Help! The Leaves on My Evergreen Toyon (Ceanothus, Coffeeberry, etc.) are Turning Yellow!

 

Yellowing leaves on California coffeeberry (Frangula californica)

It’s May, June or early July.  The days are warm and the garden’s transitioning from spring to summer.  Suddenly, you notice yellow leaves on your evergreen shrubs.  If the shrubs have been thriving all spring, the appearance of yellow leaves can be surprising and alarming.

Take a deep breath.  Then carefully examine your shrub.  Are the yellow leaves larger and older?  Lower on the branches (closer to the trunk)?  Are the yellow leaves scattered throughout the foliage (not concentrated on a single branch)?   Are healthy new leaves emerging?  If so, your shrub is likely exhibiting a normal seasonal process – summer leaf drop.
 

Note that the larger, older leaves are yellowing
 on this 'Ray Hartman' ceanothus

 

 Evergreen plants lose their leaves, just like deciduous plants.  But they lose them less frequently – and not all-at-once.  Shedding old leaves is but one way that woody plants conserve their resources.  Old leaves are often less productive. They are also more likely to be unhealthy.  In short, senescent leaves become a drain on the plant. They simply require more resources than they make, an unfavorable cost-benefit ratio.

And so, evergreen plants shed their old leaves, but not haphazardly.  They usually recycle mineral nutrients and plant chemicals before they jettison an old leaf.  The declining leaf then produces less green chlorophyll, becomes yellow (or orange) and ultimately separates from the branch at a special site called the abscission layer.  The process is relatively safe and painless for the plant; the abscission layer ‘walls off’ the leaf scar on the branch, preventing disease.   And the senescent leaf simply drops off – its work complete.

Older toyon leaf turning yellow & red.  Note disease.

 

Evergreen plants drop their old leaves at different times of the year. Some lose them, a little at a time, throughout the year.  But many large California native shrubs, particularly those from the chaparral, lose their leaves in late spring/early summer, before the dry season begins in earnest. This allows them to channel their energy into summer growth and drought avoidance.  So summer leaf drop is perfectly coordinated with our challenging mediterranean climate.

Coffeeberry leaves provide summer leaf color.

 

So what’s a gardener to do?  If you have a big garden event that requires an immaculate garden (a garden wedding?  a visit from the queen?) then gently remove the leaves just prior to the event.  This will improve the appearance and won’t harm the plant.  Otherwise, sit back and let nature take her course.

Enjoy a bit of ‘summer leaf color’.  Let the leaves fall naturally, creating a native leaf mulch to support your many soil creatures. Savor the yearly changes associated with our natural heritage.  Summer leaf drop is, after all, part of the cycle of seasons in a California native garden.

 

 

 

 

We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

 

 

The Spring-Summer Transition: Spring Garden Tasks

Mother Nature's Backyard at the Spring-Summer Transition

 

Gardens featuring California native plants have distinct seasons.  Spring is the time of new growth and wildflowers; we like to call it the ‘Growth Season’.  It’s a lovely time, one we look forward to each year.  But like all good things, the Growth Season is ephemeral.   To learn more about the seasons in California gardens see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/09/seasons-in-southern-california-garden.html.

Sometime in May (the timing depends on the weather and where you live in S. California), the garden begins to transition from spring to summer. You can see it happening before your very eyes.  Spring wildflowers finish their blooming – or are completely done – and the cool season grasses turn golden brown.  The days are longer and warmer, with a hint of the summer to come.  This is the spring-summer transition.

The spring-summer transition is one of two busy times in the California native garden.  The other is late fall (we’ll talk about that in October). These are clean-up, tidy-up and preparation times.  The tasks are not unpleasant, and you can do them over a period of several weeks (from May to June).  Once complete, your garden will look lovely; you’ll be ready to enjoy the outdoor celebrations of summer.

The main tasks of the spring-summer transition include watering, weeding/pest management, seed and foliage harvesting, tidying (including pruning) and checking, fixing and replenishing mulch and other hardscape.  We discuss each of these separately below.

