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The Digging ForkA Davis Garden Newsletter

July - August 2009

July August

PlantingWarm season vegetables:

cucumbers, summersquash, basil

Warm season annuals

Perennials

Can still plant, but need to keep plants wellwatered until established

Warm season annuals

Perennials

Cool season vegetables:Strawberries (if you can find

them), potatoes (early Aug.),leeks

Can still plant, but need to keep plants wellwatered until established.

Seeding

directlyinto thegarden

Warm season vegetables:These crops are best direct seeded in gardenin early July-snap beans, cucumbers,summer squash and corn

Warm season annuals

sunflowers, cosmos,celosia, alyssum,marigold, zinnia

Cool season vegetables: Must shade seedlings!!Brussels Sprouts,rutabaga

Cool season vegetables: Must shade seedlings!!broccoli, cabbage, leeks,carrots, cauliflower andromanesco, Florencefennel, kale, lettuce, greenonions, parsnips, turnips,

Swiss chard

Seedingin traysoutside orgreenhouse,to trans-plant later

Perennials and cool seasonannuals

Cool season vegetables:broccoli, cabbage, leeks,lettuce, cauliflower andromanesco

Perennials and cool seasonannuals

Fertilize Roses after bloom Citrus as needed.Look for nutrient

deficiencies especiallyiron and nitrogen.

Soil sulfur for citrus andacid loving plants(will lower the pH of soil makingiron more available to plants. Mixsoil sulfur with top 6 of soil andwater well)

Pest &DiseaseControl

Tomato hornworms - pick off Snails, slugs and earwigs

damage use baits or trapsAphids -can spray off with

water and watch forladybeetles.

Same as for July.

Tasks Summer pruning of fruittrees will devigorate plantand help control size.

Weed control continuesStake dahlias and other tall

plants that need support

Cut back berries and tienew canes to supports

Mums, asters, perennialsunflowers, and other fallblooming plants can becut to about 12 in earlyJuly to encouragebranching and reduceplant height. This maydelay the bloom time.

Summer pruningpruning apricot trees onlyin Aug. helps controlEutypa disease

Divide and replant beardediris.

Weed control continues

Order cool season bulbs andperennial plants for fallplanting (see article inThe Digging Fork ,May 2007 issue)

Water Deep water trees and shrubsWater compost piles!

Same as July.

Breadseed poppies with seed pods. The holes in the bottom podindicates the seeds are ready to harvest for eating or sowing.

The Garden Seed CycleMid-summer is generally a time to clear out the

dead, brown, unattractive growth of many plants thathave flowered in the spring. However, a closer look may reveal a hidden treasure of seeds, which can bevery rewarding to collect and/or disperse. This is oneof the satisfactions of regular observation in thegarden. So, why bother to save seeds? Some seeds arehard to find for purchase or large quantities may bedesired which could be expensive. Seeds can bechosen for particular traits of a plant beauty, diseaseresistance, suitability for growing in a particular area,etc. And best of all, its fun - especially if you like toshare from the garden!

There are a few drawbacks to saving seeds whichmust be considered. As mentioned above, leavingmany flowers to go to seed in the garden will leave itlooking messy at times. For some plants leaving seedsto mature may also shorten the length of time it flowersbecause flowering stops when seed production begins.There is a high risk of seeds scattering on the ground,creating a new crop of plants which may need to bethinned if more germinate than desired. Excessiveself-sowing may be minimized by paying attention towhen the seeds are ready to harvest and by harvestingthe early maturing seeds and cutting back the restbefore they mature.

Open pollinated species are the best for saving fromyear to year. Hybrids, purchased as seeds or plants, arethe offspring of two plants purposefully crossed inorder to obtain desired traits. Their seeds are eithersterile or will eventually revert back to one of theparents used in the cross.

