The Snarky Farmer Visits the California Academy of Sciences

Today, our report is from Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, home of the new California Academy of Sciences. It's "an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum, and a four-story rainforest all under one roof ," according to their PR department.

For gardeners, here is what I learned:

Butterflies like pretty flowers, especially if they are inside a $488 million rainforest dome.

Here is what else I learned:

According to this picture, zombie dinosaurs are threatening to eat all our plants. And, there is a serious shortage of butts.

And who knew that South Africa had amorous penguins?

Here is an actual conversation with a California Academy of Sciences docent at the South African Penguin Exhibit:

Me: Do you adjust the environment in that enclosure to give the penguins "seasons"?

Docent: Yes, we turn down the temperature at night.

Me: But more than that, do you attempt to replicate seasonal changes to reflect the environment in South Africa?

Docent: Yes, we give them more light now because it is summer in South Africa.

Me: I think it's winter there.

Docent: Oh.

Me: Do you know if the caretakers reduce the intensity or angle of the light on a seasonal basis?

Docent: See those three penguins on the rock? Two of them are females, they are sisters, and they are battling over the other one, a male. I have seen him mating with both of them. His name is Brendan. It's a regular soap opera!

Me: Thank you.

A Tomato a Day...

Have Horses? Avoid These Plants

     A caller to the radio program awhile back asked a good question, one that livestock-owning country dwellers ought to also consider:
    

     "I want to plant some trees or shrubs that will grow quickly to hide the view of a new house going in next to us," said the caller. "But I don't want to plant anything that might be poisonous to our horses, which will eat just about anything. Any ideas?"

    "There definitely are some plants that you should avoid," advises Dr. Frank Galey, now with the University of Wyoming, formerly the toxicologist at the California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Systems at UC Davis. 

Highly poisonous plants that should not be planted within the reach of horses include:

                                         oleander 

                                            yews

"A yew can kill a pile of horses in a heartbeat," says Dr. Galey.

                                     rhododendrons

                                   

                                          azaleas

                                  privets and pieris (above) 

 There are many, many more plants that can be toxic to horses, a list of which you can probably get from your veterinarian. "Toxic" has a wide meaning, from gastric distress to death. Among the other highly toxic plants that are commonly found in California: 
the twigs and leaves of deciduous fruit trees, including apricot, cherry, peach and plum;
Foxglove
Lupine
Mountain Laurel
Nightshade
Oak acorns (in large quantities)
Sweetpea seeds
Tomato vines

    PLANTS THAT ARE LEAST TOXIC TO HORSES
There are a number of trees and shrubs that can provide a quick screening effect; here are a few that will do well in our area of California and are the least toxic to horses:

* Eucalyptus. "Horses tend to leave eucalyptus trees alone," says Dr. Galey. For a quick, bushy screen, plant the Eucalyptus globulus 'Compacta', the dwarf blue gum, about six feet apart.

* Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus). This evergreen shrub can reach 15-20 feet tall, and is dotted with colorful, bright red bottlebrush-shaped flowers several times throughout the year. "We haven't had any poison reports about the bottlebrush, so it should be pretty safe," says Dr. Galey. "But because the plant attracts bees, it's possible the horse could be allergic to bee stings."

* Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). Given ample water, this evergreen tree can grow several feet a year. It also has a low incidence of toxicity. Horses, though, may trample the lower branches.

    This word of caution: anything eaten in mass quantities by a horse may cause medical problems. A good book that goes much more in depth on this topic is "The Horse Owners Field Guide to Toxic Plants". And check your horse insurance policy. Make sure you have thorough coverage if your pasture is surrounded by a field full of mystery plants. Some companies may drag their feet if the horse is suffering due to human error.
So, if you have horses that have never missed a meal, you may want to install a horse fence or hot wire between the screening plants and your ravenous friends.

10 Landscaping Questions To Ask Yourself

     We are now in the time of the year, late summer through mid-autumn, that is best for renovating the landscaping around your home here in most of California. The cooler days of late summer and early fall, matched with still-warm soil temperatures, are ideal for establishing healthy roots for new lawns, perennials, shrubs and trees.