 

Trickle watering bucket makes selective watering easy.

 

Watering

If your garden is young (two years old or less), now is the time to seriously begin a summer watering program.  The longer days, higher temperatures and wind can dry out a garden in a hurry.  So check the soil – dig down 3-4 inches – and water if it’s dry.

When watering, choose a cool, overcast day.  Review the 14-day weather forecast; if a cool, cloudy period is projected, that’s the time to water.

Even established gardens often include a new plant or two.  These will need a little summer water, even if the rest of the garden is drought tolerant. The easiest way to water individual plants is with a trickle watering bucket (for instructions on how to make and use one see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2015/07/surviving-drought.html).   Alternatively you can water with a hose set to a trickle.  Either way, you can water deeply, but selectively.

 

Oleander aphids and their predators on Milkweed.

 

Weeding and Pest Management

If you have a young garden, you may be ready to give up at this point.  Moist soils and warm weather provide perfect conditions for a number of pesky weeds.  Take heart: pull weeds before they go to seed and prevent a bigger problem next spring.  Weeding does become less of an issue as trees and shrubs shade out some of the sun-lovers.  That and weeding really pay off in the future – so get out and weed in the pleasant days of May!

If weeds are popping up in the cracks, wait for a sunny day and spritz them with vinegar.  It may take several treatments, but this old-time remedy really does work.  Best of all, it’s cheap and safe.

In general, pests are less of a problem in water-wise native gardens.  There are several reasons for this: 1) natives are less susceptible to their usual pests; 2) drier garden conditions deter some pests (slugs, snails and others); 3) native plants attract natural pest-eaters like birds and carnivorous (otherwise known as beneficial) insects. 

That being said, the fresh new foliage may be attracting aphids, thrips and other chewing and sucking insects.  Get out in the garden and look for them.   Look also for the beneficial insects: the ladybugs, robber flies, lacewings and others of Mother Nature’s pest control squad.

Ladybug larvae look like monsters - but they eat a whole
 lot of aphids

 

Learn what the beneficials look like: the Ladybug larvae (which eat the aphids) look like little monsters (see above) but they are true garden heros.   If you see adult Ladybugs on a plant, look for the larvae.  The adults are laying eggs, and the larvae are likely present in sizes ranging from minute to larger-than-adult.   Be thankful that you’ve got these voracious eaters in your garden!

If pests are overtaking a plant, then take action.  As a first step, try blasting aphids and thips off with a stream of water.  If that doesn’t work, use a mild insecticide – Safer’s Insecticidal Soap or a few drops of mild dish washing detergent in a liter of water.  Native plant gardens rarely require anything stronger.



Removing plants of the annual Succulent lupine
 (Lupinus succulentis)

 

Seed and Foliage Harvesting

Late spring is important for seed collecting/spreading.  After the spring-blooming plants finish flowering, they produce seeds.  If you want your wildflowers to return year after year, you need to either let the plants reseed naturally or collect the dry seeds and store them.   Learn more about managing annual wildflowers at: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2015/04/sustainable-gardening-managing-annual.html.

 

Annual wildflower plants (spent) used as mulch.

 

You may need to tidy the garden before all of the seedpods have opened.  Here’s a trick we use: harvest entire annual wildflower plants (or trim seed pods from perennials), cut them up if needed, and use them as mulch.   You may need to tramp the mulch down a bit for a tidier appearance; and you only want to use this mulch in areas where you want new plants to grow.   This method works quite well for reseeding, and has the additional advantage of creating no-cost summer mulch.

 



Coyote mint (Monardella villosa) ready for harvest.

If you use flavorful leaves for tea or seasonings, this is also a good time to collect the leaves of native mints, Salvias (sages), California sagebrush, California goldenrod and others.   The Salvias produce two set of leaves; if you want to use the larger ‘wet season leaves’, collect them before they begin to dry up.  For tips on how to preserve the leaves and flavors for use all year see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2016/04/california-gourmet-making-flavored.html.   You can also use the dried leaves for potpourri and other crafts: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/11/garden-crafts-making-potpourri-from.html

 

Many native plants benefit from a little tidying this
 time of year.

