Ch-Ch-Changes...

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If you were wondering whether we were going to get any cold, winter weather this year, just take a look at the forecast for the coming weekend. While these sunny days are bringing us temperatures that are due to climb into the mid 70's by Thursday, it looks like there will be a sharp drop by almost 20 degrees by Saturday. Then we're to expect low to mid 30's on Sunday with a chance of snow showers through Tuesday evening!?! This is all great if we're getting the precipitation that we so desperately need, but what does this mean for your garden?
Living in such a mild climate, we are allowed to plant many things that would be considered exotic to other parts of the country, and even to our neighboring counties in California. However, with such strange and erratic weather patterns we've seen in the last few years, it's likely that we'll experience sudden and drastic dips in temperature that could shock many of our prized plant specimens.

Normally, most of the freeze damage that occurs to our garden plants is the result of a persistence of freezing weather. Many of our garden plants can withstand a night of frost, or maybe even two in a row. But once you go beyond that, or the temperature doesn't rise much in the day compared to the night, plants will begin to take on a melted or "burned" look, as pictured to the left. Usually, temperatures gradually drop as we go into winter and we can kind of expect that the freeze may be coming, so that we may prepare accordingly. But sudden and drastic drops can be just as detrimental to plants as a prolonged freeze. What can you do to prevent your garden from incurring the weather's wrath?

1. Be prepared. Know which plants in your garden are frost hardy and which are sensitive.
2. Keep breathable cloth (ideally, frost blankets, row cloth, weed fabric, etc.) on hand and be active in covering sensitive plants when a frost is predicted the night before. But be very sure to remove the cloth from any plant during the daytime, so that there is no interruption in the sunlight or extra warmth it may receive. (Please note: WHEN COVERING PLANTS, USE POLES OR BAMBOO STAKES TO FORM A "TENT" OUT OF THE FABRIC. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE FABRIC DOES NOT TOUCH THE PLANT FOLIAGE, AS A FREEZE WILL COLLECT MOISTURE ON THE CLOTH AND FREEZE TO THE LEAVES THAT ARE IN CONTACT WITH IT.)
3. Mulch the soil around your plants. Naked soil experiences a much higher fluctuation in temperature than soil that a has a good 3-4" layer of mulch over it. Think of mulch like a blanket for your plants.
4. Don't let your plants dry out. Intuitively, you may not think to water your plants in winter...and under normal winter conditions, rain should be sufficient. But be aware of our current water shortages and give your garden a hand watering every once in a while for good measure.
5. Don't prune anything at this time of year. Pruning stimulates a growth response, but that new growth is always tender and even more susceptible to frost damage.
6. Xmas lights are abundant in yards this time of year--if you can afford the energy bills. Stringing some lights around some of your larger frost sensitive specimens can give them just enough heat to withstand the freeze.
7. There are polymer sprays on the market that can be directly applied to plants that provide a protective shield from excesses in cold, but an additional cloth covering with help to ensure survival.

What types of plants should be protected? Well, this question is complicated and depends on many factors such as plant type, its location in your garden, your garden's location and sun exposure, and a myriad of other factors working in concert to create your garden's unique microclimate. For starters, you can consult the Sunset Western Garden Book to determine your plants cold-hardiness. But as a very general rule, you should pay extra attention to any Citrus, tropicals like banana trees and gingers, new young plantings, Angel Trumpet trees, some succulents, and anything that has new growth from having been recently pruned.

For expert advice or any further help, contact Jackson Landscape or post a question on our other blog Q & A.

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Winter Dormant Spraying

Despite the unseasonably warm weather we've been experiencing in Santa Cruz county this Winter, one should not forget that we're deep into Fall and Winter is just around the corner. Taking a look around the garden, fruit trees, roses and other deciduous ornamentals are beginning to, slowly but surely, lose their leaves and go into their winter state of dormancy. What this means is it's time to think about spraying these plants with a Dormant Spray mixture to ensure their health and prolong their life.

What is a Dormant Spray mixture? It's a combination of a fungicide (Fixed copper or lime-sulfur) and an insecticide (Volck oil, or horticultural grade oil). These ingredients are all listed by CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) as approved for use on organic farms. There are some concerns about long term ill-effects of using fixed copper as it builds up in the soil so I would recommend using lime-sulfur on all of your fruit trees, with the exception of on your apricots which can experience serious damage from sulfur.



What's the purpose and function of dormant spraying? When used in conjunction with one another, the copper or lime-sulfur and horticultural oil mixture help control a myriad of potential problems for your deciduous trees and shrubs. The horticultural oil kills overwintering insects, such as scale, mites, aphids and their eggs as well as acting as a "sticker-spreader", or adhesive, that allows the fungicide to better adhere to the plant. The copper or lime-sulfur part of the spray kills overwintering fungal organisms such as Anthracnose, Rust, black spot, brown rot, powdery mildew and the dread Peach Leaf Curl.

When should you spray? Ideally, three applications, spread 30 days apart should be performed to ensure the death of overwintering organisms. This year is tricky since it's still warm and the plants are confused and many still are holding onto their leaves (and, in many cases, fruit) so we may miss the first application which generally should happen in late November. I used to recommend 3 dates to remind people of when to spray: Thanksgiving, the December Holidays, and Super Bowl Sunday. If this warm weather continues to be a trend in the later months of the year, I may have to restructure these dates. But, it is usually safe to think of an application in the later parts of November, December and January. If you can only perform one application, the late January one is the most important because it is imperative you time this before flower and leaf bud break. It is also important to note that one should remove all leaf debris and any wood, generated from pruning, away from the trees and that this debris should not be incorporated into your compost unless you are sure it generates enough heat to kill any organisms that may be living within it.

It is also worth noting that it is important to spray your fruit trees but not always necessary to spray your dormant ornamental trees and shrubs. There's a reason for the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". If you haven't experience fungal or insect issues with these plants, there's really no need to spray. The less substances you can use to keep your garden in good health, the better.

With spraying comes a few things to be careful about. The dormant spray mixture can be applied with a hose end sprayer or a tank sprayer, depending on the situation and the size of the tree. Be care not to overspray neighboring plants, trees and lawns. This mixture is intended for dormant, deciduous plants and will burn the foliage off and possibly kill any evergreen plants it comes into contact with. Read and follow your products labels and warnings. Do not spray on rainy or windy days. If it rains within 24 hours of spraying, you will need to repeat application. Wear protective clothing, eye protection, gloves (rubber is best) and lung protection. If you can use a respirator, use it. Remember: The term "Organic" does not always equate with the word "Safe". These products can be serious skin, eye and lung irritants and it's important to be mindful of this at all stages of application.

If you have any questions or would like us to perform this service for you, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.