More Related Content Similar to Native plants & the vegetable garden 2012 (20) Native plants & the vegetable garden 20121. Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants
Project SOUND – 2012 (our 8th year)
© Project SOUND
2. Into the Vegetable Garden:
Using CA Native Plants in the
Edibles Garden
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
June 2 & 5, 2012
© Project SOUND
3. Many of us grow edibles in our home
gardens (or are thinking of starting)
http://www.denverpost.com/grow/ci_20587823/big-flavors-from-small-fruits
© Project SOUND
4. Benefits of growing your own fruits &
vegetables
Fun
Educational
Good exercise
Interesting looking plants
Saves money
Tasty, fresh ingredients
http://bloomtown.typepad.com/bloomtown/bloomtown_my_garden/
Opportunity to grow heirloom
varieties – and to grow foods
that are not genetically modified
Chance to grow & use ‘exotic’
ingredients – including CA native
plants
http://vegetablegardenathome.com/ © Project SOUND
5. Are CA native plants and edibles
gardens really compatible?
© Project SOUND
6. Ways in which ‘conventional’ edibles
may differ from native plants
Water requirements:
many conventional edible
plants require more water
than many CA native plants
Nutrient requirements:
many conventional edibles
require more nutrients
than most CA native plants
like/need
© Project SOUND
7. Of course you can plan for different water needs –
that’s what Water Zone Gardening is all about
© Project SOUND
8. You can also get around the other
differences – with a little planning
© Project SOUND
9. Summer’s a good time to re-evaluate
What works well? What needs changing?
http://blog.gardenerd.com/2007/10/13/raised-beds--part-1-materials.aspx
© Project SOUND
10. We look on-line for some inspiration
http://efnep.ucdavis.edu/?blogpost=4501&blogasset=17351
http://pcnatthegreenshow.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/california-spring-trials-day-3-along-the-central-coast/
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16684008.tip.html
© Project SOUND
http://timberglade.typepad.com/outside/vegetables/
11. Your resolutions: Minor changes to most of the
raised beds – a few repairs
summer 2012
Convert the back beds to
narrow beds for specialty crops
– more space between them &
back fence
Better use of the back fence
area: ?? New vines
Add a few more beds – allow
you to ‘rest’ some beds each
year for plant health
http://blog.gardenerd.com/2007/10/13/raised-beds--part-1-materials.aspx
Use the large pots more
Incorporate native plants into Create some open areas
the edible garden; use more surrounding garden for
heirloom varieties pollinator plants/ plants to
attract beneficial insects
© Project SOUND
12. You’ve got the whole summer to get ready
for fall planting – time to get cracking!
http://www.mastergardeners.org/projects/gilroy.html
© Project SOUND
13. Guide to S. CA Vegetable Crops
Warm-season Vegetables Cool-season Vegetables
Plant:
Plant: From seed: Aug-Oct in shaded
From seed: Mar-May; depends pots; Sep-Oct in ground
on how cold the spring is From starts: Oct-Dec
From starts: Apr-June (even
July for late crops) Ripen:
Early crops: Oct-Nov
Ripen:
Late crops: Dec-Feb
Early crops: June-July (Aug)
Late crops: Aug-Sept Examples:
Examples: Early crops: broccoli, brussels
sprouts, cauliflower, kale,
Early crops: beans, cucumbers,
kohlrabi, mustard, lettuce and
summer squash, tomatoes, other greens
Late crops: corn, melons, Late crops: peas, cabbage,
winter squash celery,
© Project SOUND
14. How about some native cool-season crops?
http://www.amillionlives.net/vegetable-gardening-tips-easy-ideas-for-great-produces.html
© Project SOUND
15. Planning our cool-season garden
Traditional vegetables CA native greens
Lettuce Allium haematochiton
Spinach Calandrinia ciliata
Camissonia species
Peas Claytonia perfoliata
Broccoli Mimulus cardinalis
Oenothera elata
Phacelia species
Plantago species
Trifolium species
© Project SOUND
16. Miner’s Lettuce – Claytonia perfoliata
ssp. perfoliata & mexicana
© 2001 Steven Thorsted
http://nativeplantsocietyca.tribe.net/photos/cfd27d18-6ba7-4365-b1d9-c1c7c67b9cbe
17. Growing Miner’s Lettuce
from seed
Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Extremely easy
Sow in prepared soil in fall
(best) through spring
Germinates with:
Damp soil/fall rains
Short days
Re-seeds
May want to remove plants if
too prolific – will depend on
site
http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/phv66n3.editorial.html
18. Placement in our garden
Annual plant: dies to
nothing in summer
Any soil: amended or not
© by Gena Zolotar
Light: any (full sun to
full shade)
Water: can take some
extra water
Want to be able to pick
it for winter salads
20. Fringed Redmaids – Calandrinia ciliata var menziesii
Wide distribution:
Western United States ,
Central America, and northern
South America.
