Fight Orchard Pests with Flower Power!

A parasitoid wasp. Most of these wasps are under a quarter-
of-an-inch and none are able to sting humans.

I was talking to a friend a few weeks ago and he told me that he never sprays his apple trees, but he regularly has 25% of his apples worm free. He didn't know why, but I have a pretty good idea what is preventing his apples from being damaged.

My friend lives on his old family farm in Lehi, Ut and it is full of "weeds" that are left unsprayed and usually un-mowed. These feral plants feed all comers including small parasitoidal wasps. These wasps lay eggs on a number of pests, including apple codling moths. When the eggs hatch they start eating the pests.

This is not a perfect system, but it is a sensible way to have better fruit with no added chemicals. And you don't need to live on a farm to make it work! All you need is to plant more flowers.  Not all flowers are created the same and some flowers will do more to attract predators.

Below is a list of some of the more useful plants for attracting parasitiod wasps. They are all readily available in seed or plant form at your local nursery or on line.

Scientific Name	Common Name	Growth Type
Achillea spp.	Yarrow	Perennial
Agastache foeniculum	Anise hyssop	Perennial
Artemisia spp.	Wormwood, sagebrush	Perennial
Aster spp.	Aster	Perennial
Astragalus spp.	Vetch	Perennial
Baptisia spp.	False indigo	Perennial
Bellis perennis	English daisy	Perennial
Borago officinalis	Borage	Annual, reseeding
Caragana spp.	Peashrub	Shrub
Chamaemelum nobile	Roman, English chamomile	Perennial
Chrysogonum virginianum	Green and gold	Perennial
Coreopsis spp.	Tickseed	Perennial
Echinacea purpurea	Purple cone flower	Perennial
Foeniculum vulgare	Fennel	Perennial
Helianthus spp.	Sunflower, Sunchoke	Annual, perennial
Lupinus spp.	Lupine	Annual, perennial
Medicago satvia	Alfalfa	Perennial
Robinia hispida	Rosa acacia	Shrub
Robinia pseudoacacia	Black locust	Tree
Solidago spp.	Goldenrod	Perennial
Trifolium spp.	Sweet clover	Biennial

The best places to plant these plants is as need your orchard area as possible. In the case of the annuals and perennials, planting them under and around the fruit trees is best. If that is not possible, a flower bed near the trees would be the next best thing.

It will take a few years to start attracting wasps, so be patient and take the time to work with nature. Any other flowers, especially perennials, are likely to help, so feel free to add more flowers and flowerbeds to your property. All the good critters will love you for it.

Manana!

Designing Gardens for a Better Future

What I do is hard for most people to understand. The idea of growing food at home seems to have a hard time getting beyond the idea of the back yard raised planter. Much of that problem is caused by the concept that food production must be something that is hidden in the back yard, or put where the neighbors are not going to see it.

Many Americans have gone even further and decided that growing food is the job of professionals far away and that anyone trying to do it themselves is a menace and should be stopped. This is not far fetched if you look at city ordinances and HOA bylaws.

Since I am taking a step or five in the opposite direction of those trying to prohibit gardens, and since that still puts me a few steps away from the average gardener, I can see why there is a gap in understanding. To help clear up this gap here are some of the ideas I work with:

• Food and support of food should be the primary goal of the yard and home landscape.
• Plants do better with different types associated together.
• Planting different food crops in layers prevents waste of energy and plant nutrients.
• Food plants are beautiful.
• Perennial flowers are good for the food garden.
• The right balance of animals in the garden are better than trying to kill all the insects and critters.
• Perennial flowers are good for balancing the critters and insects.
• Fertilizer creation should be done at home whenever possible. 

To achieve these goals, thinking and design have to be stretched further than most people have the experience to do themselves. So, I try to do it for them.

Now that you have my ideas, what do you think your landscape should provide you?

God is a Designer

And yes, I am Mormon.

I don't talk about religion much on this blog. There are too many fights to be had, too much bashing what a person believes without understanding why he believes it. But this week I feel strongly that I need to share a little of what I believe.

I believe in God. I believe that humans were created in the image of God. I believe that God created everything in this universe and that the design is--exquisit.

Because we are created in God's image, we too, are suposed to create. And our designs have the capacity to be exquisit. I believe that we are suposed to work to make our creations closer to God's standard of design. I don't think any of us will achieve that in this life, but we still have to try.

I believe each of us is responsible to use our creative talents to the best of our ability. Some people say they are not creative, or that they lack talents. This is not true. The talents are there, they may be buried by lack of use or by teachings of a harsh system. Some people think they have no skill because they compare themselves to others.

All of the reasons and false logic don't matter.

You were created by God to create and design. Go out and do it.

Water Conservation or Moneyscaping?

This an "improved" water conserving landscape.

On a study day at one of the local water conservation garden I found this great example of how you can save water in your yard. Or is it?

The above photo has this great concrete patio with a matching bench/amphitheater, a built in BBQ (off camera)

This is the "standard" water wasting yard.

It is clear that the first picture requires less water, but only because it does not have the same amount of turf. The tree and shrub selections are not that much better than those of the standard landscape. The concrete pad is not intended to gather water for any of the plants, so really, its only function for water conservation is to reduce the amount of grass.

