- (Public Value) UCANR: Protecting California's natural resources
- Author: Christine Casey
I've spoken with countless gardeners over the years who wish to start their own bee haven. That's great -- the bees need all the help we can give them. But the most misunderstood part of the process is how much preparation needs to take place before a single plant goes in the ground.
As the Haven winds down, I'd like to share some tips on preparing to install your own bee garden.
Many gardeners are removing a turf lawn to create their bee haven. It's important to take the time to do this correctly so your garden doesn't revert to a weedy mess. UC IPM has great information about turf removal, including how to identify your turf species (knowing your species helps with removal) and how to remove existing turf.
If you are opposed to using herbicides to kill your lawn, solarization can also be used. For most lawns it will take longer and be less effective. That is definitely the case for bermudagrass lawns that are common in California. Figure 1 summarizes the pros and cons of various turf removal methods. For more own bermudagrass lawn, I used a combination of herbicides, sheet mulching, and hand removal.
Finally, weed barrier fabric is never recommended. It prevents ground-nesting bees from accessing the soil, traps weed seeds that grow through the fabric and become impossible to remove, and breaks down over time to leach microplastics into the ground.
Whatever methods you use, patience is key. Plan on at least one year of preparation before planting.
It's also essential to know your soil type and its physical characteristics. Jar tests and drainage tests provide important information about how your soil will hold water. In California, the UC Davis Soil Web has detailed soil maps; these may be less accurate if you are in a new development where there has been recent soil disturbance or addition of new topsoil.
Finally, watch the pattern of sun and shade in your garden for a year before planting. Many winter-blooming 'full sun' plants will do fine under deciduous trees as they are in full sun when flower buds are forming. In the hotter part of California, some 'full sun' plants may need shade in afternoon.
The final task while you're in the process of killing your lawn is to learn about and choose plants for your garden. Garden tours are a great way to start this process....you'll see what grows in your area and have the chance to speak to other gardeners. These are often sponsored by municipal water authorities. Botanic gardens and independent garden centers with knowledgeable staff are other great resources.
The UC Master Gardener program has trained volunteers throughout the state to provide research-based gardening information. They are a fantastic resource and hold educational programs like this one for the public. Finally, garden clubs and the California Native Plant Society hold tours, plant sales, and educational events.
- Author: Ryan Daugherty
Water is essential for nurturing vibrant gardens and landscapes. By leveraging water meters, we can effectively monitor water usage, detect leaks, and optimize irrigation practices, ensuring every drop contributes to the sustainability and vitality of our gardens.
Understanding how to read a water meter is invaluable. It allows users to gauge water usage over time, detect leaks, and facilitates utility billing based on actual water consumption. Knowing how to read a water meter is great for tracking your yard's usage and spotting leaks.
How to Read a Water Meter
Most water meters are situated outside near the curb in a concrete box, marked with "water." Use a meter key or large screwdriver to remove the lid. Always check for spiders or other critters before reaching inside.
Understanding the Display
There are three types of water meters: straight-reading meters, digital-reading meters, and round-reading meters. Each type operates differently, displaying and indicating water usage differently.
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Straight-Reading Meters: Have black numbers on a white background. Usually, for residential meters, one sweep of the face equals 10 gallons or 1 cubic foot of water. The black numbers with a white background reflect the current meter read either in 1,000 gallons or CCF (1 CCF=100 Cubic Feet).
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Digital-Reading Meters: Display a flashing indicator when water flows. The display might alternate between the meter reading and the flow rate.
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Round-Reading Meters: These are less common and feature several separate dials. Read each dial from left to right, noting the value indicated by each.
Calculating Usage
Take a reading and run your irrigation. After you're done, subtract the previous reading from the current one to determine the water usage within that specific period. For instance, if the previous reading was 3,000 gallons and the current reading is 3,500 gallons, the usage is 500 gallons.
Basic Leak Detection Using a Water Meter
Some meters have flow indicators, like a small triangle, star, or gear that moves when water flows through it. This can be useful in detecting leaks. Ensure no water is being used on the property: turn off faucets, fixtures, automatic appliances like ice machines, don't flush toilets, and turn off the irrigation system. Look at the low-flow indicator on the meter. Any movement might indicate a leak.