In CA: California Floristic
Province, some areas E. of
Sierras
Usually in grassy areas,
woodland openings or disturbed
areas
Name:
Calandrinia: named for Jean
Louis Calandrini (1703-1758), a
professor of mathematics and
philosophy, and a botanical
Question to ponder: does the author in Switzerland
distribution of this plant suggest a ciliata: indicates the slight
human role? fringing of the petals like an
eyelash
© Project SOUND
21. Red Maids are spreading annuals
Size:
< 2 ft tall; tips of stems
upcurviing
2-3 ft wide – side stems are
spreading; plants will grow
together
Growth form: sprawling/spreading
herbaceous annual from a basal
rosette.
Foliage:
Attractive light green
Slightly succulent leaves; spatula
shaped
Roots: taproot; grow in place
© 2006 Chris Wagner
© Project SOUND
22. Flowers are an Spring-blooming – as early as
added bonus Feb. to May
Long bloom period with adequate
water – flowers open sequentially
along the stems
Flowers are:
Tiny - < ½ inch across
An unusual shade of hot
pink/magenta – hard to
photograph
Robert Potts © California Academy of Sciences
Open only during sunniest part of
the day – flowers ‘disappear’ into
their calyces at other times
Seeds are:
Tiny & shiny – but numerous;
wind spread
Very tasty – were prized food
for Native Californians (parched
& ground to make pinole)
© Project SOUND
Jo-Ann Ordano © California Academy of Sciences
23. Red Maids is well suited to the vegetable
garden…
Soils:
Texture: any well-drained soil;
does super in sandy or rocky soils,
but typical vegetable gardens
soils would be great
pH: just about any local
Light: full sun; great in regular
vegetable garden
Water:
Winter: needs good winter/
spring rains
Summer: regular water (Zone 2-3
or 3) will extend blooms slightly;
no water for seed set
Fertilizer: fine with light fertilizer
Plants re-seed very well – but it’s easy
to weed out unwanted plants
© Project SOUND
24. Redmaids make Use only young leaves – best
piquant greens before flowering; Arugala-like
Leaves contain oxalic acid, so it
should only be used in moderation.
Oxalic acid can lock up certain of
the nutrients in food - can lead to
nutritional deficiencies if eaten in
excess.
It is, however, perfectly safe in
small amounts and its acid taste
adds a nice flavor to salads.
Cooking the plant will reduce the
quantity of oxalic acid.
People with a tendency to
rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney
stones and hyperacidity should
take especial caution if including
this plant in their diet since it can
aggravate their condition
© Project SOUND
25. Many uses for Red Maids in the garden
Very nice in pots – very green
and attractive; helps control
them to an extent
In the vegetable garden –
Edible greens and seeds
Flowers really perk up a
vegetable garden
In the fronts of mixed beds
Among native bunchgrasses;
needs bare ground to reseed
In the ‘Children’s Garden’ – easy
For bird habitat – many birds &
insects relish the seeds
© Project SOUND
26. Planning our cool-season garden
Traditional CA native greens
vegetables
Allium haematochiton
Lettuce Calandrinia ciliata
Camissonia species
Spinach
Claytonia perfoliata
Peas Mimulus cardinalis
Broccoli Oenothera elata
Phacelia species
Plantago species
Trifolium species
See Mother Nature’s Backyard
blog for more-http://mother-
natures-backyard.blogspot.com/
© Project SOUND
27. Your resolutions: Minor changes to some raised
beds – a few repairs
summer 2012
Convert the back beds to
narrow beds for specialty
crops – more space between
them & back fence
Better use of the back fence
area: ?? New vines
Add a few more beds – allow
you to ‘rest’ some beds each
year for plant/soil health
http://blog.gardenerd.com/2007/10/13/raised-beds--part-1-materials.aspx
Create open areas surrounding
garden for pollinator
Incorporate native plants into
plants/plants to attract
the edible garden
beneficial insects
© Project SOUND
28. Clovers are often used as cover crops
Quick growing
Suppress weed growth
Prevent soil erosion
Increase soil organic matter