 

Tidying up (including a little pruning)

The spring-summer transition is one of two times a year (the other is late fall) when the garden can look a bit unkempt.   A bit of tidying can make your garden safer and healthier, in addition to looking better.  So get out your gloves and pruners to do a little plant maintenance.

We’ve discussed collecting seed from spring annuals above.  We like to leave the annuals until most of the seeds have ripened.  At that point it’s easy to pull up the dry plants and use them as mulch.  

If possible, we also leave the seed pods and fruits on trees, shrubs and perennials, either until they are ready to collect or they drive us crazy – whichever comes first.  Seed and fruit-eating garden birds depend on our gardens, particularly in times of drought.  So hold back until most of the edibles are gone, then prune as appropriate.   For more tips on pruning native plants see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/11/pruning-common-native-plants.html.

Look over your trees and shrubs.  Are there broken branches?   Areas with disease? Crossing branches that are rubbing, causing damage?   These problems should be remedied any time you see them.  But the spring-summer transition is a good time to give your trees and shrubs a thorough review.

Pruning shrubs that have over-grown the sidewalk.
Garden of Dreams Discovery Garden, CSU Dominguez Hills

 

Some perennials may have grown exuberantly in spring, extending out over paths and walkways.  Now is a good time to prune these back as well.  Just give them a light pruning for human safety.  We like to feather the edges of shrubs along walkways, rather than hedge-pruning to a straight edge.  But whatever works with your garden’s style is fine.

Some shrubs and perennials are growing vigorously with the warm weather.  If you want to create a bushier plant, tip prune branches during times of late spring growth.    Catalina snapdragon (Gambelia speciosa), Lemonadeberry (Rhus integrifolia), the herbaceous mints (Mentha, Clinopodeum, Stachys) and California fuschia (Epilobium canum) all respond well to this treatment.

 

New mulch makes the garden look fresh & tidy.
Garden of Dreams Discovery Garden, CSU Dominguez Hills.

 

Checking, Fixing and Replenishing Mulch and other Hardscape

Late spring is also a good time to do routine hardscape maintenance.  If using irrigation (of any type), now’s the time to be sure that everything is in working order.  Replace broken or non-functional elements; test timers to see if they are functioning properly.   You’ll soon need your irrigation system in good working order.

Late spring is also a good time to reassess your garden watering system/strategy.  As native plants become established, they may need less water.  Perhaps it’s time to replace your drip or conventional irrigation system with something less intensive.  At the very least, move drip irrigation or soaker hoses to accommodate the growing root system of maturing plants. 

 

Gravel mulch would benefit from a good raking to
 remove dried plant material.

 

This is also a good time to see if mulch needs replenishing.  Organic mulches break down over the winter; you may need to add some new mulch atop the old.  New mulch also gives the garden a tidy appearance.  Even inorganic (gravel; rock) mulches may need occasional replenishment.  At the very least, rake the inorganic mulch and remove spent organic matter to give a neater look for summer.

Late spring is a fine time to critically evaluate your paths and walkways.  Are they safe? Functional?  In the right place?    Would additional paths make it easier for you to access the garden?   Now is a good time to make changes or repairs – before the heat of summer begins.

Inspect walls, fences, patios, sheds and other hardscape.  Make needed repairs.

 

Mother Nature's Backyard is ready for summer!

 

While the spring-summer transition involves some work, the results are so dramatic that you can’t help but appreciate them.  So get out in the garden, put in a little extra time now, and enjoy the results all summer long.

 

 

We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

 

 

Summer: The Time for Garden Planning

Summer is an excellent time for garden planning

Summer time and the livin’ is easy.  If you garden with California native plants, garden chores are minimal now, leaving plenty of time for pure enjoyment.  Summer is also an excellent time to evaluate and to plan ahead for the next growing season.   So grab your favorite summer beverage and your garden notebook, relax in a comfortable garden chair, and plan to make your garden even better in the coming year.

