The document discusses growing native plants in containers for edible and ornamental purposes. It describes several native plant species that are suitable for container gardens, including Miner's lettuce, Candyflower, Redmaids, and various mints and monkeyflowers. These plants provide food and aesthetic value while being low water and well-adapted to containers. The document encourages using native plant species in containers as alternatives to traditional salad greens and herbs throughout the seasons.

1. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2016 (our 12th year)
© Project SOUND
Native Foods on the Small Side:
California native food plants
for containers
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
March 5 & 10, 2016
We discussed what the future is likely to bring to S. CA
© Project SOUND
… and steps we can take (right now) to make
that future more pleasant & sustainable
We need green in our water-wise gardens
© Project SOUND
We’ll talk a little more about why next class

2. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
http://www.goneforwords.com/2011/07/slip-on-down-to-the-oasis/
But that brings us to the concept of
the green oasis
What is a green oasis?
 A fertile spot in a desert
where water is found
 Something that provides
refuge, relief, or pleasant
contrast
 A situation or place
preserved from surrounding
unpleasantness; a refuge
© Project SOUNDhttp://wallpaperswide.com/desert_oasis-wallpapers.html
http://www.goneforwords.com/2011/07/slip-on-down-to-the-oasis/
All hint at the idea
of respite
A flower bed can be a green oasis…
© Project SOUND
… so can a vegetable garden
© Project SOUND
http://decoratingmumma.com/category/garden-goodies/

3. 3/6/2016
In fact, there are so many ways to create
‘a green oasis’ in a water-wise garden
© Project SOUND
Rediscovering Eden: S. California Gardens
for the 21st Century
© Project SOUND
But what if I have only limited garden space?
© Project SOUND
http://11thhourindustries.blogspot.com/2014/03/decorating-ideas-for-small-apartment.html
Or I need (or want) to grow edibles that
are easier to get to – or control
© Project SOUND
http://www.houzz.com/photos/5201286/Raised-Bed-Vegetable-Garden-traditional-
landscape-san-francisco

4. 3/6/2016
In fact, there are so many great container
garden options, we won’t even try to
consider them all today
© Project SOUND
http://www.walkersandford.co.uk/how-to-grow-an-organic-vegetable-garden/
We do hope to inspire you to try some
native (and possibly non-native) edibles in
containers
© Project SOUND
http://66squarefeet.blogspot.com/2015_07_01_archive.html
Why grow in containers? Here are a just few
reasons 1) I rent – I need portable plants
2) If a plant isn’t happy, I can move it
easily to someplace where it can do
better
3) I can customize the container and
soil to the plant’s requirements
4) I like the look of plants in
containers; they are decorative
5) I like the challenge of growing
things in containers
6) I have limited space
7) I love this plant, but don’t want it
to take over!
© Project SOUND
People are growing all sorts of edible
plants in containers these days
© Project SOUND
http://www.fancygardenideas.co/9-awesome-images-balcony-vegetable-garden-ideas/small-apartment-balcony-garden-ideas-whouseplan-com/

5. 3/6/2016
Salad greens are
increasingly popular
container plants
 Why suited to pots?
 Small size – just right for a
pot or other container
 Like good water – and
perhaps a few nutrients
 Easier to keep pests away
 Benefits to growing greens in
containers
 Fresh, flavorful food
 Lovely, interesting foliage
 Spring-like appearance
 Some may have attractive
flowers
© Project SOUNDhttps://www.pinterest.com/pin/435301120210284710/
Salad greens create a winter/spring oasis
© Project SOUND
http://www.wfaconvention.com/inspiring-terrace-garden-design-ideas-for-small-
space/terrace-vegetable-garden-ideas-plus-apartment-gardening-ideas-also-small-
gardens-with-decking/
Grow a spring salad bowl on your porch
 Greens
 Traditional lettuce varieties
 Other greens (like Arugula)
 Native greens
 Onions
 Native and garden varieties
 Tomatoes
 Seasoning herbs/spices
 Use to season croutons
 Use to flavor vinegars for salad
dressing
 Use to sprinkle over a salad to give a
little extra zing
© Project SOUND
Many misconceptions about CA Native
plants. Here are a few:
1. They can’t be grown in
containers
2. They aren’t useful: they don’t
produce food or anything else of
use. ‘They are just pretty faces’
3. They aren’t pretty like non-
native plants
4. They all require full sun
5. They can’t be combined with
non-native plants
© Project SOUND
We hope to lay some of
these misconceptions to
rest today

6. 3/6/2016
Let’s explore some native greens that do
great in containers
© Project SOUND
http://www.townhomesofdeercrossing.com/gardening/greens.asp
Family Montiaceae – the Miner’s lettuce family
 Formerly included in Purslane
family (Portaculaceaae)
 Herbaceous annuals & perennials
 Pretty little simple flowers
 Many eaten and/or used as
medicinals
 California genera:
 Calandrinias (Red Maids)
 Calyptridium (Pussytoes)
 Claytonias
 Lewisias
 Montias
Sharkbytes (J.H. Young)
Miner’s Lettuce – Claytonia perfoliata
ssp. perfoliata & mexicana
© 2001 Steven Thorsted
http://nativeplantsocietyca.tribe.net/photos/cfd27d18-6ba7-4365-b1d9-c1c7c67b9cbe
© Project SOUND
Miner’s lettuce is
great for out of the
way places
 In the vegetable garden
 In pots
 Under deciduous trees
 Along a fence
 Along a seasonal stream or pond
Does best with some afternoon
shade – perfect choice for many
winter/spring patios and porches

7. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Claytonia perfoliata on the table
 Pick young leaves –
best before it flowers
 Refreshing raw – as a
succulent snack or in a
salad
 Can also be used for
cooked greens – but
quite bland flavor
Use some dried herbs and spices from your garden to give
it a little zing: Sages (Salvias); Artemisias; Lemonadeberry
Depending on the year, Miner’s lettuce
can grace your table from Jan. to Mar.
© Project SOUND
It can also function as a seasonal accent
or filler plant in a container garden
© Project SOUND
http://otonanogucci.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/small-balcony-garden-ideas-10.jpg
But maybe you’d like something a little
more showy (and edible)
© Project SOUND
By Walter Siegmund (talk) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4469490

8. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
*Candyflower – Claytonia sibirica
©2011 Jean Pawek
 Northwestern North America from AK to
Northern California: Northwestern
California, High Cascade Range, San
Francisco Bay Area
 Shady moist woodlands, streambanks,
marshes below ~ 4500 ft. elevation
© Project SOUND
*Candyflower – Claytonia sibirica
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?CLSI2
http://www.mustila.fi/node/154
http://floralimages.blogspot.com/2015/06/a-nice-find-north-wales-and-more-orchid.html
© Project SOUND
Herbaceous woodland perennial
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall
 3-4 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous, sprawling
groundcover plant
 Stems radiate out from central
root
 Evergreen to partially deciduous
(either when dry or cold)
 Short-lived (~ 3 years) but re-
seeds
 Foliage:
 Simple, green, somewhat
succulent leaves (remind one of
Miner’s lettuce)
©2016 Steve Matson
© Project SOUND
Flowers: small, enchanting
 Blooms:
 Spring - Mar-May in S. CA
 Long bloom season (often
several months)
 Flowers:
 Quite small (~ ½ inch)
 Simple, with 6 petals
 Flower color ranges from white
to pale pink (sometimes darker)
– often with darker pink stripes
(like a candy cane)
 Attract insect pollinators
 Seeds: small, dark, rounded seeds
(like Miner’s lettuce)
©2015 Barry Breckling
©2016 Steve Matson

9. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Forest floor plant
 Soils:
 Texture: adaptable; most local
soils and potting soils
 pH: any local except very alkali
 Light:
 Really best with a little shade:
 Under trees; dappled shade to
fairly shady
 Shady porches
 North or East-facing
 Water:
 Winter: moist soils
 Summer: regular water (Water
Zone 3)
 Fertilizer: benefits from added
humus; low dose fertilizer 2X /year in
containers
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CLSI2
Does well with organic mulch
© Project SOUND
Woodsy groundcover
 As a groundcover, especially
under trees
 Moist, shaded areas of the
garden – with ferns and other
N. CA woodland plants
 As an attractive pot plant
https://namethatplant.wordpress.com/tag/perennials/
Salad greens can be great plants for bright shade
© Project SOUND
Native edible greens that like a little shade
Annuals:
 Claytonia perfoliata
 Mimulus/Erythranthe – the
Monkeyflowers
 Phacelia species
 Plantago species – the Plantains
 Trifolium species – the clovers
© Project SOUND
http://www.bhg.com/blogs/everydaygardeners/tag/vegetable-gardening/

10. 3/6/2016
Native edible salad greens that like a little
shade (perennials)
Perennials:
 Claytonia sibirica
 Diplacus/Mimulus/Erythranthe –
the Monkeyflowers
 Heucheras (Coral bells)
 Mentha arvensis – Wild mint
 Phacelia – perennial species
 Plantago species – the Plantains
 Trifolium species – the clovers
© Project SOUND
Native and non-native greens make great
mixed salads – with a gourmet flair!
© Project SOUND
https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/salmon-mixed-salad.html
© Project SOUND
Advantages of using native greens plants
 Easy to grow
 Water-wise (compared
to non-native greens)
 Interesting new flavors
 Good nutritional value
 Add interest to
vegetable garden
 Good for pollinators,
butterflies, birds, etc.
© Project SOUND
Fringed Redmaids – Calandrinia ciliata var menziesii

11. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
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 –
flowers really perk up a
vegetable garden
 In the fronts of mixed beds
 Along walkways
 Among native bunchgrasses;
needs bare ground to reseed
 In the ‘Children’s Garden’ – easy
 For bird habitat – many birds &
insects relish the seeds
Native ‘pot herbs’ add flavor & zest to milder dishes
 Often considered ‘wild greens’;
usually the young foliage is
harvested
 Have stronger, piquant flavors
– often due to oxalic acid (but
sometimes due to other plant
chemicals)
 Cooking (or drying) can convert
chemicals to milder forms
 Often added to soups, stews,
milder cooked greens (spinach;
Miner’s lettuce), sauces, and
dips to add unique flavors
© Project SOUND
Rumex salicifolia
http://www.kitchenriffs.com/2011/01/black-eyed-pea-and-collard-green-soup.html
© Project SOUND
Redmaids make
piquant greens
 Use only young leaves – best
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
Annual greens plants are
late winter/spring season plants
© Project SOUND
http://www.furnishburnish.com/accessories/herb-garden-ideas/

