gardening on the edge newsletter, june-july 2008 ~ monterey bay master gardeners

8/9/2019 Gardening on the Edge Newsletter, June-July 2008 ~ Monterey Bay Master Gardeners

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MONTEREY BAY MASTER GARDENERS June - July 2008

For the Love of RosesCongratulations to the Class of 2008

Making Cut Flowers Last Longer with ProperHandling and Vase Solutions

Playing With Cut FlowersEpolls

Roses in Water

Rose Beauties

MBMGs Support School GardensMy Little Adventure with a Bee Swarm in Spring

UpdatesFeatured Plant: AlstroemeriaBook Review: Gardening Without Firearms

Confessions: Theyre Only WordsAdvanced Training & Volunteer OppsRelevant Internet Miscellany

For the Love of Roses Paul McCollum, MG04 It was a perfect Saturday morning when we visited the

rose garden of Otto and Joyce Lund in Santa Cruz on May17. First impressions are always important and this onewas truly outstanding. Otto has been growing andcultivating heirloom roses since the early 1980s and thesize, maturity, and beauty of his plants are truly somethingto behold.

Otto holds a degree in geology from Fresno State

University, which he earned in 1975, and he supervises andruns the laboratory at Soil and Plant Laboratory in SantaClara. Additionally, over the past few years he hasswitched from chemical to organic methods ofmaintenance and, judging from what we observed, hisplants seem to have taken to it quite nicely.

Roses and rose growing have been part of Ottos familyfor many generations. The beautiful Victorian home sits onalmost an acre of ground in one of the finer historical areasof Santa Cruz. The home was built in 1879-1880 and hasbeen passed down through the generations to this day.One rose, an 1880 Madame Ccile Bruner bred in France by

Marie Ducher, was planted by Ottos Great grandmotherin the early part of the last century.I knew I was in good company when suddenly Bill

Grant appeared from the front yard with camera in handtaking pictures of some of the hundreds of roses growing

on the property. Bill Grant is a superior rosarian andauthor who is known and respected worldwide for hisknowledge and tour-leading abilities in the rose gardens ofEurope and elsewhere. He and Otto are good friends andshare information on the finer points of the art of roses.Otto grows and maintains roses of all types but isespecially a lover and curator of older heirlooms andclimbers and ramblers. One of Ottos sons, Karl, who is

working on his PhD, is using many of Ottos heirlooms aspollinators for future hybridizing. On one of my earliervisits I observed hundreds of labeled bags tied to numerousroses as part of the experiments being conducted - veryimpressive!

Otto has been the president of the Monterey Bay RoseSociety more than once, has served as first and second vicepresident and as a member of the board of directors. Ottois a Consulting Rosarian and, as a matter of fact, is theChief Consulting Rosarian of the MBRS. Also, he is anactive member of the American Rose Society and of theHeritage Rose Group; he is often called upon to lecture on

soils and both modern and heirloom roses. Thoseinterested in contacting Otto can write him at [email protected]. More photos follo(All photos by Paul McCollum)

GARDENING ON THE EDGEN E W S L E T T E R O F T H E M O N T E R E Y B A Y M A S T E R G A R D E N E R S

Number 130 June / July 2008


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June - July 2008 MONTEREY BAY MASTER GARDEN2

Above: Otto Lund at the front gate. Welcome to my Rose GardenBelow: Eye Candy (1975) Florabunda by McCredy

Left and detail above,Madame Ccile Brunner

Above: In the background is a portion of the 25- foot-plus polyantha, climbing Ccile Brnner,

bred in United States (1894) by Franz Hosp.In the foreground is Bill Grant.

William (Bill) Grant is a garden writer, photographer, and lecturer.He retired from a long academic career to pursue his love of gardening.

He is a native of Arizona and was educated in private and public schools

in California. Undergraduate and graduate work in American literaturewas followed by teaching in California, England and Sweden. He received

two Fulbright awards during this time. His long association with theUniversity of California at Santa Cruz Arboretum culminated in his

role as president of its support group. In 1989 he spent a month crossingAustralia with others in search of new plant material for the Arboretum,

which has a large collection of Australian flora.In his own collection he has a wide variety of species and old roses. He

is founder of the Californian Garden History Society. He was one of theconsultants for 'Botanica's Roses and was editor of the paperback

edition of the book. He lives and gardens in Aptos California.(Paul McCollum)


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Bill and Otto underone of the severallarge arches leadingto the house.

The GarlandBred in United Kingdom (1835) by William Wells.

Hybrid Moschata, Hybrid Multiflora.This enormous climber was just about ready to bloom - when in bloom the foliage is nearly

obscured by the abundance of flowers! Flower and bud detail

Monterey Bay Rose Society http://www.montereybayrosesociety.orgAmerican Rose Society http://www.ars.org

Heritage Rose Group http://members.cruzio.com/~perry


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Alexander GiraultBred in France (1907) byBarbier Frres & Compagnie. Looking toward the entrance to the front gate we walked under 5 arches of

blooming climbing roses to end our visit - the fragrance was outstandingHow fortunate we were to visit such a lovely garden.


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Dear Joan and Carri ,What a sense of relief it is to have the final exam

finished, graded and in your capable hands! I have enjoyedthe past months for more than the information received inclass. I've enjoyed the changing cycles of agriculture in thefields between the Monterey Peninsula and Watsonville.I've enjoyed meeting people who share my passion forgardening and thirst for horticultural knowledge. I have

enjoyed meeting you two, being exposed to fabulouspresenters and current MG'ers, and especially, getting toknow Steve What's His Name, Chessvold. Delightful, allof you!

It was with joy in my heart that I quickly changed intomy disreputable turquoise shorts and returned to mygarden unencumbered by the cloud of responsibility

hanging over my head telling me to go inside and work onmy final. After finishing by the sunset afterglow, I soakedin my hot tub. In nightie and robe, I meandered uphill tomy new garden cottage, mi casita, to experience theenveloping warmth captured inside her walls. Whilereclining on my childhood bed to watch the moon castbeams through the windows and over the garden, guess

what happened...yes, I fell asleep. An hour or so later, Iagain meandered home through the garden and to bed.Thank you for all your organizational hard work

making these past few months possible for my class.

