UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County

This upcoming webinar on Aug 27th, from the Resilient Landscapes Coalition will be focusing on sustainable practices for summer & fall transition in the landscape
Register at https://tinyurl.com/4aemcxvh
Spanish available

Eriogonum (Buckwheat)
Wild buckwheats bring many months of floral interest to Sonoma County gardens when several of the more than 125 species are planted. Numerous selections with flat-headed or round blossoms in yellow, creamy white, pink, or red not only enliven ornamental landscapes, but provide important food sources for birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators spring thru fall.

Epilobium] species (California fuchsia)—a widely variable perennial or small shrub favored by hummingbirds as it breaks into spectacular bloom in late summer and early fall with brilliant salmon to red-orange tubular flowers; dormant in winter.

Asters are vital for late-season pollinators, especially bees and butterflies. They provide a crucial nectar source when many other plants have stopped blooming.

Opportunity to learn more about caring for CA Natives at this UC Master Gardeners of Napa County event

Did you know Las Flores Learning Garden is comprised of four separate themed gardens? This month we will be focusing on the California Natives Garden and their care. Join us to learn all about these easy to grow, low water beauties on Saturday, August 31st, by registering for this hands-on workshop here: https://napamg.ucanr.edu/DemoGarden/?calitem=596318

Sonoma County gardeners may feel that reaping fresh, cool-weather crops is a bonus after the summer-autumn harvest, but many crops thrive best in our mild, wet, Mediterranean winters. The harvest may continue into early spring with careful timing and plant selection. And when winter rains are plentiful, the chore of supplemental irrigation is kept to a minimum.
Cool-Weather Kitchen Garden Crops
Many crops are easy to start from seed, either directly sown in garden beds or indoors in pots for transplanting. Starts may be purchased at local nurseries in late July and early August. Consult the Sonoma County Master Gardener “Vegetable Planting Summary” for details. (See link below.)

Many cool-weather crops sweeten and deepen in flavor with colder weather.
From seed: beets, bunch onions, calendula, carrot, chives, dill, greens (bok choy, Swiss chard, kale, mustard, radicchio), leeks, nasturtium, parsley, parsnip, peas.
Usually purchased as starts: artichoke, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, fennel bulb. These can also be sown indoors mid-summer and transplanted to the garden in August and September.
Other cool-season crops:
Fava Beans: sow August–December.
Asparagus: plant bare root in January-March.
Garlic, onions, shallots: sets are often available at nurseries or may be purchased by mail-order in early autumn.
https://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/files/30787.pdf

With students heading back to school, now is a good time to talk about pests in schools and childcare centers.

In this webinar, Karey Windbiel-Rojas, associate director for Urban & Community IPM/ area urban IPM advisor
will talk about head lice, bed bugs, rats, cockroaches, and more.

UC Statewide IPM Program, Urban/Community

Online webinar, Aug. 15, noon-1 p.m.

Register ➡️ bit.ly/3SOdGPM

Your local library may have more than just gardening books....

Libraries can be more than just books. Did you know…several of our libraries (including Healdsburg Regional Library) have a seed library for patrons to secure or share seeds. They do! In addition to the seeds, we offer planting guides, starter plant holders, and more. Get your green thumb on with seeds from our seed library. Ask your librarian for more details. Healdsburg Regional Library

SUNDAYS WITH SUE: When the Tithtonias bloom Monarch butterflies appear! At least that’s how it goes in our garden. End of August is usually the time we see our first Monarchs. However the bloom was early and much to my surprise there she was gliding gracefully over the garden. In all of these years the Monarch’s regal appearance still takes my breath away. The way the iconic butterfly soars spreading those broad highly distinguishable wings is different from any other. This fashionista drinks nectar from a flower with her proboscis that extends from a perfectly polka dotted head. Are there enough words to describe my adoration for the Monarchs? I think not. https://www.xerces.org/blog/5-monarch-migration-facts #:~:text=Every%20year%20as%20it%20gets,further%20east%20migrate%20to%20Mexico

Here are California Natives to plant this fall for the Monarchs:https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/19-046_01_MonarchNectarPlants_California_web-4pg.pdf

I watched her for awhile as she visited Tithtonias in several parts of the garden. I know it was a she because there were no black dots in the center of the hind wings. These dots are scent glands to attract females. It was all pretty peaceful when to my dismay several Gulf Frittaries started flying at the Monarch seeming to chase her out of the garden. She made several attempts to return only to be escorted out. I am wondering if the passion vine planted in a pot close by is too close? Am I spending too much time watching butterflies?? Perhaps the Frittilaries are living their time only to give way at the end of August?

If you are not familiar with Tithtonia plants, they are flowering annuals that attract all kinds of pollinators. Tithtonia roundifolia is native to Mexico, Central America, even extends into the Southwest United States. Commonly called Mexican Sunflower or Torch flower the flowers provide nectar when other flowers are winding down. Allow some flowers to totally dry on the plant to gather seeds. Many times they will self seed.

