June Garden Calendar in San Diego

 

Marcela Camarena Lubian

The gardens are in bloom and the calendar is chocked full of fun and inspirational garden happenings this month.

June 2nd - The Best Sustainable Fruit Trees will be discussed from 5:30 - 7:30pm at this free class which will be held at the CA Center for Sustainable Energy.
June 4th - Succulent Reproduction is the focus of this class that teaches how to revive old plants and start new ones for $35.00 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.
June 4th - This free Gardening 101 class will cover seed starting, irrigation systems and water harvesting from 9:00 - 12:00 pm at the Solana Center.
June 4th & 5th - SD Cactus Society's Annual Show and Sale will be held at Balboa Park from 10:00 - 4:00 pm.
June 5th - Choosing the Best Irrigation System is covered at Liberty Farms from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm for $35.00 and covers what irrigation will best meet your needs.
June 7th - Learn How to Start & Manage Community Gardens with the Solana Center at this free class from 6:00 - 8:30 pm that is taught every Tuesday of the month.
June 7th & 14th - Aquaponics Workshop will be held over at the Ecolife Foundation for $30.00 which includes lunch.
June 11th - This free class covers Xeriscape: Low Water Use Plants at the Walter Andersen Nursery in San Diego at 9:00 am. On the same day Summer Vegetable Care and Planting will be covered at the Poway store from 9:30-10:30 am.
June 11th - The final, free Gardening 101 class will cover pest, weed management and cooking and sharing from 9:00 - 12:00 pm at the Solana Center.
June 12th - Beehive and Frame Assembly will be the focus of this 11:00 am class taught at Liberty Farms for a fee of $35.00.
June 12th - Free Winemaking Demonstration will be held at Curds & Wine from 1:00 - 3:00pm, RSVP online.
June 18th - SD Master Gardeners Summer Plant Sale will be held from 10:00 - 3:00pm at Balboa Park. Arrive early for the best selection!
June 25th - Planting for Challenging Areas will be covered in this free class at City Farmers Nursery from 1:30 - 3:30pm which includes hills, shade and areas with poor drainage.
June 26th - Poultry Care and Management is the topic of this 10:00 am class taught at Liberty Farms for $35.00 that covers selecting the best breed for you and how to care for your chickens.

Did I miss your event? Email me at info@seedsinthecity.com

May Garden Calendar in San Diego

May Flowers
Marcela Camarena Lubian

There is truly something for everyone this month...

May 1st
East County Earth Day will be held from 11:00 - 3pm at the Mt. Helix Amphitheater and the free event will include lectures on such topics as growing your own food and hummingbirds in San Diego.
Replace that thirsty lawn just in time for summer with City Farmers free class from 1:30 - 3:00pm that focuses on cost and water saving alternatives.
May 3rd
Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center will offer their free one hour guided tour of the gardens and spectacular education program. Go on the website to RSVP.
May 5th - 8th 
Garden Festival at the San Diego Zoo celebrates the 700,000 different plant species and teaches guest about the many uses of edible varieties. Free with admission.
May 7th
Aquaponics - find out how you can GROW your own fish and create a closed loop system by means of Tilapia and their emulsion which becomes the perfect fertilizer for your vegetables at this free class taught from 1:30 - 3:00pm at City Farmers Nursery.
Mission Hills Garden Tour - "A Walk Down Sunset Boulevard" will showcase 12 homes and runs from 10:00 - 4:00pm. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
May 11th
Beginning Beekeeper class will be taught at Liberty Farms from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at a cost of $35.00.
May 12th
Re-imagining the California Lawn will be presented by author Carol Bornstein at the SD Botanic Garden from 7:00 - 8:00pm. The lecture will be $10 for members and $12 for non-members.
May 14th
Organic Gardening classes will be taught in a free four part series from 9:00 - 12:00pm by the Solana Center. Classes cover everything from garden design to cooking and sharing.
Historic Coronado Garden Tour from 10:00 - 4:00pm features 8 homes and is $20 in advance.
May 15th
Learn how to Make Your Own Cheese in this free class taught at City Farmers Nursery from 1:00 - 4:00pm.
May 19th
Growing up Vertical: The Future of Farming will be discussed by Gordon Smith at SD Botanic Gardens from 6:00 - 7:00 pm, this class is a must for apartment dwellers and is $10 for members and $12 for non-members.
May 21st
Ladybug Day at the SD Botanic Garden from 10:00 - 3:00pm.
May 22nd 
Hive Management will be taught at Liberty Farms from 10:00 to 1:00 pm at a cost of $35.00
May 28th
Palm & Cycad sale at the SD Botanic garden will feature many rare and unusual varieties, free with admission. 9:00 - 3:00 pm



Did I miss your event? Email us at info@seedsinthecity.com

Beekeeping

To Bee or Not to Bee


All this talk about bees has got us thinking...could we have our own bee-hive? I sadly missed several beginner bee-keeping classes here in San Diego given earlier in the year but I managed to find one more at the Cultivating Food Justice Conference 4/24-4/25.


