The Digging Fork -- Sept-Oct 2010

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The Digging ForkA Davis Garden Newsletter

September - October 2010

September October

Planting Perennials: everything

except frost tender plants!Trees, shrubs, primroses,Iceland poppies, pansies,snapdragons, stock, etc.

Cool season edibles:Good idea to shade transplants

artichokes, broccoli,cabbage, cauliflower,leeks, elephant garlic,lettuce, bulbing onionsstrawberries, alpinestrawberries, garlic

Cool season bulbs

Perennials: everythingexcept frost tender plants-(see September)

Cool season edibles:artichokes, broccoli,bulbing onions, cabbage,garlic, shallots, leeks,elephant garlic, lettuce,strawberries, alpinestrawberries, cilantro,Swiss chard

Seedingdirectly

into the

garden

Cool season annualsAmmi majus, larkspur,cornflower, annual clarysage, red flowering flax,breadseed poppies, sweetpeas, forget-me-nots, etc.

Cool season edibles:Good idea to shade seedlings

arugula, beets, broccoli,carrots, Florence fennel,kale, leeks, lettuce, dill,green and bulbing onions,parsnip, peas, radish,Swiss chard, turnips

Cool season annualssee September, also CAwildflowers.

Cool season edibles:

arugula, broccoli, beets,carrots, cauliflower, favabeans, leeks, lettuce,miners lettuce, greenonions, parsnip, peas,radish, spinach, dillSwiss chard, turnips,cilantro

Fertilize Lawns and roses asneeded

Fertilizing in earlySeptember will help plantsgrow through the winter.

Cool season lawns asneeded

If you havent already, now

is a good time to add soilsulfur to citrus and otheracid loving plants and

those showing irondeficiencies.(will lower the pH o f soil makingiron more available to plants. Mixsoil sulfur with top 6 of soil andwater well)

Pest &

Disease

Control

Tomato hornwormspick offSnails, slugs and earwigs

damageuse baits or trapsAphids and whiteflies -can

spray off with water

See September.

Tasks Garden clean-up andmulching begins -- findspace for new plants

Weed control continuesDivide hardy perennials

Order perennial plants forfall planting. Order hardyannual seeds for directseeding.

Fall planting begins!!!

Continue garden clean-upand mulching, findingspace for new plants

Weed control continues

Divide hardy perennials

Planting continues!Renovate lawn

Water Continue watering asneededespecially newplantings.About mid September,change automatic timers towater less often.

Continue watering asneededespecially newplantings.

The weather is getting cooler. By October, plantwater needs are about half of what they were in

June and July. Set automatic timers to water less!

Red bulbing onions are about ready to harvest and California nativeonion (Allium unifolium ) with pink flowers.

Alliums -- the Onion FamilyThere are Alliums of all types -- both ornamental

and edible. Many wonderful flower garden Alliums areeasy to grow in our area. Allium cowanii (picturedbelow) is a favorite of Patricias and is one of the firstbulbs to bloom in thespring. It is a great cutflower that is used in thefloral industry because itdoesnt have a noticeableonion fragrance. This1923 heirloom is easy togrow and multipliesreliably in the garden. Thethree-cornered leek or

onion weed (Alliumtriquetrum) is from thewestern Mediterranean and has somewhat similar whiteflowers toAllium cowanii but is very invasive in our area.Those who grow it have found it very difficult to control.It is easy to identify by the triangular stems of the flowerstalk. The single-leaf onion ( Allium unifolium) is aCalifornia native that is drought tolerant and will behappy in an area with little summer water but will alsogrow in the garden with regular water. The pink flowersbrighten the garden in April. The summer flowering

Allium subhirstum is also called hairy garlic. It is easyto grow, but will

self-sow if you letthe white flowersgo to seed. Theyoung, tenderleaves are tastyand have a mild

onion/garlic flavor. All theseAlliums should be plantedin the fall.

It is so very easy to grow Alliums for kitchen use!They can be planted in the vegetable garden or tucked inamong the flowers. Generally, the bulbs and leaves of all

Alliums are edible, but they may not taste very good.


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die back in the winter, like chives. They flower in springand produce seeds, but continue to grow and multiply.

Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum var.porrum)are seededin March and/or August to October. This biennial isgrown for its mild and distinctive flavor. Leeks take along time to grow (100-150 days from seed) but no bulbforms. Start them from seed and then dig, separate andtransplant them when they are 8-12 inches tall.

Transplants are often available in 6-paks as well.Transplant them deeply or plant in a 6 deep trench so thesoil can be mounded around the plants to produce nicewhite stems. Leeks are harvested when they are about aninch in diameter. The flowers are also edible.

Bulbing onions ( Allium cepa) are probably the mostfrustrating and trickyAllium to grow until you understand

what causes them to eitherform bulbs or bolt (flowerin the spring). The onionplants grow, producingleaves and if all goes well,

each leaf will swell at thebase and form a ring in theonion bulb. However,

bulbing is triggered by the number of daylight hours theyneed to begin the bulbing process. If a line is drawn fromSan Francisco to Washington DC, those living abovewould plant long day onions (needing 14-16 hours) andthose below would plant short day onions (needing only10-12 hours). Davis is located just about on the linesowhich do we plant? Lucky for us there are alsointermediate day onions (needing 12-14 hours) that dobest in our area. These start to bulb about the end ofMarch.

Temperature affects flowering. Once plants reach acritical size, which seems to be about in diameter, a

temperature of 40-50 F will cause the plants to flowerthe next spring. If an onion plant flowers it is not puttingenergy into bulbing. So, we must plant the onions lateenough so the plant is not too big to cause floweringwhen the cold temperatures set in. This is the tricky part.The timing of planting depends on whether plantingseeds, transplants or sets. The easiest way to growbulbing onions is to plant bare-root transplants that are forsale locally in about November. Dont pick out thebiggest ones! Instead buy the smallest and plant them 4-6 apart. Sometimes transplants are available in 6-paks

starting in September. Consider planting the Walla WallaSweet that takes 300 days from seed (usually started inAugust) to harvest. Onion plants can also be started fromseed by starting them in trays and about 2 months latertransplanting in the garden. Or direct seed into the gardenand eat some green onions as you thin.

Onion sets usually dont form bulbs in our area andshould only be planted for producing green onions. Mostsets are not identified by a variety but only as red, yellowor white. Patricia did a test last fall and planted redonion transplants and red onion sets on the same dayin mid November. The experiment was repeated with

white and yellow onions as well. In all cases the onionsets bolted in the spring. The onion sets should have beenharvested during the winter to use as green onions. Allthe transplantsdid bulb up!!

In the summer, the tops of the bulbing onions willstart to fall over. This is when you should stop wateringthem for a few weeks -- this is another tricky part unlessyou have thought about this when planting. Try plantingthem so they are at the end of a dripline that can bekinked to stop water to the onions only. Onions areharvested and cured in the shade with tops attached.Store them cool and dry! Unfortunately, the onionvarieties that grow well in Davis dont store very well.

Top-setting onions, also called tree onions (Alliumcepa) are fun to grow -- Egyptian walking onions being afavorite. Propagation ofthis hardy onion is bydivision of the bulbs orby planting the bulbilsthat form at the top of astalk where you would

expect flowers. Tocontrol where the newcrop is started, thebulbils are divided and planted about 4 apartand just under the soil surface. If this is not done, theneventually the bulbils will start to sprout and get heavy,falling to the ground they take root. This is how theywalk to a new location of their choice. The bulbils,small bulbs and emerging greens can all be eaten.

Shallots on left, Egyptian walking onions on right

In general, Alliums have shallow roots, so weedsshould be kept at a minimum since they will compete fornutrients and water. Seeds stored for over a year dontgerminate very well.

John Scheepers, Inc www.johnscheepers.com 860-567-0838Allium cowanii andAllium unifolium

Redwood Barn Nursery www.redwoodbarn.com 758-22766-paks and bare-root onion transplants

Youngmark Woodland 666-14146-paks and bare-root onion transplants

Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply 1-888-784-1722http://groworganic.com garlic, shallots and onions

Territorial Seed Company www.territorialseed.com800-626-0866 shallots, multiplier and top-setting onions

Whew!!! Who would have thought there were so manyeasy to growAlliums that we can enjoy in the kitchen andgarden.
http://www.johnscheepers.com/http://www.johnscheepers.com/http://www.redwoodbarn.com/http://www.redwoodbarn.com/http://groworganic.com/http://groworganic.com/http://www.territorialseed.com/http://www.territorialseed.com/http://www.territorialseed.com/http://groworganic.com/http://www.redwoodbarn.com/http://www.johnscheepers.com/


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Both these shrubs grew happily for several years then all of a sudden died.Maybe the roots will give us a clue as to why.