What bothers me most is that the water conserving garden is obviously designed and a huge amount of money was spent to install it, while the normal landscape is a mockery of what a home owner might put in themselves.

People are not going to be inspired to save water if it feels like it is beyond them financially. They are not going to save water if they feel the only way to do it is to hire a designer. (Although if they do, I would like to be at the top of their list!) 

And people are not going to save water if their efforts are going to be treated as if they are stupid. This display needs to be redone with respect to the real needs instead of it being a landscape architect's resume building dream.

Time for us all to get back to the real world!

Free Life Giving Water!

Free life giving water!

A few weeks ago I found a bleeding heart plant in full bloom. That is not unusual, but where I found it was. It was on the north side of a foreclosed house with no artificial irrigation. In the wetter areas of the country this is still not unusual, but in a valley of the second driest state in the nation?

Given the basics of climate the plant shouldn't be there. But when I took a closer look at where it was planted, there was a rain gutter drain right next to it. The melting water from the snow covered roof drained into the soil under the bleeding heart and was stored until the plant needed it.

I don't think you can store enough water for thirsty plant for a whole year from the roof. But you can make a big difference early on. And cut your total water bill.

All it takes is just a little planning ahead!

I don't need to plant, that was done last year...

Lettuce gone wild.

While other gardeners are bemoaning the last days of winter, I am already started on this year's planting. Well, actually I started last spring. The lettuce plant you see above is a seedling of lettuce I planted last year. Half-a-dozen plants bolted before I could eat them and I left them in place to give the wind a chance to do its job.


Surprisingly, the new lettuce plants are near where the originals were. Less surprisingly, they are all in divots where the wind is too weak to blow them back out. While I have never been strong on a smooth seed bed, I think it is time to make them even more rough.

Rhubarb and a pea.

A few peas have found a way to sprout in mid-January as well. The one above will be an interesting companion plant to the rhubarb and strawberries that I planted last fall.

I will plant a few more lettuce and pea seeds since I don't quite have enough to cover my expected needs. I will be sure to leave a few of the best plants to give me seed for next year.


Now my biggest problem is what to do with the time that I was going to use for planting. Hmm, maybe it is time to talk to the landlord about digging up more lawn....

The Four Season Garden

Spring

Back when I was in college, we had an assignment to create a four season flower garden. The point of this garden was to show the visible appeal of the garden in any given time of year and make us design for that look.

Summer

Since that time I have not worked for a client with a keen enough interest to warrant my time and his money to provide such detail. But I always keep it in mind and slip in plants  that will fill the year round need for beauty and food.

This type of analysis is vital to the permaculturist as well as any serious food grower. Every farm and garden needs to consider food productivity and total growing power for the entire year. No useful gaps should be forgotten or productivity will go down.

Fall

Further maps may be needed to point out planting, growing, and harvest times. Or a coding system may be used to give more detailed information on just four maps. As with any design system, the limit of what can be done is only bound by the imagination.

Winter

The Daddy Bed

The Daddy bed. Almost all finished.

Every child deserves a daddy bed. When children are young they get held by their parents most of the time. As they get older they get hugs as they scrape their knees, have conflicts, and any time they just need them. A little older and things change. 

For a teenager, what used to be the perfect time for a hug just a year or two earlier becomes an unforgivable trespass with little or no warning to the parent.

A few holes in the wrong spots.

A few fixes.

The solution is to hide the hugs as something else. In my case I have hugs hidden into the custom bed I designed and made for my daughter.

The bed is out of building stock Douglass fir. The posts are 4x4s. The rails for the head and foot boards, as well as the mattress rails are 2x6s. Inside the mattress rails are supports for a mattress board, they are made out of 2x3s. The mattress board is a 3/4 inch particle board cut to size.

Those Headlok screws are
not lined up!

According to a friend of mine, I over-engineered my hardware. Each side of each mattress rail has two 3/8x6" lag screws holding it to the 4x4. The same hardware could have been used for the other rails. I chose to use six inch Headlok screws with finished heads instead, so I could cut down on my finishing hassle. 

The Headlok system claims to be stronger that 3/8" lag screws, so I could have used them for everything, but I feel safer with more metal. The Headloks usually don't need to be pre-drilled, but when you are going through 3 1/2" of Doug fir they tend to wander, so pre-drilling is recommended. 

I wanted a simple finish so I opted for fruit colored Danish oil. It was easy to apply and looks good. It is a little thinner than I expected, so I might have to refinish in a few years. 

The headboard.

The footboard.

I planned on leaving the bed a little rough from the outset so I did not mercilessly sand to perfection. Ink lumber markings are still visible, as are a few measuring lines. I even have a bunch of extra holes from planning the lags and Headloks into the same space. They are not ugly and help tell the story of the difficulties I had in making the bed.

And I did have difficulties. None of the lumber is perfect. Every piece is cracked or warped. And I found out I cannot drill straight. It just isn't an option.

I am happy with the bed though. It is not perfect, but it looks good and is strong. 

