i am growing food

Rancho Cordova Garden Club at the Library, Friday October 7th, 2011

2011-10-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

l. THE GREAT PUMPKIN WILL COME TONIGHT

Linus: He'll come here because I have the most sincere pumpkin patch and he respects sincerity.
Sally Brown: Do you really think he will come?
Linus: Tonight the Great Pumpkin will rise out of the pumpkin patch. He flies through the air and brings toys to all the children of the world.
Sally Brown: That's a good story.
Linus: You don't believe the story of the Great Pumpkin? I thought little girls always believed everything that was told to them. I thought little girls were innocent and trusting.
Sally Brown: Welcome to the 20th century!

…AND OTHER POPULAR MYTHS

1. Gardening season is over.
Remember we can plant all year long here and almost always be getting something out of the garden. In fact many of us find fall a much more pleasant time to garden than in the blistering heat of summer. Bear in mind this has been a very cool and wet summer in here in Sacramento and all bets are off as far as what to expect.

2. Fall is a great time to prune.
Fall is the worst time to prune. Pruning stimulates growth and you don’t want your plants to get caught with new delicate growth during the cold winter months.

3. Piling mulch up against the trunks of trees and shrubs will help keep them cozy and warm all winter long.
Wrong. When applying mulch think donut, NOT volcano. Mulch or soil that is on the trunk gives a safe and moist passageway to insects, fungus and other disease that is just waiting to attack your tree or shrub. And make sure rain can get through the mulch and that it is only a couple of inches deep.

ll. WHAT I CAN BE DOING NOW...

*What to Plant Now
Seeds should germinate well now in the soil as the ground is still warm. Make sure to keep seeds moist until they sprout and then gradually taper off watering as they get bigger or until mother nature takes over with the rain..

*Turn off your sprinklers and watering systems when it rains.

*Get some seaweed tonic. And banana peels.

*Buy some bulbs, dig some holes, but don’t plant them yet.

Bulbs in warm areas. In warmest-winter areas (zones 7 through 11), select bulb varieties that are best adapted to warm winters, such as wild tulips that are native to southern Europe. Most large-flowered tulips, hyacinths, and crocus will need supplemental chilling. To chill the bulbs before planting, place them in the refrigerator crisper for 8 to 10 weeks (but keep bulbs away from fruits or vegetables; they give off ethylene gas, which can cause the bud inside a bulb to abort), then plant. Since the ground rarely freezes deeply, if at all, in these areas, bulbs can be planted into December or even early January.

lll. HARVEST THE RAIN AND SLOW THE FLOW
Put in a rain garden now. Or even a rain trench. Your trees will love you.

lV. IF YOU PILE IT THEY WILL COME - LET'S TALK COMPOST
Q and A

V. BOOKS AND OTHER LIBRARY STUFF

Rose’s Garden by Peter H. Reynolds

Wicked Bugs by Amy Stewart

Vl. ARMCHAIR GARDEN TOURS

Mrs. Whaley and her Charleston Garden

Word Garden at Saint Michael’s College

Moss Graffiti

Guerilla Gardening with moss graffiti

Charleston Garden

Vll. LOCAL EVENTS

Rancho Cordova Senior Center Garden

Fair Oaks Horticulture Center–
Open Garden Day - October 19 Wednesday 11 am-2 pm
See how to winterize your water-wise garden. Fall is a beautiful time to walk through the demonstration gardens and note what you'd like for next year! Ask us!

UC Davis Arboretum

Plant Sale: Growing a Green Future - Sunday, October 9 - Public sale: 9 am–1 pm
Arboretum Teaching Nursery
Great plants for your sustainable garden, including the Arboretum All-Stars and fabulous houseplants and exotics from the Botanical Conservatory. Get expert advice on working with your garden conditions. Join at the door for 10% member discount and a free plant!