RootsMany gardeners plant trees and shrubs that seem to

thrive at first and then just die a few years later for noapparent reason. The reason may be the hidden roots.Often kinked, circling or girdling roots wont kill the

plant right away. The real frustration is all the yearsinvested in growing a plant that will have to be replaced.

These problems generally start at the nurseries wherethe trees andshrubs aregrown. Aplant in asmall potmay haveroots thatare growingin a circle or

square because they ran out of room in the pot. The roots

might also be kinked as well, like in the above photo.Kinked roots are those that bend back on themselves.This may have been caused when a root was forced into apot when transplanting. When large roots are kinked,they inhibit nutrients and water.

When these plants with problem roots are transplantedto a larger pot, the roots oftencontinue to grow in the samepattern because circling rootsgenerally dont grow many newroots on the outside of the circleor square. Since these roots are

often hidden in the larger pot, wemay not even be aware of theproblem until much later. Plantsthat are not repotted properly oron time, meaning they were left inthe pot for too long, will latercause us problems in our garden!

Sometimes it is possible to detect circling roots hiddeninside a pot by pulling up gently on the trunk. If thetrunk pulls up easily, like a spring, it is best to investigatefurther. Another test is to bend the trunk over gently. Agood root system will hold the trunk securely. If instead,the root ball moves around in the soil, the roots might be

circling. Since the worst problems are near the truck andin the top layer of soil, it is perfectly acceptable to digaround in the pot close to the trunk and a few inches deepto help determine if there are any root defects.

Once a tree or bush is planted, often the first sign ofcircling roots is when it starts to lean or tip over (seephotos below). Since the roots arent pushing outwardinto the soil, theydont provide much

stability, so a goodwind will blow theplant over. Oftenthe roots becomeexposed above theground and it is easyto see the rootproblems. If a plantcontinues to growwith circling roots,these roots may startto slow growth and eventually girdle or strangle the trunk

-- killing the tree or shrub years later. Circling roots thatare near the soil surface are the most dangerous and ifdetected, the tree or shrub should not be planted.

Sometimes a plant in a pot is very root-bound, butthere are no large circling roots. These roots should becut before planting by making 4 or 5 slices with a sharpblade from the top of the root ball to the bottom or youcan gently tease the roots apart.

Here is a wonderful power point on selecting qualitytrees!!! There are also numerous tips on planting and lotsof pictures. Slide #30 is the start of the root defectsinformation.

http://hort.ufl.edu/woody/powerpoints/selecting_quality.ppt

Garden Internship Available 3 month internship inPatricias garden. Days and hours to be negotiated.Require a minimum of 10 hours per month. Payment is incut flowers, free plants, advice and a Gardening Coachconsultation for your garden. This internship is very flexibleand can be customized to meet your needs and interests.What is important is that you have a genuine interest inlearning more about plants and gardening. You canspecialize in edibles, cut flowers, irrigation, low water orCalifornia native or shade or tropical plants......References available from previous/current interns.

More Gardening TipsHow to identify a bee. A great lesson!http://www.greatsunflower.org/files/images/How_to_tell_a_Bee.pdf?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_campaign=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_term=How%2Bto%2Btell%2Ba%2BBee

