Garden Notes www.claremontgardenclub.org “Creating edible and ornamental gardens” [email protected] October 2020

Welcome to the Claremont Garden Club newsletter! Ornamental of the Month É Please send us questions, photos, ideas about gardening Ericameria pinefolia

Pinebush is one of our native shrubs, named for the small, evergreen, needle-like leaves that cover it. In the coastal sage scrub at the Bernard Field Station it thrives without any additional water, and blooms in the fall when nectar sources are scarce From Gary Jensen: “Over the years of digging in my garden I have found for pollinators. like full sun but will these to be my most useful tools. The small mattock is great for digging tolerate a little shade, and will grow slowly to about 6 ft tall and wide. in the rocky soil. I use it to dig holes, dig around broken sprinkler heads and around larger roots. I use the pointy end most and then Edible of the Month remove the loosened soil with my hand. The other is a weeding “knife”. Salvia elegans It is my primary weeding tool. I find regular hand spades to be too fragile for our soil and they break easily and don’t dig into the ground well. Both tools are very well made and I’ve had them for many years. They will last a lifetime if they are not stolen or lost.”

Pineapple sage is not only pretty and useful, it’s another fall nectar source for Fall/Winter Plants for Pollinators pollinators, including hummingbirds. Plants can be cut down to a foot or so in the In addition to the plants of the month at the right, the fall-blooming spring and will grow up to 4 ft tall and 3 ft shrubs above (L-lantana, M-tecomaria, R-cuphea) are favorites of wide by September, when they start into hummingbirds, as well as butterflies. In addition, blue plumbago and bloom. Sun or light shade, regular water. purple duranta blossoms are a big draw. Annie’s Annuals and Perennials Both the leaves and the flowers are edible. has a list of fall bloomers you might want to check out. Planning a Native Garden? Did you know? Check out the advice in this article by Yvonne Savio. Botanical Latin: “Pinefolia” naturally means “pine-like leaves” and “elegans” means “elegant” And there are other Plant miscellanea: Needle-like leaves pollinators, too! are common in plants that evolved in Flies and ants aren’t areas where water is limited since the usually appreciated by lower surface to volume ratio helps to us, but some plants such reduce water lost through transpiration. as variegata (left, aka variegata) Things to do and General (right) depend on them. T These fleshy succulents This is a good time to plant many permanent additions to the garden bloom in September/October here and are a lot of fun to watch. These two are (not tropicals, bare-roots or natives) easier to grow than some might think; place in a frost-free location in light T Create a raised bed shade and water once a week. T Walk around the garden, enjoy it, and think about what to change Favorite Quote Pest/disease management T “How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence.” Weed! T Wash whitefly off of bay trees or cut Benjamin Disraeli off and trash infected leaves T Hand-pull crabgrass in lawns Spotted Spurge (Euphorbia Edibles maculata) is a very common weed. It T Stop fertilizing deciduous fruit trees grows so flat to the ground and the and reduce watering starting in mid spots make for such good camouflage month-you want the leaves to drop T Finish cleaning out vegetable beds, as it lurks around and under other add amendments plants that it can be hard to see. By the T Plant parsley transplants, seed is slow time you notice it, the tiny flowers Ornamentals may have produced dozens of seeds, T Notice plants that provide fall color so you need to remain vigilant to keep and make a list of ones you’d like it under control. T Divide clivia (but only if really Note: it has a milky sap that can irritate the skin in some people. overcrowded), iris, daylilies, gazanias T Plant lilies as soon as you get the bulbs or they may not grow well T Put in transplants or seeds of cool Upcoming events and more season annuals now-if the plants don’t bloom before the holidays, they Oct 7: Zoom help for those who’d like some, 7pm, see webpage link will wait til spring Oct 14: Garden Club – 7pm Zoom meeting, see webpage for link T Sow wildflowers “Beyond Citrus: Growing other fruit trees” Please send photos and info about plants Smart Gardening Workshops: 9:30-11 am, free. For dates and locations, see you’ve grown, gardens to visit, gardening http://dpw.lacounty.gov/epd/sg/wk_scheds.cfm lore, questions. Sue Schenk, editor Chino Basin Water District: classes on waterwise landscaping, irrigation; mulch The Metropolitan Water District usually giveaways: http://www.cbwcd.org/150/Workshop-Descriptions offers rebates for turf removal: Armstrong classes: http://www.armstronggarden.com/pages/classes http://socalwatersmart.com/index.php/ California Botanic Garden: www.calbg.org (Formerly RSABG) Huntington Library: Free talks, plant sales www.huntington.org/ Facebook: Claremont Garden Club LA Arboretum: Plant shows and sales https://www.arboretum.org Instagram: Claremont_Garden_Club