12. 3/6/2016
What will I do in the ‘off season’
(Summer/fall)
© Project SOUND
https://bonnieplants.com/library/herbs-in-containers/
Summer season herbs are a traditional choice
for replacing those early seasonal pots
© Project SOUND
http://galleryhip.com/growing-mint-in-containers-outdoors.html
A threesome for tea: mints in pots
 Practical reasons:
 It contains them – keeps them from
taking over
 Allows you to grow them on shady
porches/balconies
 Allows you to grow several types
 Allows you to move pots in ‘off’
season
 Aesthetic reasons:
 Attractive foliage that benefits from
being featured in pot
 Draping/trailing habit
 Scents
 Since plants are simple, can feature
attractive pots
© Project SOUND
http://www.vegetable-gardening-online.com/growing-herbs.html
http://msucares.com/news/print/sgnews/sg12/sg120604.html
Herbs can be grown even in narrow spaces
© Project SOUND
http://herbalacademyofne.com/2015/05/growing-herbs-in-unlikely-locations/
http://www.theeasygarden.com/threads/check-out-this-amazing-soda-bottle-
garden.12683/
The possibilities for vertical
growing are almost limitless

13. 3/6/2016
Trailing mints can even be used
as living screens
© Project SOUND
https://www.pinterest.com/samkat727/apartment-patio-balcony/
http://tipsaholic.com/30-raised-garden-bed-ideas/
A few nice training mints: most likely
to trail in shadier conditions
 San Miguel Savory - Clinopodium
(Satureja) chandleri
 Yerba Buena - Clinopodium
douglasii
 Red monardella - Monardella
macrantha ssp. macrantha
 Coyote mint - Monardella villosa
ssp. villosa
 Mountain mint - Pycnanthemum
californicum
© Project SOUNDhttps://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5018/5568499822_82d3b4dc38_z.jpg
Rain gutter planters
can be elegant
 Plant them with seasonal
plants or the smaller
perennials
 And you can make them
yourself
© Project SOUND
http://gardenersspot.blogspot.com/2012/05/rain-gutters-as-planters.html
http://blog.gardenloversclub.com/gardens/10-rain-gutter-planter-ideas-to-
spruce-up-your-garden/
The monkeyflowers
(Mimulus/Diplacus/ ) are edible:
some are season-spanners
© Project SOUND

14. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Seep (Common Yellow) Monkeyflower
Mimulus guttatus
http://www.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de/~db50/FOTO_-_Archiv/Mimulus%20guttatus%20BotKA%20S1.jpg © Project SOUND
Consider using Seep
Monkeyflower
 In containers (of any size; they are
annuals that re-seed)
 Edges of ponds (or in them)
 Regularly watered flower beds
 Under the bird bath; near
fountains
 Naturally damp areas of the
garden; use with sedges (Carex)
and rushes (Juncus)
 In the wildflower garden/ prairie
 In the vegetable garden – leaves &
flowers are ediblehttp://www.s-
weeds.net/familjer/tubiflorae/scrophulariaceae/pix/mimulus02.jpg
© Project SOUND
Sticky (Bush) Monkey Flower - Diplacus aurantiacus
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36386822@N07/3458022529
© Project SOUND
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/diplacus-aurantiacus-
lompocensis-vandenberg-monkey-flower

15. 3/6/2016
Diplacus/Mimulus ‘Trish’
 1-2 ft. tall; 2-3 ft. wide
 Dark green glossy leaves
 Numerous dusky rose-pink flowers
that fade to salmon.
 Very ‘old-fashioned’ appearance -
© Project SOUND
Raised beds are another type of container
 You can build your own –
many good plans on-line
© Project SOUND
http://www.ufseeds.com/Raised-Bed-Garden-Kits.dept
http://www.todayshomeowner.com/raised-bed-gardening-faq/
http://www.mastergardenproducts.com/raisedbed.htm
You can order easy-to-assemble kits
© Project SOUND
http://www.naturalyards.com/raisedbeds/
Raised beds can be tailored to fit your
design and size requirements
© Project SOUND
http://www.alamodestuffblog.com/2011/08/raised-bed-
gardens-both-beautiful-and.html
https://www.pinterest.com/explore/stone-
raised-beds/

16. 3/6/2016
Taking raised beds to
a whole new level
 Functional for gardening
 Attractive – part of design
 Can be used for privacy,
growing larger plants
© Project SOUND
http://www.thegreenhead.com/2012/03/elevated-cedar-raised-garden-beds.php
http://thegreatestgarden.com/the-greatest-raised-garden-bed-plans-for-your-plants/ http://beautygarden.website/raised-garden-beds-uk/
What if your patio is sunny – even hot?
© Project SOUND
http://www.popville.com/2012/07/best-spot-for-a-morning-cup-of-coffee-andor-mojito-16/
Suncups - Camissonia species – good for sun
Copyright © 2003 Charles E. Jones
The Sunflower family also has some good
greens plants
 Sneezeweed - Helenium
puberulum
 Cobwebby thistle - Cirsium
occidentale
 The Goldenrods – Solidago
species
 The Coreopsis species
© Project SOUND