When are seeds ready to harvest? The pods orseed coverings will be brown and dry and often a holedevelops where the seeds may fall out. An example isthe breadseed poppy above. Sometimes the coveringwill pop open or explode, spewing seeds all over. TheArroyo lupine and California poppy fall into thiscategory. Flowers in clusters, like carrots and dill,

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have the seeds pretty exposed and they just dry and fallto the ground. Seeds from flowers that are composites(daisies) form in the center. Many seed pods are veryinteresting and decorative!

Hollyhock seeds and flower

Seeds can be directly scattered in the garden whencollected or saved for later sowing. The cut stalks withthe mature seeds intact can be left on the ground as amarker in the garden where you want the plants togrow and this sometimes protects and shades theemerging seedlings. Paper bags are a great method of collection and the seeds can be left in them for a whilelonger to make sure they are completely dry. Seedsmust be stored in a dry location out of the sun. Oncedry, the seeds can be separated from the extra debris sothey take up less space for storage or sharing. Seedsare often stored in paper because it breathes; however,well-dried seeds do fine in plastic and many seedcompanies use plastic because of the protection itaffords. Clear zip-loc bags are good because you cansee the seed. Containers, such as glass jars and tins,also work well. It sounds basic, but always label withname and date! Some seeds must be used within a yearwhile others are viable for many, many years.

If you are interested in saving the seeds from open-pollinated vegetables, check out Seed to Seed bySuzanne Ashworth, who lives in Sacramento. Thisbook covers how to save the seeds of most edibles.There are also a multitude of websites with informationon seed saving.

Late fall is another opportunity to save the seeds of summer and fall flowering plants so pay attention nowto favorites you would like to collect later. Besidesannuals, many perennials and bulbs are easy to growfrom seed and are worth collecting. And when someperennial plants open up in the center and flop theirflowers out to the side and on the ground, know thatthey are attempting to move seeds to a new locationaway from the parent plant. They arent being unruly -it is simply their cycle of life!

Plant sales and eventsUCD Arboretum

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

Tomato FestivalAugust 8, 9am to 2 pm Freeman Park, WoodlandCome taste and rate locally grown tomatoes.

Yolo County FairAugust 19-23 Fairgrounds in WoodlandMany horticultural talks, activities and displays in the

Hall of Flowers and Agriculture Building.Master Gardeners available to answer your questions!

Three Palms NurserySummer Blowout August 1-2, 9 am to 5 pm 30% off Information 756-8355 www.3palmsnursery.com

UC Davis Good Life Gardenhttp://goodlifegarden.ucdavis.edu/

Friends of the Davis Library Book SaleAugust 7 (noon-7 pm), 8 (10 am-5 pm), 9 (10 am-3 pm)Often good finds on gardening books! Info. 757-5593

Seeds of blue forget-me-nots have a Velcro-like covering thatsticks to pants, gloves, animals.

Local classes and workshopsGarden Exploration Workshop Patricias Garden

Saturday, July 18 8:00 am to 11:00 am its summer!Limited to 15 participants. $20 per personInstructors: Patricia Carpenter and Melissa KellyYou will leave with handouts and some seeds and plants.Reservations required TheDiggingFork@gmail.com These workshops will be held in Patricias garden periodically

during the year. See what there is to observe and discover in the garden in the summer. Guided tour and lots of timefor exploration and questions.

--see what is blooming and discover new plants--learn about garden cleanup, seed collecting, pruning,

summer planting, ordering plants/bulbs for fall planting--ask questions about healthy soil, irrigation, composting--see what vegetables are ready to harvest and what can be

planted for a fall harvest--learn about propagating plants, collect some seeds--find out sources for bulbs, seeds and other plants you like

City of Davis Worm and Garden CompostingFree compost bin by taking Davis Compost

Correspondence ClassInformation www.davisrecycling.org (530) 757-5686

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http://www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu/http://www.3palmsnursery.com/http://goodlifegarden.ucdavis.edu/mailto:TheDiggingFork@gmail.comhttp://www.davisrecycling.org/http://www.davisrecycling.org/mailto:TheDiggingFork@gmail.comhttp://goodlifegarden.ucdavis.edu/http://www.3palmsnursery.com/http://www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu/