    The problem many homeowners face, though, is what to plant. Many times, it's worthwhile to hire another set of "eyes", such as a landscape designer, to give you an idea of what can be done with your yard. A landscape design can cost several hundred dollars (depending on the size of your yard) but is a worthwhile investment. Then, you can proceed with installation at your own pace, as your budget allows.

    The plants that a landscape designer may suggest will probably work for your yard; but they also represent the plants that particular person may like. Will you enjoy them as much? Have you checked out full-grown examples of their plant suggestions? 

     Usually, several different types of plants can work in any one location; make sure the plan includes optional plants. Pay close attention to a landscape designer's plans for irrigation and drainage. Those two factors, if overlooked or done incorrectly, are the leading cause of plant failure.

    Here is a list of 10 questions you should ask yourself pertaining to your landscape needs:

 • What do you like most about your site? What don't you like? How do you and other members of your family plan to use the landscape and its new spaces?

• If you have pets, do they have specific requirements that will influence your design? For example, do you want to shut them out of or let them into specific areas? 

• What is the architectural style of your house? What aspect of it do you want to carry through into the landscape?

• Is there some particular landscape style that you want to use? For example: Formal? Natural? Japanese? English? 

• Are there any special plants you want to use? What colors of foliage and flowers do you want to use? 

• Are you or any members of your family allergic to any plants or to bees? 

• What sort of paving surfaces do you like? Brick? Wood? Stone? Concrete? Other?

• Do you have a special need or desire to attract birds or to screen out the wind? 

• Are there any easements, setbacks, or zoning regulations that will influence what you do? Are there any underground utility lines or old water pipes you should be aware of? Can you locate them from old plans? 

• Do any of your potential plans influence your neighbor's interests? If so, have you discussed your plans with them? Possible areas of future conflicts involve trees that are planted near a property line. Future shade or shallow roots that tear up concrete may cause disputes that may not be neighborly.

Meet the Beetles! Green Fruit Beetles, That Is...

     You may be hearing a ferocious buzzing as you are picking the backyard tomatoes, figs, corn and berries these days. You just might be disturbing the eating habits of the green fruit beetle (Cotinis mutabilis), munching away at the overripe and damaged fruits and vegetables in your garden. It's not just the sound that will stop you in your tracks. The combination of the biplane-like buzz as well as the sight of these slow flying, large (an inch and a quarter long), metallic green-shelled creatures might make you drop your crops.

     Entomologist Baldo Villegas of the California Department of Food and Agriculture says his office has noted the growing presence of green fruit beetles in southern Sacramento County, beginning a few years ago. Until the 1990's, they had only migrated as far north as Fresno.

     "This beetle is now widespread from Mexico to the southwest and into northern California," says Villegas. "They are migrating northward fast." Villegas explains that the beetle is more vexing for backyard gardeners than commercial growers. "I consider them a nuisance pest," says Villegas. "They feed on rotting or open fruit and are attracted to them by the gas emitted by the fruit."

    

A native of Mexico, Villegas recalls the green fruit beetle as a harbinger of summer. "We used to catch them on fruit damaged by birds or in rotting fruit laying around on the ground," says Villegas. "We would tie a piece of string on one of their hind legs and that would allow them to fly along side of us."

    

Unlike a balloon on a string that escapes your grasp, the green fruit beetle is not going to drift away, high into the sky. Right now, those beetles are laying their eggs in your piles of garden compost, manure and mulch. So, the best control is to remove any such piles from the areas where you have seen the feeding adults. Turning the piles frequently will expose the larval stage of these beetles, a C-shaped, creamy white grub. Hand picking or flooding the area for two days can limit these noisy munchers during the next gardening season. And, chickens consider those grubs a delicacy.

To limit the spread of the adult beetles now, take away their food supply: fruit that is getting too soft on the vine. Trapping might be somewhat successful, according to UC Davis Integrated Pest Management Director Mary Louise Flint. In her book, "Pests of the Garden and Small Farm," she says that the green fruit beetle can be attracted to a half-filled one gallon jar, containing a 50-50 mix of peach or grape juice and water. Make a funnel out of small mesh wire and place it in the jar's opening. This will allow the beetles to get inside, but not back out. Insecticides are not recommended against the adult green fruit beetle.

Is All Gardening Local? Ask the Snarky Farmer!