Cheers,

Cindy Lloyd, MG08

Congratulations

to the

Class of 2008

Welcome to the Master Gardener community!Your hard work over the past five months

is greatly appreciated.May you be rewarded with

much joy, friendship and gratification.

Sow good services;

Sweet remembrances will grow from them.~Madame de Stael


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Making Cut Flowers

Last Longer with Proper

Handling and Vase

Solutions

Steve Tjosvold, EnvironmentalHorticulture Farm Advisor

They are not long, the days of wine and roses:Out of a misty dreamOur path emerges for a while, then closesWithin a dream. - Ernest Dowson, 1867-1900

You cant stop the decline and death of a cut flower, butyou can slow this inevitable process down and enjoy cutflowers longer by handling them properly and using theright vase solutions.

The cut flower is respiring and still needs a source ofsugar. So many recommended vase solutions have some(table) sugar in them. Yet, if the solution was just sugar,bacteria could develop and clog the water conductingtissue (xylem) of the stem. Many vase solutions alsocontain a weak acid or other antimicrobial agent to slowbacterial growth. Oftentimes purchased flowers come witha small packet of flower food containing these com-ponents. Make sure you follow directions on these packets.Making weaker solutions than recommended mightactually reduce vase life because the antimicrobial agentwill not be at an effective concentration. If you dont have

commercial flower food, you could make up a solution fromhome ingredients. Here are two recipes:1. Lemon-lime soda recipe: Mix 1 part regular lemon-

lime soda with 3 parts warm water. Add teaspoon ofhousehold bleach per quart of vase solution. Dont usediet soda.

2. Lemon juice recipe: Mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice(fresh or bottled), 1 tablespoon sugar and teaspoon ofhousehold bleach per quart of warm water.

Check the level of vase solution daily and replenish it asnecessary. Add an additional teaspoon of bleach perquart to the container every 3 or 4 days. If the vase solutionbecomes cloudy or smells bad, replace it completely andtrim and rinse the flower stems before putting them backinto the container.

Other things that help: Dont use aspirin, vinegar, orsoft water in vase solutions. They can actually be worsethan using plain water. Use a clean vase. Make sure theflowers are not wilted when you place them in thecontainer. Cut stems under water just before you placethem in the vase. Keep flowers cool before and after theyare placed in the vase.

For more information, see Extending the Freshness ofCut Flowers at Home, P. Geisel and C. Unruh. UC ANRPublication 8113. http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8113.pdf.

Playing with Cut Flowers

Christina Kriedt, MG06Erigeron karvinskianus or Fleabane, above, is a not a

California native; it was introduced from Mexico andregions south. It is certainly ubiquitous on the CentralCoast and, never having seen it in a bouquet, I thought Idtest whether it could last in water. I cut a few stems andmuch to my surprise, they stayed lovely for 5 days.

My Carpenteria californica, Bush Anemone or TreeAnemone, is now covered in exquisite flowers betweentwo garbage cans by the driveway. I cut a few stems thatalso stayed perfect for 5 days. This is a California nativeand, according to Wikipedia, It is a rare species, endemic

to only seven sites in Fresno and Madera Counties, whereit grows in chaparral.... It is well adapted to wildfirereproducing by stump sprouts after burning; naturalseedling are rare. I think Ill take better care of mine.

Above: Erigeron; below: Carpenteria(Photos by Christina Kriedt)


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What is your favotite cut flower to

grow and what tips can you share

about growing it?Susan Suddjian, MG08

I like lots of flowers that are easy for cutting: alstroe-meria, bachelor buttons, sweet peas and roses. But I thinkone of the best is the super easy calla lily, which requiresNO care when given the right location, and gives long-lasting cut flowers without any thought at all. One of theprettiest I've seen lately in flower arrangements is Cestrum,which I don't know much about growing except that it is anice shrub. The foliage and tubular flowers are lovely toset off similar pink or reds in arrangements. Naturalizingbulbs are wonderful; I have Sparaxis [Wand-Flower orHarlequin Flower], iris and freesia in my garden, whichcome back year after year.

Geri Farasopoulos, MG06My favorite cut flowers are stems cut from my fruit

trees in early spring. Double Delight nectarine, Santa Rosaplum, apple and cherry are all good.

Sherie Bolen, MG03One of my favorite cut flowers is alstroemeria,

specifically 'The Third Harmonic'. The burgundy budsopen to golden blossoms; it has a long stem and lasts a longtime in a vase. This particular variety practically growsitself in my garden. It doesn't get much water, and thrivesin lean soil and part shade. (In better conditions, this plant

can actually spread vigorously and requires a large area).The flowers are not actually cut in the garden. The entirestem is pulled out of the ground and then trimmed to theright height for the vase.

Claudia Boulton, MG99My very favorite is alstroemeria, mainly because it lasts

so long in the vase and can be mixed with so manydifferent things. It is easy to grow on the Central Coast.

It doesn't need much water, is nearly pest-free (occasionalsnail damage), likes sun but does well in my garden withabout 1/2 day sun, is not frost tender and needsno fertilizer. It blooms from early May until fall, althoughthe bloom tapers off in late summer. The only tip I wouldgive about growing it is that it wants to spread. Therefore

give it plenty of space or grow it in a confined area.It is usually called Peruvian Lily and comes in manycolors - red, yellow, orange, gold, pink white, purple andmixed colors. My favorite is a hybrid, probably one of theMeyer hybrids, with white petals brushed with 2 shades ofpink, yellow in the throat and burgundy lines that look asif applied with a fine marker. Beautiful in the vase withburgundy leaves, roses, pink heuchera, fernsetc. Remember to pull out the whole stem when harvestingthe blooms, then cut to desired length.

Sharon Etttinger, MG00Dutch iris planted last fall have proved to be amazing in

bouquets. They relied on the winter rains for all theirwater needs and are long lasting in the garden and as a cutflower. They have such elegance that a simple bouquet of 3stems will light up a room.