Most importantly it was made with love and was received with love.

The End of Landscaping

The concept of a garden seems to be increasingly lost in America. Instead, we prefer plenty of carpet-mown grass with kidney-bean shaped tree and shrub beds plunked in the middle. We lovingly call this 'landscaping' to try and connect ourselves with the great painters of the past.


Well, at least some people stay true to the idea that a garden should be a unique endevor. And some of those are bold enough to use them for food as well!


These photos are great for stimulating design changes in next year's garden:

These folks are getting serious about food.

This resident shares food with his neighbors, they never 

complain to the city.

This wins my prize for best use of a boulevard
strip!

This garden is near my house. I look
forward to seeing the changes as the
summer progresses.

A bit of the wild look.

Food and beauty. These folks have it together!

Nuts Varieties for Utah

A columnar English oak can be grown in
many suburban gardens with out taking
over the full lot.

One of the most neglected plants in the edible landscape is the nut tree. In my native Utah, walnut trees are a common sight, but often outgrow the space they are planted in.

Below, I've put together a list of trees that can be planted on a typical quarter acre lot. Not all of them are the best choices for all home owners. When choosing a nut tree remember to account for size at maturity, how quickly it produces, how well the nuts will store, and yearly productivity. And don't forget personal taste!

Common Name Scientific name Cultivar Height Width Notes Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa 70-80' 80-90' Big prickly acorns, favorite ammunition for kids. Swamp white oak Quercus bicolor 50-60' 60-70' Great for wetter areas. Will get chlorotic (yellow) leaves in alkali soils. English oak Quercus robur species 40-60' 40-60 Susceptible to mildew and aphids. Fastigiata 50-60 10-15' Will get wider after three or four decades. Susceptible to the same pests as the species. Gamble (scrub) oak Quercus gambelii 15-25' 15-20' Native oak growing in clonal clumps with small acorns that attract bluejays. Given enough time and little maintenance clumps may get to be quit large. Almond Prunus dulcis All-in-One 15-20' 15' Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Best in warmer valley areas. Hall 20-30' 20' Best with a pollinator, Joranolo or Texas. Small slightly bitter nut. Starts blooming with apricots and ends with the peaches. Mission 20-30' 20' Small nut with a harder than usual shell. Late bloomer and pollinates best with Hall or Nonpareil. Filbert (hazel) Corylus 15-20' 15' Varieties vary greatly depending on where you buy them. Make sure you have an appropriate pollinator. English walnut Juglans regia 60' 60' Many varieties, make sure you get one listed as 'Carpathian' type for good winter hardiness. Nuts should be small to medium and well sealed for best quality. Butternut Juglans cenerea 50-60' 50-60' The tastiest nut in the Juglans genus but do not stand under the tree when they fall. The nuts are heavy enough to do damage. Apricot Prunus armeniaca Chinese (Mormon) up to 38' Use only sweet pit varieties as a nut, others are toxic. Piñon Pine Pinus edulis 30-65' 25 years to cropping. Will only crop heavily every third year. Single-leaf Piñon Pinus monophylla 30-65' 25 years to cropping. Will only crop heavily every third year.

Picking Permaculture Plants for Utah

Have you ever wanted to grow a food forest but didn't know how? Join TreeUtah and me at the Day-Riverside Library in Salt Lake City. I will be covering the basics of what Utah-based food forest can provide and what to plant to make it happen.

TreeUtah’s Autumn Permaculture Series: Picking Permaculture Plants for Utah

Saturday, Sep 24  10:00am - 12:30pm Day-Riverside Library 1575 West 1000 North Register at: http://treeutah.org/events/event-registration/

There will be a $10 registration donation for TreeUtah. A larger donation never hurt!

Garden Villains

A Russian olive is a beautiful and potentially
useful tree. Unfortunately birds are spreading 

this tree's seeds in neighboring yards, fields, 

and wild land areas.

I have some friends that are so busy being wowed by plants in general that they will tell you the virtue of dandelions, amaranth, and plantains.


And I don't have a problem with that. Many weeds are useful and only minor nuisances at worst. But there are many that will do extreme damage to landscapes and nativescapes. 


The weeds that are most annoying to me are trees. This is because most people see a tree and assume that it must be good because it is a tree. They refuse to see that the wrong tree is just as bad as the wrong anything.


The traits that make a tree a weed are the same ones that make any plant a weed:

• Invasive  The plant is aggressive and moves into new areas easily.
• Monoculture  A single species dominates an area, allowing for no competition or other niches.
• Selected Displacement  A plant that totally out-competes a valued (usually native) plant.
• Dangerous  A species that creates an unreasonable hazard. Remember all trees have some danger.

The weed trees in your area are likely to be different than the ones I am familiar with. You will only find them by researching and asking the right people the right questions.  To start with, you could ask the local urban forester, a park ranger, an ecology professor, or a local conversation group.

As for the right questions, ask if the trees you are interested in meet any of the criteria above. After you ask a few experts you will likely learn more about the tree than you ever thought possible.

Remember good gardening is not just hard work, it is the process of learning and finding better ways of doing things. Especially if you are doing something that is going to be around for a while!