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The best way to raise a new generation that will care about - and act to protect nature - is to provide frequent experiences in the natural world. Schoolyards are critical spaces for educating and inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards. Adults can learn that they can play a role in providing habitats by their choices of how they landscape, and that they can be environmental stewards as well. Living Classroom’s lessons teach students that they can make a tangible difference in the world. As our children mature, they are informed by an ecological understanding and conscience. Native habitat gardens and landscaping are a central piece of a wider vision to restore our relationship with the natural world. As adults, we have the power to bring nature to every child, every day, while improving our local ecosystems, learning environments and health. In the Living Classroom, nature is our teacher. We know that understanding the principles that sustain ecosystems requires basic ecological knowledge. Many of the central principles of ecology are variations on a single fundamental pattern of organization: nature sustains life by creating and nurturing communities. Organisms cannot exist for very long in isolation. Animals, plants, and micro-organisms live in webs of mutual dependence.  Monarch Butterfly visits native school garden planted with native Milkweed Living Classroom native habitat gardens include wildlife attracting features and provide the following important benefits:
Examples of native front yard and backyard plantings
These same benefits can be applied to the broader community with native plantings on private and public properties. For information about how to get started in turning your front yard, backyard, or both, into a habitat for wildlife, please go to the following sources: South Bay Green Gardens at https://www.southbaygreengardens.org/ California Native Plant Society: https://gardenplanner.calscape.org/ Both of these sources provide design ideas, planting plans and lists of appropriate native plants based on the specifications of your yard, ie., sunny, shady, large, small, style (formal versus natural), and so forth. Local nurseries that carry native plants are listed on the websites. Appropriate irrigation supplies are also described. If you live in Santa Clara County, Valley Water is now offering rebates for residential single-family homes, multi-family developments, and commercial properties of $2 per square foot when lawn is replaced by native or drought tolerant plants with water conserving irrigation. Go to: https://www.valleywater.org/saving-water/rebates-surveys/saving-water/rebates-surveys/landscape-rebates to learn more about the rebates. Rebates are up to $3,000 for residential and $50,000 for commercial or multi-family developments.
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Understanding that our landscaping and gardens can and should serve as habitats is a paradigm shift that Living Classroom has been advocating for years. We can all be involved in restoring our local ecology. Living Classroom has been creating native habitat gardens on school campuses for ecology and ethnobotany lessons and the principles behind the plant selection and design of these school gardens apply to landscapes and gardens everywhere.
Landscaping no longer should be strictly ornamental; rather, think of our gardens as being beautiful and habitat creating. With path-breaking books, research studies and reports on this topic, it’s clear that there is great potential to restore our local ecology through a constellation of biodiverse and native gardens and landscaping within our urban and suburban communities. School grounds are an important component to this ecological resilience movement as they comprise many acres scattered across our communities. Schools offer an amazing educational benefit for not only students, teachers and parents but also a broader neighborhood base that uses the school grounds on a regular basis. However, residential front and back yards, commercial and industrial landscaping, public parks and other private landholdings can all be landscaped with habitat providing native plants. These spaces can also provide environmental health benefits such as urban carbon sequestration, capturing stormwater runoff, air quality improvement, and ecological resilience--all important components of green infrastructure in preparation for climate change. In his books, Douglas Tallamy (Bringing Nature Home, Nature’s Best Hope, and The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden) presents overwhelming scientific evidence of the impact that native vegetation has on helping to increase the species diversity and populations of native wildlife. Planting mostly non-native trees, shrubs, perennial, annuals and groundcovers attracts only a small fraction of the wildlife as compared with native plant species. Large reductions in the insect populations, for example, impact the food chain many layers up the chain including songbirds. In order to save our songbird populations, we must ensure there are ample insects, including caterpillars, for them to feed to their young. In Bringing Nature Home, Tallamy states that by simply replacing most home lawns, which comprise between 32-40 million acres of land across the country, would collectively restore habitat over more acres than our National Park System. As Tallamy states, we can create our own “Homegrown National Parks” by planting native plants in our yards. Bonus Benefit: Water Conservation! If boosting wildlife diversity and populations isn’t enough, native gardens also conserve water. Most Californians live in a Mediterranean climate, meaning that we have a very long stretch of six or more months of warm weather and no rain, then six or less months of cooler, rainier weather (except these last two years—we are now in a drought). Native plants adapted to this Mediterranean climate need very little water during the dry months of the year and, once established, a small fraction of water, as compared with lawns and most non-native plants. Some shade loving native plants require relatively more water as they are adapted to moist environments along creeks and the understory of trees. Native plants also adapt to the soil types in which they evolved, therefore chaparral and coastal sage scrub plants prefer “nutrient poor” soils as do desert plants which thrive in sandy soil. Eight years ago I taught my first Living Classroom lesson, “Life Cycle of a Tomato” for a class of 24 second
graders. I could hardly believe my new job was to take students outside (during the school day!) to teach environmental education lessons. That first lesson was a blur--anxiously I stumbled through the vocabulary words, corralled the students through several activities, and ensured the parent volunteers were set up with the necessary materials to assist. The hour flew by as the students squashed tomatoes with glee for seed saving. Before I knew it, they were in a line to head back into the classroom. I asked the teacher how she thought the lesson went. She said, “I think you need to slow down.” I exhaled. She was right--why was I rushing the students through this experience? I had the opportunity to let this hour together outdoors be truly meaningful, to let kids explore, discover, and feel joy. Here’s a chance to bring what they are learning in their science textbooks to life through engaging, real world activities. One of our students said it best, “I like this program (Living Classroom) because a kid can go outside and get dirty. Most of all, a kid can do the real stuff.” As environmental educators we get the unique opportunity, and responsibility, to slow down with students and point out the “real stuff.” We get to say, “Look! THIS is nature, and it’s right outside your door. See this leafy green top? Yes, you can pull it! You really have to yank it! Wow! Can you believe it? That’s how carrots grow! Isn’t it like magic?” It’s