Bay Tree Garden Coach

Pictured are Salvia ‘Marvel Rose’ and Olea ‘Arizona’ a fruitless and multi stemmed olive tree waiting to be planted when temperatures cool down to the 80s later this week. I love this salvia as it stays short ( only about 12 inches tall) and is a bee magnet. The Arizona olive has the same broad leaves of the famous ‘Swan Hill ‘ variety and it’s unusual to be able to buy it in a 5 gallon can. They are great foundation plants for a drought tolerant garden.
It’s a great time to start planning how you can make your garden water wise. Planting now means that new plants will benefit from any winter rain fall and come the spring your plants will be half a year more established.
Often a one or two hour coaching session is all you need to get started !

If you enjoy growing summer vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers but have yet to check out growing winter crops, sign up for this free webinar full of helpful information.

My advice is to use bird netting so the birds don't eat all your plants!

https://ccclib.bibliocommons.com/events/60fc997d3495192a001737b2

How to Grow a Successful Winter Garden: A Master Gardener Webinar Join Master Gardener Terry Lippert as she provides you with valuable information on how to successfully grow winter vegetable crops in Contra Costa County. Discover which vegetable crops grow well in our winter months, when to plant them, and how to solve their common pest problems. Terry Lippert be...

Exploring Humboldt Bay and loving all the native plants I am seeing up here. Also how lush the landscape is right now in comparison to the Tri Valley.
To brighten up your Tri valley garden dead head all your perennials to promote a second bloom and burnt leaves on plants can be snipped off. They should grow new leaves within a month.
Now is a great time to start planning for any changes you may wish to make to your garden. Fall is a great ( and underutilized) time to plant. And plant availability is greater now than it was in the spring. Gardens always take longer to plan than you think so identify the problem areas now !

Nothing gives me greater pleasure than watching the bees and hummingbirds and butterflies at work in my garden. If everyone had a few flowering plants in their garden what a difference it would make!

Some of my favorites are salvias, penstemons and any of the dwarf buzz buddleia varieties.

In this prolonged heat continue to keep a close eye on your plants. Check if they are set by using a water gauge or poking your fingers several inches into the soil. If dry, water. If already wet check again that evening or following morning.
Once temperatures return to normal levels it’s a good time to complete the summer pruning of your fruit trees. Here is an excellent video from grower Dave Wilson explaining why it’s important, how to do it and how to tell the difference between fruiting wood and vegetative growth.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR10QIx5vpBF1LCDrHi7snYo7JUqXZR2KPo0fa-S33XMZaEQK74y2ZzSwoQ&v=zDgZk-vfccw&feature=youtu.be

Summer Pruning 2016

Beginning tomorrow we are going to have several days of very high temperatures. Hydrate your plants today so they can manage the heat. Focus on deep watering of trees and any newly planted shrubs and plants. For plants in pots, make sure you water pots thoroughly right to the edges of the pots and until the water runs out the bottom.
Check plants daily during high temperatures - don’t rely on your irrigation system.

Buddleias were once considered to be a nuisance because of their invasiveness. Indeed ten years ago we had to dig a huge one out of our yard. However with the many dwarf varieties now available ( only reaching between 3-5 ft tall and wide) you can have the butterflies and room for other plants in your garden! Favorites of mine include Buzz Midnight which is a beautiful dark purple and Lo and Behold ‘Blue Chip’ which stays under 3 feet, great in a container.
As well as attracting butterflies and bees, hummingbirds also love these shrubs.

I thinned my fruit trees yesterday! See why below.

Have you thinned your fruit trees yet? Next to water, thinning is the most important thing you can do for quality fruit and good tree health. Lack of thinning can cause many problems, such as broken limbs and compromised fruit quality. In some apricot varieties, lack of thinning can even cause alternate bearing. It’s not an easy task, but it is a key step in growing better fruit.

A multi stemmed fruitless olive tree is a beautiful focal point in a Mediterranean style landscape. As we head into another drought, it’s a fantastic tree to consider for your yard, as it is very adaptable to long dry summers.
You can buy large 24” box trees costing hundreds of dollars. However, mine was a budget option at about $50 when it was planted around 3 years ago.
Today I was fortunate to get a pruning lesson from my neighbor whose olive tree I have long admired. I am so excited by the transformation ( picture 1). My plan is to learn his pruning art so that I can maintain it at a height of around 5 feet. It will involve up to 5 prunes a year but I think the result will be worth the effort!
Great companion plants like rosemary, salvias, lavenders and Laurus noblis complete the Mediterranean theme and, like the olive, are also great container plants if you are searching for planting ideas for a sunny balcony or patio.

Although I am very much into Mediterranean drought tolerant plants I can’t get rid of all of my roses; this is my favorite season to enjoy them. And my Climbing Eden looks the best it’s ever been this year.
Roses love a deep water every week and this year I am fertilizing them with a mixture of fish, kelp and molasses which I dilute with water and distribute with a watering can.
My tomato cages are all set up this year. I like how well the geeen cages blend into the background. I just need to stake the tomatoes and remember to pinch them out to control their growth.

Since last fall I have been busy replacing many of the plants in our front and back yards. After nine years I was ready for a change and the temptation of working in a nursery surrounded by so many plants I had yet to grow was too big a temptation.
Our front yard faces south and receives really strong sun. I have added many drought tolerant plants like salvias, Correa and westringias as well as a Laurus Noblis hedge to mark our boundary.

We have set up a separate irrigation hydro zone for the remaining roses and trees which will require more water and finished off with a bulk order of redwood bark to hold the moisture in and add goodness to the soil.

The backyard has also had a major replant this year. I am excited to relax, entertain some friends and watch the finches and hummingbirds.

Roll on summer!

Spring time is a busy time in the garden. We are enjoying our lilac bloom profusely this year .
Hot weather in the mid 80s is on the way this week so take care to deeply water your plants 24 hours in advance and especially take care of any that are newly planted. They can dry out and die very quickly when temperatures soar.
Now is a great time to get rid of weeds especially before they flower and seed. It’s much easier to hoe them now before the soil hardens.
We just ordered some mulch to replenish our borders. Mulch retains moisture in the soil, suppresses weeds and, as it breaks down, adds nutrients to the soil. It also gives a finished look to your garden. Just don’t heap the bark right up against woody stems and trunks (as shown in picture two)as this causes disease.
It looks like we may be in for a drought year so , if adding new plants to your garden, consider those that like a hot dry summer like ours and need low amounts of water once established. Favorites of mine include westringia ( any variety ), grevilleas and salvias. If you get any hot afternoon sun at all stick to sun loving plants only. Those that prefer partial shade will fry in our sizzling temperatures.
Finally now is the time to be on the watch for aphids in your budding roses and fruit trees. They congregate on the underside of new leaves and the stems of flower buds. Catch them early and you will avoid having to spray them continuously.
Happy gardening!

Register now for a virtual tour of some local beautiful native plant gardens.
www.bringingbackthenatives.net

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour The Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour is seeking volunteers who will spend a morning or afternoon greeting tour participants and answering questions at this native plant garden tour. More than forty gardens located throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties will be showcased on this tour, whic...