(humus) – good for vegetable crops
Can be eaten (by humans or
livestock)
Improve soil Nitrogen:
Interact with nodule-forming
nitrogen fixing bacteria
Nitrogen is converted to a form that
can be used by plants – including
your veggies
© Project SOUND
29. Bull clover/ Sour Clover – Trifolium fucatum
© 2004 Carol W. Witham
© Project SOUND
30. Bull clover – Trifolium fucatum
West coast of N. America from
OR to Baja
In CA either:
Foothills of Sierras and other
ranges
Coastally-influenced areas <
3000 ft. elevation
Locally abundant. Moist, open
grassland, ditches, marshes,
roadsides, sometimes saline or
serpentine soils
fucatum: painted, dyed
© 2005 George W. Hartwell
© Project SOUND
31. Bull Clover is a fairly typical native annual clover
Size:
< 1 ft tall
1-3 ft wide; slightly spreading
Growth form:
Mounded; low-lying
Typical for clovers
Foliage:
Leaves typical ‘clover-leaf’ – often
white-patterned
Stems robust, hollow
Roots:
Have symbiotic relationship with
nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Robert Potts © California Academy of Sciences Leave roots in soil to improve soil
fertility (just harvest the tops)
© Project SOUND
32. Flowers are among the prettier clover flowers
Blooms:
Usually Apr-June in S. CA ; after
weather warms up
Long bloom period with
supplemental water
Flowers:
Typical for clover; small pea-type
flowers in a ball-like head
Cream-colored tinged with
pink/mauve
Edible
Seeds:
Small
Edible fresh
© Project SOUND
33. Clovers – not hard to grow once you know
the trick
Soils:
Texture: any well-drained
pH: any, including alkali
Even takes salty soils
Light: full sun to part-shade; good
under deciduous trees
Water:
Winter: needs moist soils
Summer: needs regular water
until flowering ceases – then cut
back
Fertilizer: not needed, but
probably won’t hurt
Other: to start seeds give them a
© 2007 Aaron Schusteff
hot-water treatment
© Project SOUND
34. Most parts of clovers are edible in spring
Fresh greens
Raw or cooked
Limit intake of uncooked clover –
causes gas
Use cooked clover like spinach
Flowers
Make nice addition to a salad
Leave some for the pollinators –
great pollinator plants
Seeds
Native Californians ate them fresh
Many animals & birds also like
clover seeds
Native Californians look forward to fresh
clover in the spring!
© 2007 Neal Kramer © Project SOUND
35. Use any CA native clover as food,
improve your soil & attract pollinators
© 2004 Carol W. Witham
© Project SOUND
36. Your resolutions: Minor changes to some raised
beds – a few repairs
summer 2012
Convert the back beds to
narrow beds for specialty
crops – more space between
them & back fence
Better use of the back fence
area: ?? New vines
Add a few more beds – allow
you to ‘rest’ some beds each
year for plant health
http://blog.gardenerd.com/2007/10/13/raised-beds--part-1-materials.aspx
Create open areas surrounding
garden for pollinator
Incorporate native plants into
plants/plants to attract
the edible garden; use more
beneficial insects
heirloom varieties
© Project SOUND
37. Attracting pollinators to the veggie garden
Bees
Flies and fly-like
insects (next month’s
topic)
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/nov08/d1275-1.htm
Butterflies
Moths
Beetles
Many others
http://www.ehow.com/how_8036705_do-flowers-blossomed-summer-squash.html © Project SOUND
38. One reason to grow native annuals &
perennials in/near the edibles garden
http://www.laspilitas.com/garden/august-native-garden-flowers-pictures.htm
© Project SOUND
39. Where might we plants some perennials?
http://blog.gardenerd.com/2007/10/13/raised-beds--part-1-materials.aspx
© Project SOUND
40. CA Sea Thrift – Armeria maritima ssp. californica
© 2007 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND
41. The Plumbaginaceae
Sometimes referred to as the
leadwort family or the plumbago
family. Flowers in parts of 5.
Most species in this family are
perennial herbaceous plants, but a
few grow as vines or shrubs.
The plants have perfect flowers
(have male & female parts) and are
pollinated by insects.