understanding that an heirloom gets passed down from generation to generation, an item to treasure, and seeds can be heirlooms too. They will produce colors and flavors beyond our imaginations. It’s discovering that milkweed plants grow right outside the classroom window and we walk by it everyday. That plant holds the secret for keeping an entire butterfly species in existence. It’s noticing how your entire heart lifts up as you watch that Monarch land on the milkweed, like there is some kind of order to our world. It’s how we plant tiny seedlings, how they only measure up a few inches tall on our rulers, but we will troop back after weeks turn into months and they are still there, only now proud and bursting, ready to be harvested. It’s patiently watching seeds sprout into green spades of grass, into beds of wheat, that we will lovingly harvest, thresh, and grind into flour, that we will bake into bread to understand what it means to be a producer, to be someone who creates. Through Living Classroom I have met phenomenal teachers who have taught me how to engage students in our curriculum. World class gardeners have taught me the importance of native plants and habitats. I will hold all of this close in my next adventure, but what I will cherish most is the thousands of bright and curious children who have helped me learn the importance of slowing down and appreciating the wonders that exist in a seed, a leaf, or a beetle’s wing. Last week I taught my last lesson as a member of the Living Classroom staff, and it was “Life Cycle of a Tomato.” The students and I took our time exploring the “real stuff” as we shared our favorite ways to eat tomatoes, sketched out the plant’s life cycle with all of the glorious details, and explored varieties of heirlooms. During my time at Living Classroom I hope to have planted a seed that will grow future environmental stewards through the lessons we have created, the volunteers we have engaged, and what the students discovered as they explored nature on their own schoolyards. Full circle, indeed! Looking for some fun activities to do with your little ones this spring break? Spring is the perfect time to be outdoors and experiencing the new growth happening all around. There are many ways to encourage exploration and creativity all while learning about our environment! Here are a few example activities from the Living Classroom lesson archive.
For more detailed instructions and for information on seed saving, please see our Newspaper Pot video.
For more detailed instructions please see our Nature Creatures video.
For more detailed instructions please see our Quiet Leaf Tracing video.
For more detailed information on bugs, specifically decomposers, check out our Bug Hotel video.
Using a trowel, dig a small hole in your container or garden area about the size of a fist. Add a little water to the bottom of the hole. Gently pull the seedling from the pot gently taking care not to harm the root ball. Place the seedling into the hole and cover with soil. Water generously. To get detailed information on how to properly plant seedlings please see our Plant a Seedling video. Have you ever wanted to start a garden but you weren't’ sure where to start? Starting a raised garden bed is fun, easy, and requires only a few tools to get started. Step 1: Planning & Preparation To begin you will need to ask yourself some important questions: where do I have space to plant? How large is the area? How much sun exposure does this area get? Do I want to plant things that will require the root system to be larger than the bed itself? Do I already have irrigation in this area and if not, am I up to the challenge of watering my garden manually? Will I be able to use some of the soil from my landscape or will I need to purchase potting soil to start out? Start to answer these questions by measuring the area where you would like to set up your beds. Decide if you would like to have space on all sides of the garden bed to make for easy movement. Make a mental note of any sprinkler or water lines that may be nearby for future irrigation, or if there is already an irrigation system installed. Creating a diagram with measurements for your plot area can be very helpful. Next, note the amount of sunlight this area gets throughout the day. This information will inform which plants will be successful in your garden. If your plot gets little to no sunlight throughout the day, you may have to reconsider the location as most vegetables are “sun lovers”. Your plot should be getting at least 8 hours hours of direct sunlight throughout the day for your garden to thrive. Another decision:do you want to grow your plants beyond the root system capabilities of the box? Knowing this will affect whether you place cardboard strips under the potting soil or not, and how deep you would like your raised garden beds to be. Using cardboard under the beds is a great way to get ahead of future weeds. If you are going to allow the roots to move into the soil under the garden beds, it will be useful to know your soil’s ph to ensure that you are adding the correct amount of potting soil, compost or organic fertilizer to your beds. We chose to use this soil ph tool and found out that our soil was in good condition, but was a bit less acidic to be at peak performance. We decided to use potting soil to get started, but could have opted to add compost and a bit of organic fertilizer. Now that you have your questions answered it’s time to get our hands dirty.  Step 2: Clearing Space You will need to clear the space you are where you are placing your garden beds. First, clear the area of mulch, weeds, other plants and roots. If the mulch is still good to use, set it aside for future use, using a square pointed shovel to remove the mulch and set into a wheelbarrow or designated area. If you have an area filled with weeds, one way to clear the space of weeds is to cover it with a black tarp, this will kill off the weeds for easy removal. This takes about two months, but the rub is that you will be creating a great environment for the existing soil and you will not need to till the soil once the weeds have died. Do this step if you plan on allowing your plants to have deeper roots. If you are limiting your beds to the potting soil then the next step is to place cardboard sheeting down to forestall future weeds. Do this by placing cardboard sheets slightly overlapping the weed-y area. While you are clearing your space you should also collect your tools. You will need carpenter screws, a drill with drill bit, plastic sheeting, paint stain, paint brushes, wood, potting soil, and 4 steel frames per box. You may also need to have compost and potting soil on hand.  Step 3: Building your Raised Garden Beds Typically wood is sold in 10, 12, and 15 foot planks. We chose the 2” x 6” redwood in 15 foot increments. Since we planned three beds at 3 foot by 7 foot with a 12 inch depth, we needed to purchase 10 planks. We were able to have these cut directly at Home Depot, but you can also do this at home if you have a saw. Once we brought our precut lumber home, we set out a large plastic sheet to stain the lumber. It is important to stain the lumber because it provides long term protection from pests and weather. We set the lumber out on our deck and stained each side twice allowing it to dry overnight then repeated the process on the opposite side. Once the stained lumber has dried, screw the wood together using the steel frames for each corner. Do this by placing two adjacent sides together. Use the steel frame to mark where you will drill your holes. Drill the holes where the steel frame will be. Set the steel frame in place and place your screws into the holes, use your drill to ensure a firm connection. Repeat this process by placing the next set of lumber on top so that the frame is connecting the top and bottom pieces of lumber. Repeat this process on all four sides of the container box. Once you are finished it is time to set your boxes into the prepared location.
