Kevin A. Kelsey, UC Master Gardener of Napa County.
I am a recent graduate of Napa’s UC Master Gardener Program. The class exposed us to lots of horticultural information and experiences so that we can provide home gardeners with guidance. It’s a daunting task. As I considered the topic of this column, I struggled with what I was going to write to help you learn about your garden.
What IS the purpose of your garden? I believe the purpose of your garden is to get you outside. The garden is a place of learning, experimentation and discovery. This is your piece of earth to transform and make your own. So many parts of life's choices are made for us. The garden is a place where you get to choose what to plant where. You get to learn and discover what works best and how to help plants grow. You get to interact with nature and discover things about yourself.
What to plant in a garden is wholly up to you. You plant what you like, or what allows you to spend more time in your garden. It’s helpful to know that Napa County has 4 main climate zones: Marine, Coastal Cool, Coastal Warm, and Foothill. The Marine area is the coolest part of the County and nearest the San Pablo Bay. Coastal Cool includes our fog-catching hilltops, while Coastal warm is the warmer valley floors. Warmest of all are the Foothill areas which include the dryer and hotter areas in the east portion of the County. More information can be found in this Healthy Garden tip on our website:
Just as the County has different climates, so does your property. There can be warm and sunny areas that receive hot afternoon sun as well as shady areas on the north side of a building that get much less sunshine. Knowing your yard’s micro climates as well as your area of the County will help you make better choices when buying plants and where to put them so they perform to their peak.
For ideas of plants you might enjoy, you could explore the Napa County Master Gardener Learning Garden at the Los Flores Community Center. It is on the corner of Linda Vista and Culpepper. It consists of a Low-water & Low-maintenance Garden, a California Native Garden, a Pollinator Garden and a Succulent/Dry Garden. These water wise gardens help demonstrate options for a cultured and manicured space. You might also check out the UC Davis Arboretum All Stars for more ideas of plants what will thrive in our summer dry climates.
Many gardening questions revolve around growing vegetables and fruits. We are blessed to be living in a mediterranean climate where we do not have super cold winters and super hot summers. Our active warm growing season stretches from April through October and our mostly frost-free cool growing season from fall through spring. Our public website has several Healthy Garden Tips to help you figure out what to plant when. Below is one link to get you started:
UC Master Gardeners Napa County Gardening resources
Do you like flowers, or vegetables and fruit or both? Do you have allergies but like color? What can be planted in a front yard? These decisions are up to you. If you were able to participate in the Climate- Friendly Garden Tour hosted by the Napa County Resource Conservation District on May 17th, you might have discovered that there are few hard and fast gardening rules. Vegetable gardens in the front yard? Sure. Plants with contrasting colors and textures? Why not? Shady sitting spots or bright sunny morning locations? Anything goes if you pay attention to our climate considerations and each plant’s preferred situation. You may find out that something doesn’t grow where you planted it, but with some notable exceptions, plants are rather hardy and you can move them to where they will thrive. And as every seasoned gardener will tell you, sometimes there are “happy accidents” in the garden that will surprise and please you.
The only useful regret in the garden is the regret of not allowing ourselves to spend more time in it. Tomorrow is another day!
Help Desk: The Master Gardener Help Desk is available to answer your garden questions. Use our online Plant Problem Help Form or email us at mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. Include your name, address, phone number and a brief description of the problem. You can also visit us in person on Mondays and Fridays from 10 am until 1 pm at the University of California Cooperative Extension Office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa.
Workshop: Keep your Roses healthy all summer long! Join our UC Master Garden Rose Team for an informative ZOOM workshop on June13 that will answer your many rose care questions. The Rose Team will provide research-based information on how and why you should prune your roses, what you can do about disease and pesky bugs, when you should fertilize, and many more summer rose care issues. All attendees will have the opportunity to join a practical “hands-on” workshop at Fuller Park Rose Garden, Napa on June 20th to practice what you’ve learned. Registration required.
Tree Walk: Take a guided walk through the historic Fuller Park with a UC Master Gardener to discover some of the many exotic and native trees there. Historic Fuller Park is an arboretum of many exotic and native trees that have been planted over the last 120 years. Please join us on a 1 1/2 hour guided walk through the park to discover some of the many exotic and native trees along with park history. Meet in the park at the corner of Oak St. and Jefferson St, June 14, 10:00 am. Registration required.