Science Café - Medicines from Nature: Drugs that Changed the World
Wednesday, October 12 - 5:15 p.m., Wyatt Deck 
With Professor Ted Molinski, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UC San Diego, and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Learn about the development of medicines from plants and other natural sources and several recent breakthroughs that have helped lead to cures for diseases. Following the talk, enjoy light refreshments and a chance to chat with Professor Molinski.

Windmill Nursery is closed

Green Acres Nursery – Celebrate the Harvest Fall Festival - Sat Oct 8th 2 – 7 pm

Vlll. NEXT MEETING

Terrariums and Succulents

Rancho Cordova Garden Club at the Library, Friday September 2nd, 2011

2011-09-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

GETTING READY FOR FALL or HEDGING OUR BETS

1. What’s Next…

Remember we can plant all year long here and almost always be getting something out of the garden. In fact many of us find fall a much more pleasant time to garden than in the blistering heat of summer. Bear in mind this has been a very cool and wet summer in here in Sacramento and all bets are off as far as what to expect.

Quoted from the Bee:

Here are a few summer '11 weather facts:
• Only five 100 degree days so far. Normal is 23 times a year.

• If Sacramento fails to reach 100 again, it will be the fewest 100-degree days since 1982.

• 16 of the past 17 months have been cooler than normal. December 2010 was the exception.

(Source: Sacramento Bee)

Story Date: August 18, 2011

2. What to Plant…

Beets, Bok Choy, Pak Choi, Broccoli, Broccolini, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chard, Green Onions, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Radicchio, Radish, Spinich, Strawberries, Turnips, Rutabega, Lettuce, Mustard and other cool season greens.

A Hint from Redwood Barn in Davis:

Plant cover crops where you aren't going to have a garden this winter. These will suppress weeds and build the soil, and many will make nitrogen. Fava beans, bell beans, vetch, clovers, and annual ryegrass are all good cover crops.

Seeds should germinate well now in the soil as the ground is still warm. Make sure to keep seeds moist until they sprout and then gradually taper off watering as they get bigger eventually reaching a reasonable watering pattern.

3. Harvest the Rain.

Put in a rain garden

Google images

http://www.google.com/search?q=rain+garden&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=I_1fTqq9NazXiAKK0qmqDg&ved=0CDkQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=575

Your trees will love you.

4. Books

The $64 Tomato

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqI_e023dNY

Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart

http://vimeo.com/4805474

Weeds: In Defense of Natures Most Unloved Plants by Richard Mabey

Also Graham Davis

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/07/137550209/weeds-in-defense-of-botanys-cockroach

5. Armchair Garden Tours

Art of Bruno Torfs

Marysville wiped off the map – 700 homes –45 deaths of 173 total (or 35 people of the towns 500) – 14 of 400 building survived

http://www.brunosart.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv7koRVfpzE

Black Saturday Bushfires

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Saturday_bushfires#Marysville_area_.28Murrindindi_Mill_fire.29

Swan Island Dahlias

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovl3LNAgAfA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35CBOFyujWo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-6xZ4zrdNY

Rancho Cordova Garden Club at the Library, Friday August 5th, 2011

2011-08-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

INTODUCTIONS

WHATS NEW IN OUR GARDENS

EVENTS
Saturday Aug 5th is the Harvest Day at Fair Oaks Horticultural Center http://ucanr.org/sites/sacmg/Harvest_Day_2010/

GARDENING AND CLIMATE

RAIN ON MY PARADE
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/04/3815652/new-normal-for-sacramento-weather.html

FINDING YOUR ZONE.

Sunset Magazine http://www.sunset.com/garden/climate-zones/

World Climate Zones http://www.weekendgardener.net/climate-zones-map.htm

USDA Hardiness Zones http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
http://www.garden.org/zipzone/

Weather Channel info http://www.weather.com/maps/lawnandgarden.html?role=

Cornell Gardening Resources http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/weather/index.html

KEEPING UP WITH CHANGES

US Govt http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/index.html

Climate Wizard http://www.climatewizard.org/

Ntl Geographic http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-impacts-interactive/

