April Tips & Events for Santa Clara County |
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“One of the healthiest ways to gamble is with a spade and a package of garden seeds.” ~ Dan Bennett
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Who’s Digging in This Lawn? |
Have you ever seen a lawn that looks like this? You might notice the lawn looks fine in the evening and the next morning it’s a mess. What happened during the night to cause this? Read to the end to find out. |
Photo: By Ali Harivandi, UC
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A 3 to 4" layer of mulch can reduce watering needs by as much as 50 percent. Mulch reduces water evaporation and keeps soil temperatures down during hot summer months. In addition, mulch reduces the number of weeds, makes it easier to control weeds that do grow, and protects the soil from compaction. Organic mulches such as arborist chips and bark nuggets break down and improve soil quality over time. Place mulch away from the street curb to prevent heavy rains from washing it into storm drains. Also keep mulch away from the trunks of woody trees or shrubs to avoid decay problems.
Photo: Arborist wood chip mulch at our Martial Cottle Park garden, by Allen Buchinski
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Seedlings grown indoors or in a greenhouse are tender because they have been sheltered from direct sun and outdoor conditions. You need to acclimate them to the great outdoors, a process called hardening, before planting them into the garden. Start by giving them short exposures to full sun and cool nights, gradually increasing the amount of time. Seedlings can dry out quickly, so be sure to keep them watered, especially with hot or windy weather. Protect them if nights are cold. After about two weeks, they should be ready to start life in the garden.
Photo: A garden cart lets you move the seedlings around easily, by Kristine Lang, South Dakota State
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Photo: Douglas iris is a native California wildflower, by Cheryl Weiden
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Growing Native Garden Tour, April 2–3 |
This free, self-guided tour of native gardens is organized by the California Native Plant Society. It takes place Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3, from 10 am to 4 pm. There is no cost, but you need to register to get the map and addresses. There are dozens of gardens to choose from on each day. The descriptions and photos on the GNGT site will help you narrow down which ones to visit, plus the lists of past gardens are a great resource year-round. Virtual visits for this year and past years are also available.
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Prevent Fruit Tree Sun Burn |
Summer sun can bake trunks and branches of trees, especially when pruned to allow light into the tree’s center. Use whitewash to protect the bark from sunburn and subsequent insect infestation. Coat the south/west facing sides of the trunk and the top of main, sun-exposed limbs of all young trees and on older trees pruned to allow sunlight to reach the tree interior. Use white interior latex paint diluted to half strength with water. Apply the paint mixture from the soil surface up the entire trunk (and 2 inches below the surface for newly planted trees). Smaller branches are usually naturally protected by the tree’s leaves.
Photo: Peach tree at our Martial Cottle Park orchard, by Allen Buchinski
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Photo: Italian arum, an ornamental but noxious weed, by James Gaither
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Noxious Weed: Italian Arum
Italian arum (Arum italicum) has beautiful foliage but is also a noxious and difficult-to-control weed. It is toxic if eaten and the sap can cause skin irritation. Since birds disperse the bright orange-red berries, seedlings can pop up anywhere. While Italian arum prefers moist shade, it is drought tolerant once established. It forms many tubers deep in the soil, so it is difficult to dig up completely. Be vigilant and especially do not allow it to fruit. Bag and dispose of tubers and berries in trash rather than green waste. It is on the California Invasive Pest Council’s watch list and is listed as a noxious weed in Washington State.
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Answer: Who's Digging in This Lawn? |
Raccoons and skunks dig holes in lawns at night while searching for tasty grubs to eat. The grubs are the larval form of a number of insects. These grubs also live in gardens, compost, and mulched areas. In some areas of the county, even wild pigs are attracted by this food. Birds sometimes feast on them but more likely during the day. In most cases, if you can control the larvae, you can minimize the damage. |
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Photo: Larva of a predatory ground beetle and larvae of a masked chafer, by Jack Kelly Clark, UC
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Our monthly Plant Clinic Online is an opportunity to chat with a Master Gardener via Zoom to diagnose a plant problem. You can also listen and learn while other people ask questions. It takes place on the second Saturday of the month (April 9), from 10–noon. Priority will be given to questions that are emailed in advance; instructions are in the Zoom registration confirmation. Registration required.
Container Gardener, Tuesday, April 26, 6:30–8:30 pm, Fremont Unified High School District Adult School, Room 106, 589 West Fremont Avenue, Sunnyvale
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Check our calendar for the latest schedule of events. Videos of many past presentations are also available.
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University of California Master Gardener volunteers promote sustainable gardening practices and provide research-based horticultural information to home gardeners. Visit our website for more information including:
Have a gardening question? Ask us. We’re here to help!
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