Sweet peas, also if planted in the fall, can give gloriousblossoms in the spring (with their delightful fragrance)without supplemental watering. They need to be protectedwith an extra sturdy trellis if winter winds are strong.

One hybrid tea rose, Midas Touch (yellow blossoms)is a very heavy flower producer in my Aptos garden. Icounted 65+ rose buds this spring and last year counted 85at one time. And thats repeated several times during the

flowering season (April to November). I make sure Ifertilize 3 times a year, Valentines Day, 4th of July andLabor Day. I like to use Roses Alive (from Gardens Alive)or a mixture of 1/3 alfalfa pellets, 1/3 fishmeal and 1/3 kelpmeal. Mix together and feed each plant 1 pound. (Thisrecipe is from General Feed in Santa Cruz where theseingredients can be bought in bulk.) My roses get no sprayand very minimal water. The shrubs dont look that greatby fall, but that doesnt impact the beauty of theirblossoms.

Epolls compiled by Sharon Ettinger, MG00

Left: Calla,Center: Bachelor Button(Photos by C. Kriedt)

Right: AlstroemeriaThe Third Harmonic(Photo by Sherie Bolen)


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What native or drought tolerant

flowers do you grow for cutting and

what tips can you share about

growing them?

Sherie Bolen, MG03A good native flower for floral

arrangements, or to just cut and placein a vase, is Heuchera maxima (IslandAlum Root). The long stems with theairy white or buff flower clustersmake good filler in arrangements, andare long-lasting. This is an easy plantto grow when placed well, and isespecially adaptable to growing underand near oaks, since not much wateris required. Some drip irrigation ishelpful during the dry season, and theplant can be kept looking neat bycutting the tired flower stalks andpulling or cutting out any dead leavesfrom the base. It grows well in sun orpart shade in my north-facing garden.

The photo above shows Heuchera ina vase with a cut branch of anotherCalifornia native, the shrubFremontedendron .

Chris Carrier, MG06Our garden is nearly all California

natives, and not a single one lives in

fear of being savaged for humanbeautification. It's our task to beacceptable visitors in their house.

Sharon Tyler MG04I have found that California

poppies do well in arrangements.They close up at night just as they dooutside.

Also, the common Star Lily( Zigadenus fremontii), a native bulb thatthrives on neglect in my yard, makesnice arrangements alone, withdaffodils, or with other groupings. Itflowers profusely in early spring.

What is your favorite

flowering tree and how

do you care for it?

Chris Carrier, MG06The jacaranda offers about as much

loveliness as a mortal can stand. Thefirst time I saw this tree I had to pull

off the road to stare at the display of

blue brilliance. I finally acquired one of these trees fromDarcy (MG 06).

Unfortunately, I thought I lost it in last spring's coldsnap. I was disgusted with myself and towed the pot tothe back of the patio. After about two months, it cameback from the roots. It has tripled in size to a massive 12

inches high at this point. In mymind's eye, I again see my tree in its

mature magnificence, but it is takingits time.

Tom Karwin, MG99I have three Chitalpa tashkentensis

trees in my garden. These are crossesof the Desert Willow (Chilopsilinearis) and Common Catalpa (Cbignonioides). A few years ago, AlDerrick brought cuttings of this treeto a MG class and recommended it assmall patio tree. One of my trees grew

from one of Al's cuttings. It's nowabout twelve feet tall and shouldeventually reach 20 feet or moreSunset's Western Garden Book describesthe flowers: "erect clusters of frillytrumpet-shaped flowers in pinkwhite or lavender appear from latespring to fall. 'Pink Dawn' has pinkblooms, 'Morning Cloud' white ones.(My trees are 'Pink Dawn'.)

The WGB recommends not planting this tree near a patio because it

drops blossom and leaves. I agree, butI just sweep them up occasion-ally. Italso recommends not to over waterAs a gardening procrastinator, I neverhave a problem with over watering!

Candice McLaren, MG01My favorite flowering tree has to

be my small pink floweringEastern Red Bud, Cercis cana-densis Forest Pansy. The flowersdon't last very long, which is why probably enjoy it so much. Thebeautiful pea-like pink flowers fadeand fall off allowing the equallybeautiful small colorful leaves togrow.

Throughout the year, the leaveschange color ending in the fall with apallet of reds, oranges, and greens.

Just beautiful!I have it planted up on a mound in

my back yard and found that it doesnot like summer water. It's still toosmall to prune but I've learned it does

Above: Heuchera in a vase with a cut branchof another California native, the shrub

Fremontedendron. (Photo by Sherie Bolon)

Below: C. canadensis Forest Pansy withJuncas, Euphorbia and Melianthus.

(Photo by C. Kriedt)


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not want to be pampered.Other favorite flowering trees in my yard are the

Bartlett pear, the Fuji apple and, and...

Susan Suddjian, MG08This time of year, the Cercis canadensis - Eastern Redbud

- are lovely. They are well adapted to our climate and seemto bloom for many weeks in spring with a subtle flush of alovely magenta sweet pea like flowers all over. The heartshaped leaves are pretty in summer and fall. 'Forest Pansy'has a nice rounded form and purple leaves and theytolerate clay soils.

Geri Farasopoulos, MG06Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansey'. Plant in part shade is

the best advice.

Melita Israel, MG95Whatever is in bloom, though the redwoods are hard to

beat. Right now the purple robe [Robinia] and English

hawthorn, Paul's Scarlet. Later the flowering eucalyptusand the red leaves of pistacia. And all those fruit treeshowcan one choose?