* Human Toll http://maps.scienceprogress.org/climate/index.php

CALIFORNIA, SACRAMENTO IN PARTICULAR

SF Chronicle http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/06/MNDM1K6KFE.DTL

Don't trust averages http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ImlqyGzGGsgJ:www.wrh.noaa.gov/FXC/wxstory.php%3Fwfo%3Dsto+is+sacramento+wetter+or+drier&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com

FIELD TRIPS

Montreal
http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/en/menu.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IfBDPCQGmI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFemAyXWU08

Hamilton
http://www.rbg.ca/Page.aspx?pid=193

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skZoT0JZfYA

Victoria
http://www.butchartgardens.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Rancho Cordova Garden Club Meeting July 1st 2011

2011-06-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

Rancho Cordova Garden Club at the Library
Friday 01 July 2011, 1 – 2:30 pm
Container Gardening

PREVIOUSLYLast month we had an enjoyable and educational visit from James Bridges who spoke to us about how he made his organic garden. He had nice slides and his wife Tonya was here to work the computer so I got to sit in the audience and enjoy! It was nice. As always I picked up some useful information and inspiration. I hope the rest of you did as well. That reminds me I need to pick up a garden fork...

James' URL is ulocal.kcra.com/urbangardener and scroll down for pics and vids.
And James will be giving other talks in the area so if you are interested I believe you can contact him through that link.

UPCOMING
Our next meeting is Friday 05 Aug 2011 here at RAN library.

On Saturday 06 Aug 2011, 8 am – 2pm is the Harvest Day - Sacramento's Ultimate Garden Event!
Listen to speakers, watch demonstrations, visit educational booths, tour the gardens, sample fresh tree-fruit, grapes, and vegetables. Visit the plant clinic for advice. For more information and a schedule of events, http://ucanr.org/sites/sacmg/Harvest_Day_2010/ Do we want to meet up?

Check out the Sac Bee - http://www.sacbee.com/ for events, local garden news like Arboretum Allstars or tips.

IN MY GARDEN

My new favorite plant is Calibrachoa. http://blog.gardenharvestsupply.com/2011/04/22/million-bells-calibrachoa-grow-a-million-smiles/

The straw bale gardens are in their final configuration. I am fertilizing them with homemade Weed Poo. I now LOVE weeds!

When I went to work yesterday my CHARD looked fine. When I got home, a third of it was brown and crispy and the rest was limp! I cut that off along with the rest of the big leaves which we had for dinner. And I gave the plant some water. Without so much leaf to lose moisture the plant will manage better today as it is going to be 100 degrees again. This morning what I didn't cut off looked great and the plants will be fine. But I would have been better off to cut the leaves off and put them in the fridge before I went to work. Of course I don't always have time, but at least now I know. Pick in the morning if possible.

I have a big rope-handled tub with Sunchokes in it. I thought I had harvested them all last fall but they came back this spring. Which is why I have them in a container, once you plant them, you have them forever. Now they are about 4 feet tall and if I don't water them every day they are very droopy. Very droopy. The container is only half full of dirt and clearly that is not enough soil to hold enough moisture for them. It is going to be scary to repot them but I am going to do it anyway this weekend. They won't continue to grow the way they are now. I am going to tip them over on their side, ease them out, add some potting soil or compost and replant them. Hopefully they will survive. If they break off I think they will regrow. If I could have done this sooner it would have been much easier.

Trees, trellises, paths for playing.

IN YOUR GARDEN
What is going on in your garden?

You can: hook up or turn on the watering system if you haven’t. Give trees a good soak. Mulch. Plant in heat lovers. Shop for Crepe Myrtles. Continue successive plantings of corn and beans. Still time to plant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers. Remove berry canes that have finished fruiting. Thin fruit on trees. Start thinking about where to install a rain garden.

CONTAINER GARDNEING

Check out these creative containers
Pics Bottle caps, shoe bags, coffee cans, more cans, chair, gutters.

Benefits:
Improves drainage, garden on concrete or over poor soil, control soil content and PH, reduce bending, raises plants above many pests, movable, plant more intensively, can use less water.