Start by giving your garden a critical look.  Are there specific areas on which you want to focus in 2015-16?  Note that down. Are you replacing your lawn (or decreasing its size)?  Have plants succumbed to the drought and need replacing?  Are there plants you dislike (for whatever reason) and need to remove?    Are some plants too big for their area?   

Focusing on specific plants/parts of the garden is a good way to begin your yearly planning.  It makes planning more manageable and suggests actions you can take to prepare.  For example, you can save water by not watering plants slated for removal.

Walk around the entire garden, looking closely at individual plants.  Are there plants that are/have been sickly or suffering from pests and diseases? You might want to look for more robust alternatives.  Are there diseased or dangerous limbs that require immediate removal and disposal? If so, sterilize your pruners/pruning saw and get to work.  Diseased or hazardous limbs call for immediate action.

Look critically at the hardscape (the non-living elements of the garden). Are paths and walkways located in the most logical places? Do you need better access to garden beds or other parts of the garden?  Are paths/walkways wide and stable enough to accommodate the people/equipment that routinely pass over them (trash barrels; garden carts; etc.).   Are paths/walkways safe to use?   Do they add to the beauty of the garden?

Look critically at the amount of shade your garden provides.  Summers (even winters) will be hotter in the future.  Are there shady places for outdoor seating and dining?  Would a screen, patio or awning make your house and garden cooler?   Shade should be a priority for at least parts of your yard.  Consider hardscape options as well as shade trees, vines on trellises, vine-covered arbors, etc.

Do you have a water feature in your garden?  Would you like one?  Water features can be small and water-wise (recycling water).  The sound of moving water is cooling and birds/insects can drink at many types of water features.  

Consider ways to make your garden more water-wise.  Review or determine your water goals for the garden (http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/02/designing-your-new-california-garden-9.html).  Consider ways to make better use of precious precipitation and irrigation water (http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/02/harvesting-rain-introduction.html) 

Review the garden photos you’ve taken through the year. (note: if you haven’t taken occasional/monthly photos of your garden, now is a good time to start).  Is there something of interest (flowers; fruit; foliage) at all times of the year?  Are there enough flowering plants to supply pollinators from March to October?   Are cut flowers available at times you need them?

Summer is a great time to look critically at your garden

Consider the views from common vistas.  Take a critical look at the aesthetic aspects of your garden.  Do you like the views from common vistas (like your front walkway, back porch or living room window)?   What don’t you like?  Can you hide an unattractive utility area or air conditioner?  Does the design appear unbalanced?  Lack a focal point?   For more design ideas review our posts on creating a design plan:

• http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/06/designing-your-new-california-garden-11.html
• http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/07/designing-your-new-california-garden-11.html and
• http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/08/designing-your-new-california-garden-11.html

Consider the useful aspects of your plants.  Growing edibles (including native edibles) is gaining popularity and many gardeners raise at least some edible plants. But the choice is yours.  Does your garden produce the right amount of edibles (fruits & berries; vegetables; seeds; spices/teas)?   Does the garden provide enough materials for favorite garden crafts like potpourri or soap-making, paper-making, pressed flower crafts, natural dyeing?   

Think about the visitors to your garden.  Do people love to visit your garden?  What do people like most?   Are there changes that would improve their garden experience (more/more comfortable seating; shade; tables for food/drink, etc.)?

Does your garden smell wonderful?  However you define ‘wonderful’, scent can be an important addition to a garden.  Would your garden be more interesting with more scented flowers or foliage?

Consider signage for your front yard. You might be surprised at the number of  people who walk past your yard every day.   Front yards can be wonderful educational venues.  Let passersby know that your front yard is water-wise and life-friendly.  Consider small signs with the names of some of the more interesting plants.  