Found in many different climatic
regions, from arctic to tropical
http://www.hear.org/starr/images/image/?q=031108-0160&o=plants
conditions, but are particularly
associated with salt-rich steppes,
Cape Plumbago – planted along
freeways marshes, and sea coasts.
© Project SOUND
42. CA Sea Thrift – Armeria maritima ssp. californica
Possibly S. Coast; definitely Santa
Rosa Isl., San Luis Obispo Co (Cambria;
Santa Lucia Mtns near San Simeon)
North to British Columbia
Near the beach: prairies, cliffs, bluffs
& dunes < 1000 ft elevation
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5645,5646,0,5647
© Project SOUND
© 2011 Chris Winchell Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences
43. Sea Thrift – dainty but tough
Size:
1-2 ft tall (foliage < 1 ft)
~ 1 – 1 ½ ft wide
Growth form:
mounded perennial
evergreen
Foliage:
Narrow, stiff leaves –
somewhat grass-like
Foliage in basal rosette
Roots: tough & woody; part is
above-ground
© 2011 Chris Winchell
© Project SOUND
© 2007 Neal Kramer
44. Flowers: lovely color
Blooms:
Spring/summer – usually
May-Aug in our area
Long-blooming with regular
water and dead-heading
Flowers:
Small; in dense ball-like
clusters (somewhat like the
fancy onions)
Color: magenta or pink
Very pretty in bloom – make
good cut flowers
Attract native bees,
butterflies & other insects
© 2007 Neal Kramer
© 2004, Ben Legler
© Project SOUND
45. Available as plants: easy also from seed
or divisions
From seed:
Use fresh seed
No pre-treatment
Quite easy, good
germination in fall/spring
From divisions:
Divide with a shovel or
uproot and cut
Re-plant the divisions
http://www.hazmac.biz/051128/051128AmeriaMaritimaCalifornica.html
Reliable
© Project SOUND
46. Plant Requirements Soils:
Texture: any from sandy loam
to clay – good for clays
pH: any local
Light: full sun right along coast;
part-sun (morning sun) elsewhere
Water:
Winter: adequate – supplement
if needed
Summer: moderate to regular
water – Zones 2-3 to 3
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils –
but probably wouldn’t kill it
Other: if using an organic mulch,
make it thin; no mulch or inorganic
mulches fine
© Project SOUND
© 2008 John Dittes
47. Loved by gardeners as:
Sea-side ground cover
Rock garden plant
Attractive pot/planter species
Lining walkways
http://www.imagejuicy.com/images/plants/a/armeria/10/
http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/web-
extras/70/3/sea-ranch-gardens-most-
successful-plants/
http://www.cnps.org/cnps/grownative/tips/
lawn_alternatives.php
© Project SOUND
© 2004, Ben Legler http://www.calfloranursery.com/plants/armeria-
maritima-ssp-californica
48. Bring it into the vegetable garden
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Armeria_maritima,_Tower_Hill_Botanic_Garden.JPG
You’ll also have a
source of cut flowers
http://www.thienemans.com/ph
http://www.elkhornnursery.com/default.aspx?pid=2989aedb- otos/index.php/Succulents-
2f5a-41ec-9c05-61c5ebfda0e9&PlantId=1115 Rock-Garden/IMG_0132
© Project SOUND
49. Many annual wildflowers are great for
attracting pollinators – and fit easily into
an edibles garden
Clarkias
Gilias
Anything in Sunflower family
Lotus species
Phacelias
Annual Salivas
Many more (see pollinator lists:
Project SOUND/ Mother Nature’s
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Phacelia+tanacetifolia
Backyard Blog
Tansy-leaf Phacelia
© Project SOUND
50. Attracting other beneficial insects
Predatory insects –
eat the bad guys
Insects that attract
insect-eating birds
Insects that provide
other beneficial
services in the garden
http://trishsgarden.blogspot.com/2008/03/very-late-march-1-garden-newsletter.html
Some native plants have a well-deserved reputation for
attracting the ‘good guys’ © Project SOUND
51. Attract
these By planting
beneficial these species
insects
Bigeyed bug Native grasses
Copyright © 2007 Ron Hemberger
Polygonum sp. (Silver Lace Vine)
Hoverflies Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
Asclepias fascicularis (Narrowleaf Milkweed)
Baccharis sp. (Coyote brush, Mulefat)
Ceanothus sp. (California Lilac)
Eriogonum sp. (Buckwheat)
Prunis ilicifolia (Hollyleaf Cherry)
Ceanothus sp. (California Lilac)
Lacewings
Prunus ilicifolia (Hollyleaf Cherry)