Raised beds are large containers.

Bulbs and other plants can be planted in pots and sunk in the ground making them easier to lift and store over the winter.

Disadvantages:
Of course the major disadvantage, especially this time of year in Sacramento is the hot sun and the warm breezes, either or both will desiccate your tender green plants in no time at all. Container plants need more frequent watering and fertilizing.

Choosing a Container:
Just about any non-toxic container can be used.

Drainage and porosity. Always have drainage, add plastic liners to porous containers.

Weight and size. The container should be large enough so the plants won’t dry out completely between waterings but not so large that water is wicked away from the roots. Consider whether your pots will be moved. Taller plants require heavier containers. Often plants have a much larger root mass than top portion.

Consider the shape of the container for shallow or deep rooted plants.

Soil:
Soil provides air, water and support. Possibly nutrition and a home for microlife.

Garden soil, potting soil, compost, soilless mixes, additives like perlite, bark or sand.

Do not add filler like rocks or Styrofoam unless you are trying to lighten a container.

Planting and Repotting:
Root prune and or de-soil, to maintain size in the same container. Can be done without removing the plant. Remove appropriate amount of foliage.

De-soil the plant in a bucket of water before planting to reduce soil disparity.

Choose the right size container when repotting, usually just a couple of inches larger.

Some plants like to be somewhat root bound.

Watering and Fertilizing:
Container gardens require more frequent watering. Do not allow containers to dry completely or fine roots will die. Also, the potting media will shrink away from the side of the container and be harder to re-wet.

Water in stages. Let the soil expand.

Self-watering pot systems that may potentially reduce watering maintenance. Make your own plant minder out of soda bottles or milk jugs to slowly drip water plants.

A long growing season means fertilizers are needed more often.

Salt build-up from water and fertilizer is damaging to plants causing burned leaf edges, stunted growth, and fewer blooms. Periodically water until it runs out the bottom.

Diluted soluble fertilizers may be used with every watering, or at full strength on a weekly or every two-week basis, depending on the type of plants being grown. Follow product directions for concentrations and timing.

Design Basics:
Think Pillars, Fillers and spillars.

Consider what the desired impact is and the style you are trying to achieve. Mix heights, shapes and textures or use repetition to make a bold statement. Or just mix it up for informal cottage garden effect. Hot colors stand out, cool colors recede. Use color and texture to unify your composition.

Overplant. Experiment. Plants are not puppies. When containers get crowded, take something out. When something dies or doesn’t look good anymore, replace it.

You can mix annuals with perennials.

Plants:
Choose plants based on light, moisture, color, height, shape, texture, desired theme, and more.

Group plants with similar culture needs in the same container. Water, PH, sun.

Make a themed container like a pizza garden.

Many plants just won’t get as big in containers. Use root pruning to maintain size if you don’t want to change containers.

Among the relatively new annuals are Angelonia, Bacopa, Ipomea, Evolvulus, Bracteantha, Pentas, Scaevola, and Torenia.

Don’t overlook “indoor” or tropical foliage plants for shady areas. Consider Dracaena, Schefflera, Ficus, Aspidistra, and Fatshedera.
Pic from http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07238.html

Vines on a trellis can also be used in container gardens. Consider morning glory, Nasturtium, scarlet runner bean, or canary creeper.

Many vegetables can be successfully grown in containers. Look for varieties that are labeled as “bush,” “patio,” “dwarf,” or “compact” Or whose name implies compact such as ‘Tiny Tim’ tomatoes, ‘Spacemaster’ cucumber, ‘Morden Midget’ eggplant, ‘Short & Sweet’ or ‘Thumbelina’ carrots. These are prolific producers that require minimal space. Read the label for overall plant size.

Herbs add foliage texture and color, plus they may be edible or contribute fragrance to the landscape. Their culture requirements differ so plant accordingly.

Container Maintenance:
Most containers will require daily watering in summer. Mulch can help. Consider providing shade.
Consider reflected heat and light.