The Yolo Gardener a quarterly publication by the YoloCounty Master Gardenershttps://ucanr.org/mg/users/documents/6215The_Yolo_Gardener24881.pdf
http://hort.ufl.edu/woody/powerpoints/selecting_quality.ppthttp://hort.ufl.edu/woody/powerpoints/selecting_quality.ppthttp://www.greatsunflower.org/files/images/How_to_tell_a_Bee.pdf?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_campaign=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_term=How%2Bto%2Btell%2Ba%2BBeehttp://www.greatsunflower.org/files/images/How_to_tell_a_Bee.pdf?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_campaign=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_term=How%2Bto%2Btell%2Ba%2BBeehttp://www.greatsunflower.org/files/images/How_to_tell_a_Bee.pdf?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_campaign=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_term=How%2Bto%2Btell%2Ba%2BBeehttp://www.greatsunflower.org/files/images/How_to_tell_a_Bee.pdf?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_campaign=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_term=How%2Bto%2Btell%2Ba%2BBeehttp://www.greatsunflower.org/files/images/How_to_tell_a_Bee.pdf?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_campaign=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_term=How%2Bto%2Btell%2Ba%2BBeehttps://ucanr.org/mg/users/documents/6215The_Yolo_Gardener24881.pdfhttps://ucanr.org/mg/users/documents/6215The_Yolo_Gardener24881.pdfhttp://www.greatsunflower.org/files/images/How_to_tell_a_Bee.pdf?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_campaign=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_term=How%2Bto%2Btell%2Ba%2BBeehttp://www.greatsunflower.org/files/images/How_to_tell_a_Bee.pdf?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_campaign=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_term=How%2Bto%2Btell%2Ba%2BBeehttp://www.greatsunflower.org/files/images/How_to_tell_a_Bee.pdf?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_campaign=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_term=How%2Bto%2Btell%2Ba%2BBeehttp://www.greatsunflower.org/files/images/How_to_tell_a_Bee.pdf?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_campaign=The+Buzz%3A+Summer+Pollinator+Party&utm_term=How%2Bto%2Btell%2Ba%2BBeehttp://hort.ufl.edu/woody/powerpoints/selecting_quality.ppt


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Plant salesWhy so many sales this time of year? Because it is the best time toplant most everything, especially natives. The winter rains will helpthe plants become established. The only plants that are best plantedin spring are those that are frost sensitive, like citrus.

UCD ArboretumSaturday, September 25 Member Sale 9-11 a.m.

(Join at the door!) Public Sale 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Saturday, October 16 Public sale 9 a.m.-1 p.m.Lots of great guided tours and workshops coming up!!Email below for a monthly reminder of events sent to youFor information 752-4880 www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu

Three Palms Nursery Fall Plant SaleSeptember Sale (all month) 5 1-gal size plants for $20Fall Sale October 2-3 and 9-10 9am to 5pm 20% offRussell Blvd and Rd. 95A, 2.8 mi. west of Rd. 98Information www.3palmsnursery.com 756-8355

Lemuria Nursery SaleSeptember 7 to October 31 20% off all plants in stock

7820 Serpa Lane, Dixon (707) 678-4481Look for this nursery on facebook.

California Native Plant Society Sale & CelebrationSaturday & Sunday, September 25 & 26 10 am to 2 pmMcKinley Garden and Arts Center, SacramentoFor information http://www.sacvalleycnps.org/

Cornflower Farms Nursery DaysOctober 16th and November 13th 7:30 am to 2 pm

9811 Sheldon Rd. Elk GroveInfo (916) 689-1015 ext. 10 www.cornflowerfarms.com

Plant Sales at The Gifted GardenerSaturday/Sunday September 18th and 19th 10am4pmSaturday/Sunday October 16rd & 17th 10am4pm

18th and J Streets, Sacramento. Sales benefit local charitiesInformation [email protected] (916) 923-3745

In October the climbing rose Dortmond often has flowers androsehips on the same plant.

Local classes, events & workshopsGrowing a Kitchen GardenDavis Adult School

Mondays, September 27 to November 1, 6:308:30 pmPlus two Garden Visits to reinforce classroom learning:

Sundays, October 10 and 24, 12-3 pmTaught by Patricia Carpenter and Lyn Taylor $90Information www.djusd.k12.ca.us/AdultSchool 757-5380

Master Gardener Educational WorkshopsAll workshops are free. For more information 666-8143 orhttp://ceyolo.ucdavis.edu/Gardening_and_Master_Gardening/

Honey Bee Haven at UC DavisOpening celebrationSaturday, September 11, 10 am to 2 pmHarry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facilityhttp://beebiology.ucdavis.edu/HAVEN/havenopening.html