Lady beetles Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
Asclepias fascicularis (Narrowleaf Milkweed)
Atriplex sp. (Quailbush, Saltbush)
Ceanothus sp. (California Lilac)
Native grasses
Rhamnus californica (Coffeeberry)
Salix sp. (Willow)
http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=402
http://www.kunafin.com/lacewings.htm © Project SOUND
52. Attract
these By planting
beneficial these species
insects
Minute Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
pirate bug Baccharis sp. (Coyote brush, Mulefat)
Eriogonum sp. (Buckwheat)
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/minute_pirate_bug.html
Minute Pirate Bug
Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
Parasitic & Aesclepias fascicularis (Narrowleaf
Predatory Milkweed)
Wasps Eriogonum sp. (Buckwheat)
Tachnid Achillea sp. (Yarrow)
flies Eriogonum sp. (Buckwheat)
Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon)
Rhamnus californica (Coffeeberry)
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/tachinid_flies.html
Tachnid Fly http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=402
© Project SOUND
54. * Southern Umbrellawort – Tauschia arguta
Outer coastal ranges, S. CA and Baja
Locally in Santa Monica Mtns,
Hollywood Hills, San Gabriels
Dry fans and slopes below 6000',
coastal sage, scrub, chaparral,
woodlands, inland to desert edge
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?TAAR2
© 2003 Brent Miller http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/species/Tauschia_arguta.htm
© Project SOUND
55. Southern Umbrellawort: Carrot family
Size:
1-2 ft tall
1-3 ft wide
Growth form:
Herbaceous perennial
Low but erect form
Evergreen
Foliage:
Very green
Large-lobed & coarsely
toothed – like flat parsley or
celery
Larval food for Anise
Swallowtail
© 2006 Michelle Cloud-Hughes
Roots: stout
© Project SOUND
56. Flowers attract
beneficial insects
Blooms: mid- to late spring (April
to June)
Flowers:
Small and yellow
In compound umbels typical of
© 2006 Michelle Cloud-Hughes
Carrot family; smells ‘carroty’
Many pollinator (and other)
insects
Seeds:
Flat, ribbed seeds typical of
the family
To start from seed, use fresh
seed and rinse in several rinses
of water to remove inhibiting
hormones.
© Project SOUND
57. Easy to grow
Soils:
Texture: any well-drained
pH: any local – including
vegetable garden
Light:
Full sun to light shade
© 2010 Gary A. Monroe
Water:
Winter: plenty of water; soils
moist
Summer: dry out to Zone 1-2
or 2 in summer
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
Little to no mulch – inorganic
mulch fine
© Project SOUND
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/tauschia-arguta
58. Umbrellawort in the garden
Usually included in butterfly gardens
Unusual pot plant; in rock gardens
Good choice for margins of the
vegetable garden
http://mamba.bio.uci.edu/~pjbryant/biodiv/lepidopt/papilio/anise.htm
© Project SOUND
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/southerntauschia.html Michelle Cloud-Hughes
© 2006
59. Others perennials for garden edges
Achillea millefolia
Asclepias species (Milkweeds)
Clematus species (Virgin’s Bowers)
Eriogonum species (Buckwheats)
Lomatium utriculatum
Solidago species (Goldenrods)
Native grasses
© Project SOUND
60. Heirloom edibles and native plants: a
good combination
Open-pollinated
Long relationship between
heirloom varieties, ‘wild
plants’ and insects
Unusual and tasty flavors
– combine well with native
seasonings
Are less likely to be
genetically modified food
plants
http://www.byexample.com/homestead/gardens/heirloom_seeds.html
© Project SOUND
61. What are genetically modified plants
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-gm-foods
© Project SOUND
62. Genetically modified foods are here
Experts say 60% to 70% of processed foods on U.S. grocery
shelves have genetically modified ingredients.
The most common genetically modified foods are soybeans,
maize, cotton, and rapeseed oil. That means many foods made
in the U.S. containing field corn or high-fructose corn syrup;
foods made with soybeans and foods made with cottonseed
and canola oils could likely have genetically modified
ingredients.
These ingredients appear frequently in animal feed as well.
