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17th Annual SUMMER Guide #2 The Bulbs Are In! by Kimberly Childers • kimberlychilders@att.net The experimental meadow


Santa Rosa, CA. ~ The sunsets are pink and the wild turkeys and their inquisitive children have returned to the ‘hood’ much to the delight of all who encounter them. The young turkeys are starting to get their adult feathers, their soft down is soon to be forgotten. They seem to enjoy the meadow and the native plants that my neighbor and I are growing. Introduced for hunting I believe the turkeys aren’t native but the plants are, ha! Potting up rooted cuttings of Jap-


anese Anemone, dividing crowded Alpine strawberries, deadhead- ing and composting is on my to do list during these hot ‘suddenly summer’ days. Harvesting juicy melons, ripening in the alfalfa hay mulched, well-fed garden, pick- ing incredibly tender green beans, cloudless blue sky above. Exqui- site Swallowtail butterfl ies contin- ue to dance atop tall yampa fl owers in the ever -evolving experimental meadow. Don’t you love summer! Bulb catalogues are already piling


up on my desk once again. I love it. Fall bulbs are a good choice, especially for beginning garden- ers, plant them in the fall, a little bulb food, compost and in early, mid and late spring. . .surprises and wonderfulness will follow!!


astounds every day. Skinny Yampa fl ower stalks rising tall above a myriad of vel-


vety yarrows, red and crème colored poppies with Mosquito (Eyebrow grass) starting to show their funny ‘eyebrows’ all swaying romantically in the slightest breeze. Vibrant red, fi ve petaled geraniums tumble over the ornamental iron fence adding a striking touch to the front bed under the window. Dividing and starting new pots of Lu- ther Burbank’s Shasta daisy, one of the world’s favorite fl owers. It was developed more than 100


years ago in Sebastopol at his Gold Ridge Farm! Check out The West- ern Sonoma County Historical Societie’s web site for interesting information about the volunteer farm and the multitude of ways to get involved. Visit the farm or stop by the historic Home and Gardens in Santa Rosa. Take your out-of- town visitors there after lunch, re- lax on the benches throughout the gardens, take a tour and visit the gift shop, perfect July is always full of garden tasks. Deadhead- ing is so important to do, which is removing faded fl owers on plants, because it stimulates them to con-


GUYS IN THE WHITE HATS? WHAT’S WITH THE


tinue fl owering and keeps the gar- den cleaned up as well. Deal with rust on plants in the garden, espe- cially roses with Neem, a pressed


really! In rural India it is known as their village pharmacy. You’ll want to explore the properties of Neem Oil and take a few notes on this truly amaz- ing plant. It is defi nitely a ‘must have’! Have you been think-


vegetable oil from the fruits and seeds of the evergreen neem tree (Azadirachta indica) used for or- ganic farming, medicines and skin products. Grown for over 4ooo years it has quite an interesting history and also a gazillion uses,


ing about creating a xe- ric landscape!? If you’re starting to see your lawn as an insatiable beast there is an answer. . .succu- lents! In your own ‘piece of paradise’ you can start simple with a few choice pots and a few incredibly cool succulents planted in


the perfect succulent soil mixture, so there is no reason not to become a great grower of succulents! Good drainage is soooo important- a life or death situation. You decide! ... continued on page 24


July 2016 • 11 JOKES & Humor # 4


A young American tourist goes on a guided tour of a creepy old European castle. At the end of the tour the guide asks her how


she enjoyed it. She admits to being a bit worried about seeing a ghost in some of the dark cobwebby rooms and passages. “Don’t worry” says the guide, “I’ve never seen a ghost all the time I’ve been here” “How long is that?” asks the girl.


“About three hundred years...”


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