Step 4: Raised Garden Bed Installation Place your finished container boxes into the designated area. You will need to supply enough potting soil for each raised bed. Since we had three raised beds without extra soil, we chose to purchase 30 bags to fill our raised beds. We put down cardboard and placed the mulch on top in the areas surrounding our beds to protect against weeds.  Step 5: Irrigation It is important to consider how you will be maintaining your raised beds throughout the year. Watering through the winter and spring months will be light work, but summer and fall watering will be imperative for a successful fall harvest. If you are lucky enough to already have irrigation available in your designated area, then utilizing this system will be a great maintenance saver later. Our family is using the old fashioned manual watering system. However needs to happen even in your absence. Here is a great article on how to install your own irrigation system.  Step 6: Plant seeds and seedlings Finally, you are ready for planting your seeds or seedlings!. Here is an article on winter gardening and another article on container gardening to refer to for what to plant. We chose to start our garden with spinach, chard, fava beans, red leaf lettuce and butter lettuce. With a bit of enthusiam and consistent effort, there’s no doubt you too can have a raised garden bed like the ones Living Classroom has in their school gardens!  Here are a few ideas for what you can do in your garden in January and February. Thanks to the climate in northern California, temperatures rarely get colder than 25 degrees making it possible for opportunities for year round gardening. We do get frost in the winter. This year we have already had several frosts and one hard freeze. Don’t let a little chill get in the way of maintaining your winter garden. Maintaining your winter garden is also a great gardening activity to do with kids. So get your gardening tools for kids big and small: clippers (or small scissors for the kids), your shovel or trowel, and some gardening gloves and get ready for some fun! Maintenance To help prepare plants for frost, stop applying Nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen fertilizer promotes fast tender growth. If a frost is predicted, cover tender crops with row covers. Our gardeners recommend covering citrus plants with old sheets and watering well before a frost or freeze. ‘ If rain is not in the forecast, turn on the irrigation. California winter gardens still require regular watering during colder temperatures. During winter it is a good time to prune and propagate your plants. Plan on cutting California fuschia to the ground. It is not recommended to prune Ceanothus or manzanita during the rainy season. If you have fruit trees and vines, now is the time to prune them. Pruning in winter can help control the spread of disease and encourage a good crop. Now is a good time to plant natives and sow native wildflowers. It is also a great time for propagation. Keep on top of the weeding, and bring your children into the garden every day and weed! Organic Backyard Edible Garden While you are readying your organic edible garden for winter and spring planting it is important to prepare your organic backyard edible garden beds and plan for planting. Now is the time to prepare your beds for spring planting, and several seeds and seedlings can be planted later this month in your winter garden. Soil Preparation First, clean up your garden area of debris and plants from the summer and fall months before beginning. Be sure to weed your organic edible garden regularly and carefully remove weeds as not to disturb the soil ecosystem. As the rains begin to fall, be sure to stay on top of the weeding so as to not allow the weeds go to seed. Preparing soil is an important first step. Most edible plants require a more acidic soil ph between 6.0-6.8. Test your soil before planting; these tests can be purchased online. Once you understand your soil’s ph you can properly amend the soil for the best spring planting results and highest crop yield. Learning about soil chemistry can be a great gardening activity for middle school students who are learning about ph and chemistry in their science class. Heavy tilling can lead to disrupting the soil ecosystem; it is recommended to regularly add organic matter to your soil. Add 3-4 inches of compost to your native soil, or consider using raised beds for your garden and use a vegetable blend that is readily available. Check out this video on composting if you’d like to learn more. The second important step is which plants you will be planting and where these plants will be located in your garden. Planting a variety of vegetables and moving these varieties throughout the garden will help stabilize soil nutrients. For example, planting fava beans in your garden is helpful to activate nitrogen in your soil.Regular beans can’t be planted right now as frost will kill the plants.. Planting cover crops* prior to the cold season can also help improve soil erosion and provide nitrogen to your soil. Many gardeners choose cool season green manures for their cover crops such as alfalfa, clover, and fava beans. All will serve to improve the atmospheric nitrogen in your soil. Another thing to consider is mulch. Now is a great time to sheet mulch. Put down plain cardboard (like Amazon boxes with tape and labels removed) to cover the ground completely and then mulch on top. Living Classroom gardeners are currently completing this at Crittenden Elementary School. **Timeline for Edible Organic Garden Seeds and Plants January and February are great months to plant bare root fruit and vegetables like asparagus, blackberries, grapes, raspberries, rhubarb, and strawberries. December through February are the dormant season after fall and before buds, which is when they should be planted. Bare root plants are coming into the nursery and are cheaper to purchase. In a couple months, the ones that were not sold will be potted up and will cost more. Get more information about tree selection at UC ANR’s Backyard Orchard site. Also: Early January: Start the following plants indoors: artichokes, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and chard. This is a great gardening activity to do with toddlers and young children. Check out this video for how to make a newspaper pot to make together for your seedlings. Late-January: Directly sow seeds like cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, onions, radishes, spinach, and turnips. Seeds can be planted in rows two to three feet apart. Sow seeds into the ground about one inch deep and two inches apart. Children love to plant seeds, bring them along for double the fun! Mid-February: When the threat of frost has passed, your seedlings should be ready to sow (plant). While you are planting these seedlings, you can sow carrot seeds directly. Check out this great video about how to plant seedlings! *In agriculture, cover crops are plants that are planted to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. Cover crops manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity and wildlife in an agroecosystem (an ecological system managed and shaped by humans). Cover crops may be an off-season crop planted after harvesting the ”cash crop”. They may grow over winter.