Roses in Water

Paul McCollum, MG04

I have tried many things but I keep coming back to this:some roses just last longer in the vase! Loose-petaled roses(Jude the Obscure for example) seem to last the shortesttime and buds that are beginning to open stay good-looking as they open. Buds picked too early sometimesnever open but just turn brown and droop. Many of the

modern hybrid teas (Tropical Sunset for example) staygood-looking and last in the vase a week or more. I think ithelps if when you cut a rose from the bush it goes directlyinto water. Also, when cutting the stem before placing inthe vase it is best to cut it under water and immediatelytransfer it to the vase. I have tried putting an aspirin in thewater, 7-up, and other things but a week in the vase isabout it no matter what I do. The bottom line, in myopinion, is the timing of the cut and the variety of rose.Although my wife appreciates me bringing roses into thehouse for her, my favorite way to enjoy them is just to goout in the garden and smell the roses - and let nature takeits course!

A vase of alstroemeria and sunflowers.

(Photo by Christina Kriedt)

Above: A bouquet of roses and irises. (Photo by Sharon

Ettinger) Below: Centranthus, Carpenteria, Pelargonium, Rosa

and others. (Photo by Christina Kriedt)

Flower Arranging Class at Cabrillo

Introduces floral desigh techniques and styles as well asthe proper handling and preparation of fresh flowers.

Meets June 17-July 10.Check the Cabrillo Schedule of Classe for details:

http://www.cabrillo.edu/home/schedules/index.html


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Rose Beauties Paul McCollum, MG04

Belle of PortugalThis was taken in March of 2007 - not at thepeak of her bloom. She is larger this year and

growing up the pine tree.Above, and right (Photos by Paul McCollum)

Madame Alfred CarriereShe is classed as a noisette or tea noisette and she

was bred in France in 1879.She is one of my favorites.

I have two plants; the other one hasreached the top of a 30' black locust tree.

Two below (Photos by Paul McCollum)


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Monterey Bay Master

Gardeners Support School

Gardens Claudia Boulton, MG99Were you aware that your MBMG non-profit

contributed over $5000 last year to schools with gardeningprograms for their students? Teaching students wheretheir food comes from, how to plant, water, weed, harvest(and sometimes prepare the food) builds a knowledge basethat supports healthy living and a healthy environment forthe community of the future.

Twelve schools applied for and received up to $500each for their gardening programs last year: Bay ViewElementary, Bradley Unified, Branciforte Middle School,Boulder Creek Elementary, Harden Middle School,Mission Union School District, Mt. Madonna Elementary,Mt. Madonna High School, San Lorenzo ValleyElementary, Main Street Elementary (Soquel), and

Watsonville Charter School for the Arts.The application process is not difficult. It requires that

applicants describe the connections between the gardenand the school curriculum; list the desired learningoutcomes for the garden program; describe the plans tomaintain the garden when school is not in session; and listwhat they plan to buy with the grant money. Last yearpreference was given to schools participating in theCalifornia Instructional School Garden Program as thatprogram required extensive planning and organization andour funding was able to supplement gardens with a proventrack record.

Applications are now being accepted for funding inSeptember 2008. Applications can be obtained by callingthe hotline at 831-763-8007, requesting one [email protected] or by downloading itfrom our website.

From top, clockwise: Eating saladFarmers Market

VolunteersSchool garden

(Photos by Claudia Boulton)


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My Little Adventure with a

Bee Swarm in Spring Sharon Tyler, MG04

Bees regularly appear in abundance in our garden.With plants flowering profusely this year, the bees are

busily visiting each bloom. We are often fortunate to wakeup to the sound of their buzzing at the long floweringstems of the Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans) near ourbedroom.

However, I happened to be outside on April 24 this yearwhen I saw a large accumulation of bees swarming hereand there; they were very loud and swirling arounddeterminedly. This was the first time I had seen swarmingbees and I was startled. Since then I have learned that theyare not as dangerous as they seem. Bees swarm when it istime to start a new hive.

After awhile I noticed that the bees were settling into a

small area. When I looked closer, I saw the bees in a largecluster, appearing to hang from a low branch of a rock rosebush (Cistus) near our driveway. It was a comfort to seethem in a smaller area, but I began to wonder if they wereplanning to make a hive there.

It was at this point that I tried to locate someone tocollect the bees. Knowing the value of bees in my gardenand to agriculture everywhere, and of the widespread lossof bees due to Colony Collapse Disorder, I hoped theswarm could be saved.

My email message to MBMG brought several helpfulresponses, but the quickest and most useful came from Kat

and Jay DeDontney. They are knowledgeable beekeepersand wished to do what they could to save these bees. Theycame the same day they received my message, as quickly astheir schedule allowed. Before they arrived, the day cooledand the bees moved from the branch to the ground, makinga small mound. Jay had warned me that as the day cooledthe bees were in some danger, so I covered the mound ofbees with a large black plant pot. Soon, Jay and Katcarefully removed the bees to an appropriate container.

If you are the lucky witness to a similar event, or if thereis a beehive located too near your house, here are somecomments and ideas about whom to contact, contributedby MBMGs. In the interest of privacy, I am not includingphone numbers. Contact me for their information.

Kat and Jay DeDontney: Beekepers. Melita Israel: Fire stations usually know bee keepers

in their areas. From J.D.Githens via Paul McCollum: Bee Keepers in

Gilroy - Wayne Pitts, Harold. Geri Farsoupoulos: I would love to have the bees at my

house and would accept a hive if someone couldmove it.

Sue Proctor: I am interested in swarms in the SantaCruz area and could come to collect them if the timingis right.

Tammy Tahara: We had a swarm last year and called Jeff Perez. He is currently moving a hive from ou

house to a bee-friendly environment. Cynthia Jordan: Try Ken Foster of Terra Nova

Landscaping or UCSC Agroecology Farm and Gardenor a beekeeper at the Farmers Market.

For further information on bees and bee swarms, go to:Santa Clara Valley Beekeepers GuildAlong with resources about bees, this web site has a list ofpeople from San Mateo to Santa Cruz to call if you have aswarm. www.beeguild.orgCalifornia State Beekeepers Association, Inc.www.californiastatebeekeepers.com/swarmsinfo.htm

Bee swarm

(Photo from

Wikipedia)

Below left:

Three vase

candidates -

Daffodil,

Jupiters

Beard and

Rose.(Photos by

C. Kriedt)


13/20


UpdatesStatewide Conference

Simon Stapleton, MG06

Reminder: The MG Statewide Conference is being heldSeptember 24-26 at Asilomar in Pacific Grove. It promisesto be an exciting event with breakout sessions addressingmany of todays issues and providing valuable gardeninginformation. There is surely something for everyone at thisyears conference. Make plans now to attend. Registrationand all pertinent information is available online atwww.mgconference.ucdavis.edu. Register early before theevents fill up.