Make sure they do not sit in water over the winter or stay bone dry for too long.

Shade cloth or umbrellas can be used to block the sun. Umbrellas can be used to block the rain.

Trellises or colored cages can add another useful or just decorative dimension.

Perennials can be planted out into the yard at the end of the season.

Before moving containers indoors, check for pests.

Water Plants:
Water gardens are easier than you might think. You can even grow edible garden plants. Use plants that might otherwise take over your pond.

Floating, submerged or marginal plants have different requirements.

Generally 6 hours of sun.

Add water as it evaporates.

Add fertilizer as plants grow.

If algae or mosquito larvae develop, remove the water plants, empty the container, refill with clean water, and replace the plants. Or use hydrogen peroxide for algae and mosquito fish or BT for mosquitoes.

BOOKS
Do you have a book review or other resource you would like to share?
Check out FOUNDING GARDENERS from our Lucky Day Collection or put it on hold.

ARMCHAIR FEILDTRIP
Richmond Seed Lending Library.

To mark his forty years as the Financial Time's gardening columnist, Robin Lane Fox takes us on a rare tour of his private Oxfordshire garden.

Pear in a Bottle.

Square Tomato

Rancho Cordova Garden Club at the Library May 6th 2011

2011-05-03T14:53:00.000-07:00

Rancho Cordova Garden Club at the Library May 6th 2011

We had scheduled JAMES BRIDGES to speak this month but it turns out our room was double booked and we have been bumped! But it all works out. James has been gracious enough to agree to come speak next month when he will show us what is going on in his garden and answer any questions we have on organic gardening and gardening in general.

Our choice was to meet in the teen area or take it outside. Well I am always up for a field trip so we are going to go outside and make papercrete pots. That is concrete made with paperfiber. I will find us a shady spot and have chairs. Don't miss this hands on opportunity.

Speaking of shade, IT'S TIME TO PLANT TOMATOES! But of course it won't be too late to plant them until the end of July. I haven't even bought mine yet... But I lots of other garden adventures to share and want to hear about yours.

See you soon :)

Rancho Cordova Garden Club APR

2011-03-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

The Rancho Cordova Garden Club meeting notes and links for APRIL are posted below. This is the new format instead of a power point.

Email me: lchristensen "at" saclibrary.org (You must type in the @ symbol instead of "at" and take out the spaces.

Introductions and News.
Our own Deborah K. has a job at The Fair Oaks Nursery. Yeah Deborah!

Update on the Bucket Brigade. Goal of 25 buckets a month. Need tomato starts. Dirt.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

Looks like we are getting our annual spring hot spell. You know, the one where you go to some local festival and the kids get heat stroke because two days ago it was still turtleneck weather. And as you know, this spring it has been too wet much of the time to actually work the soil.

It MAY be time to think about planting tomatoes. April Average night time temps are 50 degrees. May night time temps are 54 degrees. Plant now for pre-july harvest and plant in June for Fall harvest. Be prepared to provide shade in July and August.

10 Easy Food Plants

So THIS MONTH you should:

• Prune off frost damaged limbs.
• Start to think about planting tomatoes when night time temps are consistently above 50 degrees, possibly mid-April. (Peppers and eggplants 55 degrees.)
• Check that irrigation system. Hot weather dry weather is right around the corner.
• Be prepared to water when the rains stop. 1” twice a week for lawns depending on weather. Start deep soaking trees and shrubs.
• Plant bean and corn seeds. (plant squash and melon seeds when you plant out peppers and eggplants.)
• Keep fresh water out for the birds. They are your pest controllers.
• Fertilize citrus and other tropicals.
• Start thinning stone fruits.
• Keep roses evenly moist and feed now. 5 gal. of water per week. Clean up the litter under the plants and watch for mildew.
• Prune spring bloomers if needed as they finish blooming.
• Later in the month after the soil warms, add mulch around shrubs and trees. Keep all mulch 6” away from trunks and keep bark away from your house.