[ (Wikipedia) **For specific planting dates go to this spring planting calculator. https://www.ufseeds.com/learning/growing-library/vegetable-planting-calendar-san-jose-california/ https://awaytogarden.com/when-to-start-seeds-calculator/ http://acmg.ucanr.edu/Your_Garden_Month-by-Month/ https://groedibles.com/resources/fallwinter-gardening/ https://www.finegardening.com/article/a-winter-vegetable-garden-in-northern-california http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/The_Kitchen_Garden/Additional_KG_Articles/Green_Manure_Cover_Crops/  The foundation for every healthy garden is healthy soil. Healthy, nutrient dense soil will help your plants to thrive. Soil damage occurs from rototilling the soil frequently, using pesticides, and from monoculture or planting the same crop in the same place every harvest. These practices not only weaken harvests over time which can result in an increased reliance upon pesticides and can result in issues with erosion. Choosing practices that support soil health will not only improve harvests and help our environment, they will also support the health of the gardener! What is Healthy Soil? A soil’s health can be defined as soil’s ability to sustain the living ecosystem. Healthy soil has a good combination of organic matter content, soil biology, soil chemistry, soil structure, and water filtration. Soil is made up of four components: clay, silt, sand, and loam. Together these create a soil texture. It is important to have a balance of each to promote healthy drainage and optimal conditions for living organisms to thrive. If your soil is out of balance, it can be remedied by amending it with compost. Rototilling Rototilling the soil is unnecessary under normal soil conditions. The process of photosynthesis feeds the plant and also stimulates chemical secretions which feed bacteria. These bacteria in turn protect the plant from disease and feed microbes who provide waste providing more nutrition to the plant. Microbes are also eaten by decomposers and arthropods. Decomposers tunnel through the soil creating air pockets which plants need and arthropods are predatory insects who will eat insects that may damage the plant. No-till plots have the highest yields as a result of supporting the ecosystem living beneath the soil! The practice of rototilling is harmful to the environment because the soil sequesters carbon dioxide and rototilling releases the carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. By supporting the soil’s relationship with the living organisms that live there carbon dioxide is pulled into the soil. Pesticides and Synthetic Fertilizer Pesticides damage the soil because it not only kills the garden pests that eat the crop, it also kills the living organisms vital to the ecosystem within the soil. Synthetic fertilizer dependence results in high nitrogen input and affects the carbon present in the soil. In effect it affects the microbial health of the soil. High nitrogen input also attracts pests like aphids and whiteflies. Testing your soil chemistry can assist decisions around which nutrients can be amended into the soil to prevent pests. If pesticides or lawn chemicals have been used in your garden you may need to test your garden’s PH. Plant varieties can be chosen based on the soil PH and will improve the soil quality long term. Soil can be amended with organic matter such as compost and balanced by using organic fertilizers. There are several alternatives to pesticide use such as companion planting, interplanting, and releasing insects that will eat the pests off your plants. Switching to sustainable pest management practices will not only serve the soil, it will also serve the gardener. According to PlanetNatural.com studies have found a link between pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease, autism and child cancers, neuroblastoma, leukemia, chronic infections, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis, infertility, neurological disorders, aggression, and depression. Monoculture Planting the same plants in the same place in your garden fails to feed the ecosystem a balanced diet and over time depletes the soil of necessary nutrients it needs to thrive. Plants and crops should be rotated annually to best serve the soil. Ground cover crops will help feed the ecosystem when a crop has been harvested and maintain the soil for the next rotation. Healthy Soil = Healthy Gardener Many studies state that gardening is an effective way to support the overall health of the gardener. According to an article by Permaculture College, the chemicals in healthy soil release serotonin, a natural antidepressant in the human body. Harvesting vegetables and fruits releases dopamine and creates happiness in the gardener. The use of pesticides and chemicals in the garden will hinder these natural responses and have the potential to create negative health conditions. Therefore, support the soil in your garden and it will in turn support you. While we miss having the students in the garden, the quiet has allowed the critters to take over the gardens! We have baby birds, insects and even a lizard! We have put nest boxes in some of our gardens and the birds have moved in. House wrens are about 4-1/2”-5-1/4” or 11-13 cm. They are small, very busy birds with a thin bill. The female lays 6-7 eggs that are white with reddish brown spots. The female incubates the eggs for about 12-15 days. The young leave the nest after 12-18 days. The female usually lays two clutches a year. They feed mostly on all kinds of insects. Caterpillars provide the most nutritious food for the babies. The wrens are mostly cavity nesters. The male begins building several nests and the female picks one nest which she finishes. The nest has a foundation of twigs, with a soft cup of plant fibers, grass, weeds, hair and feathers. Do we have an alligator living in the Theuerkauf Garden? No! We have a Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarnita)! We’ve seen this little critter living in the plant matter. Alligator Lizards are native to the Pacific Coast of North America. They live in all kinds of habitats such as grasslands, chaparral, forests and even our urban gardens. These reptiles have some interesting ways to defend themselves. They can pack quite a bit with their strong jaws. They can poop on you which has been described “as smelling like a dead fish that’s been left out in the sun for several days”. They can even detach their tails, which wiggle so the lizards can scurry away! The females lay two clutches of eggs, usually in May and June. The eggs hatch during late Summer and early Fall. The Mama Lizard will stay with her eggs to guard them until they hatch. These lizards can live from 10-15 years. They eat things like small arthropods, slugs, other lizards and even bird eggs. We’re very happy to have this lizard living in our garden. While the global response to the Coronavirus has caused a great deal of disruption to our economy and way of life, the shelter in place order has created a positive impact on our Earth. Atmospheric pollution has reduced drastically. Wildlife has been reported to be exploring deserted streets. Seed and gardening retailers struggle to keep up with the demand for seeds and gardening materials as people are turning to their gardens to cope with crisis.