17. 3/6/2016
Did you know there’s an annual Coreopsis?
© Project SOUNDhttp://nativeplants.csuci.edu/leptosyne-bigelow.htm © Project SOUND
*Bigelow coreopsis – Leptosyne (Coreopsis) bigelovii
©2006 Larry Blakely
 Much of Central/Southern CA from
Merced and Inyo Counties south to San
Diego County
 Open woodlands, grasslands, deserts
 Creosote Bush Scrub, Joshua Tree
Woodland, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland,
Foothill Woodland
© Project SOUND
*Bigelow coreopsis – Leptosyne (Coreopsis) bigelovii
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?Leptosyne+bigelovii
©2006 Larry Blakely
©1997 John Game
© Project SOUND
Bigelow coreopsis:
pretty annual sunflower
 Size:
 1-2 (up to 4) ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Annual wildflower
 One to many upright stems
 Leaves primarily basal
 Foliage:
 Medium to gray-green
 Leaves deeply dissected (typical of
coreopsis & of hot climate)
©2010 Barry Breckling

18. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
©2006 James M. Andre
http://www.delange.org/DesertCoreopsis/Dsc00061.jpg
 Size:
 1-2 (up to 4) ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Annual wildflower
 One to many upright stems
 Leaves primarily basal
 Foliage:
 Medium to gray-green
 Leaves deeply dissected (typical
of coreopsis & of hot climate)
 Entire plant used as a dye plant
(greens & yellows)
Bigelow coreopsis: pretty annual sunflower
© Project SOUND
Love those flowers!
 Blooms: spring - usually Mar-
May, though may be Feb. in some
years.
 Flowers:
 Medium-sized sunflower heads
 Both ray & disk flowers golden
yellow – so cheery!
 Flowers on long stems; nod in the
breeze
 Attract wide range of
pollinators, including butterflies,
bees, etc.
 Pretty cut flowers – or pressed
and dried
©2010 Barry Breckling
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: not particular
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun to part-shade;
probably better with afternoon
shade in hot inland gardens.
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
winter/spring water during
growth season
 Summer: taper off water as
plants cease flowering – allows
for proper seed development.
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: no mulch (or thin gravel
mulch) if you want them to reseedhttp://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=COBI
© Project SOUND
Coreopsis: garden delight
 Stunning massed, particularly with
blue or purple annual wildflowers
 As an attractive pot plant
 Great addition to the vegetable
garden - whole plant eaten fresh
(usually leaves bruised; eaten with
salt) or boiled or sautéed
©2010 Thomas Stoughton
http://www.delange.org/DesertCoreopsis/Dsc00061.jpg
http://nativeplants.csuci.edu/leptosyne-bigelow.htm

19. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Suggestions for growing native greens
 Give them a special space in
your vegetable garden – or grow
them in pots for easy harvest
 Locate them away from sources
of pollution – streets, etc.
 Make sure they get adequate
winter rain (or water them) –
you want lots of young leaves
 Use no pesticides/herbicides
 Grow plenty – you want to let
some plants go to seed for next
year’s crop
© Project SOUNDOh my gosh; Euell Gibbons eating Lambs quarters!
Another family with good edible seeds
and greens is the Goosefoot family
The Goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae)
 Wide distribution; the traditional
Goosefoot family included about 100
genera and 1,500 species
 Much current debate on where to
place it in the plant family tree –
Amaranth family??
 Adapted to disturbed, salty, or
alkaline soils; many accumulate
selenium, nitrogen and salts from soil.
 Many considered weeds – but many
are edible and medicinal
 Included: Atriplex, Chenopodium,
Spinacia and others
© Project SOUND
By Gabriele Kothe-Heinrich -
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16721461
© Project SOUND
California goosefoot – Chenopodium californicum
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College.

20. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
California goosefoot – Chenopodium californicum
©2014 Jean Pawek
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242415397
 Most of cis-montane CA,
including desert foothills
 Dry to moist slopes, ledges,
plains, yellow-pine forests,
yucca-juniper woodlands,
chaparral and under oaks
and willows (< 5000 ft.)http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?CHCA3
© Project SOUND
Many think of Goosefoots as weeds…
 Size:
 2-4 ft tall
 2-3 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial (in our area)
 Dies back completely to ground
dry season
 Upright stems from a fleshy
root/stem
 Foliage:
 Simple, deeply toothed, triangular
leaves
 Foliage is edible (raw, cooked or
dried)
 Roots: contain saponins© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College.
© Project SOUND
Flowers are insignificant
 Blooms: summer/fall; usually
July to Oct.
 Flowers:
 Small, yellow-green flowers
on stalks at the tips of
stems
 Flower spikes, themselves,
interesting appearance
 Fruits/seeds:
 Seed capsule covers the
seeds
 Becomes dark brown –
somewhat attractive
 Birds love seeds – as do
humans
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences
Goosefoot seeds have a
distinctive flavor
 After the plants dry to brown in
late summer and fall, fully
developed seeds can be stripped
into a collecting container along
with the dry chaff.
 Rubbing and winnowing reveals
the black seeds.
 To reduce both bitterness and
toxicity, saponins should be
removed edible goosefoot seeds,
prior to eating; soak overnight in
water – discard water
© Project SOUND
http://www.hazmac.biz/120423/120423ChenopodiumCalifornicum.html