Inexpensive sign holders are available from Gemplers (http://www.gemplers.com/product/G49600/Galvanized-Sign-Holder-18-Stake-5x4?pfx=OAWP) or Westhort (http://www.westhort.com/store/pc/Sign-Holders-c23.htm?pageStyle=h&ProdSort=19&page=4&idCategory=23&SFID=&SFNAME=&SFVID=&SFVALUE=&SFCount=-1&viewAll=yes )  You simply design & print out your sign, laminate it and insert it in the holder.   Or purchase a native plant sign from the California Native Plant Society’s on-line store: http://store.cnps.org/.

Watch the birds, butterflies and other pollinators visiting your garden.  Is there enough for them to eat?  Is water regularly available?  If not, plan to improve that in the next year.  Are there specific birds or insects you’d like to attract to your garden?   Summer is a wonderful time to learn more about their needs.  Spend some time on the internet or at the (air conditioned) library; find out what your favorite creatures need to make their home in your garden.

Register your habitat garden.  Do you provide habitat for birds, butterflies, Monarch butterflies or pollinators?  Now is a great time to register your garden as a habitat garden.  Here are some useful websites:

• http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden-for-Wildlife.aspx
• http://nababutterfly.com/butterfly-garden-certification-program/
• http://www.xerces.org/million-pollinator-garden-challenge/
• http://www.monarchwatch.org/waystations/certify.html

 

Design new/renewed areas (if any).  If you’re new to the design process we recommend our series ‘Designing Your New California Garden’ : http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/07/designing-your-new-california-garden-1.html    Designing a new garden area can be fun, creative and satisfying.  If designing’s not your cup of tea, now is a good time to find a garden designer who will help bring your ideas to fruition.

Order seeds and (especially) bulbs.  As native plant gardening becomes more popular, some seeds and bulbs disappear quickly from seed and bulb sources.   For a list of California native seed, plant and bulb sources, see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/southern-california-native-plant-seed-sources-1213.

If you don’t already have them, start a Garden Notebook and personal Garden Calendar.   Note when seeds germinate, plants flower and fruits ripen.  Jot down ideas for future projects.  Paste in pictures of inspirational gardens and luscious plants.   Note what works and, perhaps more importantly, what doesn’t.  A Garden Notebook keeps all the things you need in one place: and there’s something satisfying about that!

 

 

 

We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

 

 

Surviving the Drought

Surviving the Drought: water-wise front yard, Redondo Beach CA

What a stressful time for California gardens and gardeners!  We’re into the fourth year of the worst drought on record.  Many gardeners must decrease water consumption by 25% or more; and even water-wise gardens are beginning to show the long-term effects.  So, what’s a gardener to do to survive the drought?

Those who installed water-wise gardens well before the drought are fortunate; an established water-wise garden has the best potential to survive until the next rainy season.  This is particularly true if last winter’s meager rains were supplemented with winter/spring irrigation. 

Some readers installed water-wise gardens more recently – or not at all.   Your challenge is greater, but not insurmountable. You’ll need to water a little smarter, and revise your expectations; some plants won’t make it, given current restrictions.  In the wilds and in our gardens, four years of drought are difficult for young plants to survive.  

Remember that young plants – even those that are water-wise – need extra water for the first summer (grasses; smaller shrubs) or up to the first 3-4 years (large shrubs and trees).  A good rule of thumb for California native plants is twice the recommended (mature) water for the first summer; 1 ½ times for the second summer and 1 ¼ times the third summer.

 

Much has been written on ways to reduce water consumption.  Some of the tips  below are nothing new; you’ve heard them before from your water company or other sources.  But any idea merits consideration these days, and a few may be new to you.   Hopefully, these tips will help save water and permit your garden to survive in the best shape possible.