Atmospheric pollution in the San Francisco Bay Area and other cities that are sheltering in place has reduced drastically since the order began. According to an article by UC Berkeley, air quality researchers found that one key pollutant, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) dropped by half one week after the shelter in place order began. Additionally, the EPA reported a one third year drop in significant pollution levels around San Francisco. According to an article by Forbes.com, Stanford Earth Systems professor, Marshall Burke, found that this decrease in atmospheric pollution could result in saving the lives of many who would have died of complications resulting from air quality. The decrease in human activity is not only impacting our atmosphere, but also wildlife. According to an article by Newsweek, animals have been braving excursions to abandoned city streets. Boars snuck into Barcelona, Kashmuri goats have moved into the Welsh town of Llandudno, and lions were seen sleeping on roads in South Africa. While many generalized species thrive when human activity declines, some species who are more specialized and require human conservation efforts to maintain their habitats are suffering. According to an article by Wired Magazine, not only are those species protected by conservation efforts at risk but also those who are in danger of poaching. Conservation efforts have been able to protect the environments of many types of wildlife, and with the current lockdown many animals are at risk. In our own homes, many of us are looking to our yards to help us through this crisis. After dealing with shortages of one thing or another at the supermarket many people have started their own edible gardens. According to an article by Huffpost, seed sales are up 300% and people are flocking to nurseries and hardware stores to start their own gardens. According to One Green Planet growing your own food creates independence from transporting using fossil fuels, reduces pesticide use, and avoids monocultures which all result in a reduced carbon footprint. If you are interested in container gardening, please go to our website for detailed instructions. While this has been a challenging time for everyone, the lockdown has given us pause to reflect on the human impact on our Earth. Satellite images confirm the atmospheric changes without traffic pollutants, conservation and efforts for specialized animal habitats and protections for endangered animals continue to be needed, and home based gardening reduces our carbon footprint. We find that our impact is both harmful and helpful to our Earth and those who share it with us. It is up to us to reflect on our own personal responsibility and where we go from here.
With times as they are now, many people are wanting to start growing their own vegetables. But, they only have a balcony or patio. Many vegetables can be grown in containers! There are many reasons why growing in containers is actually easier than growing in the ground. There are fewer pests such as grubs, snails, slugs and many more. Pests are easier to control in containers. It’s easy to provide a soil blend that fits the needs of each type of vegetable. The containers can easily be moved to fit the cultural needs such as sun and shade. Growing in containers is not as labor intensive. It’s fun to mix different vegetables with like needs in one container. Plant the taller ones in the center or to the back of the container and shorter ones in front. Best of all, you can try new and different vegetables, the ones you can’t readily get in the grocery store. What to Consider The amount of sunlight is the most important thing to consider. Most vegetables need between 4-6 hours of sunlight a day. If there isn’t enough sunlight, many of our favorite vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and melons can’t be grown. The best location is a south-facing spot but if that isn’t available, shade-lovers like lettuce and spinach can be grown. Be aware that containers will need more water than in-ground gardens. They can be hand watered or a drip system can easily be set up. How to Pick Containers I prefer terra cotta containers but they do dry out quickly. Wood is an attractive alternative but it will rot. Be sure not to use pressure treated wood. I also like using wine casks but they can be expensive. I don’t like plastic containers but they are cheap, retain water better and are long lasting. I do recycle the plastic pots that nursery plants come in. I have a very large nursery pot that I grow potatoes in. What Soil to Use I use organic potting soil and it works well. Choose a soil that is well-drained, retains water and a pH close to neutral. I don’t use garden soil in my containers. Garden soil will compact in containers, leading to poor drainage and air circulation. Good Choices for Container Gardens Tomatoes: Patio Princess, Bushsteak, Sweetheart of the Patio, Marglobe, Baxter’s Bush Cherry, Sweet Baby Girl, Gardener’s Delight, Stupice, Tumbling Tom Yellow Lettuce: Most Pepper: Most Radish: Cherry Belle, Icicle, Champion, Scarlet Globe Squaash: Scallopini, Baby Crookneck, Creamy, Golden Nugget, Gold Rush, most zucchinis This article was written by Patti Berryhill, Garden Manager at Living Classroom. Patti has been working with Living Classroom for 6 years. She holds a Bachelor's of Science in Agriculture and an Associate's Degree in Environmental Horticulture and Design. In addition to working with Living Classroom, Patti owns a landscaping business.  Sheltering at home may lend itself to projects to complete in the garden. If you’ve considered replacing lawn with a naturescape, you’ve already considered a valuable first step in protecting the native environment. According to Doug Tallamy, a professor of entomology at the University of Delaware, homeowners and gardeners can go even further to steward the environment by choosing native plants that provide nourishment to insects, birds, and small mammals. By going this extra step we are protecting these species from possible extinction, as well as protecting our own survival.