For more on March chores, planting calendars and other great local gardening information check out:

Redwood Barn Nursery

Farmer Fred

Sacramento Gardening

YOU WILL BE SO PROUD OF ME!

Last month I actually got everything planted that was waiting to go in the ground from last year. Well, everything that hadn’t died. And I cleaned up the yard a bit and then the wind came and ‘fixed’ it for me. And I got the pond plants repotted. I didn’t realize when I bought them that they really were ready to be repotted then. One of the plastic pots had split right down the side form the force of the roots growing. The raccoon still comes and is turning over the pots and uprooting the equisetum, probably looking for snails, but at least he isn’t stepping on the side and letting all of the water out of it since I put cinder blocks around the inside. I cleaned away the compost and leaves that had gathered around the base of my rose and lilacs. The rose is actually growing and 2 of the lilacs are starting to bloom. One lilac is just leafing out; I think we have had a long and coolish spring. The maples and myrtles are finally starting to leaf out. The myrtles that I never got moved. Maybe I will give them one more year where they are…
I did get the tomato cages stuck in the ground and I am training the boysen berries up through them.

I got in 175 bare root strawberries from Gurneys which I heeled in using a couple of cardboard boxes. They are starting to grow and I think I am going to use some as ground cover. Also I am giving a talk at the Rancho Cordova Senior Center on April 13th at 10 am and we are going to build a strawberry tower for them using some of the plants I ordered.

I found another garden podcast; Gardening Naturally with John Dromgoole or listen online here.

THINKING ABOUT GROWING POTATOES?

Potatoes are a beautiful plant above ground and it is lots of fun digging the taters. Like most things you grow yourself they have more flavor than the ones you buy. Check out this article with links by Ken Druse and listen to his show.

IT’S AUTUMN IN AUSTRALIA…

That means tomato growing season is winding down and we can learn from their experiences. Adelaide, like Sacramento, has a hot dry Mediterranean climate. Check out John Lamb’s 2011 Tomato review. This year the focus was on nutrition, for the plants that is. Last year it was providing shade and most people said that really helped prevent stress, conserve moisture and set fruit on the hottest days.

CONSIDERING CREATIVE CONTAINERS

Google images: garden containers

Google images: hypertufa

Book: Easy Concrete by Malena Skote

Google images: grow bags and bag garden and bag gardening

ARMCHAIR GARDEN TOUR:

Cherry Blossom Festivals

DC Festival History

Cherry Blossom Festival in Georgia

Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival

SF Flower Show

Gardening Australia - Search Floods and Orchids

LOCAL EVENTS:

UC Davis Arboretum Plant sale Tomorrow

UC Davis Arboretum Programs

Soil Born Farms - A Day on the Farm

Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival

African Violet Judged Show and Sale

Amador Flower Farm

The Flower Farm

Save Jan Park at Windmill Nursery

Veg Garden and Native Plant Clinics at Windmill Nursery

Fair Oaks Hort. Open Garden Day

Daffodil Hill Opening postponed till March 25th due to rains

Sacramento Co-op

Sacramento Tree Foundation

Bring Back the Natives Tour

Rancho Cordova Garden Club March Meeting PPT

2011-03-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the March Meeting Power Point. I will fix things that need fixing as I find them or you point them out to me.

Email me: lchristensen "at" saclibrary.org (You must type in the @ symbol instead of "at" and take out the spaces.

It was great to see everyone at the meeting. Spring has sprung, Happy Gardening!

Rancho Cordova Garden Club February Meeting PPT

2011-02-04T15:55:00.000-08:00

Check out the February Meeting Power Point. I will fix things that need fixing as I find them or you point them out to me.

Email me: lchristensen "at" saclibrary.org (You must type in the @ symbol instead of "at" and take out the spaces.

It was great to see everyone at the meeting and a special thanks to Deborah for all of the seeds she brought to share.

Rancho Cordova Garden Club January Meeting PPT

2011-01-07T22:53:00.000-08:00

Go here for the power point for the Rancho Cordova Garden Club January Meeting.