Time in the garden is not wasted while waiting for more Monarchs. Harvest is in full swing. We have started picking Gravensteins. Tomatoes, squash, eggplant and peppers have already been roasted and whirled into veggie sauces. Corn, beans, and cucumbers are devoured in side dishes - some never make it inside! In spite of continual harvests, we have had losses due to the heat. Shading is mandatory with regards to preventing sunscald and blossom burnout. Covering the ground to maintain moisture is huge.

Have a great week. If you are waiting for Monarchs to arrive make sure milkweed is plentiful and if you can find a Tithtonia at a nursery, buy and plant it! It’s a beacon for Monarchs and all other pollinators. Our thoughts are with those touched by the raging of fire.

“Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine.” Jeffrey Glassberg

Pests to keep an eye out for this month

UC IPM's Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist is a useful tool to help you figure out what to do in your region each month to avoid and manage common pests of landscape plants. Visit the tool at
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/seasonal-landscape-ipm-checklist/ .tab=0

Got a citrus tree?
Then keep a look out for the symptoms of Huanglongbing
In Florida where HLB was first found in 2004 there has been an estimated 75% loss of citrus crops due to HLB, also termed citrus greening

It is important to know the signs of Huanglongbing (HLB) on your backyard citrus trees. Symptoms to look out for include blotchy, yellowing of leaves; yellow shoots; lopsided, small and rancid-tasting fruit; and premature and excessive fruit drop.

If you think your citrus tree is showing signs of HLB, report the symptoms immediately to the California Department of Food and Agriculture at 1-800-491-1899.

This week (Aug 4th-10th) marks the 25th anniversary of National Farmers Market Week
As well as being the place to get amazing local fresh produce & flowers, many also have Information Tables where you can get gardening advice from UC Master Gardener volunteers.
To find where we can be found at local Sonoma County Farmers Markets go to https://zurl.co/KvAp

It's very easy to get worried, but please don't be tempted to overwater.

Tip: Resist the urge to overwater on hot afternoons!

Master Gardener Eugene Wong explains, on hot afternoons, it is natural to see some plant with droopy leaves. It is also natural to want to immediately give it some water. But stop, just for a moment. Poke a finger into the soil near the root to see if the soil is still moist. If it is moist, wait until the next morning to water the plant.

What may be happening is the wilting is only temporary for plants that have adequate soil moisture on hot days. Many plants with large leaves such as squash, cucumber, sunflower, and many others may droop because they cannot absorb water fast enouh through their roots to replace the water lost through their leaves.

Adding water at this time is not necessary and may actually be harmful to the plant in some case since the extra water may prevent oxygen from reaching the roots. Plants will often recover in the evening as it cools down. One of the reasons to water plants early in the morning is to allow the soil to partially dry out and allow oxygen to refill tiny airspaces in the soil. Roots take in this oxygen from the soil as part of its processes to make use of available nutrients. Suffocating roots contribute to poor growth and may kill the plant.

Photo description: wilted zucchini leaves in the hot afternoon sun

When pruning, remove any branches that grow on the stem below the graft. Also remove any suckers that grow from the rootstock around the base of the tree. They can often be pulled off when small, or cut with a pruner.

SAVE THE DATE
Please join us at this fun, free event! More details and registration link coming soon. For information about Los Guilicos Demonstration and Teaching Garden: https://bit.ly/3zFY1M1

SUNDAYS WITH SUE: My efforts to create a memory garden for our black lab, Poppy, resulted in a new pollinator garden - one that will welcome Monarchs and many other pollinators! It has been a process deciding on the garden that would best honor our beloved pet but also serve as a fitting addition to our front yard habitat garden.
This area by our driveway had consisted of a few native plants and grasses, and a few nepeta plants. I literally dumped poppy seeds from dried pods all over the garden to come up in March and April. More perennials and annuals planted around the established plants would look colorful plus attract and support beneficial insects.

August is the time the Western Monarch butterflies will be migrating south. Having the right plants in our garden has been a priority. That means nectar rich flowers and lots of milkweed where the legendary iconic butterfly can lay her eggs and be where developing caterpillars can eat their way to adulthood. Those are in abundance throughout our garden as are native plants like the buckwheats asters and goldenrods. Creating an additional spot for butterflies and other pollinators was both purposeful and exhilarating! I should mention that bronze fennel (host plant for Anise Swallowtail) and as I have written before, passion vine (host plant for Gulf Frittaries) are planted close by.

I will share a list of favorite pollinator plants that bloom now and in the next few weeks for a small garden in the sun. Many of these I planted in this new memory/pollinator garden. They are annuals like African marigolds (3-4’ tall, big heads), zinnias, Tithtonia (Mexican Sunflower - Monarchs love them as do every other pollinator - a must!), and cosmos. Perennials like milkweed (two kinds - speciosa and fascicularis), Echinacea, Salvia, Monarda, Caryopteris, Yarrow, California Fushcia, Coreopsis, Rudbeckia (Black Eyed Susan), aster, Verbena lilacina ‘de la mina’, Calamintha (a hardy bee attracting plant) and Gallardia. I will add more in fall to take advantage of rains. Please feel free to add suggestions of your own. Here are basics about pollinator habitats:https://www.calacademy.org/sites/default/files/assets/docs/pdf/297_pollinatorprofiles_updated.pdf

Because Poppy was such a great companion and garden dog, we looked for another black lab to honor the stature she had in our lives. Guess what?! We found a rescue dog named Roxann! She is a four year old black lab. After a week we are loving her sweet personality and are happy to give her a forever home.