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Purple carrots seem to have pink/purple flowers --most carrots have whiteflowers. These flowers are from Purple Haze carrots (Johnnys Seeds)

The Best Fertilizer is the Farmers Footsteps

Substitute gardener for farmer in the above oldChinese proverb and you have some good advice onhow to grow a nicer garden. Take the time to walk through the garden and observe what is blooming, whatcombinations look especially nice together and wherethere are some holes that need a plant or two. Howmuch have the plants grown this season? Do youknow how big they will get at maturity and if they will

have enough space? Study and monitor your irrigationsystem. Are some plants not getting enough water?Plant leaves start to look dull and a bluish-gray colorbefore starting to wilt. Look for nutrient deficienciesand for insect damage as well as the insect doing thedamage. How many hours of sun is an area gettingeach day and where is the sun rising and setting?Which plants in your garden attract pollinators bees,butterflies and hummingbirds? What plants smellgood? Now that it is really too hot for much garden

play, practice your observation skills instead!!Have you always wanted to grow______ (fill in the

blank) but have been unsuccessful? Where have youseen it grown? Was it in Davis or on the cool coast?Was it in the sun or shade? Morning sun or afternoonsun? Observation will help with clues for properplacement. If Patricia has a new plant to try and isntquite sure (even after some research) what conditions itneeds, she tries it in a couple of spots in the garden tosee where it is the happiest and observes how theplants grow in the different locations.

When looking at other peoples gardens, look fornew and interesting plants, how big they get and wherethey are growing in relation to trees, fences and houses.

Ask questions.Insect and disease infestations are much easier tocontrol before they get out of hand. Ants may indicatethere is scale or aphids on the plants. Slimy trails andholes in plants are a clue to a slug or snail problem. Itis fun to watch the predators and beneficial insectsdoing their work in the garden. The ladybeetle cycleis especially visible on fennel plants. Sunflowers androses are great plants to see mummified aphids withholes where parasitic wasps emerged.

www.ipm.ucdavis.edu provides integrated pestmanagement solutions to pest and disease problems.

Plant notes!Here is more information about some plants mentioned in this newsletter.

Some of the seeds Patricia is saving from and/ordispersing in her garden in July:

Alcea rosea hollyhock biennial Alcea rugosa Ukrainian hollyhock perennial Ammi majus Bishops lace annual Aquilegia chrysantha yellow columbine perennial Aquilegia eximia serpentine columbine CA native perennial Aquilegia formosa western columbine CA native perennial Armeria maritima thrift, sea pink CA native perennial Brodiaea californica CA brodiaea CA native bulbCalandrinia ciliata redmaids CA native annualChlorogalum pomeridianum soap lily, amole CA native bulbClarkia amoena farewell-to-spring CA native annualClarkia unguiculata mountain garland CA native annualCollinsia heterophylla Chinese houses CA native annualConsolida ajacis larkspur annual

Daucus carota Queen Annes lace annual Erysimum cheiri wallflower perennial Eriogonum grande rubescens red flowered buckwheat, San

Miguel Island buckwheat CA native perennial Eschscholzia californica CA poppy CA native perennial

Gilia capitata globe gilia CA native annualGilia tricolor birds eye gilia CA native annualGlaucium flavum horned poppy perennial

Heracleum lanatum cow parsnip CA native biennial Lathyrus odoratus sweet pea annual Linum lewisii blue flax CA native perennial Lunaria annua money plant, honesty biennial Lupinus densiflorus aureus golden lupine CA native annual Lupinus succulentus arroyo lupine CA native annual Lychnis coronaria rose campion perennial Moluccella laevis bells-of-Ireland annual Myosotis sylvatica forget-me-not perennial Nassella pulchra purple needlegrass CA native bunchgrass Nicotiana sylvestris only-the-lonely perennial Nigella damascena love-in-a-mist annual