Insect life is vital to our survival because they are the bottom rung of the food chain. Without a wide variety of insect life we fail to feed the animals and insects that pollinate our food supply and provide us protein. Our habit of utilizing landscaping materials which ignore the needs of the life around us creates a potential problem for us long term. As a result, many species of insects have already gone to extinction. Although we cannot change what has been done, we have an opportunity to foster an environment which protects insect life and ultimately the small birds and mammals that feed on them. It is a common misconception that birds only eat seeds and berries, however, baby birds eat only insects. The insect that is chosen most frequently are caterpillars because caterpillars are soft and have the right amount of nutrition to support a baby bird. Similar to our own nutrition requirements to eat a wide variety of foods, birds and other mammals require a wide variety of species of insects in order to provide proper nutrition to their young. Therefore birds thrive in environments which support moths and butterflies. Fortunately, a few select varieties of native plants supply a majority of the food supply for these vital insects. By planting native plants which are food sources for caterpillars, we also support birds and other wildlife habitat. According to “Superfoods in the Insect Garden” by the Ecological Landscape Alliance insect superfood species include oak, willows, plums, cranberry, blueberry, goldenrod, aster, and sunflower. According to Calscape.org species that are native to the Santa Clara County area include: Oak:
Willow:
Goldenrod:
Aster:
Sunflower:
One thing you may have heard lately with the recent shelter in place order is the sound of birds. Without the deafening and constant hum of vehicles passing, bird sounds are considerably more prominent. Choosing native plant life which provides nourishment to the birds and insects will ensure their survival and the long term protection of the biodiversity of the natural environment. It is possible for you to continue to complete these garden projects at home with safe practice services provided by Summerwinds Nursery. Please responsibly use social distancing practices when leaving your home and never leave if you have symptoms of illness. Living Classroom wishes you good health and abundant gardening. Thinking about replacing your non-native plants with California natives? The benefits to planting native plants in your garden are huge. Planting native plants is extremely low maintenance. By choosing the correct time to plant, planning and preparing the planting area, and choosing native plants that will take root in the spring to survive the hotter summer temperatures you will be welcoming an attractive and environmentally beneficial landscape. California Native plants work in conjunction with the habitat of wildlife and will attract hummingbirds, songbirds, and butterflies furthering the beauty of your garden. A native naturescape in your garden will provide a variety of hidden treasures to your garden. Replacing non-native plants with native ones helps the environment by reducing the need for fertilizer, pesticides, and watering - thereby reducing water run-off and improving air quality. The long term benefits to our environment and to your water bill will be lasting. Raking and fertilizers will be a thing of the past because the leaves provide the soil nutrition and will also act as a weed deterrent. Most California Natives require very little watering and are drought tolerant which will save both time and money. With the threat of frost having past, now is the perfect time to establish a small native sanctuary in your backyard. In Northern California February and March are great months to start planting native plants in your yard. The soil temperature is prime for planting and the success rate is high. If you water the new plants weekly you can expect a loss rate of approximately 5%. You can bet on higher temperatures this summer, so plant soon to allow for your new plants to take root. There are a wide variety of hearty native plants that will thrive when planted late winter or early spring. There are many varieties of California Native plants to consider for your garden. In addition to the songbirds and butterflies natives attract, California Native plants also have many medicinal values which have long been used by Native Americans. The following list contains just a few to add beauty to any naturescape and are acceptable to plant in late winter early spring. Consider the following varieties for your garden: Deergrass - Deergrass was used by Native Americans for basket weaving. It provides habitat for birds and insects. It offers a textural diversity to any landscape with it’s texture of thin blades fanning out from dense foliage. It also will need very little water and thrives in full sun. Sticky Monkey Flower - The orange blossoms of this perennial will attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The flowers also were used by Native Americans as antiseptic bandages for burns. The flower thrives with very little need for frequent watering, but summer watering will extend the blooming period. California Redbud - The California Redbud is a shrub featuring brightly colored magenta flowers which provide nectar to hummingbirds. This shrub is best planted along irrigation and can be planted in full or partial sun. California Fuchsia - Hummingbirds love the nectar of the trumpet shaped blooms in fall, this hearty shrub can also provide erosion control for steep slopes. Common Yarrow The flowers of the yarrow attract butterflies and ladybugs and were used by Native Americans to treat colds, flu, burns, and sprains. It was also used during the Civil War to treat wounds. Toyon - The berries of this shrub attract birds and once provided a food source for Native Americans. This shrub is drought tolerant but will thrive with periodic watering. Hollyleaf Cherry - Many birds and mammals make shelter in this shrub. It also attracts butterflies. The shrub does well in well drained soils and requires no summer irrigation once it is established. California Buckwheat A small needle like leaves retain water during drought. This evergreen shrub produces seeds that attract songbirds and mammals. It also boasts pink flower clusters which attract bees. California Native Plants are already adapted to native soil and therefore, depending on your planting area little or no preparation is needed for the soil prior to planting. If you are replacing turf you may need to plan how to remove the grass and restore the soil layer. For detailed instructions on how to plan for replacing turf with native plants please visit plantnative.org. Dig a hole that is twice the width and and the depth of the container. Fill the hole with water and allow it to soak through. When pulling the native plant from the container, shake loose any extra dirt without tampering with the roots. Smooth out the remaining dirt. The root ball should be ½” higher than the surrounding dirt. Native Plants do not need fertilizer, but they will benefit from mulch. Research the types of mulch beneficial to the native plants you intend on planting by going to Calscape.org. Do not surround the root ball with mulch as it will suffocate, mulch the area surrounding the plant area. While beginning a native naturescape may take some effort, one may choose to plant a small area in your yard then slowly replace more non-natives with native plants. By choosing native plants you are making a choice to protect and preserve our local ecosystem. By choosing native plants you are also choosing a low cost, low maintenance, and beautiful garden. The short term effort of beginning a native garden for your home results in far-reaching benefits both present and into the future. With relatively mild weather and wide variation of biomes, California is home to several endemic species. Some of these species face endangerment due to construction of freeways, using wetland habitats for landfills, and suburban development. Three such species with shrinking habitats include the California Newt, the California clapper rail, and the Valley elderberry longhorn beetle.
