They are colorful and easy to care for.

They are actively gorwing in summer, making them less likely to burn easily.

Roses require regular maintenance while not building up dead material at their centers, thus making them less flammable when flying embers blow into your yard from a wildfire.
I took these photos of the Groundcover Rose, ‘Happy Chappy’ that is making a great show in my new garden in Cottonwood. Blooms are born in clusters and start bright salmon orange and fade to medium pink. The plant spreads to about 4ft across and arching canes seem to grow up to 2ft tall. Very disease resistant with little sign of mildew or black spot in the few years of have had it.
Groundcover roses should be sheared in spring just as new growth starts and again in midsummer after the first flush of bloom. You can cut them back hard every few years to renew the entire plant.
Groundcover roses like ‘Happy Chappy’ do best with regular waterings, but I have found they can be pretty tough as long as get a deep watering every week or so.
‘Happy Chappy’ is available via mail order from Jackson and Perkins Roses, www.jacksonandperkins.com and from local independent garden centers right now in bloom.

'Happy Chappy' showing three-tone blooms

I mean not Jack Benny cheap; he used to say that when he opened his wallet he could hear birds sing (Cheap, cheap, cheap).  But I have a habit of being a bit conservative when I am purchasing new plants.  About a month ago I was immersed in the plant utopia that is the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show Plant Market.  Of course I found some choice new finds for the garden, but after making some well thought out purchases, I instantly regretted it.  Not because the plants aren’t awesome, but that I should have bought AT LEAST 3 of each!.

Dykia 'Burgundy Ice' awaits planting at FireSafe Gardens

Any good gardener knows that groups of the same plant in odd numbers, IE 3, 5 or 7 makes the best impact when you are designing a new bed or border. One of this and one of that is good when you are using a big specimen, but if you want to create garden harmony, you want to build a solid group of each perennial or shrub and then repeat that same group somewhere else in the garden to create a unified and interesting scheme.   So when I choose the ‘Burgundy Ice’ Dyckia (www.provenwinners.com), a truly exotic-looking hardy bromelliad, I should have grabbed three, not just one.  This plant looks like a dark glossy sunburst starfish arching it’s spiny legs out in a spreading rosette.  Ideal in pots, but since it should be somewhat hardy in my USDA 9 and Sunset 9 zone garden here in far NorCal, I need three to make in impact under the rising stems of Chamaerops humilis in my new Exotic Garden. Of course, dykia is another IDEAL fire-safe plant with it’s tough fibrous leaves and tight rosette form which give no purchase to flying brands or builds up burnable leaf litter. Further it is very water wise, another important aspect of any new sustainable, fire safe garden.

So now I am regretting being so cheap, since I will now spend extra cash on having new specimens shipped from Gold Rush Nursery in Aptos (www.goldrushnursery.com).  Lesson: be decisive.  Grab three and make an impression.

Feel free to email me at dave@firesafegarden for comments or questions.

A bare-root apricot ready to be taken home. Photo courtesy of Dave Wilson Nursery

Probably not.

“Bare root” refers to what you see in the store, a little spindly fruit tree wrapped up in a colorful plastic bag, seemingly ready to plant.  At independent nurseries and garden centers, who know what they are doing, bare root trees are kept outdoors in cool, moist conditions and watered constantly to keep the roots moist.  The idea is, that while the tree is dormant, there is no need to pot it up.  Just grab the tree out of the bin, take it home right away and plant it immediately.  As the weather warms the roots will wake up, a Viola! You have a happy, healthy new fruit tree growing like gangbusters.

Not so at the big box.  The poor tree may or may not have been handled or cared for properly.  That means that instead of a happy new fruit tree, you end up with a dead stick.  The tree is probably being stored improperly, kept indoors in the dry warm environment of the retailer where it quickly dehydrates.  That bag around the roots? Well the saw dust shavings inside quickly dry out and dry roots mean dead roots.  A Saturday afternoon a few months from now will show several customers clutching their bare root trees asking for their money back.

Before you just grab a tree out of the bin, look it over carefully.  Do the stems seem brown and dry instead of plump and green?  Are any of the roots sticking out of the bag and dried up?  Can you feel the sawdust inside and does it seem damp to the touch?  Damp sawdust is the biggest clue.  If it is, then give it a try, if not, pass it by and go find a strong healthy bareroot tree at your local independent garden center instead.  There you will KNOW you are getting the promise of fresh fruit for years to come.

For more fruit planting info please visit Dave Wilson Nursery

http://www.davewilson.com/homegrown/advice/plant_trees.html

After waiting all of December and half of January, the rain finally fell on the North State.  But while it is still a long time before the last frost date, one of the most important acts of an effective garden needs to happen now.   That is the act of preparing the soil to create the great garden you envision.   The soil is the home that your plants will live in.  Just like your home, your plants use the soil to eat, to sleep, and to grow. Good soil makes plants grow strong and healthy, makes them withstand pests and diseases and helps them use less water.

