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. Because I work with nature to build the soil and encourage beneficial microorganisms, my garden is better than yours.  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 like 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

Today the garden was finished and I wanted to talk about the transformation.

Originally, the garden, a 25 by 2o foot plot shaded by oaks and a massive pine, was spotted with a few ferns and some grasses.

The garden is mostly empty with a few struggling ferns scattered throughout.

The garden had been planted with azaleas and camellias, but they had failed due to shallow irrigation, poor fertility, and root competition.

The new scheme included a variety of shade and drought tolerant plants grouped to create a woodland effect.  They were irrigated with drippers to encourage deep rooting plus fed regularly to stimulate strong new growth.  The existing Western Sword Ferns were rescued along with some Mexican Feather Grass that were grouped together to create a drift around the base of the pine.

Among the improvements was a rough rock wall to create more room for the entry.  Tumbled grey flags interplanted with dymondia ground cover give more room for guests to gather at the entry.   A path of grey flags form an informal path through the center of the space to a rustic pine bench backed by Flowering Currents, Carpinteria, and Ceanothus.

Viewed from above, the path and rock wall give structure to the new, dynamic planting.

Near the street, a line of tired junipers was replaced with fragrant ‘Goodwin Creek’ lavenders and Blue Convolvulos creeper.

The plantings is more compatible with the native oaks and pines.

Learn more:

Gardening Under Oaks by

Las Pilitas Nursery

http://www.laspilitas.com/groups/oaks/Planting_under_oak_tree.html

Heucheras mix with ajuga, Pacific Coast Iris and Diascia.

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

Yellow Phlomis lanata anchors the end of the border

Though there were a few things that survived from the old scheme, like the magnificent Purple Robe Cotinus in full bloom.

Out of the fire comes flowers, literally!

The deep purple Cotinus dominates the new East Border

Save 10% on LEEDS certified Botanist furniture with Offer Code:BOT_AF_DE

Is it a succulent? What can I plant to help protect my home?

There is an easy answer: forget the plant lists and think about how a fire safe plant grows and what it contributes to your overall sustainable garden.

Here a few examples we will explore today: Gaillardia ‘Goblin’, Penstemon heterophyllus, Pacific Coast Iris, Malus ‘Pink Pearl’,Quercus agrifolia.

Some of the attributes of a fire-safe plant include a lack of woody material accumulating, active growth in summer, or thick  leathery foliage and heavy bark that resists fire.

Gaillardia 'Goblin' offers multicolored blooms for the fire safe border

To start the list off with an explosion of color is Gaillardia ‘Goblin’ ,an easy to grow colorful perennial for full sun. Drought tolerant and deer resistant, it is fire safe because if it’s lack of woody volume and active growth in summer.  This self seeding perennial is ideal mixed with salvia, verbena and teacrium in the dry border.  

Penstemon heterophyllus is native to the foothills of California where it shows off masses blue tubular flowers on 1 ft spikes in early summer.

Penstemon 'Margarita BOP' is a popular cultivar for the dry garden

 The display is noticed by hummingbirds and butterflies alike.  It does best in garden spots where it can go dormant in late summer, making it a perfect companion to ceanothus and low manzanita. Again, low fuel volume and drought tolerance make it penstemon and ideal fire safe choice.  The best known variety is ‘Margarita BOP’ discovered by Las Pilitas Nursery in Santa Margarita growing at the back of their porch , hence “BOP”.

Pacific Coast Iris are hybrids between our fine native Douglas Iris and other species to give them a wide range of colors and large ruffled blooms. PC Irises come in many colors including yellow, blue, maroon, and white.  They are ideal under high branched trees like Monterey Pines or live oaks in dappled shade where they can be used to create a colorful groundcover.  Keeping the landscape low and open under trees eleminates fuel ladders to take flames into the crown.

Blue and White Pacific Coast Iris are ideal under trees

Of course, that brings up the Coast Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia, the most iconic tree in the Western landscape.  While it is often seen burned after a fire, live oaks have thick leathery leaves that resist flames  and strong heavy bark that protects buds that can sprout quickly after a fire.  Native trees like Coast Live Oaks evolved with fire. Properly pruned and kept clear of dry brush, this tree adds beauty, shade, and wildlife shelter to any landscape, urban or rural.

One last tree for the fire safe garden illustrates many points at once. ‘Pink Pearl’ is a low chill apple from Australia.

'Pink Pearl' apples offer pink fragrant blooms in Spring

 It adds organic, nutritious food to the sustainable fire safe garden as well as nectar for pollinators, shade for the home, and attractive year round interest from flowers, fruit and fall color for the garden.  Apples don’t sustain fire with leaves that wilt in heat and an open canopy with little dry wood.

Botanist Benches: Chic, Sustainable, Fire-Safe. Save 10% off your order with offer Code:BOT_AF_DE