Just in time for fall color, new self-guided tour teaches about varieties on campus
Chinese pistache trees are putting on a show this fall. See many varieties of trees in full color on the walking tour of the UC Davis campus, including the Arboretum and Public Garden. Kathy Morrison
Have you noticed? We’re having a spectacular tree season!
This month, maples, pistaches, ginkgos and other deciduous trees are putting on a colorful show with rich reds, golds and oranges.
Before those leaves are gone, check out the gorgeous trees at the UC Davis Arboretum with the help of a new self-guided tour of campus trees.
“This tour moves you through a 1.5-mile loop on the UC Davis campus while teaching you about both common and unique tree species,” says the arboretum staff. “It’s perfect for navigating in-person from your smartphone!”
You also can check it out on your laptop computer or tablet. Find the links here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ed81abebde784d2f824268402fb3ed1b
The tour and virtual resources were created by students participating in the arboretum’s Learning by Leading Tree Stewardship program. Among the thousands of trees on campus, 21 specimens are highlighted on the self-guided tour.
For visitors to the arboretum, parking on campus is free on holidays and weekends.
Besides the tour, the students also came up with several other tree-friendly resources including webpages on the benefits of trees in a suburban environment, the effects of climate change on our trees and forests, and details on a Campus and Community Action Plan with ways students and residents can support their tree canopy.
More details and links: https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/trees.
-- Debbie Arrington
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Garden Checklist for week of March 2
Between raindrops, get outside and do some work. Your plants have been busy growing!
* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.
* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.
* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.
* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.
* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.
* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.
* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale.
* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground. (Tip: Soaking beet seeds in warm water a day ahead of planting helps with germination.)
* Before the mercury starts inching upward, this is your last chance to plant such annuals as pansies, violas and primroses.
* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.
* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.