeded in fall, also late Jan. to early Feb. is possible. Some like cool conditions and some like warm. Best seeded or transplanted in March. Grow in the warm season. Seed or plant mid-April through May when the ground is warm and there is no danger of frost.

UCD Arboretum Plant Sale October 6 --the biggest sale of the year Preview tour Sept. 29 11am

Lots of great talks and tours coming up!! For information www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu

California Native Plant Society Plant Sale September 22 9 am – 3 pm in Sacramento For information www.SacValleyCNPS.org

Fall Plant Sales at The Gifted Gardener September 15, October 6 and October 21 10 am to 3 pm 18th and J Streets, Sacramento. Sale benefits local charities For information [email protected]

Davis Central Park Gardens Open House October 3

4:30 to 7:00 pm.

For more information

http://www.centralparkgardens.org

Davis Library Book Sale October 5, 6, 7

Often good finds on gardening books

For information on times

757-5593

Davis Garden Club Davis Public Library. 4th Monday of month, 7 to 9 pm For information 222-3052 snapdragon

scabiosa

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www.davisgardenclub.org

Plant notes! Here is more information about some plants mentioned in this newsletter.

Cool season annuals: annual chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum paludosum HA Can buy plants. Self-sows, sun. 12” tall. annual clary sage Salvia viridis HA Direct seeding best, although can be transplanted. Sun. Self-sows. Ammi majus HA Direct seeding best, sun. Self-sows, 3-5 ft. tall. Great cut flower. breadseed or opium poppy Papaver somniferum HA Direct seeding is best due to taproot, sun. Self-sows, 3-4 ft. tall. california poppy Eschscholzia californica HA Direct seeding best, sun. CA native with taproot. Self-sows. cornflower, bachelor’s button Centaurea cyanus HA Direct seeding best, sun. Self-sows. Doesn’t like to be transplanted. farewell-to-spring, godetia Clarkia amoena HA CA native. Direct seeding is best, sun. Self-sows. Good cut flower. Flanders, corn and Shirley poppy Papaver rhoeas HA Direct seeding is best – hates being transplanted. Sun. Self-sows. forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica HA or biennial. Can direct seed or transplant. Sun to part shade. Self-sows. larkspur Consolida ambigua HA Direct seeding best, sun. Hates transplanting. Seeds are poisonous!! Self-sows. 3-5 ft. tall, cut flower. sweet peas Lathyrus odoratus HA Direct seeding is best. Soak seeds 24 hours before planting. Sun. Fragrant flowers.

A couple plots in Patricia’s garden that have been cleaned up, dug with a digging fork, mulched and are now ready to add more plants or seeds.

Fall Garden Cleanup By now many blooms have faded, stems have toppled, and lush green has been replaced by blotchy yellow out in the garden. While many plants will continue to bloom until frost, it’s now time to start fall cleanup. This should not be seen as a chore but a chance to prepare your garden for spring re-growth and to make space for planting. Fall can be a daunting time for gardeners as they contemplate how and when to clean up their garden. Garden clean up does not need to be a stressful mystery. The key is to determine a plant’s growth habit and then you will have a clue to that plant’s maintenance needs. The first task is to determine if a plant is an annual or a perennial. A lot of summer annuals will have set seed and may be ready to be pulled from the garden. If pulling them out will disturb surrounding plant roots, just cut to the ground. If the plant self-sows easily and more are wanted in the garden, shake the plant around to release the seeds. If not, cut flowering stalks before seeds form. The chart on the next page lists types of perennials and their maintenance needs. Perennials are either considered woody or herbaceous (soft stemmed). However, due to our long growing season, many herbaceous plants will develop woody stems. A general rule of thumb is to cut stems that have flowered back to new growth. This new growth can be found along the stem or coming from the ground. If you are not sure how to cut back a plant -- wait until new growth is evident. Now that plants are cut back, it is a good time to dig and mulch. Using a digging fork, gently dig around the existing plants trying not to disturb the roots. Compost and/or fertilizer can be dug in as well. Then add a layer of compost or mulch on top of the soil and around the plants, but keep it away from woody stems. This will protect from compacting winter rains, help control weeds and improve the soil structure.

knotweed, kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate Persicaria orientale HA Direct seeding best, sun. Self-sows. 5-10 ft. tall!! red flowering flax Linum grandiflorum HA Easy to grow but slow to germinate. Doesn’t transplant well. Sun. Self-sows.