The MBMG will be entering 3 of our projects in pursuitof the prestigious Search For Excellence award; ourGardening on the Edge newsletter, our website, and the SmartGardening Faire. We think all of these projects are worthyof recognition by all Master Gardeners from around thestate. As you know, much thought and hard work has

made these projects second to none and we are proud topresent them to our fellow Master Gardeners.

We will also be participating in the conferenceMarketplace. This is an opportunity for us to sell a fewitems and add some $ so that we can support worthyprojects in our area. We have identified some items to beoffered, but if you have some ideas, please submit them tothe MBMG board for consideration.

Besides Advanced Training opportunities, theconference will also provide many opportunities forvolunteer hours. As soon as all the tasks are identified, wewill be recruiting volunteers from our organization. If you

are interested in volunteering, please submit your name [email protected]. I will be compiling the list ofvolunteers and let you know when we have identified allour needs.

Again, I encourage you to make plans to attend at leastsome portion of the conference. It should be a veryrewarding experience.

Water-Smart Garden Contest and Tour

Candice McLaren, MG01

This years Monterey Bay Master Gardener Tour isgoing to be fantastic! It is our 11th annual tour and willfeature gardens that demonstrate the many ways to

conserve water in the garden.The Water-Smart Garden Contest closed Friday, May16th,with over 27 entries submitted. Some of the photopreviews and descriptions of the various gardens areabsolutely wonderful! Photos show gardens with watercatchment systems, lawn alternatives, plants with lowwater requirements and some great before and afterphotos. Several homeowners provided landscape plansplant lists, and one homeowner even submitted his soilreport! You are all going to be amazed at the gardens!

Our panel of judges met on May 21st to finalize the judging criteria and define gardening and watconservation terms. The judging team includes MasterGardeners Maryanne McCormick, Tina Heitzman, BonniePond, Alicia Molina; Joe DiMaggio with CaliforniaAmerican Water; and Vai Campbell from Soquel CreekWater District.

Discussion topics included efficient irrigationirrigation zones; types of sprinkler heads; and, of courseplant selection, drought-tolerant plants, nativesMediterranean plants, succulents, and grasses. We haveagreed that each garden will be visited by a judging teamcomprised of one water agency representative and oneMaster Gardener.

Winners of the Water-Smart Garden Contest will be

announced at the Smart Gardening Faire on June 21st. Tourtickets will be sold at the Faire; maps and directions willbe available soon after. Then just 48 days later, on August9th and 10th, we will hold the 11th Annual Master GardenerTour featuring the winning gardens!

Volunteers are needed for designing theticket/brochures and poster; distribution of the tickets andposters; plant sales; raffle; and overseeing the docents foreach garden. If you are dedicated to educating thegardening public (and yourself) about water conservationmethods, this is the volunteer project for you! EmailCandice ([email protected]) or call 426-0758.

Mark Your Calendar

Smart Gardening FaireJune 21

Masters Garden Tour

August 9 - 10

California Statewide Conference

September 24 - 26

Favorites for cutting:

Sweet pea and Dahlia

(Photos by C. Kriedt)


14/20


The Rose. It is the ultimate flower for your spring,summer and fall bouquets. Its beauty is legendary, the stuffof poetry and romance the world over. An entire family of

plants carries its name. The majestic and excuse me Imsorry. [whisper-whisper-whisper] I have just been informedthat according to the result of a recent poll conductedamong the Monterey Bay Master Gardeners, the plant inthe Number One position of our 10 Best Flowers forCutting is NOT the rose but Alstroemeria, the humblePeruvian Lily aka Lily of the Incas aka Ulster Mary (aninteresting corruption). Well, what do you know?

The Alstroemeria. It is the ultimate flower for yourspring and summer bouquets. Its beauty is not particularlylegendary; it is not the stuff of poetry or romance anywherein the world (at least I couldnt find any literary mention of

it during a 2-minute Google search). It has an entire familyof plants named for it too: Alstroemeriaceae. It is the #1MBMG recommended plant to grow for its long-lastingand colorful cut flowers. This ubiquitous restaurant-tabledecoration is in fact a valuable, beautiful, interesting andhonorable plant brought to us from Chile and Brazil.

Alstroemeria is, in many ways, unlike a rose. It is amember of the order Liliales that also includes (surprise!)the Lily family and eight others. So they are monocots(roses are dicotyledons in the order Rosales). Alstroe-merias also have a root system comprised of one slenderrhizome or a cluster of rhizomes very unlike that of a rose,

which is fibrous. A really unusual feature of this plant isthat the leaves are resupinate, meaning that they twist 180degrees from the base so that when youre looking down ona leaf surface, youre actually seeing the bottom, which ison the top. Rose leaves, to the best of my knowledge, arenot confused about which way is up. Im not saying theyrebetter, just different. Roses have petals, but alstroemeriashave tepals. No, really. Alstroemeria tepals are typicallyspotted and/or striped with sometimes brilliantcontrasting colors. Its worth taking a close look.

I had a very pleasant chat with Charlie at The GardenCompany about their large and lovely collection. He

cautioned that regular water and fertilizer, especially foralstroemerias in containers, is essential. Otherwise, theyreeasy to grow and can provide beautiful cut flowers for two

full seasons. Most of the flowers above were photographedat The Garden Company.

As for their celebrated vase-life, I am a devout believer.To illustrate this article I went on a photographic missiontake as many pictures of alstroemerias as possible in orderto get one or two good shots. I pulled a single stem out ofthe ground at my daughters house to place it in better lightfor its portrait. After photographing it at my home, I leftthe 28 stem with its one blossom across a large planter inthe sun and promptly forgot about it. Two days later, noticed that the flower had not wilted. Two more dayspassed and, you guessed it, the flower had still not wilted.