63. Which view is correct?
The U.S. government's position: Genetically
engineered crops are safe, resist disease better, and
can provide much-needed food in starving nations.
The EU position: Keep it out. We prefer organic,
which is much healthier. The risk of genetically
modified foods to health and the environment
outweigh the benefits. Only the multinational biotech
companies will benefit, dominating the world food
supply and squeezing out traditional farmers.
We’ll discuss this topic in greater depth in our July
class
64. Keeping old varieties alive is another reason to
plant heirloom seeds: biodiversity is important in
agriculture as well as in nature
http://www.heirloomseeds.com/
© Project SOUND
65. You consider adding some native herb/spice or
beverage plants to your vegetable garden
© Project SOUND
66. After seeing this picture you decide to add
some native fruits to your edibles garden
http://bumblelush.blogspot.com/2012/05/strawberry-season-is-here.html
Strawberries would be an
easy place to start
© Project SOUND
http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/2010/07/strawberry-and-arugula-salad-recipe.html/
68. * Woodland Strawberry – Fragaria vesca ssp. californica
Coastal mountains and Sierra
Nevada from OR/WA to Baja
Locally in the San Bernardino
& San Jacinto Mtns., San
Diego Co.
In dry to moist meadows,
young woodlands, sparse
forest , woodland edges and
clearings.
Often plants can be found
where they do not get
sufficient light to form fruit.
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6723,6725
© Project SOUND
69. Flowers are sweet
Blooms:
Spring into summer
Usually Mar. to June in our
area – may also have some
summer bloom
Flowers:
Smaller than F. chiloensis
© 2006 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy
Typical 5-petal white flowers
of the genus
Really nice for a ground-cover
plant; light, sweet fragrance
Attract butterflies
Seeds: usually will reseed
Vegetative reproduction: easy
to dig up plantlets to produce new
plants © Project SOUND
70. But the fruits are
sweeter yet!
Larger fruit than Fragaria
chiloensis (Beach Strawberry)
Among the most tasty of all the
wild strawberries –sweet scent
Excellent choice for:
Eating fresh
Including in baked goods
Making preserves & syrups
Drying
Berries have antioxidant
properties
Berry juice is a natural bleach
© 2006 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy
Leaves make a tea for GI upsets
© Project SOUND
71. Soils:
Plant Requirements Texture: any, including clays
pH: any local including acidic
Light:
Full sun (cooler gardens) or
dappled shade are best
Will grow fine in part-shade to
quite shady, but fruiting reduced
Water:
Winter: likes good rains
Summer: wide tolerance –
occasional (Zone 2) to regular
water (Zone 3)
Fertilizer: fine with light fertilizer –
really likes a leaf mulch
Other: good frost tolerance
© 2006 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy
© Project SOUND
72. Many ways to use strawberries in the
vegetable garden – all pretty
http://www.putteringinthegarden.com/category/fruit/strawberries/
© Project SOUND
http://www.tipjunkie.com/how-to-grow-strawberries/
73. Maybe you want to be a bit more
adventuresome
http://groweat.blogspot.com/2011/04/derwood-demo-garden-update.html#axzz1wZrtwMAD
© Project SOUND
74. CA Blackberry – Rubus ursinus ssp. ursinius
© 2005 Doreen L. Smith
© Project SOUND
75. CA Blackberry – Rubus ursinus ssp. ursinius
Western N. America from British
Columbia to Baja; 0 - 4500 feet
elevation
Locally on Catalina, Santa Monicas, San
Gabriels – possibly more in past
Moist places: canyons, river banks, etc.
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6899,6910
© Project SOUND
© 2011 Michael O'Brien http://www.plumjam.com/wildflowers/5-20-2011.cfm
77. The genus Rubus
Large genus in Rose family
(Rosaceae)
Latin name meaning “bramble” –
most have prickly stems
Includes cultivated raspberries
and blackberries
More than a dozen species
native to western N. America
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blackberries_on_bush.jpg
The Rubus fruit, sometimes
called a bramble fruit, is an
Some of our favorite summer aggregate of drupelets (small,
fruits come from this genus! fleshy fruits surrounding a hard
‘stone’ or seed)
© Project SOUND
78. CA Blackberry: characteristic of genus
Size:
1-3 ft tall
8-20 ft wide
Growth form:
Low, mounded canes; trailing or
climbing habit
Evergreen or slightly winter
deciduous
© 2009 Zoya Akulova
Armed with prickles
Foliage:
Medium green with leaflets –
typical of genus
Roots: will spread via suckers –
modest compared to Himalayan
Blackberry
© 2009 Ben Stever © Project SOUND
79. Which Blackberry is it? Himalayan Blackberry
(Rubus discolor/ R. armeniacus)
Native to Armenia in SW Asia
Introduced to Europe in 1835,
and Australasia and North
http://kaweahoaks.com/html/calif_blackberry.html
America in 1885
Prickles of CA Blackberry are thin and
easily detach
Widely planted due to its
flavorful fruit & availability
Because it’s so hard to contain,
quickly got out of control, with
birds/animals eating the
berries and spreading the
seeds.