     Just as some people would prefer not to live in Atlantic City, New Jersey, there are plants that would prefer not to live in many parts of California. How can that be? Ask the Snarky Farmer!

     Roberta of Carmichael (Sacramento County) is trying to emulate Johnny Appleseed:

      "I have two Maiden Blush apple trees in my yard. They ripen in August (which isn't very good). Is there anything I can do to make them ripen later in the year? I grew these trees from seeds from apples off a tree that was on my family's homestead in Nebraska. They are about 15 years old. This year, they seem to have gotten worm holes and not matured as well. Are they prone to any pests or diseases? What about watering? They seemed to have done OK so far, but i want to keep them healthy and alive!"

Roberta:

Depending on your location, the Maiden Blush apple can ripen as early as mid-August or as late as mid- September. The Maiden Blush was introduced into commerce in New Jersey, in the early 1800's. It's a popular dessert apple in the Appalachian mountain regions.


According to Ed Laivo at Dave Wilson Nursery, a wholesale grower of fruit and nut trees, that tree may be producing fruit early because it is stressed due to our summer weather: hot and dry, which is quite different from the tree's original production grounds in New Jersey (humid and rainy in the summer, with a pronounced winter chill). "We nicknamed Maiden Blush 'Maiden Mush' ", says   Kevin Hauser , the owner of Kuffel Creek Apple Nursery  in Riverside, CA.

And a stressed tree is an invitation to pests and diseases. Sort of like the slowest antelope in a pack, being chased by a predator. Or a catcher trying to steal second base.


The right plant in the right place. Sacramento may not be the right place for that Maiden Blush apple tree: 100 degree days, 15% humidity, and winter chill hours that are far below what is required for many eastern apple varieties. Winter chill hours are the total number of hours at 45 degrees or less between November and February. The Central Valley of California normally gets between 800 and 1200 chilling hours per year. Coastal California gets far less, ranging from near 0 (41 at La Jolla last winter) to about 400. There are plenty of apples that do well here in the Central Valley: Fuji, Granny Smith, Spitzenburg, Pink Lady, Gala, Ashmead's Kernel and many more. Their common trait: a winter chill requirement of 800 hours or less. Of those listed, several are taste test winners with winter chill needs that are far less than 800: Pink Lady (300-400 hours), Gala (400-500) and our personal favorite, Granny Smith (400 hours).



This is usually a question I get from Bay Area or Southern California transplants to the Sacramento area or the foothills. They wonder why their bougainvillea dies in the winter here or why they can't get their Hass avocado tree to produce in the valley.  All gardening is local, especially in California, which according to the Sunset Western Garden Book, has 24 gardening climates. 

Having said that, let me repeat: All Gardening is Local. Which also means: you just might have the right microclimate in your backyard to grow plants that other gardeners struggle with in your neighborhood: Bananas in Lodi. Jacaranda trees in east Sacramento. And yes, bougainvillea that live year round...if you have the right conditions, and a lot of luck. 


A good reference book with lots of tips and tricks for growing plants in the Golden State: California Home Landscaping, by Lance Walheim. Lance will be on Get Growing with me this Sunday, Aug. 23, 10-11 a.m. on KSTE-Sacramento to answer your questions about landscaping, citrus and roses. Tune in to 650 AM in Northern and Central California, or listen online at KSTE.com.

Sleeping in on Sunday? You can also download the podcast at the Get Growing podcast page. 
End of shamless plug. Now, a little ditty that every gardener should know by heart:

Name that Late Summer Weed!

     The sights, smells and sounds of late summer in the wilds of Sacramento County: the faint but unmistaken aroma of virgate tarweed in the unirrigated pastures,  the persistent buzz of increasing populations of yellowjackets, the return of the doves (idiots! don't they know dove hunting season opens here September 1?) and the pretty (but deadly) presence of today's Garden Grappler: a low growing plant found in dry locations. 

     Deadly to fish, anyway. Native indian tribes would ground up this plant and throw it in pools and slow moving streams for the purpose of gathering fish. The active ingredient in this plant, saponin, forms a soapy lather that clogs fish gills, making them unable to breathe.

And the fine, harsh bristles on the leaves and stems can form fatal hairballs inside browsing animals. Quail, though, enjoy the seeds of this plant.

