&HOME GARDEN
Apple farm gets an upgrade
A pollinator habitat in the making
BY TARMO HANNULA
Alocal farm is being modified to serve as a learning center for young students about progressive farming methods.
Headed up by local farmer Sam Earnshaw, a crew of workers recently spread out across the seven-acre Hikari Farm on Freedom Boulevard where organic Fuji apples grow.
Started back in the 1970s, the farm—which has fallen into disrepair—is now getting brought up to speed with modern farming techniques. This includes regenerative methods and new hedgerows that attract pollinating insects and provide habitat and food for beneficial birds.
Another goal is to invite school children to the farm to learn about how regenerative agriculture incorporates nature without the need for chemicals.
“We’re bringing habitat and biodiversity to the farm,” Earnshaw said. “Nature provides the correct habitat without the need for pesticides and fumigation. In England they were planting hedgerows in the Bronze Age.”
Nick Filannino, one of the workers helping out, said the farm received a call from Wild Farm Alliance about helping Hikari Farm.
“The owner wanted to rehabilitate the land and create a community center for growing traditional Japanese vegetables, as well as providing farm fresh organic apples and produce for local schools,” Filannino said. “So we said okay. And we started looking at possibilities on how to integrate nature into this farm.”
Filannino then worked on getting some grants to help pay for the project.
Hedgerows are rows of trees and shrubs planted with crops as protective barriers.
According to Wild Farm Alliance, hedgerows also provide habitat for butterflies and moths, as well as habitat and food for beneficial birds.
Sacha Lozano of Resource Conservation District said he has worked with Earnshaw on several hedgerow projects.
“If you take care of these rows— once they get established—they will take care of themselves and provide great benefits for the farms,” he said. “They are drought tolerant, will flower at different times of the year, attract birds, and promote pollination.”
TODAY’S FARM Sacha Lozano (from left), Rowa O’Connell-Gates and Nick Filannino work on planting a new hedgerow at Hikari Farm on Freedom Boulevard.
OUTDOOR
Perennials perform longer than annuals
BY TONY TOMEO
Annuals live for only one year. Biennials live for only two. Technically, all other plants are perennials. Horticulturally, this classification is much more specific. Generally, It does not include vegetation that qualifies as something else. Also generally, plants that qualify as perennial are herbaceous rather than woody. Of course, this is not as simple as it seems.
Palm trees that develop substantial trunks, for example, classify as herbaceous trees. So do arboriform yuccas, such as Joshua tree. Palms and yuccas that do not develop trunks can classify merely as perennials though. Different species of one genus could therefore classify very differently. Tree ferns may also qualify as herbaceous trees as they mature.
Many palms and yuccas, as well as agaves, bamboos and banana trees, are perennials. They might not seem
as if they should be, since they can grow so large. Spring bulbs are more recognizable as perennials likely because of their small size. Lavenders and some salvia develop more woody stems than banana trees. They are perennials nonetheless.
Perennials are generally self perpetuating. Lavenders and similarly twiggy sorts may not not seem like they are, but they can be. Their lower stems that sprawl over the surface of the soil can grow adventitious roots. These adventitiously rooted stems can grow as new plants to replace the old. Herbaceous perennials are more overt about self perpetuation.
Lily of the Nile, for example, constantly produces new rhizomes to replace the old. It can do so indefinitely. Some may have done so longer than the oldest bristlecone pines have been alive. They do not retain old growth as evidence of their age. This self perpetuation is an advantage
in home gardens. It facilitates both sustainability as well as propagation.
Lily of the Nile, Daylily, Kaffir lily and African iris are very simple to propagate by division. Once separated, either after bloom or while dormant, their rhizomes grow as new plants. Many perennials actually perform better after occasional division. It alleviates congestion by providing more space to grow and bloom. Canna and ginger rhizomes grow very fast. Canna may benefit from annual division.
Highlight: lungwort
Its unappealing common name is less common than its more agreeable botanical name. Lungwort does not sound as pretty, or at least as official as Pulmonaria officinalis. It is an evergreen perennial, although its foliage likely desiccates through summer. New foliage replaces it during cooler
autumn weather. Lungwort prefers cool and moist partial shade.
Mounds of foliar rosettes grow no deeper than a foot. They often stay only half a foot high as they spread as wide as two feet. Their lowest rhizomes produce adventitious roots so that they can sprawl even farther. Such growth is easy to divide. Foliage of most cultivars exhibits pretty lighter green or silver spots or blotches. Some are almost completely silver.
Lungwort blooms mostly for late winter and early spring. Trusses of daintily small flowers hover barely above their basal foliage. The most popular sort blooms with pinkish purple flowers that mature to blue. Others bloom with purple, pink, purplish red or white flowers. Although foliage is healthier within partial shade, sunshine promotes profusion of bloom.
Tony Tomeo can be contacted at tonytomeo.com.
ABLOOM Most lungwort blooms blue or purplish.
Gardening Safely After the Moss Landing Battery fire
BY UC MASTER GARDENERS OF MONTEREY AND SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES
the following reports. Given this is a fluid situation and potential legal actions, it is best if you interpret the results of these findings yourself and continue to stay updated with the latest news from official sources.