Today is the 7th day, and it has still not wilted! I have toadmit, Im seriously impressed.

Tips for growing and showing alstroemerias:

Plant in full sun (or theyll get leggy and fall over)

They like regular water and fertilizer

Snails and slugs cannot resist them

Deadhead by removing entire stem

For bouquets, pull the entire flower stem out of therhizome or cut it

Remove all the leaves from each stem before placing in

a vase as the leaves yellow long before the flowers fade Divide in late summer or fall; replant only robust roots

Plants die back completely in winter

References:http://www.alstroemeria.com/en/products/growing_info_cuts.phphttp://www.incacollection.com/home/growing-tipslist (online at www.montereybaymastergardeners.org )http: / /www.wholesale-wedding-f lowers .com/fast-factsalstroemeria.phphttp://www.weidners.com/alstroemeria_growing_instructions.htmlCharlie at The Garden Company, a sponsor of GOTE, 2218 MissionStreet, Santa Cruz

Featured Plant: Alstroemeria Christina Kriedt, MG06

Far right: the

alstroemeria

that wouldntdie

(Photos by

C. Kriedt)


15/20


Book Review:Gardening Without FirearmsTom Karwin, MG99

The challenges in my garden happily do not includehungry deer, so I havent tested Master Gardener Carolyn

Singers plant list in Deer in My Garden Volume 2:Groundcovers & Edgers for its lack of appeal to deer. The titlemight seem ambiguous, but the books (there is a Volume 1:Perennials & Subshrubs) do in fact list deer-resistant plants.Both are from The Yucky Flower Series, the name of whichwas suggested by Singers three-year-old grandson, whowisely commented, The deer wont eat yucky flowers.

Her recommendations seem credible because they arebased on her observations of deer with easy access to avariety of plants. After several years of observations, shewas prepared to list plants that were never eaten by thedeer. She did not even list plants that the deer ate

occasionally.Singer defines groundcovers to include both low-growing plants and those that grow up to about three feethigh, and notes that the taller plants may be mostappropriate in larger scale landscapes.

She omits three common groundcovers that are deer-resistant but invasive: ivy (Hedera), creeping St. Johnswort(Hypericum calycinum) and periwinkle (Vinca). I once spentseveral hours digging out about 100 square feet of Vincaminor that is not as invasive as Vinca major but stilltroublesome.

The main section of the book identifies fifty-five deer-

resistant plants. Several are quite familiar, includingAchillea (Yarrow), Coreopsis (Tickseed), Lavandula(Lavender), Penstemon (Beardtongue), Rosmarinus(Rosemary), Stachys (Lambs Ears), Thymus (Thyme), andothers.

At the other end of the range of familiarity are severalplants that I might recognize but have never grown:Aegopodium (Bishops Weed), Antennaria (Pussy Toes),Cymbalaria (Kenilworth Ivy), Prunella (Self-heal), andTanacetum (Tansy). Some or all of these plants might bemore familiar to you.

I have listed only the genus of the plants included in

this book. In several instances Singer identifies the speciesor cultivar of the plant that she has found to be deer-resistant. She occasionally indicates plants in the samegenus that deer find tasty. For example, she reports that Arctostaphylus uva-ursi (the species) and the cultivarsRadiant and Point Reyes are reliably deer-resistant,while the deer always ate the cultivar Emerald Carpet.

I also was pleased to discover that Volume 2 followsVolume 1s exemplary format, which features a wealth ofpractical information on each plant. Singer lists someversatile plants that also appear in Volume 1, so she refers

the reader to the detailed information in the earlier book.For most plants, however, she includes valuable details

under the following headings:Nomenclature: the plants common name and its ful

botanical name (genus, species, cultivar);Description: mature height and width, growth habit, leaf

and flower color and form;Cultural Requirements: the plants light and soil

preferences, and irrigation requirements;Seasonal Interest: changing leaf colors, formation of

berries or attractive seedheads;Bloom: time and duration of blooms, needs for

deadheading and seed harvesting;Companion Plants and Landscape Use: grouping plants

with similar water needs, selecting plants for theirmature size, foliage color, and other characteristics;

Propagation: the preferred method for making newplants, given options of propagating from divisionscuttings, seeds, or layers.

Singer lists the plants alphabetically by botanical namewhich may well be the best organization for convenientreference, and most entries include photographs. Two ofthe three appendices offer multiple ways to locate plantsby common name, and by exposure category, or particular

landscape situationMany gardeners in the Monterey Bay area have frequentinvasions of their gardens by wild deer and are frustratedto find their desirable and costly plants chewed to nubs.The various aromatic sprays and bars of soap are unreliabledeterrents, it seems. As a result, the determined gardenercould either enclose the garden with a tall fence (orideally, two fences several feet apart) or limit the garden toplants that are naturally deer resistant.

Singers two Deer in My Garden books, plus the futurethird volume, are excellent resources for finding andselecting deer-resistant plants. While the hungry deerdiscourage the gardener from growing many desirableplants, these books give the gardener many good options toconsider.

On the bright side, the avid gardener should enjoy theintriguing challenge inherent in a project to design anappealing garden while drawing from only a limitedinventory of yucky plants.

It is utterly forbidden to be half-hearted about gardening.You've got to love your garden, whether you like it or not.

~W.C. Sellar & R.J. Yateman, Garden Rubbish, 1936


16/20


Confessions of a Reluctant

Gardener: Theyre Only

Words Christina Kriedt, MG06As discussed in the article on page 14, alstroemerias

have leaves that are resupinate. I would have thought, if Isaw the word out of context, that it meant somethingabout eating your soup again. But obviously it meansupside down due to twisting of the pedicel. Of course, ithelps to know what the pedicel is. And, as any savvygardener knows, resupination is the-orientation-of-zygomorphic-flowers-during-development-so-that-the-median-petal-obtains-the-lowermost-position-in-the-m a t u r e - f l o w e r .( h t t p : / / w w w . s c i e n c e d i r e c t . c o m /s c i e n c e _ o b = A r t i c l e U R L & _ u d i = B 6 W N H - 4 P 7 1 8 M P -2&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=35aed501cb78a51ee0e649f7746280f8)

Yeah. Even the URL is too long. But all kidding aside,there are: resupinata, resupinatum, and resupinatus. Supinemeans lying on your back. So that makes sense. I meanabout the leaf.