The California Newt can be found along the coastline from San Francisco to Santa Ana. They are five to eight inches in length and breed in ponds along the forest. Their skin produces a toxin to protect them from predators and salamanders in the area have evolved to mimic the unique coloring of the newt. Although newt habitats have been compromised by the building of roads and homes, many efforts are being made to protect these creatures. Grasslands Ecology restores habitats throughout the bay area by planting native plants and removing invasive plant species. There are also road closures to protect newts crossing the roads for breeding season. These efforts are helping to ensure the indigenous newt population is restored. The California clapper rail is native to the California coast from Morro Bay to the San Francisco Bay. This bird makes her home in the pickleweed and cordgrass of the California Bay Areas wetlands. These areas are quickly becoming destroyed by landfills and urban encroachment. The California clapper rail is similar to a chicken and cannot fly to avoid danger. Fortunately, awareness of the endangerment of this species has led to efforts to protect the unusual bird. Efforts by the federal and state government protecting breeding seasons and through habitat restoration efforts made possible by nonprofit organizations like Save the Bay are working specifically to restore the California clapper rail population. Making his home in the riparian woodland in California’s Central Valley, the Valley elderberry longhorn beetle thrives in stands of elder shrubs. These elder shrubs make a perfect home for the beetle so that their young can tunnel in the inch thick upper stems. This messy pollinator helps the ecosystem by spreading the pollen to further fertilization of the elderberry seeds. The beetle was placed on the Threatened Species list in the 1980’s due to suburban encroachment. Agencies and conservationists have continued to make protection of the riparian woodland habitat a priority so that these beetles can be delisted as endangered. Californians have the opportunity to protect the ecosystem by becoming environmental stewards. With awareness and consideration of the animals that live in our state we can support efforts to protect endemic species essential to our thriving environment. We can also volunteer or donate to Save the Bay and Grassroots Ecology to assist in efforts to restore the natural habitat of the California newt, the California clapper rail, and the Valley elderberry longhorn beetle. We can arm ourselves with information about native plants and habitats and use that knowledge when we vote. Although the habitats of several species native to California have been threatened in the past, efforts are being made to re-establish the environment. We can protect the California newt, California clapper rail, and Valley elderberry longhorn beetle from being threatened. Through efforts by conservationists these species are being protected. We all have a role in restoring our environment. Share your knowledge, donate to a cause, volunteer, and vote to be part of these efforts. By protecting California’s environment and endemic species we can ensure the beauty we love about living here will stay for years to come. Garden maintenance is important throughout the year. In the December months, plan to continue to maintain your garden by amending soil and adding mulch. Additionally, December is when you must protect your winter crops from pests and frost. Harvesting winter vegetables and greens will also continue through this month. Your garden will thrive with continued care and consideration.
Since Northern California experiences little rain, mulching your garden continues to be an important aspect of winter maintenance. This both preserves soil and keeps the weeds away. Be sure to water at least once a month if it has not rained. If it does rain, check your landscape for large puddles where soil may be heavier and will need to be amended. Don’t bother raking fallen leaves as they provide ground cover and nutrition to the soil. For newer plants, purchase frost cloths or old sheets to protect against the colder temperatures. Newer plants won’t have the established root system and are more vulnerable. Although temperatures are lower and there are fewer issues with pests, slugs and cabbage worms will continue to be problematic throughout the winter months. Protect your plants with iron phosphate and copper flashing. Row covers are a solution to both protect against slugs and cabbage worms, as well as low temperatures. Winter crops such as cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, and beets will regrow continuously through February; plants such as spinach and lettuce can continue to be cut to the root during this time and regrow. Be sure to harvest continuously. Unless there is frost, then prune and cut down plants to the root that are browning. When you continue to maintain your garden you will also be preparing your soil and garden for the upcoming months. By watching your garden for pests, puddles, browning of plants, and by ensuring your soil is mulched and plants are harvested, your garden will continue to develop into the winter months. Happy gardening! With the recent destruction of the Santa Barbara Cave fire with over 4200 acres burning and 0% containment in the wake of trauma from wildfire destruction throughout the state of California, Californians are left to look to our past to move forward. For thousands of years tribes throughout the state used intentional burns to renew cultural resources, create habitats, and reduce the risk of larger wildfires. Under desperate circumstances, California lawmakers look to indiginous practices of light burning to prevent future fires.