http://www.nps.gov/prsf/naturescience/himalayan-blackberry.htm
Now a plant pest world-wide
Flowers of CA Blackberry usually have
longer, narrower petals
© Project SOUND
80. Pretty white flowers
Blooms: in spring – between April &
June, depending on the weather
Flowers:
Medium size: 1-2 inches across
Plants may be dioecious
(separate male & female
© 2008 Gary McDonald
plants) or may produce perfect
flowers (contain both sexes)
Attract many pollinators
Vegetative reproduction:
Branch tips root readily where
they touch ground
Easy way to propagate – tip-
layering (or just remove rooted
tips in spring)
© 2007 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND
81. Soils:
Garden Texture: any – not particular
Requirements pH: any local
Light:
Full sun to part-shade; afternoon
shade in hot inland gardens
Water:
Winter: plenty
Summer: pretty drought tolerant
once established; best fruiting in
Water Zone 2-3 (moderate water)
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils;
mulching is good
Other: Don’t plant brambles in a site
where potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes,
and peppers have grown in the past 3
years; site may contain verticillium wilt
which will harm brambles.
© 2012 Michael O'Brien
© Project SOUND
82. Blackberries: contain
Sometimes used as a thorny hedge
Best used in contained places;
planters, areas bounded by
impervious materials
Can be grown in large containers
© 2010 Aaron Arthur
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wild-Northern-Blackberry-20-Seeds-Rubus-Ursinus/270983468691 © Project SOUND
83. Provide some support
Chain-link fence
Garden trellis or frame: attach with
clothespins, twist-ties or strips of old nylons
More classic methods
One-line trellis (two-wire trellis)
Two-line trellis (Cross-arm trellis)
https://appserver1.kwantlen.ca/apps/plantid/plantid.nsf/lookup/73C488F
4F1EAF5628825772A0060BFD7?OpenDocument
One-line trellis for trailing blackberries.
Spread floricanes up on a two-wire system. © Project SOUND
84. Pruning Rubus species
Primocanes: first year – non-fruiting
Floricanes: second year canes with
side branches – produce flowers,
Figure 1. Primocanes of thorny, erect berries
blackberries that have not been pruned.
During the growing season, tip back
each developing primocane to ~ 4-5
ft. ; lateral shoots develop
When the fruiting season is over,
cut out spent floricanes at the root
crown. Do not prune floricanes
before fruiting season unless
damaged or diseased.
Discard all pruned plant material.
Figure 2. Primocanes of thorny, erect
blackberries that have been pruned. © Project SOUND
85. Other maintenance for Rubus species
Check for disease – prune out
using sterile techniques
Rake up old leaves – dispose of
them
http://www.ncsu.edu/project/berries/diagnostic_tool/canes_and_or_latera
ls/general_decline_in_plant_vigor.html
Mulch: organic is best, but
inorganic also fine
May give yearly dose of low-
strength (1/2 strength of
less) fertilizer, especially for
pot-grown plants
Crown borer
© Project SOUND
86. Harvesting your bounty
Berries very tasty - parent of
Loganberry, Youngberry, and
Boysenberry
The best time to harvest the fruits is
http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Rosa5.html when they are easily pulled from the
stem, taste sweet and have reached full
color.
It is preferable to harvest in the
morning when the plants are cool. Be sure
that any morning dew has already dried
before harvesting.
Place harvested fruit into shallow trays
as the weight of the fruits piled high can
damage the underlying fruit.
http://imaginarybicycle.wordpress.com/category/desirables/
© Project SOUND
87. Love those berries!
Quick syrups to top off ice cream
Dropping in red wine vinegar for
use in summer salads
http://www.food52.com/recipes/6281_wild_blackberry_sorbet
Steeping in vodka for liqueurs.