In the meantime here is a general write up on beekeeping from the University of California.

Best plants to attract pollinators

As novice gardeners we feel satisfied when our garden stays alive and produces something other then pest high rises. Were definitely not ready to try and create those beautiful lush gardens you see in garden books. That being said I still like to try and have a diverse garden while adding color to our raised boxes, but if all you're going to do is look pretty then you have no place here. Plants that are going to get one of the small dedicated lots in the raised beds better be ready to multitask.

I set out to research plants and flowers that were perennials or annuals, would add some color, do well in full San Diego sun, not get too large, or require lots of water and will contribute to the ecology of the garden. Easy right?

Here's what I found:

Borage- Annual that gets 2-3' tall, attracts bees like crazy, edible flowers.
Cosmos (Sonata Dwarf)- Very pretty flowering annual plant that attracts bees and butterflies, tolerates heat and low water. It blooms late spring to early fall. Look for dwarf varieties that only get around 2'.
Dill- Annual, 3' tall with yellow flowers, can be used in recipes, many medicinal uses, attracts Beneficial's such as bees, companion plant to our cucumber vine.
Echinacea- Perennial that likes full sun, the beautiful purple coneflower can get up to 4' tall and 2' wide so look for dwarf varieties like 'Pixie Meadowbright'. Attracts butterflies and has medicinal uses.
Gallardia- Perennial, likes full sun, look for dwarf varieties like goblin that only get a 1' tall and wide. Attracts bees and butterflies.
Sea Holly- Perennial, likes full sun, very unique flower that blooms summer into fall and will add violet to your landscape, make sure you get a dwarf variety like eryngium planum 'Jade Frost' it only gets 8" high. They attract butterflies and beneficial flower wasps.
Sunflowers- Besides being beautiful, they attract the three B's; Beneficial's, bees and butterflies. When selecting your sunflower think of heirlooms simply because some newer varieties are pollen-less or are hybrids that don't attract bees.
Toad Flax- Perenial, mid-season bloomer that gets 2-3' high but only 1' wide, comes in pink or blue, attracts bees and butterflies.
Yarrow (Paprika)- Flowering perennial native that can endure drought, gets up to 3' tall, yarrow comes in many great colors and also attracts butterflies.

Some of these would do well in containers for those of you working within the confines of a concrete garden. Let me know if you have found any others that worked well for you.

Planting For Pollinators

Seed World magazine ran an article last December that contained some pretty startling statistics. The author, Shannon Shindel, stated the facts, “at LEAST 80% of the worlds crop species require pollination with an estimated one out of every three bites of food coming to us through the work of animal pollinators which includes birds, bees, butterflies, bats and beetles that transfer pollen between plants... the declines in health and population of pollinators in North America and globally pose a significant threat to biodiversity, the food chain and human health”.

What Can We Do?

We can try to provide food, shelter and a water source for these hard workers and eliminate pesticide use if at all possible. In our garden we haven’t put one drop of chemical in or around our garden and yes there are pest galore but also an amazing amount of Beneficial’s that are helping to maintain a balance.

The Pollinator Partnership with NAPPC have a wonderful website that gives great tips and if you enter your zip code it provides you with your own personal full color guide specifically tailored to your region. Some of the many plants they suggest for San Diego’s Coastal Chaparral include; Yarrow, Milkweed, California Poppy, Sunflowers, Roses, Lavender, Blueberry, Eggplant, Strawberry, Geranium, Watermelon, Squash and Tomatoes. Also check out UC Berkley's easy to read and understand guide to the Urban Bee Garden.

Spinosad

Our dislike for the effects of sow bugs, cutworms and caterpillars on our garden is being severely tested against my love for bees and their pollinating abilities. We have been recommended Spinosad left, right and center to tackle our common pest problems and when I see a list of all the pests it eradicates I must admit I get very excited. Unfortunately the product container fails to mention it's disastrous effect on bees. We have been told probably like everyone else to avoid the flowers, standing water and use the pellet formulation and the bees will be fine.

If anyone has read Silent Spring by Rachel Carson then you probably know that it's very rare that any form of pesticide doesn't have far reaching effects. We cannot, attempting to be truly organic gardeners, fool ourselves into believing that Spinosad absorbed into the soil, through the roots and into the plant is not going to negatively effect the bees. For now we will have to put all our faith into the toilet paper roll jackets that are surrounding each seedling.  

Bee Problem????

If you're one of the few that actually have a bee problem or troublesome hive please contact Malaki -
or Paul Maschka - 760.419.9453 as an alternative to extermination.

My Bee Attractor!

Did you know every third bite of food you consume is brought to you by a honeybees pollinating prowess? We recently purchased this fountain on Craigslist to add beauty and the tranquil sounds of flowing water to the backyard. Well I wanted it for the bees! Bees love flowing water and I was surprised how quickly we were running a little bee pit stop. These bees will now stop off for a cool drink on the way to pollinating the tomatoes, cucumber, squash, watermelon, pumpkin and strawberries. Thanks Bees! Now the only trick is keeping he dogs from using it as their 24 hour water fountain.