Page 58 - Sonoma County Gazette - January 2020

New Year, new opportunities. Well, we’ve passed around another planetary cycle in our lives and face a new season. A good time to stand back, reflect on where we’ve been, and where we want to head. The same holds true for our gardens, landscapes and the land around us.
Winter in our area is a forgiving season, the ground is moist, the air cool and the days short. While the main challenge in gardening is finding enough daylight hours, it feels good to be
part of a renewing cycle of life. Even
on those cold drizzly days, I like
to notice the subtle changes in the
plants around me – new blades and
shoots, refreshed, clean foliage on
the evergreens and ferns, and the
like.
The perfect season for getting new plants in, dividing those we like and spreading or sharing them and editing those that we don’t like.
Bloomin’ Backyards are Coming Back
Getting out into nature is a great way to share in the burgeoningpromise of the new year. Expand your appreciation of Sonoma County by finding a new trail, park, beach or grove to explore. Go with friends and family – everyone notices different things, so the experience is richer with shared perceptions and knowledge.
One of my favorite winter hikes is along the extensive trails around the flanks of Lake Sonoma, an area managed by the Army Corp. There are so many beautiful places to explore, and the temps are mild and growth seems to be burgeoning all around. The wildflowers tend to be more March and April, but the lush greenness of the meadows and woodlands are perfect
As mentioned in previous
columns, getting the landscape
you want requires stepping back and doing big-picture analyses. This is the season to move on some of those ideas or insights. If the project is beyond your capacity there are many talented individuals or companies that can help.
The Bloomin’ Backyards team is working hard to prepare six unique Petaluma gardens belonging to Master Gardeners for the 2020 BBY Tour. The gardens have been selected for their beauty and as displays of sustainable gardening practices.
Each of the gardens will be featured in an article on the Master Gardeners website (sonomamg.ucanr.edu) over the next six months. You will learn what to look for each, and understand what to appreciate such as:
at this season, and the small rivulets and seasonal cascades at their best.
- goals of the gardener,
- special features of a particular garden,
- important gardening practices such as sustainability, - firewise choices
and other valuable horticultural methods.
For the home garden, January is peak bare root season, so take advantage; the range of fruits, trees and flowering shrubs that can be easily planted now
– often with good results even the first season. The earlier you get them in, the better established they will be by the dry season.
The first article features Sara Malone’s garden. The Winter Garden:
http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/BBY2020/The_Winter_Garden/
Spring 2020 Bloomin’ Backyards garden tour is scheduled for
Sunday, May 17, 2020 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Petaluma.
Planting ahead for the dry season makes
it especially important to get those native
plants in the ground soon. While many may
still need some supplemental irrigation the first season, some may not.
Recognized experts will be on hand to demonstrate and answer questions on organic gardening, soil development, drip irrigation, integrated pest management, habitat gardening, growing fruits and vegetables, water catchment, firewise landscaping, and much, much more.
Starting with smaller plants also helps get root systems going sooner, but be sure to mulch and/or stake these, as the rapid growth of weeds and grasses in the next few months will often make it hard to remember where they are.
The tour is a biennial event presented by the UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County.
Ticket information will be posted on our website in early January.
Please visit sonomamg.ucanr.edu for regularly updated information.
Enjoy the Season!
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