The soils of the north state have two distinctive characteristics. In lowland areas like Chico, Sacramento, and the farms that line Hwy 5 from Woodland to Red Bluff, the soils are deep alluvial clay loams laid down from centuries of flooding from valley rivers.  But above the level of the Sacramento River flood plain, the soil is a rough conglomerate of iron rich clay and rough gravel above a heavy layer of thick red clay and hardpan[1].

Cobbles, gravel and red clay bake hard in summer.

My garden falls into the latter with cobbles as large as softballs mixed with smaller rocks to form a shovel busting hard pack.  So deep digging, which is usually the method for preparing a new garden bed, does not work as well with our heavy soils.  Instead, I suggest a different technique that has become popular and based on new soil science.  New research[2] suggests that the soil layers and microorganisms that inhabit each layer dislike disturbance and work best to feed and nurture your garden when allowed to stay in situ.  That means that too much disturbance can actually set back your gardening goals and that back-breaking deep digging is not longer necessary!

Layers ofOrganic Matter are laid down like "lasagna" to build soil the easy way

Instead an effective plan to build the soil involves breaking the hard packed dry surface of the soil to allow water to penetrate, then adding layers of organic material to the surface.  This creates a rich, water-retentive layer that, as you add more and more compost and manure each season, which builds and builds to create the sort of garden that is a success. So why is this method effective?  When digging is not an option, the layering of organic matter, often called “lasagna gardening” works with the natural processes to build the soil[3].  As more and more organic matter is added through the season, the microorganisms and earthworms process the material and help draw it down to the layers below where plant roots can access the nutrients.

What this means in practical terms is adding a thick layer of new organic material each spring just as growth begins and another layer in early fall as you shift from your summer flowers and veggies into winter.  All summer, an additional layer of mulch is added that functions in two ways.  First, the mulch is used decoratively, as in the case of shredded bark to give the garden a “finished” appearance, and functionally to conserve soil moisture and keep the soil cooler in the hot summer weather.

A decorative mulch also retains moisture and keeps soil cool in summer, warm in winter

It is amazing how much a simple layer of organic material can do for your garden, building and enriching your soil, encouraging beneficial microorganisms, while saving you hours of work!  That is what I like: simply ideas that give big results!  Because I work with nature to build the soil and encourage beneficial microorganisms, my garden is better than yours.

A Minifarm Box is one way to build a veggie bed quick using compost mulches.

Ever notice there are things you do around the garden that come so naturally to you that it is hard to remember that others might not have the same effective habits that make you such a good gardener?  Or conversely, do you wonder why some gardeners seem to have such Green Thumbs while yours seems brown?

Here are some of my effective garden habits:

New plants: I always water a new plant as soon as I get it home.  You would be surprised how dry a plant from the nursery or store can be.

Planting in summer: Before planting a new specimen out, I soak the rootball in a bucket of water.  I submerge the pot completely into a bucket, until it drops to the bottom and the air bubbles stop.  This makes sure that the rootball is thoroughly wet and forces out any pockets of air in the soil.  I also will fill the hole with water and allow it to soak in.

Set up a drip irrigation system before you plant.

Water first, then plant:  I never set out new plantings until I have a way to irrigate them.  The road to dead gardens is paved with good intentions to drag a hose out to the new plants.  But I can assure you it never happens. You end up too tired at the end of the day or forget before you rush off to work.  Take the time to install the drippers or sprinklers with a timer FIRST and then the new plants will take off instead of languish, thirsty in the heat.

Calendar gardening: Remembering to water or feed is as easy as reading the calendar.  Most liquid or organic plants foods should be applied on a regular basis such as weekly or monthly, so why not just choose a day and stick to it?  In my own garden, I use a liquid fertilizer on the pots and bedding once a week, ever Wednesday.  Since it happens on the same day each week, it is easy to remember and I end up with beautiful strong plants bursting with color. For trees and shrubs, set a timer to run every other day in summer.  And mark your calendar to remind you to turn on the system in spring and off for winter.

Pest Watch:  pests can sneak up on the most diligent gardener.  But you can start looking for them in the most relaxing way.  I always start my day with a stroll through the garden in the morning before work.  if you take the same route through the beds, you will often spot problems developing, such as aphids on roses or gophers in the lawn, before they get out of hand.

Don’t impulse buy:  A trip to the garden center can be overwhelming.  But if you go in with a plan fro what you are looking for you will make better choices.  If you are looking for a shrub for under the front window, you will want to look for shrubs that grow less than 3ft tall and wide, instead of getting distracted by some flashy flowers on the sale table.

Further, I try to avoid short lived bloomers that will not last in the garden. These are specimens that are in full bloom w Plants put up in front in the garden center to attract you eye and wallet are often not the best choices.  I tend to go for young specimens not yet in bud, that will develop in the garden, not just bloom and fade in a week or two.

Buy Small:  as I mentioned above, I choose smaller plants that have not been forced into bloom.  Smaller plants will have more time to adapt to your garden because they have smaller foliage to root ratios. A full grown specimen is probably used to being coddled at the garden center and will need extra attention to keep it growing at home.  Plus smaller plants will have strong actively growing roots that have not been damaged by spending months in nursery containers. They tend to take off in the garden quicker and cost less.  You can get 6 seedling perennials for the same price as one specimen in bloom.  Stretch your dollar and grow strong plants at the same time.