1. Conserve as much water indoors as possible.   Short showers, sponge baths if feasible, low-flow toilets, doing full washer loads, etc. Water saved in the home can be used to water your garden.
2. Use ‘clean’ house water to provide extra water to vulnerable plants.  When you heat shower water, wash hands and rinse dishes, collect the water in a bucket or dish pan.  Use it on plants that need a little extra water.  You’ll be surprised how much water you collect every day.  If your local codes  allow it, consider the pros and cons of using gray water (more on this in a future post).
3. Check for water leaks, indoors and out.  Are there leaks in irrigation valves, pipes, hose bibs, hoses, drip irrigation tubes?  Even a slow leak can waste significant amounts of water.  Do a quick check of irrigation systems every couple of weeks.  Fix leaks - or at least collect the water and use it.  Listen for toilets running when they shouldn’t be (you have to get close to the toilet or the pipes to hear it).  Toilets with slow leaks are a common home water waster.

 

Surviving the Drought: let dry conditions hasten lawn removal

4. Turn off the water to your lawn if you plan to replace it.  Now is a great time to let Mother Nature help remove the old lawn.  Put up a sign informing your neighbors that you’re replacing the lawn with a water-wise alternative; make it colorful and/or humorous.  Remind passersby that ‘Gold is the New Green’ and that California has always been both green and golden.  

Removing a lawn is the patriotic thing to do in Southern California and other dry regions.  And waiting to replant until next winter is the smart way to go.

5. Withhold water from plants you want to remove.  Most gardens contain  plants that are old, unsightly, too big, sickly, etc.   Why waste water on them?  If feasible, let Mother Nature hasten their demise; the job of removal will be easier as well.   Once again, a well-placed sign will help allay neighbor’s fears that you are abandoning your yard.
6. Prioritize your plants.   Big and/or important plants should get first priority in terms of water.   Shade trees, arbor vines, fruit trees, vegetable crops – any plant that provides important services to your family – those are the plants that deserve the water.   Smaller plants and those that grow quickly – including ornamental grasses and bedding plants – can be replaced when conditions improve.

Surviving the Drought: group plants by water needs (Water Zones)

7. Review your Water Zones (hydrozones): If you planted a ‘New California Garden’ (see http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/07/designing-your-new-california-garden-1.html ) your plants are grouped based on water needs (Water Zones).  Review the Water Zone concept (http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/04/water-wise-gardening-tip-save-water.html ).  Plants that are Water Zone 2 need only be watered when the ground is dry at a depth of 3-4 inches.  Check the soil before you water; established Zone 2 plants may require water only once a month.

Surviving the Drought: mature citrus trees are water-wise.

8. Review the water needs of trees and shrubs. Trees/shrubs from dry climates do best with occasional deep water.  If you have mature trees/shrubs from dry climates – including citrus trees, olives, eucalyptus, mediterranean herbs and others from S. Africa, Australia or the Mediterranean region – water them monthly or less.  Slowly water with a hose to deeply water.  The plants will likely be more healthy and productive.
9. Water early/late in the day and on cooler days.   If you garden with water-wise native plants, the weather report is your best ally.  Wait for a period of cooler weather (with more clouds or the marine layer) to water your native plants.  For optimal plant health, summer water at times that are followed by several days of relatively cooler weather.   Hot, moist soils promote root fungi and other plant diseases.
10.  Conserve soil moisture with mulch.  We’ve written before about the use of mulches (http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/07/understanding-mulches_23.html ).  Some local native plants normally need only a thin layer of mulch.  In the current drought we recommend adding an additional 1-2 inches to the recommended mulch depths.  If next winter brings lots of precipitation, simply rake away the excess mulch.  Remember to leave a 6-12 inch mulch-free zone around tree/shrub trunks.

Surviving the Drought: add a little extra mulch

11. Keep irrigation water at ground level.  Evaporation is a problem with all overhead irrigation (even the new, water-wise sprinklers).   The more irrigation you do at ground level, the more water actually gets into the soil.

If you currently water shrubs, trees and perennials with overhead sprinklers, consider purchasing some inexpensive soaker hoses to get you through the summer.  The porous ones made from recycled tires are great; they’re inexpensive, readily available and come in several lengths. Soaker hoses can be positioned where water is needed, covered with mulch, and attached to a garden hose when watering.    Even if you return to other irrigation methods in the future, soaker hoses can help get your plants through the drought.