If your meter doesn't have a flow indicator, mark the position of the hand or record the numbers on the meter. Wait for a while, such as 30 minutes, without using any water. After that, recheck your meter. Any change in position or numbers indicates a potential leak.
Subtract the initial reading from the final reading taken after the waiting period to calculate the leak rate (gallons or cubic feet per minute).
Understanding how to accurately read a water meter and perform basic leak detection will make it easier to manage your water consumption efficiently and identify potential issues for timely repairs.
- Author: Christine Casey
The Haven was created in 2009: we celebrate our 15th anniversary this year. I joined the garden in 2012 and was tasked with creating an outreach and education program. Tours, social media pages, classes, and this blog soon followed. This will end in June, when my position at the Haven is being eliminated.
I've enjoyed introducing so many of you to bees, providing information about gardens and bees, and answering your questions. Working with our amazing volunteers and donors has been extraordinary.
This blog is a short reflection on what I've learned from this work. Look for additional posts throughout May that will provide more bee gardening information, including resources beyond the Haven.
Some random thoughts:
- Children often arrive at the Haven afraid of bees but leave excited to learn more. If you are an adult with children in your life, take advantage of their curiosity to teach them about the natural world. Events like the UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day are a great place to start.
- You're probably overwatering your garden. Irrigation information for California gardens is here.
- Go on as many garden tours as you can. There's always more to learn.
- There's a lot of bad gardening information on social media. Stick with reputable sources like universities, government agencies, and good independent garden centers.
- In shared public spaces, please don't litter or use a speakerphone.
- Small public gardens and museums are passionate about what we do but operate with minimal resources. Please give what you can and understand that we can't always meet every need or provide all the programs we'd like to.
- Support local nurseries and plant sales.
- Pick up after your dog and leash them in areas where it's required.
- Leave some bare soil for ground-nesting bees.
- There's always room for one more plant.
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
The multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis, has a bad reputation. There is a common myth online that this lady beetle (ladybug) is invasive and aggressive, which can sometimes lead to people killing these beetles.
While this species of lady beetle was introduced to California from Asia in the 1990s to control aphid pests, it is not considered invasive. For an organism to be considered invasive it must be nonnative and cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. Fortunately, the multicolored Asian lady beetle does not cause harm. Like many native lady beetle species, it feeds on pest insects like psyllids, scales, and especially aphids.
In the fall, multicolored Asian lady beetles can become a nuisance when they enter homes seeking shelter to overwinter. If you experience this problem, you can vacuum or sweep them up. Make sure windows, doors, and other openings to the outside are properly sealed to prevent the lady beetles and other insects from coming indoors. In the garden, adults may be attracted to ripening fruit when pest populations are low. In general, there is no need to control these lady beetles with pesticides.
Find out more about these predators and other beneficial insects in the UC IPM Natural Enemies Gallery.
- Author: Christine Casey
I've written previously about the Haven's research on bees and gardens. This work included a look at bee preferences for common California landscape plants and work to help growers and landscapers provide the healthiest plants for bees.
Studies on bee plant preferences were described in this blog post, and the first year's results (2022) of our current project developing bee sampling methods for growers and landscapers was described in this post.
The current project is an evaluation of a common insect sampling method, timed counts, with a novel method called snapshot counts. As the name suggests, the snapshot methods uses several quick counts rather than one longer timed count to assess the number of bees choosing a plant. Our goal was to see if the faster snapshot method could provide bee counts with accuracy similar to the widely used timed count method.
The speed of the snapshot method could allow it to be included with other routine insect sampling done by growers and landscapers. This would provide a way to assess the relative attractiveness of a nursery or landscape plant mix to bees, allowing for both accurate plant recommendations and targeting of bee-compatible pest management.
Trials took place at locations in San Diego County, the center of California's nursery industry.
While the average number of bees observed per plant differs between the two methods, the pattern of preference is the same for both (Fig. 2). This is confirmed by regression analysis (Fig. 3), which found a strong correlation between the two methods
Our goal was not to determine the absolute number of bees expected on a plant, as that will vary with location, season, and weather. Rather, we wanted to understand which plants are more likely to be chosen within a plant mix. Growers can then compare new plant varieties to those with known attractiveness to determine how they'll fit into a bee garden.