Gardening for Your Health

There are many good reasons to garden.  Gardening makes campuses and neighborhoods more pleasing to the eye.  It also can provide food and homes for creatures large and small.  But gardens can also be important for our health.  For more see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2018/01/.   

Pruning California Native Plants – Don’t Use a Bulldozer

Garden of Dreams Native Plant Garden - CSU Dominguez Hills
Good example of how not to prune native plants

Many California native plants require yearly pruning.   The best timing and methods differ depending on the type of plant.  But a bulldozer is NEVER the right tool for the job.    For more on the proper ways to time and prune native plants see:

·        http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/11/maintaining-your-new-california-garden_15.html

 

·        http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/11/pruning-common-native-plants.html

Mulches : Beautiful, Water-wise and More

CSUDH students and faculty apply mulch to 'Garden of Dreams' native plant garden

 

The CSUDH Ecology Club and students in BIO 310/311 (Plant Physiology & Lab) classes recently applied a new layer of mulch to the ‘Garden of Dreams’ native plant garden on campus (above).  You can see how much better the garden looks in the pictures below.

 

'Garden of Dreams' - before new mulch

 

'Garden of Dreams' - after new mulch

 

 In addition to their aesthetic appeal, mulches help keep the soils cool in summer, help conserve water,  keep garden vegetables clean and pest-free and much more.  In short, mulches are a good idea.  But you need to know how to apply them, when to apply them and which mulch to choose.  You can read all about mulches at: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/07/understanding-mulches_23.html

 

 

 

Planning a New Garden? Re-thinking Your Old Garden?

Planning a new garden can be a daunting task.  There are so many things to think about – and so many good ideas.   It’s hard to know where to begin.   Fortunately, our sister blog, Mother Nature’s Backyard, has something that can help.   Their series ‘Planning Your New California Garden’, which began in July 2013, takes you step by step through the garden design process.   See the first posting at: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/07/designing-your-new-california-garden-1.html

 

 

 

New Page - Plants Currently Available at CSUDH Native Plant Nursery

 

 

See our new page (left)  for what's currently available at our native plant nursery on campus.

Frost Damage to Your Garden Plants?

 

Frost damage on white-foliaged Catalina Silverlace (Constancea [Eriophyllum] nevinii).  Note drooping branch-tips
and leaves, as well as gray-brown discoloration.  This picture is about 5 weeks after a frost event.

 

Nighttime frosts can occur anytime from December to February in western Los Angeles county.  Read the following before pruning  your frost-affected plants:  http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/02/frost-damage-dont-prune-yet.html

Soils: the key to healthy native (and other) plants

Soil is truly a garden’s foundation. Plants obtain water and many nutrients from the soil – and interact with soil organisms. Soil conditions may also limit the types of plants you can grow successfully. The more you know about the characteristics of your soil, the better you can match plants and watering methods to your unique soil conditions.

Urban soils – including those in our gardens - are more complex than native soils. In fact, urban soils are among the most difficult to classify – and work with – of any soils world-wide.  Learn more at http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/09/getting-to-know-your-gardens-soil-urban.html

Because soil is so important, it pays to take a little time to get to know your soil’s characteristics. Fortunately, there are several easy, inexpensive soil tests that can tell you a lot about your soil.  For more on soil testing: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/10/getting-to-know-your-gardens-soil.html

A visit to the local gardening center can be a confusing experience; there are so many different soil amendment products available! All of them cost money and require time and effort to use. So, what’s a sensible approach to soil amendments and fertilizers?   See: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/11/getting-to-know-your-gardens-soil-soil.html

A soil perc test tells you whether your soil drains quickly, slowly or somewhere in between. Depending on your results, you may decide to select appropriate plants based on their drainage needs. Alternatively, you may choose to alter the drainage of parts of your garden. As always, your gardening choices are unique to your own situation.   For more about working with and improving soil drainage see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/12/getting-to-know-your-gardens-soil.html

A soil in good condition for growing crops, garden vegetables and other plants is said to have ‘good tilth’. It has the proper soil structure and nutrients to support healthy plant growth. Good farmers and gardeners aspire to have soil with good tilth.  To learn more about soil tilth and the soil ecosystem see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/01/getting-to-know-your-gardens-soil.html

Why Prune?

Some reasons are obvious.  Diseased or damaged branches need to be removed as soon as possible to prevent the spread of disease.  Growth that presents a safety hazard must also be removed promptly.    But we prune plants for reasons other than safety and health.

One reason is to shape them.   If growing a hedge, we prune out  irregular branches in the beginning and then maintain the shape by regular hedge-trimming.   Similarly, we remove branches that grow in the wrong direction when training a new tree to a pleasant shape.   Some local gardeners take plant shaping to a high level, creating elaborately shaped shrubs in traditional Japanese or European styles.   These examples demonstrate the degree to which certain plants can be shaped.