21. 3/6/2016
Zuni Steamed Dumplings
From Carolyn Niethammer's American Indian Food
and Lore (c. 1974).
 Combine 1/2 cup cold water and 1/2 cup
cornmeal with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add slowly
to 1 1/2 cups boiling water.
 Cover and thicken over low heat.
 Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup ground
lamb's quarter seeds.
 Form into small balls.
 Place on a rack over boiling water and
steam for 15-20 minutes, or until done.
 Add to a casserole, stew, or soup; cook
gently for another half hour before
serving.
© Project SOUND
An easy and delicious wild food
addition to any casserole, stew
or soup.
http://wildfoodgirl.com/2014/seed-sprouting-with-quinoas-wild-kin/
© Project SOUND
CA Goosefoot: not picky  Soils:
 Texture: any local
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade
 Afternoon shade probably best
in hot gardens
 Water:
 Winter: good winter/spring
moisture
 Summer: let plants dry down
beginning when they flower
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils;
give a ½ strength ‘spring tonic’ of
fertilizer if grown in container
Other: cut back dry stems
after harvesting seeds
© Project SOUND
Garden uses for
California Goosefoot
 As an interesting pot plant
 In the vegetable garden:
 Leaves are edible
 Attracts leaf-eating insects
away from other plant
 As a habitat plant; seeds are
readily eaten
 As a filler in gardens featuring
local native plant communities
 Young shoots can be used for
making a green color dye
©2008 Keir Morse
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blitum_californicum
Goosefoot species – best when cooked,
leached or dried
 Good substitute for spinach, chard
 Incredibly nutritious; high in fiber,
protein, Vitamins A and C.
 Also high in manganese, calcium, copper
and has a bit of iron, and is high in both
Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
 Like other greens, contains quite a bit
of oxalic acid - can be both a stomach
irritant and impede calcium absorption.
 Cooking or drying Chenopodium leaves
eliminates most oxalic acid – but go easy
if you choose to eat it raw.
© Project SOUND
http://commonsensehome.com/cooking-weeds/
The leaves also have some
saponins. These are also
broken down by cooking

22. 3/6/2016
Preparing goosefoot
greens
 Rinse leaves well in cool water
 Best quickly sautéed or steamed; its
delicate leaves tend to disintegrate if
cooked for a long period of time.
 Like spinach, it pairs well with:
 alliums (think onions and garlic)
 with cream (as in cream of lamb’s
quarters soup)
 with cheese (especially hard cheeses
like Parmesan)
 and with citrus (think lemon and orange).
 For some good recipes see:
 http://www.mariquita.com/recipes/lamb
s%20quarters.htm
 http://www.pennilessparenting.com/201
5/05/foraging-lambsquarters-or-
goosefoot.html
© Project SOUND
http://commonsensehome.com/
Wild greens can be substituted in dishes
from many cultural traditions
 Goosefoot is common in Indian
cuisine (especially North Indian
dishes) and is used much like other
greens. Its Hindi name is bathua;
Paruppukkirai in Tamil
 The green is also eaten in Korea and
China, wild harvested as one of the
“mountain vegetables” so prized in
Korean cuisine and a popular “wild
green” in China.
 Try it in Kimchi
 Add a California flair to stir fry
© Project SOUND
http://eattheinvaders.org/lambs-quarters/
Dealing with excess spring greens
 Dry them; save in air-tight glass
jars for soups, stews
 Dry them, then grind the dried
leaves to make a delicious flour;
save in air-tight glass jars for
baking (usually with flour)
 Cook them (saute or steam),
then dry them; save in air-tight
glass jars
 Blanch and then pressure can
them (as you would spinach)
 Blanch and freeze them
© Project SOUND
Freezing native greens for future use is easy
 Blanch the greens in boiling
water just until the color
changes to a deep green and
the leaves are limp (not fully
cooked).
 Pour off water, cool (in the
fridge is good) and pat dry
 Freeze in air-tight container
or plastic freezer bag
 Label & freeze: good for 6-
12 months
© Project SOUND

23. 3/6/2016
Greens & onions go well together: they’re
good partners, raw or cooked
© Project SOUND
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12465-pasta-with-collard-greens-and-onions
They also make a nice combination
in the garden
© Project SOUND
http://ideas2live4.com/2015/10/20/vegetables-that-grow-well-in-a-container-or-pot/
Red-Skinned Onion – Allium
haematochiton
© 2001 Steven Thorsted
© Project SOUND
Peninsula Onion – Allium peninsulare

24. 3/6/2016
 Foothills: coast & SW CA, Sierra
 Locally: Catalina Isl, San Clemente Isl,
Santa Monica Mtns, San Gabriels
 Summer dry slopes, flats often in clay
soils
 Usually in Valley Grassland, Foothill
Woodland, and Coastal Chaparral
© Project SOUND
Peninsula Onion – Allium peninsulare
var. franciscanum
var. peninsulare
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242102162
©2005 Victoria Marshall
© Project SOUND
Peninsula Onion:
few leaves
 Size:
 ~ 1 ft tall
 ~ 1 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Perennial from a true bulb
 Summer/fall dormant – dies
back to bulb after setting seed
 Foliage:
 One or few leaves
 Linear; channel-like (C-shape)
 Medium green to blue-green
 Dies back before flowering
 Roots:
 Roots from a true bulb
©2010 Barry Breckling
© Project SOUND
Flowers are fantastic
 Blooms: in spring – usually
April-May in our area; one of
the later-blooming onions
 Flowers:
 Tepals (petals/sepals) mostly
fused
 Color: usually brilliant
magenta; sometimes lighter
and even white – these are
really spectacular!
 In open, rather flat umbel-
like clusters
 Attract small pollinators –
some bees & pollinator flies
©2010 Barry Breckling
©2011 Steven Perry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alliumpeninsulare.jpg
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: clay or rocky soils in
nature; most local soils,
except poorly draining
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun to part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: rains will be enough
in many years; supplement if
long dry periods
 Summer: best with none
(Water Zone 1); more
tolerant of a little summer
water than most native bulbs
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: leave dry leaves
attached until fall
©2010 Barry Breckling

25. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
An exotic color spot
 Excellent container plant – as are
all native Alliums and other bulbs
 Fronts of summer-dry beds
 In mixed meadow/prairie
 Tucked into dry places
©2011 Steven Perry
©2011 Steven Perryhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/xerantheu
m/5684109897/ http://www.theodorepayne.org/mediawiki/
index.php?title=Allium_peninsulare
Mix & match: greens and seasonings
© Project SOUND
© Project SOUND
Common camas lily – Camassa quamash
http://www.malag.aes.oregonstate.edu/wildflowers/species.php/id-837
 B.C. to Northern CA; e. to s.w.
Alberta, MT, WY & UT
 Seasonally damp forests, meadows,
stream sides; areas often dry by late
spring
© Project SOUND
Common camas lily – Camassa quamash
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Camassia+quamash
© 2002 Gary A. Monroe
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101517

26. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Camas lily: perennial from a true bulb
 Size:
 1-2+ ft tall
 1-2 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Perennial that grows from
bulb each winter/spring –
dies back in summer
 Leaves in basal rosette
 Foliage:
 Leaves linear, grass-like
 Roots: true bulb (like onion)
© Project SOUND
Flowers are wonderful!
 Blooms: spring – April-June
 Flowers:
 Very pale blue to lavender,
star-shaped w/ 6 petals
 Individual flowers lovely –
prominent anthers
 Flowers dense on upright
flowering stalk – magnificent!
 Attracts all kinds of bee
pollinators
 Seeds: many small, dark seeds in
dry capsules; most important form
of reproduction/increase
 Vegetative reproduction:
produces offsets
© 2004, Ben Legler
© 2004, Shaun Hubbard
© Project SOUND
Moist soils needed  Soils:
 Texture: best in heavy soils
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: need moist soils
winter to spring; supplement
rain if needed
 Summer: let bulbs dry out
slowly after flowering ceases
– mimic nature
 Fertilizer: humus; likes organic
soils, so potting soils or amended
clays work well.
 Other: let plants dry out and re-
seed (or collect seed)
© Project SOUND
Camas is queen
 Fantastic when massed –
but difficult to do in S. CA
 Very attractive pot plant
 Accent plant in dry garden
beds, around shrubs
© 2005 Steve Matson
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/171488698282426849/
https://www.gardenia.net/guide/a-contemporary-blue-spring-garden

27. 3/6/2016
Conservation worries: but plenty of
bulb/seed sources
 Decreasing habitat is a
cause for worry
 Fortunately, the species
grows readily from seed,
flowering in two to four
years
 A number of commercial
sources are available for
seeds and for bulbs of
plants produced from seed.
© Project SOUND
Bulbs from seed
 Seeds:
 Pretty easy
 May take a few rainstorms to get
them to germinate – be patient
 2-4 years to flowering/edible
size
 Vegetative reproduction:
 Bulb offsets
 Bulbils – above-ground
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8024/7390488038_d032d
f3d13_z.jpg
©2011 Steven Perry
http://www.hazmac.biz/080303/080303AlliumPeninsulare.html
Common cammas:
important food plant,
then and now
 Camas was and continues to be one of the most important "root"
foods of western North American indigenous peoples, from
southwestern British Columbia to Montana, and south to California
 It was and is considered to be a delicacy.
 People traveled great distances to harvest the bulbs.
 This plant is thought to have been semi-domesticated by the
women to produce maximum harvest.
© Project SOUND
http://thenorthwestforager.com/2014/04/28/camas-quamash/
Cooking with
Camassia quamash
 Traditionally, bulbs were
steamed or pit-cooked slowly
for a least a day (up to three),
then ground up and mixed to
make gravy.
 Today, bulbs are still:
 Roasted/baked/slow-cooked in
oven or crock pot
 Cooked in pressure cooker
 The freshly roasted bulb is
reported to be very sweet and
to taste similar to a baked
pear or pumpkin
© Project SOUND
http://www.malag.aes.oregonstate.edu/wildflowers/species.php/id-837
http://thenorthwestforager.com/2014/04/28/camas-quamash/