Young seedlings ready to be set out in the garden.

Grow your soil: if you want a good garden, build your soil.  The soil is a living organism that processes and returns nutrients to your plants using microorganisms and beneficial insects like earthworms.  You can key into the soil food web if you use organic mulches.  I apply a thick layer of organic mulch around all of my plants.  The mulch, which can be manure, compost, chopped leaves, or any other organic material, should be laid on thickly to about 3 to 6 inches deep.  The mulch will help regulate soil temperature and conserve moisture all while slowly feeding the soil web.  Renew mulches with new material in spring and fall at least.

Tomatoes:  When planting tomatoes,  set them deeper in the soil than in the nursery pot.  The covered stem will sprout new roots, increasing the strength of the root system.  I also make sure to remove any blooms on the new plants for the first few weeks to encourage the plants to devote their energy to growing strong roots and stems instead of coming into fruit too early.

Lean, Clean and Green: the first 30 feet.

Lean: *Create an open area near the house free of fuels, woodpiles, and clutter.

*Ideally have a solid paved or clean, raked gravel walkway that allows room to walk the entire perimeter of the home.

Clean: *Instead of decks and wood patio furniture create flagstone patios, textured concrete driveways, and ramps.

*Use built-in seat walls, decorative rockwork, and built-in bbq’s with open spaces for entertaining.

Green: *Create an edible garden!  Cluster plants according to water use with edibles, flowers, roses, and small manageable turf areas closest to the home.

*Use masses of groundcovers, flowering drought tolerant perennials, irises, and succulents to add visual interest.  Mass shrubs in groups spaced at least 8ft apart.

*Place small ornamental or fruit/citrus trees 15 feet or more from house, thin branches to keep an open, attractive look!

*Make sure that plants are groomed and irrigated regularly to encourage healthy, green growth.  Remove dead or dry stems.

Deer: The only effective way to deal with deer is with fencing.  In the fire safe garden, try a pair of parallel 4ft post and rail fences in-filled with wire, 4 feet apart.  Use self-closing gates at entry points.  If you need height, think of topping the fence with a decorative pergola to support native vines like pipe vine or clematis.

Privacy screens or view blocking:

Use the rule of thumb: place single specimens or small groups of trees or tall shrubs directly in front of what you want to screen.  Just like holding your thumb in front of your face to hide an object in the distance.   Don’t plant a flammable “fuse” of hedging material that costs too much money, requires too much maintenance!

Be a good gardener!

Healthy, fire-safe plants thrive on good soil preparation, mulching and deep, water-wise irrigation.

*Start out right with lots of compost and organic matter tilled into the soil at planting time.

*Build the soil by adding compost and mulch to top-dress the garden in spring and fall.  *Use drip systems set to irrigate DEEPLY each week to keep plants looking their best!

*When plantings become woody or overgrown, Let’s Face it, Time to Replace It!  Old dry shrubs burns easily, no matter the type of plant, so recognize old shrubs that need to be replaced with something new and vigorous.

Learn More: http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/communications_firesafety_100feet.php

Gaillardia shines in the center of this fire safe combo

The combo features Aloe x nobilis with red blooms, purple flowers from Teuchrium, Scarlet Flower Carpet rose, Gaillardia Goblin, Gold strap leaves of Phormium, plus blue Perovskia Longin, and the purple leaves of Prunus cistiana, the native Sand Cherry.

A low carpet of purple flowered hardy iceplant, Delosperma cooperi, and Santa Cruz oregano fill out the edge.

The combo provides nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds, while being very drought tolerant for sunny spots. There is lots of interesting foliage to keep the look strong all year.

Learn more about Fire safe plants by picking up Douglas Kent’s excellent book, Firescaping.

Preview the book online by clicking the bookcover:

Photo courtesy of Wildscaping.com

This grape make in ideal fire safe plant for many reasons. Like many edible plants California Grape not only provides fruit but also can be used for shade. In my garden, Vitis c. ‘Roger’s Red’ clambers up the pillars of my porch.  The stems dangle down to create a living awning in summer.  But unlike other vines like honeysuckle that create a mass of fire prone twigs and dead leaves, grapes have few stems and soft thin leaves the wilt quickly during a fire.  I also choose plants that will provide more than one season of interest. In the case of ‘Roger’s Red’, the grass green leaves turn shades of red in late summer and fall and linger well into early winter.

California Grape can be used on fences, arbors, or on banks as a informal groundcover.

In my own garden I have enjoyed a large Continus ‘Royal Robe’ shown here in bloom.

Pink "smoke" catches the morning light.

The deciduous large shrub offers dark purple leaves and pink blooms with vibrant fall foliage.  The plant is drought and heat tolerant with a hardiness to about 10F making ideal as a specimen in harsh high and low desert climates.  It makes a great fire safe plant by offering color, year round interest and substance to the garden without adding dry fuel.

Available from ForestFarm Nursery in Tetherow OR, www.forestfarm.com

Save 10% with Savings Code BOT_AF_DE when you click on the photo

Epigram is the new series with quotes by Milton Glaser with proceeds benefitting the International Rescue Commitee