Gardeners sometimes prune to control the size of trees and shrubs, often with limited success.  In general, plants continue to grow until they achieve their natural mature size.  They will keep trying to achieve this size – or die in the process. That’s why pruning to limit size is an endless task.  It’s far easier to choose a plant with the right natural size in the first place.  This is particularly important with California native shrubs, some of which become quite large.   But choosing a plant based on its mature size makes sense for any plant. 

Southern California’s native trees, shrubs and even grasses need to be pruned for another reason – to keep them youthful and healthy.   Hikers sometimes comment that wild shrubs appear to be pruned by an expert gardener.  In a way they are, but the ‘gardener’ is not who you might expect.

 In truly wild areas, deer, rabbits, elk  - even wildfires, wind and water - prune plants on a regular basis.   Deer and elk browse the fresh growth of trees and shrubs in spring and summer.  Rabbits eat grasses and smaller vegetation.    The plants respond by producing new growth.  If the plant is not over-grazed, the result is a plant that’s fuller, more youthful and more attractive to the eye.

Fires also play a role in plant regeneration.  In the past, wildfires burned local foothills and mountains every 50 to 150 years depending on the area.  Fires are a consequence of our long dry summers and Santa Ana winds.  This weather pattern also occurs in other mediterranean climates like the Mediterranean region, South Africa, western Chile and western Australia.  

Plants from mediterranean climates have adapted to fires over the course of thousands of years.   Many mediterranean climate trees and shrubs have the capacity to re-grow after fires, allowing them not only to survive but also to rejuvenate themselves.    In fact, these plants are so dependent on fire that they literally need periodic fires to survive.   Without them – or their surrogate in the garden - they die prematurely.

Native Californians understood the need for periodic rejuvenation.  In the past, they regularly pruned, divided and even burned plants to keep them young and productive.  Over time, Native Californians became an integral part of the natural cycles of plant life.  They literally became a force of nature.

Most gardens and smaller nature preserves are no longer home to deer, rabbits and other forces of nature.  Even the wind patterns and water flow are altered in populated areas.   But the native plants still need the yearly and occasional catastrophic processes that keep them youthful and healthy.  And that’s where proper pruning plays a role.

Like the deer and rabbits, we need to prune back some of the fresh growth on native shrubs to encourage dense, well-shaped plants.   Like the wind, we need to prune out weak and damaged growth.   And like fire, we occasionally need to prune mature native grasses and some shrubs more harshly.   We literally ‘become’ the deer, rabbits, wind and fire for the native plants in our care.

Pruning native plants is not difficult, but you do need to know how to prune each plant.  Prune a native plant incorrectly – or at the wrong time of year – and you risk damaging or killing it.   The trick is to imitate the natural processes.  Many of us have little direct experience with these processes in the wild.  That means we need to learn how to prune our native plants. 

One easy way is to attend a pruning workshop. The fall/winter pruning season is almost over, but we will have sessions in summer and again next fall.  See http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/calendar.html). 

For more information on pruning common California native plants see our posting on ‘Pruning Common California Native Plants’ (November, 2012).     A great book which includes information on pruning is California Native Plants for the Garden by Carol Bornstein, David Fross & Bart O’Brien (Cachuma Press, 2005). 

  

Constance M. Vadheim  (Adj. Professor of Biology – CSU Dominguez Hills)

Pruning Common Native Plants

Pruning Common Native Plants Used in South Bay Gardens

 