Gardeners know, too, that wearing gloves is a necessity when removing this weedy plant. It's those irritating, bristly hairs that give the plant its grey color.

What is this late summer annual that is part of our outdoor world?

The first correct person to email the answer to fred@farmerfred.com gets a copy of the Dr. Earth Gardening Guide! 

10 Kharmic bonus points if you come up with the botanical name. 100 Kharmic Bonus Points = 1 less day in Purgatory:

Good luck!

 WE HAVE A WINNER!

CONGRATULATIONS to Greg of Roseville, he was the first correct respondent! 

The correct answer:

Turkey mullein (Croton setigerus or Eremocarpus setigerus)

My Blog Has Fleas

    Itchin' season is upon us, with the arrival of fleas to our yards and homes. Letters are coming in from many environmentally concerned gardeners and homeowners, all asking the same question: "Is there an organic product or home remedy to rid my home and yard of fleas?" 

    An organic chemical solution for a flea infestation problem may only provide partial control. But a combination of chemical, mechanical and cultural remedies can reduce a flea population. 

     The trick, though, is to attack the problem simultaneously on three fronts: indoors, outdoors and on your pets. Regular vacuuming, keeping a lawn watered regularly, and removing debris near pet sleeping areas outdoors can help. 

     Here are more flea control details from the UC Integrated Pest Management Program:

    Inside the Home:
    • Locate heavily infested areas and concentrate efforts on these areas.
    • Wash throw rugs and the pet’s bedding once a week.
    • Vacuum upholstered furniture. Remove and vacuum under cushions and in cracks and crevices of furniture.
    • Vacuum carpets, especially beneath furniture and in areas frequented by pets. Use a hand sprayer to treat all carpets with an insecticide that contains an insect growth regulator. Insect growth regulators, however, are not organic; but they are effective. And, they are much safer than traditional insecticide dusts and sprays.
       • Allow carpets to dry and vacuum a second time to remove additional fleas that were induced to emerge.
       • Continue to vacuum for 10 days to 2 weeks to kill adult fleas that continue to emerge from pupal cocoons.

    On the Pet:
    • Use a spot-on treatment, which can be purchased in pet stores or from vets, or a systemic oral treatment, which is available from vets only. Ask your vet about organic flea control soaps. And, inquire about the effectiveness of Orange Guard, an organic botanical insecticide made from orange peel extract, that can be used to treat pet bedding. Also, consider products that contain insect growth regulators, available as flea collars and spot-on treatments.
    • University of California research has shown that neither Vitamin B1 supplements nor brewer's yeast prevents fleas from feeding. Also, herbal collars and ultrasonic devices are not effective flea repellents.
    • In our home, we spend quality time with our cat when we bring out the flea comb. This fine-toothed comb manages to pick off at least a couple of fleas from the cat each week.

    Outside the Home:
    • Sprays are only necessary outdoors if you detect lots of fleas. To locate heavy infestations, walk around pet resting areas wearing knee-high white socks. If fleas are present, they will jump onto the socks and be readily visible.
       • Locate and remove debris in heavily infested areas, especially where pets rest. Open areas to sunlight by removing low hanging vegetation.
    • Concentrate treatment in these areas with a spray containing a residual insecticide and the insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen (again, not organic...but effective). An organically accepted control, beneficial nematodes (especially the Steinernema feltiae nematode), are available for flea larvae control in lawns.
    • Regular lawn watering will help destroy flea larvae.

Or...

The Pizza Pie/Crop Rotation Garden

     Yesterday's blog about crop rotation got me thinking:

     "It sure would be nice if I had computer program that could design a circular crop rotation garden plan for me!"

     What I spent the evening pondering: how to construct a crop rotation garden, in the shape of a six-slice pizza pie. So, I broke out the compass, protractor, ruler and graph paper, and set to work.

     There are definite benefits to having a garden in the shape of a circle: a central water source in the middle of the circle, compacted walkways three feet wide (big enough for a wheelbarrow) and an easy way to remember to rotate crops each season. 

