Page 52 - Sonoma County Gazette July 2020

Fire-Safe Gardening
By Vesta Copestakes
Home Hardening is a term most of us know by now, but it’s amazing
how many people do NOT understand the concept. We’re heading into Fire Season so the more we pay attention to this topic, the better our homes will be prepared to survive a potential fire.
Thru - Sep 12 ~ Introduction to Beekeeping ~ Three-hour lecture on basic beekeeping information on how to get started with bees $15 - 10a to 1p, Sebastopol Grange Hallv, 6000 Sebastopol Avenue, Sebastopol, 707-824-2905, Doug Vincent, beekind.com/ classes.html
SIGN UP for Sonoma Ecology Center’s Victory garden Project. Ongoing ~ Landscape Design Templates ~ Residential Landscape Design Templates are now available and ready for download. There are eight landscape design templates, showcasing four different design styles. In addition, there are two plant substitution lists to help customize your new landscape. For more information and to download the templates. savingwaterpartnership.org
Hallberg Butterfly Gardens: The Gardens has had to postpone their eagerly anticipated Open Gardens, typically held annually in June, until 2021. However, starting May 27th, the Gardens will be open for self-guided tours by appointment, Wednesday through Saturday, 10a-4p. The number of people in the gardens at one time will be limited to ensure social distancing, but with nine acres of garden space, there is plenty to go around. Tour brochures are available on site or visitors can print a self-guided tour brochure, Children’s Interactive Tour brochure, and scavenger hunt page before visiting the Gardens: hallbergbutterflygardens.org. Tours can booked online, by e-mail at info@hallbergbutterflygardens.org, or by phone at 707-823-3420
Landscape Design Templates Now Available ~ Residential Landscape Design Templates are now available and ready for download. For more information and to download the templates, savingwaterpartnership.org/landscape-design-templates
Pick Your Own Garden Produce ~ Welcome to the Garden Club, Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue’s Community Supported Agriculture program. For just $40 per month or $10 per week, you are entitled to come weekly and pick a bag of the freshest vegetables from our Wildlife Education Garden. The funding from this CSA goes directly to our Predator Prevention and Educational Barnyard Program. We’ll be posting updates and pictures online of each week’s crop. Want to join? Call or email us for further details and help to support wildlife rescue in Sonoma County! Wildlife Rescue, 403 Mecham Rd, Petaluma, 707-992-0274, scwildliferescue.org/garden-club. html, scwrdoris@scwildliferescue.org
Volunteers Needed
Ongoing ~ Larkfield Community Garden Work Day ~ Maddux Ranch Regional Park, 4655 Lavell Rd., Santa Rosa, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov
Ongoing ~ Volunteer at Sonoma Garden Park ~ Tu, Wed, Fr, Sat, 9a-1p, Sonoma Garden Park, 19996 7th St. E., Sonoma, 707-996-0712, sonomagardenpark.org
The Permaculture Skills Center
FREE Permaculture Principles in Action Training with Erik Ohlsen! Learn how to integrate the principles of permaculture into your life! https://permacultureskills- center.org/elm-free-video-series/
Master Gardener sonomamg.ucanr.edu
Check out our Food Gardening page for a guide as to For what to grow this month.
http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Food_Gardening/
Pandemic Victory Garden - During the Coronavirus pandemic, we all are searching for ways to cope. As gardeners, we may consider emulating what gardeners (who did not go overseas) did during the past two world wars, plant a Victory Garden. Let’s apply our skills and passion. http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Victory_Garden/
Non-Combustible Zone:
This is 5 feet all around your house. You are trying to keep flames from touching your house walls and roof. Most people are not willing to have zero landscaping against their houses, so choose plants that do not have high-oil content. Although high-oil plants are more drought-tolerant than lush leaves, they also burst into flames and burn HOT, which catches other things on fire.
If you have a Privacy Fence, remember that WOOD fences perform like a wick on a candle. Once lit, fire travels along the fence, so you want a BREAK in that combustible material when it gets close to your house. A metal gate, a section that won’t catch fire, or better yet, replace the wood fence with a metal fence or dense, moist plants that grow tall enough to feel like a fence.
Mulch as a Fire-retardant.
Mulch holds in moisture so you don’t have to water as much, and your soil is protected from pounding rain and harsh sun. Choosing materials that don’t add to the fire problem is essential. During the October 2017 fires, high winds
Paths with the 5-foot zone.
caused burning embers of bark mulch to fly on the wind where they caught more plants and objects on fire. The embers get carried into open garages, air vents under roofs, open windows, etc.
Loose mulch like Gorilla Hair are the most flammable because they have fine fibers with lots of air to feed fire. The finer the mulch, the less space between particles, and more decomposed the material the more reluctant it is to catch fire.
Compost used as mulch is the most fire-safe. Because it is already decomposed, it breaks down
faster than bark or shredded wood, so needs to be applied more frequently. That also means it’s better for your soil as well as being more fire-safe.
Again, choosing your path material can create a fire break or add to the problem. If you choose wood path mulch, you are creating a potential flame path much like bark mulch. If you use non-flammable gravel, concrete pavers or bricks, stone pavers, etc. you will be creating a surface around your home that will actually protect it.
Using gravel also creates a permeable surface so when you water your plants you are also watering the earth within this perimeter. The more dense the material, the easier it is to keep clean, so remember that coarse gravel paths (chip) collect leaves easier than hard, smooth surfaces (sand, crushed shale, decomposed granite, pavers). Keeping dry leaves away from your house is another important aspect of a fire-safe garden, so make this easy so you sweep leaves often, especially during high-fire season.
POST your EVENTS online all month
@ SonomaCountyGazette.com
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