For decades laws have suppressed using fire as a preventative solution for larger forest fires, now California is looking to local tribes to assist in the effort to prevent larger fires. Native people believe that the land is a renewing resource and believe that frequent small fires maintain oak tree health, clear prairie habitats, and prepares for drought tolerance. According to ‘Fire As Medicine’ from the Guardian “In 2015, Robbins, Lake, Tripp and other indigenous fire practitioners began collaborating on a strategy to bring back native practices. Together they authored a “healthy country plan”, laying out the ramifications of fire exclusion and a path to returning indigenous burning to Karuk, Hupa and Yurok land in order to renew and maintain cultural resources, create sustainable economic opportunity, and make the land more resilient in the face of the climate crisis. That work has grown into the Indigenous Peoples Burn Network.” The idea of this healthy country plan is to bring back the health of the land, which the Yurok believe cannot be had without the use of fire as medicine. Margo Robbins, Yurok tribe member and co-lead and advisor of the Indigenous People’s Burn Network stated, “When our land is healthy, and our spiritual and cultural connection to our land is healthy, then we, as a people, will be healthy again.” Thoughtful, intentional light fires could be a solution to the larger destructive fires. Although it remains illegal to intentionally set fires without Fire Department oversight, lawmakers are learning to embrace tribal practices. Tribes do not believe that light-burning is a solution for the climate crisis, but they do believe that it is one part of the process. They believe that fire is medicine for the land and greater habitats, and lawmakers are beginning to see the benefits to the thousands of years of experience that they bring to protecting our land. This October prepare for spring by planting bulbs and winter crops. Now is the time to dig up bulbs and perennial flowers to prepare for superior growth. Place bulbs in a paper or mesh bag in the refrigerator for 6-8 weeks, storing them away from apples to prevent early sprouting. Bulbs should be planted once temperatures have cooled down, late October or early November here in the Bay Area. Be sure to plant them in full sun in an area with good drainage. Plant them three times deeper than your bulb is tall with the pointy side up. Organic compost placed inside planting holes ensures good blooming. Now is also a great time to plant winter crops! The Bay Area, California has the perfect autumn climate to plant winter crops such as onions, garlic, broccoli, carrots, spinach, beets, chard, and lettuce. You need less space for your winter garden and can plant seedlings closer together to prevent erosion from rainfall.
This fall Living Classroom's first grade students will plant winter vegetables while learning about photosynthesis in a lesson called "Powerful Plants". Students will plant their own seedling and will measure the growth during planting and throughout the seedling's growth to harvest. The children will harvest these vegetables during their winter "Growing Vegetable Soup" lesson. During this lesson they will make a delicious soup with the vegetables that they harvested from their own vegetable garden! Want to see what we do where we do it? Please join our Garden Tour on Wednesday, Oct 30, at 1pm at Landels School to see our "Powerful Plants" lesson in action. Space is limited, so please sign up at gardentours@living-classroom.org  The foundation for every healthy garden is healthy soil. Healthy, nutrient dense soil will help your plants to thrive. Soil damage occurs from rototilling the soil frequently, using pesticides, and from monoculture or planting the same crop in the same place every harvest. These practices not only weaken harvests over time which can result in an increased reliance upon pesticides and can result in issues with erosion. Choosing practices that support soil health will not only improve harvests and help our environment, they will also support the health of the gardener!
What is Healthy Soil? A soil’s health can be defined as soil’s ability to sustain the living ecosystem. Healthy soil has a good combination of organic matter content, soil biology, soil chemistry, soil structure, and water filtration. Soil is made up of four components: clay, silt, sand, and loam. Together these create a soil texture. It is important to have a balance of each to promote healthy drainage and optimal conditions for living organisms to thrive. If your soil is out of balance, it can be remedied by amending it with compost. Rototilling Rototilling the soil is unnecessary under normal soil conditions. The process of photosynthesis feeds the plant and also stimulates chemical secretions which feed bacteria. These bacteria in turn protect the plant from disease and feed microbes who provide waste providing more nutrition to the plant. Microbes are also eaten by decomposers and arthropods. Decomposers tunnel through the soil creating air pockets which plants need and arthropods are predatory insects who will eat insects that may damage the plant. No-till plots have the highest yields as a result of supporting the ecosystem living beneath the soil! The practice of rototilling is harmful to the environment because the soil sequesters carbon dioxide and rototilling releases the carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. By supporting the soil’s relationship with the living organisms that live there carbon dioxide is pulled into the soil. Pesticides and Synthetic Fertilizer Pesticides damage the soil because it not only kills the garden pests that eat the crop, it also kills the living organisms vital to the ecosystem within the soil. Synthetic fertilizer dependence results in high nitrogen input and affects the carbon present in the soil. In effect it affects the microbial health of the soil. High nitrogen input also attracts pests like aphids and whiteflies. Testing your soil chemistry can assist decisions around which nutrients can be amended into the soil to prevent pests. If pesticides or lawn chemicals have been used in your garden you may need to test your garden’s PH. Plant varieties can be chosen based on the soil PH and will improve the soil quality long term. Soil can be amended with organic matter such as compost and balanced by using organic fertilizers. There are several alternatives to pesticide use such as companion planting, interplanting, and releasing insects that will eat the pests off your plants. Switching to sustainable pest management practices will not only serve the soil, it will also serve the gardener. According to PlanetNatural.com studies have found a link between pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease, autism and child cancers, neuroblastoma, leukemia, chronic infections, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis, infertility, neurological disorders, aggression, and depression. Monoculture Planting the same plants in the same place in your garden fails to feed the ecosystem a balanced diet and over time depletes the soil of necessary nutrients it needs to thrive. Plants and crops should be rotated annually to best serve the soil. Ground cover crops will help feed the ecosystem when a crop has been harvested and maintain the soil for the next rotation. Healthy Soil = Healthy Gardener Many studies state that gardening is an effective way to support the overall health of the gardener. According to an article by Permaculture College, the chemicals in healthy soil release serotonin, a natural antidepressant in the human body. Harvesting vegetables and fruits releases dopamine and creates happiness in the gardener. The use of pesticides and chemicals in the garden will hinder these natural responses and have the potential to create negative health conditions. Therefore, support the soil in your garden and it will in turn support you. |
AuthorVicki Moore Archives
June 2021
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