Perennials: autumn sage Salvia gregii Semi evergreen shrub, sun. butterfly bush Buddleja davidii Deciduous woody shrub catmint Nepeta Herbaceous evergreen. columbine Aquilegia Herbaceous evergreen with basal leaves. coneflower Echinacea Herbaceous deciduous that completely disappears in winter. Plant location needs to be marked.

coral bells Heuchera Herbaceous evergreen with basal leaves. Iceland poppy Papaver nudicaule Short lived perennial grown as annual. Easy to find in nurseries.

lemon verbena

Aloysia triphylla Semi evergreen shrub, frost tender. Best planted and pruned in the spring. Miscanthus Warm season grasses. pansies Viola x wittrockiana Perennial grown as HA penstemon Penstemon Woody evergreen. primroses Primula Polyanthus Group Plant under deciduous trees as they need summer shade. scabiosa Scabiosa caucasica Herbaceous evergreen. scented geranium Pelargonium Woody evergreen low shrub. Frost tender - best planted and pruned in spring. shasta daisy Chrysanthemum maximum Herbaceous deciduous plant that forms low clumps of leaves in winter. Sun. snapdragons Antirrhinum majus Short lived perennial stock Matthiola incana Short lived woody perennial often planted as an annual. Easy to find dwarf varieties in nurseries. yarrow Achillea millefolium Herbaceous deciduous plant forming low clumps of leaves in winter.

Cool season bulbs: See July-Aug. newsletter for discussion about cool season bulbs.

Cool season vegetables and fruits: Shade seedlings and keep them well watered until established Root crops (carrots, turnips, beets, parsnips, radish) Direct seed. Transplanting damages the root!! Strawberries Fragaria June bearing and everbearing varieties Alpine or woodland strawberries Fragaria vesca Easy to grow, doesn’t produce runners. Red, yellow and white varieties.

Miner’s lettuce Claytonia parvifolia HA Easy to grow CA native. A tasty green. Self-sows. Sun or shade.

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More gardening tips!

Perennial Plants (not trees) and Their Maintenance Needs Plant type

Maintenance

Examples

Woody plants deciduous

Generally pruned in the dormant season (December to February)

Spring blooming only:

Woody plants evergreen semi-evergreen

Shrubs and vines that only bloom in the spring are pruned after they flower to avoid cutting off flower buds. Semi-evergreen plants may retain most of their leaves in a mild winter and can lose almost all in a severe winter. Remove dead and diseased stems anytime.

Herbaceous evergreen

Herbaceous basal leaves

Herbaceous deciduous

bulbs

grasses

Hardy perennials can be pruned right before new growth begins. For tender perennials, wait until late spring when there is no longer a chance of frost before pruning or cutting back. The old foliage will help protect plant from frost. Evergreen plants are cut back to new growth and flowering stems are removed. New growth should be visible along lower stems. Foliage and roots emerge from single point called a crown. Many of these plants are evergreen. Cut off dead flower stalks and clean up old foliage touching the ground. Look for new growth emerging from the ground; remove all other foliage and flowering stems. Because our winters are mild, most plants form a clump of new growth that stays low all winter and really starts to grow in the spring. In Davis, very few plants will die completely down to the ground. It is a good idea to mark the location of these plants. Wait for foliage to yellow and start to die. Cut stems to about 6” to help mark plant. There are cool and warm season grasses. Cut back to ground when new growth starts.

Accidentally digging up bulbs. When cleaning and digging in the garden, bulbs are sometimes dug up. If crowded, they can be divided. Just replant, giving them more space to grow.

lilac wisteria forsythia spiraea.

When direct seeding a new variety you aren’t familiar with, plant some seeds in a pot to see what the seedlings will look like. Drip irrigation and plants/bulbs that like summer dry conditions. If you have drip, there are sometimes drier areas that don’t get as much water (away from emitters). This is a perfect area for plants that really don’t like summer water. These include some California native plants and bulbs and many of the incredible South African bulbs.

Evergreen: penstemon

Semievergreen: autumn sage butterfly bush lemon verbena (tender)

Sacramento Garden Notes is a newsletter published by Robert B. Hamm. There will be some information about plants that don’t do well in Davis. The September issue has a nice article on native bees and how to attract them to your garden. [email protected] to subscribe.

scented geranium (tender)

Ranunculus and anemone bulbs need to be planted now but no later than the middle of October. They need time for roots to form before the cold weather sets in. Don’t forget to water.

scabiosa catmint

Sources for seeds of hardy annuals and vegetables: Territorial Seed Company www.territorialseed.com Pinetree Garden Seeds www.superseeds.com Johnny’s Selected Seeds www.johnnyseeds.com Peaceful Valley Farm Supply www.groworganic.com Wildseed Farm www.wildseedfarms.com Nichols Garden Nursery www.nicholsgardennursery.com

columbine coral bells

Form clumps of leaves in winter: shasta daisy yarrow

Dies completely down: coneflowers larkspur

breadseed poppy

Newsletter created by:

gladiolus dahlias

Marlene Simon -- UCD graduate in Horticulture Patricia Carpenter -- Garden Design and Education, with 30 years of Davis gardening experience.

Miscanthus

The bi-monthly newsletter is free if received by email. If mailed, the cost is $15 per year. To be added to the subscription list or to unsubscribe, contact us at: [email protected]

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