Visit a garden of natives as the green season gets going
Early spring 2022 was full of bright blooms at Patricia Carpenter's property. Photo by Beth Savidge, courtesy Patricia Carpenter
Yes, it’s almost spring, which means Patricia Carpenter, a California Native Plant Society Garden Ambassador, will be opening her Yolo County property Sunday, March 26, for the Early Spring Ramble in a Native Plant Garden.
“So much rain and wind and cold this past winter!” she said in the announcement of the event. “But spring is finally here – I think. How is the native garden responding? I invite you to come take a look.”
Expect to see wildflowers, Ribes and Ceanothus in bloom, and other signs of the native garden waking up. The 1-acre garden west of Davis (west of Pierce Ranch Road south of Russell Boulevard) will be open rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for self-guided tours; visitors may start any time during those hours.
Maps will be available for use on site. Carpenter’s non-native garden will be open to view as well.
She will give brief orientation talks at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Admission is free but registration is required. The registration link and more information can be found here.
Visitors should note that sturdy shoes are advised. No dogs, please. Anyone is welcome to bring a lunch or snack. A composting toilet is available onsite.
Gardeners inspired to plant natives will be able to shop from the Miridae Mobile Nursery truck, which also will be on site. Check out their latest inventory here.
In 2021 Carpenter and Pat Dressendorfer wrote an article for Pacific Horticulture about her garden in early spring. It can be found at https://pacifichorticulture.org/articles/the-native-plant-garden-in-early-spring/
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Food in My Back Yard Series
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Garden Checklist for week of June 22
Mornings this first week of summer will remain comfortably cool – just right for gardening!
* Water early in the morning to cut down on evaporation. Check soil moisture and deep water trees and shrubs. Keep new transplants and veggies evenly moist. Deep water tomatoes to encourage deep roots.
* From seed, plant corn, melons, pumpkins, radishes, squash and sunflowers.
* Plant basil to go with your tomatoes.
* Transplant summer annuals such as petunias, marigolds and zinnias. It’s also a good time to transplant perennial flowers including astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia, salvia and verbena.
* Tie up vines and stake tall plants such as gladiolus and lilies. That gives their heavy flowers some support.
* Dig and divide crowded bulbs after the tops have died down.
* Feed summer flowers with a slow-release fertilizer.
* Mulch, mulch, mulch! This “blanket” keeps moisture in the soil longer and helps your plants cope during hot weather.
* Avoid pot “hot feet.” Place a 1-inch-thick board under container plants sitting on pavement. This little cushion helps insulate them from radiated heat.
* Thin grapes on the vine for bigger, better clusters later this summer.
* Cut back fruit-bearing canes on berries.
* Feed camellias, azaleas and other acid-loving plants. Mulch to conserve moisture and reduce heat stress.
* Cut back Shasta daisies after flowering to encourage a second bloom in the fall.
* Trim off dead flowers from rose bushes to keep them blooming through the summer. Roses also benefit from deep watering and feeding now. A top dressing of aged compost will keep them happy. It feeds as well as keeps roots moist.
* Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushier plants with many more flowers in September.
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