I used to be more familiar with Latin and Greek termsand found that knowledge very useful, especially in school.Most plants have descriptive names. Take Metasequoiaglyptostroboides(Dawn Redwood). Meta is Greek and meansamong, with, after, or beyond; or it means together or near(depends which source you use). Sequoia is for theCherokee scholar Sequoyah who developed a system fortranscribing the Cherokee language. Redwood trees arenamed for him. Glypto is Greek for engraving, carving,hollowing-out. Oides means resemblance. (Finding ameaning for stro got too convoluted. I gave it up.) So whenthe Dawn Redwood, which was thought to be extinct, was

discovered in China, it was named Among or Near theMan Sequoyah with Hollow Carvings that ResembleSomething or, more correctly, the tree that looks like aredwood. The truth is, I dont care at all what thisparticular name means; I just like saying it: Metasequoiaglyptostroboides.

Of course, you know what monocots and dicots areand if a leaf doesnt have a pedicel its okay because flowershave pedicels and leaves have petioles. So the definition Ifound for resupinate should read of the pedicel or petiole.

Then, to really confuse me, the photo I took of thealstroemeria leaf suggests that there is no distinct petiole(is it sessile?) and that the leaftwists. Okay, I give up.

Actually, before I gave up entirely, I found thisstatement about the naming of the Metasequioa: The treewas given the name Metasequoia glyptostroboides by Hu &Cheng. The generic name...was derived from the Greekmeta, meaning alike or akin, and Sequoia, the generic name

of the coast redwood, which the tree resembles. Thespecific epithet, glyptostroboides, is a reference to the genusGlyptostobus, the Chinese swamp cypress, with which thetree was initially confused. The popular common name ofDawn Redwood was a suggestion of Ralph W. Chaney, aprofessor of paleobotany at the University of California,Berkeley. The use of "dawn" in the name was an attempt toemphasize the tree's early fossil record. (A Reunion of Treesby Stephen A. Spongberg, Harvard Univ. Press, 1990. http:/oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/megl.htm) .

In case you were aching to know, Metasequoia leaves arelinear, flattened, straight or slightly curved, pectinatelyarranged, obtusely pointed or shortly mucronate, taperingabruptly towards the articulated junction of the laminawith the decurrent base. I knew that.

References:http://www.conifers.org/cu/me/index.htmhttp://www.calflora.net/botanicalnames/index.htmlhttp://davesgarden.com/guides/botanary/http://roundrobin2001.0catch.com/audio.html

The resupinate leaf of Alstroemeria.

(Photo by Christina Kriedt)

The non-resupinate (aresupinate?) leaves of Metasequoia

(Photo from Wikipedia)


17/20


GlossaryAll definitions from Botany.com (http://www.botany.com/)

DECURRENT: Extending down the stem (i.e. a leaf witha base extending downward along the stem).DICOTYLEDON: A plant that produces a newly emergedseedling with two seed leaves before it produces matureleaves. (Dicot)LAMINA: A thin plate or scale. Specifically, the blade orexpanded part of a leaf or petal.MONOCOTYLEDON: A plant that produces a newlyemerged seedling with one seed leaf before it producesmature leaves. (Monocot)MUCRONATE: Ending abruptly in a sharp pointOBTUSE: Blunt or rounded at the extremity, as an obtuseleaf, sepal, or petal.PECTINATE: Resembling a comb; divided nearly to thebase with narrow, close segments, as the leaves of someferns.

PEDUNCLE: A botanical term used to describe the stalkof a single flower, as in the tulip, or of a cluster of flowers,as in thePelargonium.RHIZOME: Thickened, branching, creeping storagestems.SESSILE: Leaves and other plant parts that have no stalk,but instead grow directly from the stem or peduncleof theplant.TEPAL: In some flowers, such as the tulip and begonia,the calyx and corolla aren't clearly differentiated; theproper name for one of these petal-like parts is tepal.ZYGOMORPHIC: Bilaterally symmetrical, applied to a

flower that has one or more unequal parts.

Renees Garden

List of Flowers for Bouquetshttp://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/bouquets.html

Relevant Internet

Miscellany Christina Kriedt 06To harvest flowers for bouquets, carry a small

bucket filled with lukewarm water (not cold) out withyou into the garden. Place stems of cut flowers directly

into the bucket as soon as they are cut. Try to keep thebucket of flowers out of the sun as you pick. Cut stemswith a sharp scissors or knife, and never yank theirstems or break them off with your fingers if you expectthem to last in a bouquet. A cleanly cut flower stem(either cut straight or at an angle) allows plant cells inthe stems to continue to circulate and take up water.Renees Garden website:http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/bouquets.html

We should all be growing Carpenteria californica. Ittolerates sun and shade and likes moderate neglect. Itneeds some water only if rainfall is less than 20 inchesper year. The plant is drip-tolerant with good drainageand loves to be three to four feet from a lawn. Did Imention that the flowers are very beautiful?http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/134.htm

When honey bees swarm they will settle on a treelimb, bush, or other convenient site. The cohesivenessof the swarm is due to their attraction to a pheromoneproduced by the queen. The swarm will send out scoutbees to seek a cavity to nest in and will move on when asuitable nesting site is found.http://entomology.unl.edu/beekpg/beeswarm.shtml

Someone sent me this heartwarming story in anemail. I couldnt resist passing it on:The Tomato Garden: An old Italian lived alone inNew Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomatogarden, but it was very difficult work as the groundwas hard. His only son Vincent, who used to help him,was in prison.