I am passing a link from Suzanne Clarke to the Monarch Blitz where you can help record milkweed plants and visits by Monarch butterflies to your garden and other surroundings. I’ve signed up! Have a great week!
https://monarchjointventure.org/blog/monarch-blitz-2024-press-release

"Opening up your life to a dog who needs a home is one of the most fulfilling things you can do." Emma Kenney

Happy Watermelon Day!
If you are growing some here's advice on when & how to harvest

Happy Watermelon Day! Are you growing watermelons this year? Here are some tips on when to harvest your watermelon:

Harvesting
*Consult seed packets for a number of days to maturity, usually 35-45 days after flowering, 80-100 days from seeding, depending on variety and soil and air temperatures.
*Count on a maximum of four melons per vine from most varieties.
*Determine when a melon is ripe with a trial and error approach. They should be firm but have a very slight softness against the base of the stem and a slight crack at the point of attachment.
*Watch for an increase in fragrance, netting on the skin surface to become coarse and rough, tendrils on the stem to dry and turn brown, and a color change from gray-green to tan on some varieties. Honeydew, crenshaw, and casaba melons turn a waxy yellow.
*Expect melons to soften and become juicier after picking, but not ripen further or get sweeter.

Learn more on the Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County blog!
https://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Vegetable_of_the_Month/Melons/

Our monthly newsletter combines our events, tips, news and the content we create on our YouTube. If you do not subscribe, or if you do subscribe and missed the email, here is the link for the August 2024 newsletter. Enjoy!
https://conta.cc/3SBHpLX

Sonoma County Master Gardener August 2024 Newsletter - Garden and Library Talks, Fall/Winter Garden, IPM Hot Topics, Videos, Fire-smart Tips and so much more! UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County  August 2024 E-Blast Newsletter Library Talks Title: Gardening into the Future: Climate Adaptation in Your Yard Date: Saturday, August 3, 2024 Location: S

This weeks Flora Friday post...

Visiting the Sonoma County Fair August 1st – 11th?
Come talk to our Garden Sense consultants, our award winning service sponsored by , about your garden
Find us in the Hall of Flowers Annex

We've been busy putting together a Climate-Ready display garden at the Sonoma County Fair Ground in the Hall of Flowers Annex during the 2024 Sonoma County Fair August 1st – 11th
Hope to see you there!

Our sponsors Sonoma Marin Saving Water Partnership and UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County are proud to present you with “The Greatest Care of Earth”, tips and tricks to make your yard-climate ready! Don't forget to visit them at the Hall of Flowers Annex during “The Greatest Fair on Earth” August 1st – 11th. Learn more about how to create climate-ready landscapes here - https://bit.ly/4cLpMB6

It's getting dry out there. Time to be prepared..

Evacuation Preparation UC ANR Fire Network- Evacuation Preparation

If the birds don't get them first here's a recipe idea for sunflower seeds from UCCE Master Food Preservers of Sonoma County

Chili Sunflower Seeds

Use them as a topping for salads, baked potatoes, pizzas, inside a trail mix, or grab a handful or so just for snacking.

https://www.excaliburdehydrator-recipes.com/recipe/chili-seeds/

SUNDAYS WITH SUE: If awards were given out for the most striking, recognizable, and yet most versatile plant, hands down it would have to be the sunflower! The sunflower commands attention and it holds responsibility for so much of the insect and animal life in our garden. In a few moments of observation we saw bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and birds immerse their limbs, beaks, and bodies in the layers of leaves, petals, seeds, and florets that make up this glowing, towering members of the Asteraceae family. Planting sunflowers close to the house after incorporating them in a “Four Sisters” garden along side corn, beans and squash has given us a very close view. In many agricultural settings throughout the ages sunflowers were used in this configuration to bring pollinators to the garden, distract and feed birds, serve has additional trellises, and provide food for humans over the long cold winters.

Sunflower, Helianthus annuus, is a native North American plant whose scientific name characterizes the behavior of the plants ability to turn its flowers and leaves towards the sun (in Greek language Helios means sun, anthus means flower and annuus means annual). After being studied, it is believed that the flowers have a circadian rhythm that follow the movement the sun in the mornings from East to West. Accommodating pollinators with the warmth of the sun on the flowers seems to be a logical explanation for their movements from the start of day until the end. Nature never fails to disappoint with its nonchalant but miraculous behavior!
https://www.ucdavis.edu/food/news/circadian-clock-controls-sunflower-blooms-optimizing-pollinators

The heat of this past week challenged gardens and gardeners. Failure to grow, scorched blossoms, dried soil, scalded fruit and crispy leaves are factors that affect food gardens and frustrate us all in our attempts to revive our plants. The next week brings us relief and hope for a decent harvest. Enjoy the cooler weather!

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It's what sunflowers do." Helen Keller

Yesterday's Flora Friday...
For the warmer parts of the county as not tolerant of extended frost.