12. Insure that irrigation water goes where it’s needed.  Check the placement of soaker hoses and drip irrigation – are they really watering the plant root tips (often near the drip line) or do they need to be moved?  

 

Surviving the Drought: use hose-sprinklers

13. Consider using a sprinkler attached to a hose rather than conventional irrigation systems this summer.   Hand irrigation allows more flexibility in the placement and amount of water.   Many of the old-fashioned (and inexpensive) oscillating, whirling or stationary hose sprinklers lose less water to evaporation than conventional sprinklers.  They can be positioned and adjusted to water precisely as needed.    If feasible, consider using them – in at least some areas of the garden - this summer.
14. Direct the water precisely when watering new or vulnerable plants. When providing additional water to individual plants, be sure that the water goes just where it’s needed.  Trickle-watering with a hose is one idea.

Surviving the Drought: make a trickle-water bucket

We also use 5-gallon plastic paint or utility buckets for directed slow-watering.  Just drill a 1/8 inch hole in the side of the bucket, 1 ½ inches up from the bottom.  Place the bucket near the plant, fill it with water, direct the flow and let the watering bucket do the rest.

Surviving the Drought: trickle-water buckets in action

This is an extremely efficient ways to water individual plants (we use these buckets in restoration projects as well as in the garden). For larger plants, place several buckets, as needed, around the drip line.   Watering buckets are easily filled with the water saved in Tip #2, above.

15. Move potted plants to slightly cooler/shadier positions.  Potted plants need more water than those in the ground.  Consider moving potted plants to a slightly shadier position (for example, a place with afternoon shade) during the summer.  Plants will likely thrive, and water requirements will decrease.  

Another trick is to double-pot.  In this method, the plant is planted in an inner pot (clay is best for water-wise plants) with a diameter 2-6 inches less than that of the decorative outer pot.  A 2-4 inch layer of gravel is placed in the bottom of the outer pot; the inner pot is then placed inside the outer pot. The layer of air between the two pots helps keep the plant roots cool and decreases evaporation.

Surviving the Drought: move pots to shadier places

16. Provide some afternoon shade where feasible.  Many water-wise plants – even those that like sun – will do fine with a little afternoon shade.  If you can figure a way to provide some shade, do so.
17. Learn from Mother Nature. While the current drought is historic, it’s likely a good indicator of things to come.  Climate predictions suggest that Southern California will experience more extreme weather in the future; some years will be dry (like this one) and others will bring excess precipitation.

 The past four years have provided excellent lessons about which water-wise plants are ‘super-survivors’; we’ll discuss our conclusions in a coming post. But keep good notes on plants in your own garden.  You may conclude that some plants are just too difficult to maintain during drought conditions.  What you learn today will help you plan for a water-wise, life-friendly future.  

18. Taper off water to S. California native plants in late summer.  Remember that many California native plants need a dry ‘rest period’ in fall. Plants that normally experience summer monsoons (Sonoran Desert and some Baja California plants;  Chaparral shrubs, especially those from San Diego County) usually need some water in August.  Decrease water to the rest, beginning in mid- to late August.

Surviving the Drought: provide water for birds & insects

19. Provide a little drinking water for birds, butterflies and pollinators. Drought is tough on all living things.  Provide water for birds and insects; it takes just a little water to keep these garden visitors alive.
20. Be realistic: some plants will not make it.   It’s really hard to lose a plant, particularly one that you love or have lavished time/energy on.  But the harsh reality is that some plants will not survive the drought, no matter what you do.  That’s bitter medicine that we’re all having to swallow. 

In Mother Nature’s Backyard and other gardens we’ve already lost several large shrubs; we’re keeping a wary eye on our Bigberry manzanita and hope it survives.  So you’re not alone – or a poor gardener – if you lose some plants this summer.  If it’s any consolation, Mother Nature herself (the ultimate Master Gardener) is having a tough time this year!

 

 

 

 

We welcome your comments (below).  You can also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com