Orlaya grandiflora Minoan lace annual Papaver somniferum breadseed poppy annual Persicaria orientale kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate annual Phacelia bolanderi Bolanders phacelia CA native perennial Reseda alba white Mignonette perennialSalvia sclarea clary sage annualSalvia sclarea var. turkestanica alba Turkish clary sage

biennialScilla peuviana Peruvian scilla, giant squill bulbsSidalcea neomexicana checkerbloom CA native perennialSisyrinchium bellum blue-eyed grass perennialTanacetum parthenium feverfew perennialVerbascum chaixii Album mullein perennialVicia faba red flowered fava annual

Arroyo lupine. The pods curl when the seeds are dispersed.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/

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M o r e g a r d e n ing t i p s !Solar Oven is a Gardeners FriendGardening can be a way to tune out the world for a

bit. Hours can pass and lunch time has come and gone.Or in the cool of the fall, dinner preparations sometimeget put on hold when you are just having too much fun.

The second planting.Did you miss the first planting of beans and summer squash?Even if you didnt, it is a good idea to plant again in earlyJuly because the plants get diseased and production declinestowards the end of summer. These new plants will extendthe season.

A solar oven is a goodway to use the sunsenergy to cook your

Cool season vegetables in the heat of summer?lunch or family dinnerYes, it is hot. But many cool season vegetables can beplanted in the summer for a fall crop. If planted in fall,harvest is delayed. Shading and adequate moisture arecritical when trying to seed or transplant in the heat!!Planting on the northeast side of tall crops (like tomatoes) orusing old shingles stuck into the ground help to shadeseedlings from the hot afternoon sun.

or kids after schoolsnack. An oven

thermometer shows temperatures can get up to 250-300degrees F. The process is a lot like cooking with acrock pot you can put in the food and forget about itwhile playing in the garden. Cooking with Sunshineby local authors Lorraine Anderson and Rick Palkovicis a great book to start with. The slow cookercookbooks are also useful for recipes to adapt to a solaroven.

Both Patricia and Frances have been long-time fansof cooking with the sun. For years they used an ovencalled Cook-It (Frances also made one of her own), butnow they use the SOS Sport pictured above. In themorning, Patricia often puts some of the previousnights leftovers in the oven for a quick lunch. At thesame time banana bread can be baking for an afternoonsnack or rice and chicken for dinner. Cookies arealways a hit. Frances regularly cooks fruit crisp,chocolate cake, lasagna, rice, beans, beets, potatoes,winter squash, and tomato sauce.

Wooden shingle used to shade cabbage Dahlia munched by earwigstransplant from hot afternoon sun

Earwigs are starting to munch flowers and fruits!!If dahlias, zinnias and other flowers are looking ragged andchewed, check for earwigs in the flowers. Here is a quick lesson on earwigs and a method for trapping them.http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/earwigscard.html SluggoPlus is now available to help with control as well.There are many, many types of solar ovens. They

can be purchased and also constructed at home. Somedesigns are very simple and affordable and some arevery fancy and costly. Our local resource inSacramento is Solar Cookers International atwww.solarcookers.org and www.solarcooking.org They, and other solar cooking organizations, aremaking amazing differences for many people indeveloping countries - inexpensive, low technologymethods lessening dependence on limited cookingfuels, purifying water, and making peoples liveseasier.

It must be July in DavisSpiders in the Garden.

This is the time of year when the wonderful spiders are theeasiest to see in the garden.They make webs across thepaths and just abouteverywhere. Spiders arefascinating to watch but it isa good idea to walk carefully and carry a bigstick (to gently move themout of the paths) or you mayfind one crawling on your

face. Not pleasant.The Yolo Gardener is a quarterly newsletter written bylocal Master Gardeners. To subscribe:http://ceyolo.ucdavis.edu/newsletterfiles/newsletter1460.htm

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

with 35 years of Davis gardening experienceFrances Andrews -- Long-time organic farmer

See http://TheDiggingFork.wordpress.com/ for the currentand archived past issues. To be added to the subscription list or tounsubscribe, contact us at: TheDiggingFork@gmail.com

Just finished cooking --coconut rice pudding and heated l eftovers for lunch.

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