     As mentioned yesterday, crop rotation is important to keeping the soil healthy and not subjecting plants to certain diseases endemic within the same family (For example, don't plant tomatoes in the spot where you had potatoes last year, and vice versa. That could spread late blight disease.) Also, giving your soil an "off-year" every few years gives it a chance to reduce pest populations while building up valuable soil nutrients, as well as beneficial fungi and bacteria. Annual cover crops that do well here in California for the warm weather seasons: Buckwheat, cowpeas, soybeans, black eye peas. For the cool weather seasons: bell or fava beans, winter peas, vetch, clover.
An excellent online reference for cover crops: the Peaceful Valley Farm Supply Catalog.

Here's the general idea for the Pizza-Shaped Crop Rotation Garden:

For those who want a REALLY BIG GARDEN:

the pizza is 81 feet in diameter. That would be about 700 square feet per slice (4200 sq. ft!)

For those who want something more manageable:

the pizza is 42 feet in diameter. That's about 170 square feet per slice (1020 sq. ft)

Again, the major walkways should be three feet across. Narrower pathways will be necessary within each slice so that you're not stepping all over your plants and compacting the soil.

Let me know how that works out for you. Thanks.

Crop Rotation Plan for the Home Garden

   

     Why rotate your backyard garden crops? Many of the plants that are in the same "family group" have diseases in common. Many of these diseases are difficult, or impossible, to control using chemicals. The best solution for disease control is crop rotation. 

     Also, choose resistant varieties of vegetables to help thwart diseases. For example, tomatoes with a "V" "F" and/or "N" after their names indicates resistance to verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt and nematodes. 

     For crops with no resistant varieties, choose those varieties that are meant to grow in the area you live. And, it helps to spread an inch or two of compost over all your garden beds before you plant each year.

CROP ROTATION FOR THE HOME GARDEN

YEAR 1

BED 1	BED 2	BED 3	BED 4	BED 5	BED 6
Spread compost. Plant a cover crop.	Tomato Pepper Okra Potato Eggplant	Onions Garlic Beets Carrots	Peas Beans	Squash Pumpkins Melons Cucumbers Corn	Cabbage, Lettuce Spinach, Radish Turnip, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts Kale, Cauliflower, Mustard

YEAR 2

BED 1	BED 2	BED 3	BED 4	BED 5	BED 6
Cabbage, Lettuce Spinach, Radish Turnip, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts Kale, Cauliflower, Mustard	Spread compost. Plant a cover crop.	Tomato Pepper Okra Potato Eggplant	Onions Garlic Beets Carrots	Peas Beans	Squash Pumpkins Melons Cucumbers Corn

YEAR 3

BED 1	BED 2	BED 3	BED 4	BED 5	BED 6
Squash Pumpkins Melons Cucumbers Corn	Cabbage, Lettuce Spinach, Radish Turnip, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts Kale, Cauliflower, Mustard	Spread compost. Plant a cover crop.	Tomato Pepper Okra Potato Eggplant	Onions Garlic Beets Carrots	Peas Beans

YEAR 4

BED 1	BED 2	BED 3	BED 4	BED 5	BED 6
Peas Beans	Squash Pumpkins Melons Cucumbers Corn	Cabbage, Lettuce Spinach, Radish Turnip, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts Kale, Cauliflower, Mustard	Spread compost. Plant a cover crop.	Tomato Pepper Okra Potato Eggplant	Onions Garlic Beets Carrots

YEAR 5

BED 1	BED 2	BED 3	BED 4	BED 5	BED 6
Onions Garlic Beets Carrots	Peas Beans	Squash Pumpkins Melons Cucumbers Corn	Cabbage, Lettuce Spinach, Radish Turnip, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts Kale, Cauliflower, Mustard	Spread compost. Plant a cover crop.	Tomato Pepper Okra Potato Eggplant

YEAR 6

BED 1	BED 2	BED 3	BED 4	BED 5	BED 6
Tomato Pepper Okra Potato Eggplant	Onions Garlic Beets Carrots	Peas Beans	Squash Pumpkins Melons Cucumbers Corn	Cabbage, Lettuce Spinach, Radish Turnip, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts Kale, Cauliflower, Mustard	Spread compost. Plant a cover crop.

ANNUAL COVER CROPS FOR CALIFORNIA

Warm Weather: Buckwheat, cowpeas, soybeans, black eye peas.

Cool Weather: bell or fava beans, winter peas, vetch, clover.