Wild blackberry sorbet
Pies, tarts, muffins
Jams & jellies
Sorbet
Fruit rolls (dried)
The list goes on and on
http://tastingthelandscape.blogspot.com/2010/08/devils-shoelace-custard-pie.html © Project SOUND
88. If you want a thornless cane berry you’ll
have to sacrifice a little taste
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND
89. Thimbleberry – Rubus parviflorus
Dr. Robert T. and Margaret Orr © California Academy of Sciences
© Project SOUND
90. Thimbleberry – Rubus parviflorus
Western N. America from AK to
Mexico – E. to the Dakotas and NM
California Floristic Province (W. of
Sierras) except Central Valley
Locally in the San Gabriels
It commonly grows on open,
wooded hillsides, in subalpine
meadows, along streambanks and
canyons, on borders, and roadsides,
and on dry exposed sites only at
higher elevations.
Sites are usually cool and moist
© 2009 Julie Kierstead Nelson
© Project SOUND
91. Thimbleberry: Rubus, but different
Size:
3-6+ ft tall
spreading; 15+ ft wide
Growth form:
Low, scrambling or erect
(depends on light; moisture)
© 1991 Gary A. Monroe
Branches are hairy but not
prickly
Foliage:
Typical for Rubus; palmate
leaves
Leaves fragrant on warm
days
© 2011 Zoya Akulova
© Project SOUND
92. Flowers are Rubus type
Blooms: in spring/summer;
usually May-June in our area, but
may be earlier or later
Flowers:
Medium size
White (rarely pink)
Very rose-like in appearance.
Quite showy – and attract
insect pollinators
Seeds: hard
Vegetative reproduction:
spreads well via rhizomes –
consider placement/containment
© 2004 Robert Sivinski
© Project SOUND
93. Berries are
Raspberry-like
Mild flavor & a little dry when
red-ripe; can be dried
Makes good jellies, syrups, etc.
© 2004 Robert Sivinski
Wildlife love them too !!!
How Thimbleberry got its common name
http://upfoods.com/index.php? © Project SOUND
main_page=product_info&cPath=35&products_id=67&zenid=44f82b96b2f0219f31ab9896b094afdc
94. Other human uses for Rubus species
Young shoots
They are harvested as they emerge through the ground in
the spring, peeled and then eaten in salads.
Fibers from the stem used to make twine
Leaves
Dried for herbal teas (often in blends)
A decoction of the leaves is useful as a gargle in treating
thrush and also makes a good general mouthwash.
Root
Cooked; neither to young nor too old - requires a lot of
boiling.
Root-bark and the leaves are strongly astringent, diuretic,
tonic. They make an excellent remedy for dysentery,
diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, cystitis etc, the root is the more
astringent. Externally, they are used as a gargle to treat sore
throats, mouth ulcers and gum inflammations.
© Project SOUND
95. Thimbleberry
Soils:
requirements Texture: just about any
pH: any local
Light:
Best fruit production in part
shade; dappled sun
Can take quite shady
Water:
Winter: adequate
© 2001 Steven Thorsted
Summer: regular water – Water
Zones 2-3 or 3
Fertilizer: best with yearly light
dose; compost top-dressing fine
Other: likes an organic mulch
© Project SOUND
96. Garden uses for
Thimbleberry
Groundcover for moist, shady slopes
As an attractive pot/planter species
Along walls/fences (with support)
Rubus are good all-round habitat
© 2009 Julie Kierstead Nelson plants: nectar, pollen, berries, shelter
© 2010 Jean Pawek
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Rubus-parviflorus/ Project SOUND
©
97. How might you incorporate Rubus into
your garden?
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Rubus-parviflorus/
© Project SOUND
98. In summary: several ways to use
native plants in edibles garden
As edibles: greens,
seeds/fruits, beverage
plants; seasonings
To improve soil fertility
To attract pollinators
To attract other
beneficial insects
© Project SOUND
99. In summary: native plants can
improve the edibles garden
Provide cut flowers
Just make your garden
prettier
Make you want to spend
more time out in your
http://cathythomascooks.com/2012/05/01/culinary-gardener-kathryn-
agresto-shares-four-chefs-vegetable-gardens/ edibles garden
© Project SOUND