28. 3/6/2016
Traditional harvesting
methods
 The bulbs were usually dug after
flowering, in summer
 Turf was lifted out systematically
in small sections and then replaced
after only larger bulbs had been
removed.
 Bulbs were dug with a pointed
digging stick. Bulbs were broken up
and replanted.
 Annual controlled burning was used
to maintain an open prairie-like
habitat for optimum camas
production.
 Areas were harvested only every
few years.
© Project SOUND
http://ethnoecorestoration.blogspot.com/
http://arcadianabe.blogspot.com/2012/05/okanogan-roots-mountain-potato-glacier.html
Bulbs in containers: an easy way to go
 Know their soil requirements
 Know their water regimen
 Know how dense to plant
 Camassias: 4-9 bulbs per square
foot
 Onions: 10-12 per square foot
 Once your pot matures, harvest
every 3 years or so
© Project SOUNDhttp://porch.com/advice/inspiring-containers-for-your-winter-bulbs/
But enough on salads & greens…
© Project SOUND
Strawberries are classics for containers
 Small plants – good for small pots
 Can grow in small or narrow spaces (1
ft. wide is enough)
 Grow fine in containers; can give them
the nutrients they need
© Project SOUND
http://www.digthedirt.com/contributions/98-Edible-plants-
Strawberry-Plants-in-a-pocket-
 Take some shade
 Easier to keep pill bugs and
others away from them if
grown in pots http://www.viewsfromthegarden.com/2013/01/growing-strawberries-
in-container.html

29. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
* Woodland Strawberry – Fragaria vesca ssp. californica
© 2002 George Jackson
© Project SOUND
* 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
Characteristics of CA Woodland Strawberry
 Size:
 < 1 ft tall
 3-6+ ft wide, spreading clump
 Growth form:
 Herbaceous perennial – typical
form for strawberries
 Produces runners (stolons) with
new plantlets
 Fall deciduous; dies back
 Foliage:
 Leaves are medium green, typical
shape for strawberries
 Leaves and flowers arise from
single base
 Roots: rather shallow
Jo-Ann Ordano © California Academy of Sciences
© 2006 Vivian Parker © Project SOUND
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
 Leaves make a tea for GI upsets© 2006 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

30. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 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
Strawberry pots are
the tradition
© Project SOUND
But you can be creative
http://ssara996.tumblr.com/
You can make your
own simple containers
© Project SOUND
http://wildsuburbia.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html
For instructions on making this
recycled pallet strawberry planter see:
http://lovelygreens.com/2013/05/how-to-
make-better-strawberry-pallet.html
Creative new options
save space
 Often first developed for
hydroponic gardening
 Modular – can stack up as
many as you want (within
reason)
 Water the top – water
seeps down to bottom
 Plastic or (some) terra
cotta
 Modest prices: ~ $30.00
for three tiers on-line
© Project SOUND
Gro Tower
http://www.smarteryard.com/Gardening-GroTower.html
http://www.amazon.com/Tier-Stackable-
Herb-Garden-Planter/dp/B007PUDZ0K
Mr. Stacky

31. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
PYRAMID STRAWBERRY PLANTER
http://www.chesapeakecrafts.com/STRAWBERRY_TOWER.php
Design from Chesapeake Crafts
http://www.getwoodworking.com/news/article/strawberry-planter/4639
Plans on-line at getwoodworking.com
Strawberries in gutters? Mais oui!
 Mount the gutters on the side of your
house, or any wall.
 Or mount them along clothesline poles,
fence or any creative way to mount
them above the ground.
 Drill quarter inch holes every foot in
the bottom of the gutters to allow
water to drain properly.
 Mount one gutter above another gutter
and the water from top gutter will
water the lower one.
 Leave about 2-3 feet of space above
each gutter in order to allow the lower
gutters to get enough sunlight.
© Project SOUND
http://hubpages.com/living/Recicle-by-using-discarded-10lt-
plastic-bottels-to-grow-Strawberries
Vertical tube towers save space – can be
used in many places
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.woohome.com/diy-2/vertical-strawberry-tube-planter-for-your-small-garden
Instructions
at Urban
Greenspace
blog
Even edibles that grow on shrubs & vines
are possible in large containers
 Dwarf citrus (lemons & limes; mandarin
oranges)
 Dwarf peaches and nectarines
 Blueberries and their native kin, the
Huckleberries
 Native (or non-native) bramble berries
(blackberries; raspberries)
 Native currants & gooseberries
 Native honeysuckles
 Even native roses (for their rose ‘hips’)
© Project SOUND
http://whiteonricecouple.com/garden/lemon-tree-for-container-gardening/

32. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
http://edenmakersblog.com/?p=893#sthash.yk9KxgQw.dpbs
http://www.honeysucklelife.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/03/Potted-Lemon-Tree.jpg
http://www.poderesantapia.com/gardens/mediciriccardigarden.htm
Garden in Tuscany
Edibles in containers can
add a classic note to
formal gardens
Or they can be down-right funky and
functional (and inexpensive)
© Project SOUND
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1463068/picture-of-potted-metolious-
blackberry
The genus Rubus: the bramble berries
 Large genus in Rose family
(Rosaceae)
 Latin name means “bramble” –
most have prickly stems
 Includes cultivated raspberries
and blackberries
 More than a dozen species
native to western N. America
 The Rubus fruit, sometimes
called a bramble fruit, is an
aggregate of drupelets (small,
fleshy fruits surrounding a hard
‘stone’ or seed)
© Project SOUND
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blackberries_on_bush.jpg
Some of our favorite summer
fruits come from this genus!
Non-native raspberries – ‘Strawberry Shortcake’
 ‘Thornless, self-pollinating, and requires no trellising or
staking. Enjoy full-size, nutritious and super sweet
raspberries in mid-summer, right from your deck chair… if
you have room for a pot, you have room for a raspberry
patch!’
© Project SOUND
http://www.alamedagarden.com/2013/04/raspberries-in-
containers-you-can-grow.html
http://vanputte.com/grow-the-berry-best/

33. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Thimbleberry – Rubus parviflorus
Dr. Robert T. and Margaret Orr © California Academy of Sciences
Berries are
Raspberry-like
 Mild flavor & a little dry when
red-ripe; can be dried
 Makes good jellies, syrups, etc.
 Wildlife love them too !!!
© Project SOUND
© 2004 Robert Sivinski
http://upfoods.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35&products_id=67&zenid=44f82b96b2f0219f31ab989
6b094afdc
How Thimbleberry got its common name
© Project SOUND
*Whitebark (Blue; Blackcap) raspberry –
Rubus leucodermis
© 2005, Ben Legler
 California Floristic Province (except immediate coast, Great
Central Valley) to British Columbia, Montana, Nevada
 Locally in the San Gabriel Mountains
 Moist, often rocky, places up to ~7000 ft. elevation © Project SOUND
*Whitebark (Blue; Blackcap) raspberry –
Rubus leucodermis
©2008 Keir Morse ©2009 Julie Kierstead Nelson
http://cnhwildflowers.appspot.com/map?Rubus_leucodermis

34. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Berry shrub/vine of
the forest
 Size:
 3-5 ft tall
 3-9 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Trailing/arching, vine-life
shrub (like most raspberries
or boysenberries)
 Very white young bark
 Sharp, stout prickles
 Foliage:
 Leaves 3-part – typical
 Fall/winter deciduous
 Roots: increases by sprouting
from roots
©2008 Keir Morse
©2010 Jean Pawek
© Project SOUND
Spring flowers
 Blooms: spring/summer usually
May-July (May in S. CA)
 Flowers:
 White, five-petal flowers
typical of the bramble berries
 In small clusters on two year
old vines; vines die after
fruiting
 Insect pollinated – good for
attracting pollinators
 Plants are quite attractive in
bloom - woodsy
 Seeds: 1-2 month cold-moist
treatment for stored seeds
©2008 Keir Morse
©2009 Barry Breckling
Berries are superb!
 Plants very productive under
right circumstances
 Fruits ripen summer/fall; ripe
fruits are very dark red to black
 Birds will want their share – net
if that’s an issue
 Uses:
 Beverages
 In baked goods: pies, scones
 For syrups
 Excellent jelly
 Liqueurs
© Project SOUND
©2015 Zoya Akulova
©2008 Keir Morse
Harvesting your bounty
 Ripe berries very tasty –try one to see if
they are ripe (until you know by sight).
 The best time to harvest fruits is 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.
 Eat or use within a few days – have short
shelf life
© Project SOUND
http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Rosa5.html
http://imaginarybicycle.wordpress.com/category/desirables/

35. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Raspberries are
forest plants
 Soils:
 Texture: adaptable
 pH: best with slightly acidic (pH: 5.0
to 7.5)
 Light:
 Best with dappled shade (like
forest) or morning sun
 Can take full sun along coast if
regularly watered
 Water:
 Winter: needs good winter rains;
soils should be wet (think N.
California)
 Summer: regular water (Water Zone
2-3 or 3)
 Fertilizer: light fertilizer spring
 Other: cut off dead canes in fall; train
new canes in spring
©2008 Keir Morse
Cane berries require spring training
 Require both support and containment
 Some common methods:
 Special raspberry/blackberry trellis
 Caging (works well with raised beds)
 Wire tie-back (along wall/fence)
 Conventional trellis
© Project SOUND
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/145874475405288542/
http://www.hipchickdigs.com/2013/03/how-to-thin-raspberries/ http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/how-to-grow-blackberries-and-raspberries-rubus
Many ways to provide support
© Project SOUND
http://www.seedsofeaden.com/edible-plants-k8/how-to-grow-blackberries-b196.html
http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/my/myedibles/fruit/blackberry/
https://cherylsgardengoodies.wordpress.com/category/container-gardening/
Managing bramble fruits in containers
 Fertilize several times; early spring;
summer (once every 6-8 weeks)
 Provide support; train the vines each
spring
 Cut out old canes (religiously) in
winter (when new ones start growing)
 Keep up with watering in summer
© Project SOUND
© 2014, Brian Luther
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/new-shoots/growing-currants-
pots_77325.html

36. 3/6/2016
© Project SOUND
Brambleberries in
gardens
 Contained in pot, planter or
other contained area
 As a living fence or screen
 Espaliered along fence, trellis
 In a traditional berry plot
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubus_thibetanus
https://www.quickcrop.co.uk/blog/how-to-grow-raspberries/
Theodore Payne Garden Tour – April 2 & 3
© Project SOUND
South Bay Water-wise
Garden Tour – May 15th
Think about participating –
even if your garden is a young
one
March 18, 19 – Edible, Medicinal & Useful
Plants Sale – CSU Dominguez Hills
© Project SOUND
We hope we’ve convinced you that you can grow
edibles – even native ones – in containers
© Project SOUND
http://www.picorro.com/?image=http://www.felmiatika.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/apartment-balcony-vegetable-garden-plants-ideas.jpg&title=Small
Balcony Garden Ideas&tag=apartment balcony decorating

37. 3/6/2016
And we hope we’ve given you some practical
ideas you can apply to any type of edible
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