Plant Species	Pruning
Trees and Large Shrubs
Manzanita (Arctostaphylos species	Summer (after blooming/fruiting): Prune as little as possible; removing branched for health only is best
Coyote Bush (Baccharis pilularis)	Winter: prune to shape if needed.  Start in  first year with low-growing forms.  Thin entire branches (for shaping) or remove up to 1/3 of branch length to encourage new growth
Mule Fat (Baccharis salicifolia)	Fall/winter (main pruning): Thin entire branches (for shaping) or remove up to 1/3 of branch length to encourage new growth
California Lilac (Ceanothus species)	Spring: deadhead to improve appearance if desired   Summer: Best time for selectively prune branches back to trunk for shaping (after blooming ceases).  Can also prune to shape in late fall.
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)	Spring (dry periods in Feb-Mar.):  Selectively prune to open foliage Summer (after blooming): Selectively prune to open foliage; remove suckers; hedge prune as needed
Rhamnus species (Coffeeberry; Redberries)	Summer: selectively prune out entire branches to shape    (if desired)
Rhus species (Lemonadeberry; Sugar Bush; Laurel Sumac)	Spring: hedge-shear (if hedging) during active growth after flowering/fruiting Summer: see spring Fall: prune to shape as needed.
Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri)	Winter: Prune back entire plant to 4-6 in. tall just prior to re-growth season
Smaller Shrubs & Vines
California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica)	Fall: Remove top ½ of branch length; do not cut into old wood.  For  ‘Canyon Gray’ remove central upright branches as they appear.
California Encelia (Encelia californica)   Also Goldenbushes (Hazardia, Isocoma), Gum Plants (Grindelia)	Summer: remove old seed heads if unsightly after birds have eaten seeds   Fall: cut back to about 6-8” in late fall (after flowering for the Goldenbushes)
Bush Monkeyflowers (Diplacus species)	Spring: Deadhead to improve appearance, plant vigor   Fall: Cut back to 4-6 in. above old wood (leave 4-6 buds)
Native shrubby Backwheats (Eriogonum species)	Fall/winter: Remove spent flower stalks; if plants are  woody/ragged cutting back to 2-4 inches may rejuvenate – but may kill plant.  For Giant Buckwheat/St. Catherine’s Lace just trim off spent flower stalks.
Island Snapdragon (Gambelia/Galvezia speciosa)	Spring: tip-prune (pinch growing tips) for fullness   Spring/Summer: Deadhead as flowers fade; promotes prolonged bloom.    Winter: Can be cut back to 6 inches in late winter to promote lush foliage
Native Honeysuckles (Lonicera species)	Fall: prune to shape in late fall/winter
Currants & Gooseberries (Ribes species)	Fall: Prune out weak/crossing branches when dormant.  If desired, prune to shape by cutting back to a bud pointing the desired direction.
Sages (Salvia species except Salvia apiana)	Summer: may cut back branches to 3-4 sets of leaves after flowering to encourage a second bloom   Fall: cut back branches to 3-4 sets of new leaves if not so pruned in summer   White Sage (S. apiana) - cut back spent flower stems only
Native Grapes (Vitis species)	Fall: prune/train in late fall when leaves have fallen
Lilac Verbena (Verbena lilacina)	Year-round:  deadhead to improve appearance
Sub-Shrubs (half-woody plants) and Perennials
Milkweeds (Ascepias species	Fall: cut back to 2-3 inches
Heucheras/Coral Bells	Fall/winter:  remove spent leaves; if plants have gotten too big,  dig up parent plant; carefully divide and replant daughter plants.
Mint family groundcovers   (Hummingbird Sage; Woodmint (Stachys); Wild Mints)	Spring: tip-prune if desired for fullness   Fall: cut back to 4 inches in late fall
Dudleya species	Spring/Summer: Deadhead to improve appearance, or later to provide seed for birds   Fall: cut back dead flower stalks (if not done before)
California Fuschia (Epilobium species)	Spring: tip-prune if desired for fullness   Fall/Winter: cut back to 4 inches after blooming ceases
Penstemons	Summer: Deadhead as flowers fade; promotes prolonged bloom.    Fall: Remove spent flower stalks to ground after seeds are gone
Sunflower family groundcovers (Coast Aster, Yarrow, Mugwort)	Fall: Mow or cut back to 2-4 inches
Grasses/ Grass-like Plants; Native bulbs/corms
Cool-season bunch grasses (Festuca; Nasella; Calamagrostis;  Leymus; Melica)	Summer/fall: rake out old dead leaves   Fall: rejuvenate every 2-4 years by cutting back to 4-5 inches; if desired, divide clumps, making sure each clump has a good root ball
Warm-season bunch grasses (Deer Grass; Alkali Saccaton; Purple three-awn)	Spring: rake out old dead leaves; rejuvenate every 2-4 years by cutting back to 4-5 inches
Rushes & Sedges	Fall/winter: rake/clip out old dead leaves; rejuvenate every 2-4 years by cutting back to 4-5 inches; if desired, divide clumps, making sure each clump has a good root ball
Bulbs & Corms	Fall: Dig up every 2-3 years; scatter small bulbs/corms or plant in pots

  

A few general notes on pruning natives:

 

·         Always use sharp, clean pruners, saws, etc.

·         Prune for safety and plant heath (disease) as needed, any time of year

·         For large shrubs/trees: never prune off more than ¼ to 1/3 of the foliage – more will stress the plant

·         Don’t prune during excessive heat or when a spell of wet weather is predicted

·         Go slowly – the goal is well-pruned plants, not warp-speed pruning

·         When in doubt, don’t prune.  Come back another day & re-evaluate.

 

 

For more complete guide to pruning common native plants see: http://www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org/pdf/Guidelines_for_Pruning_CA_Native_Plants.pdf