City of Davis Worm and Garden CompostingAfter taking the Davis Compost Correspondence Class,

Get a GeoBin Composter for only $10 757-5686http://cityofdavis.org/pw/recycle/backyardcompost.cfm

Garden Exploration WorkshopPatricias GardenSaturday, October 9 9 am to 12 noonLimited to 15 participants. $25 per person/ $40 for twoInstructors: Patricia Carpenter and Melissa KellyYou will leave with handouts, some seeds and plants.Reservations required [email protected] workshops will be held in Patricias garden periodicallyduring the year. Guided tour and lots of time for explorationand questions.

--see what is blooming in the fall and discover new plants--learn about garden cleanup and fall planting, including bulbs--ask questions about healthy soil, irrigation, composting --learn about cool season vegetables and when to plant--discover how easy it is to divide plants

--find out sources for bulbs, seeds and other plants you likeDavis Central Park Gardens Workshops

Fall Open House and Sculpture UnveilingSaturday, October 30 9 am to noon

Garden Work Days This is a great way to learn moreabout plants and garden cleanup as you workalongside Master Gardeners and other garden experts.

Wednesday, September 15 - 5 pm to 7 pmSaturday, October 2 - 9 am to 11 amSaturday, October 16 - 9 am to 11 am

Free, more information http://www.centralparkgardens.org

Davis Flower ArrangersCourtney Williams Kett, co-owner and designer, Dixon

Florist Store. Wednesday, October 2 7 pmJanet Martinez -- Thanksgiving arrangements for

your home Wednesday, November 3 7 pmEleanor Roosevelt Center, 675 Cantrill, DavisFor information Tina 662-9035 or Phyllis 758-7814

Ceanothus California Field Botanists AssociationNext Davis meeting September 18th (9:00am-12:00pm)Learn to key plants. Group meets about once

a month at UC Davis Center for Plant DiversityInformation www.ceanothusfieldbotanist.blogspot.com

Dahlias are great for fallcolor. They are planted in

late spring. In Davis, withour mild winter climate,they dont need to be dugup in the fall and replantedeach spring.

Newsletter created by:Patricia Carpenter -- Gardening Coach (Design and Education),

with 35 years of Davis gardening experience

Seehttp://TheDiggingFork.wordpress.com/ for the currentand archived issues. To be added to the subscription list or tounsubscribe, contact us at: [email protected]
http://www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu/http://www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu/http://www.3palmsnursery.com/http://www.3palmsnursery.com/http://www.sacvalleycnps.org/http://www.sacvalleycnps.org/http://www.cornflowerfarms.com/http://www.cornflowerfarms.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.djusd.k12.ca.us/AdultSchoolhttp://www.djusd.k12.ca.us/AdultSchoolhttp://ceyolo.ucdavis.edu/Gardening_and_Master_Gardening/http://ceyolo.ucdavis.edu/Gardening_and_Master_Gardening/http://beebiology.ucdavis.edu/HAVEN/havenopening.htmlhttp://beebiology.ucdavis.edu/HAVEN/havenopening.htmlhttp://cityofdavis.org/pw/recycle/backyardcompost.cfmhttp://cityofdavis.org/pw/recycle/backyardcompost.cfmmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.centralparkgardens.org/http://www.centralparkgardens.org/http://www.ceanothusfieldbotanist.blogspot.com/http://www.ceanothusfieldbotanist.blogspot.com/http://thediggingfork.wordpress.com/http://thediggingfork.wordpress.com/http://thediggingfork.wordpress.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://thediggingfork.wordpress.com/http://www.ceanothusfieldbotanist.blogspot.com/http://www.centralparkgardens.org/mailto:[email protected]://cityofdavis.org/pw/recycle/backyardcompost.cfmhttp://beebiology.ucdavis.edu/HAVEN/havenopening.htmlhttp://ceyolo.ucdavis.edu/Gardening_and_Master_Gardening/http://www.djusd.k12.ca.us/AdultSchoolmailto:[email protected]://www.cornflowerfarms.com/http://www.sacvalleycnps.org/http://www.3palmsnursery.com/http://www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu/

The Digging Fork -- Sept-Oct 2010

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