The old man wrote a letter to his son and describedhis predicament: Dear Vincent, I am feeling pretty sad,because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomatogarden this year. I'm just getting too old to be diggingup a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles

would be over. I know you would be happy to dig theplot for me like in the old days. Love, Papa

A few days later he received a letter from his son:Dear Pop, Don't dig up that garden. That's where thebodies are buried. Love, Vinnie.

At 4 a.m. the next day FBI agents and local policearrived and dug up the entire area without finding anybodies. They apologized to the old man and left.

Later that day the old man received another letterfrom his son: Dear Pop, Go ahead and plant thetomatoes now. That's the best I could do under thecircumstances. Love you, Vinnie

AmaranthAsclepiasBells of IrelandBishop's LaceBuddleiaCalendula

CarnationCathedral BellsClarkiaCleomeColumbineCornflowersCosmosDelphiniumEchinaceaFeverfewFour O'ClocksFoxglove

HeliotropeHollyhocksLarkspurMarigoldNigellaPoppies

RehmanniaRoseSalpiglossisSalviaScabiosaSnapdragonStockSunflowersSweet PeasSweet WillliamZinnias

(Photo page 5 by Sharon Ettinger)


18/20


Websites:Native Revival Nursery http://www.nativerevival.com/about_us.htmlUC Davis http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/calendar/eventdisplay.cfm?caleventnum=28913Southern Nevada MGs http://www.extension.iastate.edu/story/news/09mgconf.htmLove Apple Farm http://loveapplefarm.typepad.com/growbetterveggies/upcoming-eventsclasses.htmlCNPS http://www.cruzcnps.org/events2.htmlCA Native Garden Fundhttp://www.cruzcnps.org/events2.html

UC Davis Conference and Events Services http://www.cevs.ucdavis.edu/Cofred/Public/Aca/ConfHome.cfm?confid=34714California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) www.cal-ipc.org/fieldcourses/index.phpUCSC Arboretum http://www2.ucsc.edu/arboretum/calendar.html

Volunteer OpportunitiesQuail Hollow Ranch: Felton, Wednesdays 9:30-11:30, or as arranged. Contact Simon @ [email protected]

Homeless Garden Project: Natural Bridges Farm; 10-2 Thursday and Fridays at Natural Bridges Farm. Saturdays areavailable upon request by contacting Paul at 423-1020 or e-mail at [email protected]

Cooper Adobe Garden: workdays 10:00-noon on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of month. Contact Marcia Smullen, 626-3519Other workdays can be arranged.

Seaside Green Team Project: workdays every 3rd Saturday 1:00 - 3:00 PM. Contact Mary Wilson, [email protected], and ask to be placed on email reminder list.

Carmel Orchid Society: meets at 8:00 PM on the first Monday of each month, except May, September and December atFirst Presbyterian Church of Monterey, 501 El Dorado Street, Monterey.

Santa Cruz Orchid Society: monthly meeting at Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz at 8:00 PM on the firstFriday of each month. Orchid show and sale is in early February each year.

Monterey Bay Dahlia Society: meets second Friday of every month; 7:00 PM potluck dinner, 7:30 PM meeting. SimpkinsSwim Center, Community Room 979 - 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz

Monterey Bay Rose Society: meets the last Friday of the month at the Grange Hall, 2555 Mar Vista Drive, Aptos. Checkthe web site (http://www.montereybayrosesociety.org/) for guest speaker information.

date day time classorganization/website

contact

June 7 Sat 10:00 MBMG Quarterly Meeting, UCCE - Filoli Slide Show MBMG [email protected]@sbcglobal.n

7 Sat 11:00am First Saturday Tour of the Arboretum UCSC Arboretum8 Sun 1:00pm Point Lobos Perimeter Hike CNPS Rosemary Foste

625-3083

July 17 & 18 Thu-Fri 11:00 2:00pm Plant Problem - Diagnosis & Becoming a 1st Detector UC Davis

23 & 24 Wed &Thu

Tilden Park, Berkeley -- Biology & Identification (Wed)& Control Methods (Thu) of Invasive Plants

Cal-IPC

24 Thu 7:00pm Plant Collecting in Chile UCSC Arboretum

Aug 2 Sat 11:00am First Saturday Tour of the Arboretum UCSC Arboretum

Sept 6 Sat 11:00am First Saturday Tour of the Arboretum UCSC Arboretum

24-26 Wed-Fri

Statewide MG Conference Monterey Bay MGs

Mar2009

22-26 Sun-Thurs

International MG Conference, Las Vegas Nevada MGs of SouthernNevada

Advanced Training Opportunities


19/20


Copyright 2008 MBMG. All rights reserved

EDITOR Christina Kriedt

ASSISTANT EDITORS Sharon Ettinger & Kathleen SonntagDESIGN/LAYOUT Christina Kriedt

G A R D E N I N G O N T H E E D G E Newsletter of the Monterey Bay Master Gardeners

Hotline: 831-763-8007

CONTRIBUTORS

Candice McLarenChristina Kriedt

Cindy LloydClaudia Boulton

Paul McCollumSharon Ettinger

Sharon TylerSimon Stapleton

Steve TjosvoldTom Karwin

STAFFBonnie PondCynthia Jordan

Denise WeatherwaxKari OlsenPaul McCollum

Simon StapletonTanja RoosTom Karwin

Thank you to all the

dedicated

Monterey Bay Master Gardeners

who share their knowledge and

advice in our

epolls and articles


20/20


Visit Our Super Sponsors !

Sierra Azul Nursery, Watsonville, http://www.sierraazul.com, 763-0939,

email: [email protected], Santa Cruz, http://www.lumbermens.net/store_locator/zSearch.asp?

ZipSearchSubmit=1&State=CA, 423-0223, email: [email protected]

The Garden Company, Santa Cruz, http://www.thegardenco.com/, 429-8424FezQ, Carmel Valley, 659-1268

Bokay, Salinas, http://www.bokaynursery.com/, 659-1268, email: [email protected]

Hidden Gardens, Aptos, 688-7011

Wild Rose Landscape Design, Aptos, 539-5841, [email protected]

gardening on the edge newsletter, june-july 2008 ~ monterey bay master gardeners

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