• Health risk assessment from the Moss Landing Battery Fire—link bit.ly/42DI5V4
• Santa Cruz County environmental testing results—link: bit.ly/42M3vzI
• Monterey County soil screening data—bit.ly/3RWj9Dj
• Moss Landing Vistra Power Plant fire info—link: bit.ly/40Q2XZB
• Scientists detect heavy metals in Elkhorn Slough after battery fire—link: bit.ly/3Eg8znL
Do Fruits and Vegetables Absorb Heavy Metals?
Certain plants absorb heavy metals from the soil more readily than others. While phytoremediation (using plants to clean contaminated soil) is an active area of study, research on heavy metal uptake in common fruits and vegetables is still limited. However, we do know that:
• Leafy greens (such as spinach, lettuce, and kale) are more likely to absorb heavy metals into their tissues.
• Root crops (such as carrots, beets, and radishes) may take up some metals but are more likely to carry contaminated soil—making proper washing and peeling important.
Many gardeners in Santa Cruz County have concerns about potential heavy metal contamination in soil following the Moss Landing battery fire.
Many are wondering whether their fruits and vegetables may absorb metals such as cobalt, cadmium, nickel, manganese, zinc, and copper—and what steps they should take to ensure their gardens remain safe.
Environmental testing has shown that contamination levels decrease with distance from the Moss Landing Power Plant, though hot spots have been identified for further testing. The nearby Elkhorn Slough, an environmentally sensitive area, has shown elevated levels of certain heavy metals.
The UC Santa Cruz Extension farm advisor recommends reviewing
• For science-based plant uptake studies, gardeners should refer to university and government research rather than general online sources. A soil test is the best way to determine potential risks in your garden.
What Can Home Gardeners Do?
• Test your soil if you are near Moss Landing or Elkhorn Slough. For a list of labs, visit: bit.ly/3RVV3Zr
• Limit soil disturbance to reduce airborne contaminants.
• Use raised beds with clean soil if contamination is a concern.
• Wash and prepare produce properly:
• Leafy greens: Rinse thoroughly, as they are more prone to absorbing heavy metals.
• Root crops: Wash well and peel when possible to remove soil particles.
BIRD’S EYE VIEW The Moss Landing towers are shown in an aerial file photo.
SHARP
Native species are natural choices
BY TONY TOMEO
Wildflowers are only part of the story. They are happy enough with the chaparral climate here to bloom for spring or summer. A few are naturalized exotic species, though.
In other words, they are not native to California. They merely behave like they are, likely because they are from similar climates. Native species are happy here because they are at home.
than exotic plants only because a few are a bit too natural. Since they are from chaparral climates, some may get a bit scraggly and dry by summer. They survive arid weather by being partially dormant through some of it. Most appreciate irrigation through summer. However, some are susceptible to rot with generous irrigation.
Conversely, there are several advantages to native plant species. They naturally require less irrigation than most exotic species. Once established, some expect none at all. Only species from other chaparral or desert climates might be less demanding. Landscapes of exclusively native species therefore conserve water. Some get all they want from rainfall.
More than the most abundant wildflowers are native. Many trees, vines, shrubs, annuals and perennials are also. They were here long before Spanish explorers imported the first exotic plants after 1542. They were as satisfied with local soils and climates then as they are now. This is why many are more suitable for home gardens than many exotic plants.
Native plants are less popular
Also, native species are more compatible with natural ecosystems. Any that self sow into
nearby wildlands will be where they belong. They do not compete unfairly for pollinators that other native species rely on. Nor do they compete unfairly for possibly limited space and resources. Furthermore, they contribute habitat and sustenance to wild native fauna. California poppy and sky lupine are probably the most familiar of native annuals. Various salvias and bush lupines may be the most familiar native perennials. California lilac and flannel bush are familiar native shrubs. California sycamore, coastal redwood and coast live oak are familiar native trees. Many native species are practicable for home gardens, and landscaping.
Californian blue-eyed grass
It is not a grass, and lacks eyes, but it is native to most of California and western Oregon. Blue-eyed grass, Sisyrinchium bellum, is related to iris, which actually sounds ocular. Its tiny flowers are typically rather
purplish, but can be clear sky blue, or rarely white. Bloom continues through spring until summer dormancy. All foliage then dies back until autumn.
Blue-eyed grass develops small foliar tufts that expand quite slowly. It propagates easily from division of its thin rhizomes as it resumes growth in autumn. Plugging newly divided rhizomes adjacent to original foliar tufts accelerates expansion. Blue-eyed grass can self sow, but typically does so only sparsely. Its grassy foliage is typically less than a foot tall. Although native and impressively resilient, blue-eyed grass appreciates a bit of moisture. However, it may never require irrigation, since it is dormant through the summer season. Irrigation might maintain foliage through much of summer, but if excessive, can cause rot. Blue-eyed grass prefers sunny and warm exposure, without contention from other plants.
Tony Tomeo
NATIVE California lilac grows wild throughout California.
Tarmo Hannula
Cypert Bobbie Frandeen
