In the Garden

The Monarch butterflies that winter on our California coastline have suffered a terrible decline in numbers over the past year, plummeting 86 percent in just one year – from 193,000 individuals counted in the winter of 2017 – 2018 to just 28,000 butterflies found this winter. Even worse, this winter’s count is only .6 percent – six-tenths of one percent - of the millions of Monarchs counted along the coast as recently as the 1980s.

Monarch researchers have speculated that an overwintering Monarch population of less than 30,000 individuals could signal the collapse of the entire population – a theory that may well be proven by year’s end.

In the meantime, many coastal gardeners are wondering whether planting Monarch-sustaining milkweed in their yards will help or hinder the species’ survival. Monarch adults feed on many types of flowers but breed exclusively on milkweed plants. Providing breeding sites for endangered creatures sounds like an obvious strategy for survival, but the debate over whether, where and what type of milkweed to plant is a complex issue that divides scientists as well as gardeners.

On the one hand, butterfly advocates from the Xerxes Society advise coastal Californians to plant only native milkweeds that die back in the winter, avoid evergreen Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) entirely, and not plant milkweed of any kind within five miles of the coast. The concern is that evergreen or overwintering milkweeds near butterfly overwintering sites may encourage Monarchs to breed in the winter, instead of waiting until spring when they resume their migration to the north and east.

In addition, evergreen milkweed’s lengthy growing season can allow the harmful parasite OE (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha) to develop, which in its turn can infect and weaken overwintering Monarchs that visit those plants.

But experts including Dr. Art Shapiro, who has monitored Western Monarch populations since 1972, say those concerns are not supported by data and may distract from efforts to discover the real causes of the butterfly die-off. For a deep dive into Shapiro’s reasoning, check out this presentation, given in February at a UC Davis symposium.

But in brief, Shapiro notes that Tropical milkweed has been a popular landscape plant throughout coastal California for a century, and claims the presence of these plants did not trigger winter breeding in the past. He suspects that climate change is the cause of current incidences of winter breeding, though research is needed to validate that hypothesis.

And while OE parasites can be found on tropical milkweed, infestations are more common in Southern California and can be avoided by removing old and diseased branches or cutting plants to the ground in winter.

Despite all the debate, there is some common ground. Butterfly survival strategies that all parties agree upon include avoiding pesticides in your home garden, and if pest control is necessary using the least-toxic strategy. And gardeners can provide year-round sustenance for vulnerable insects by planting a range of flowering plants, including native species when possible.

-  Maria Gaura, UC Master Gardener

Smart Gardening Fair on April 13

Join us for our spring gardening event in Pacific Grove!

Upcoming Classes

Have you been thinking about having your own beehive for pollinating your fruit trees and harvesting honey, but didn't know where to begin? This hands-on class will start in the barn with a lecture and demonstrations, then move outside to observe honey bee behavior in an active beehive and a demonstration of honey bee management.
 
Bring a notebook, and a honey bee jacket or suit and hat with veil, or borrow one. (we will have a couple to use) We also recommend you bring binoculars to watch the bees carry in pollen and nectar. 

NOTE: Seating is limited at this location.

This class covers how to pair the right pot with the right plants and where to place it for optimal growth and vigor! Home gardeners with small spaces, balconies or large yards can enjoy growing plants in a variety of vessels. Explore container types and sizes, potting soils and amendments, light and water requirements, pruning and integrated pest management techniques to support a thriving container garden. Whether you are growing food or ornamental plants, singular specimens, mass plantings or trees, this class will cover the keys to keeping your potted plants flourishing.

Note: There is no cost for the class, but Quail Hollow Ranch collects $3 for use of the facilities.

Designed for beginners and intermediate gardeners, this course will cover introductory topics including why to do it, why not do it, how to do it and what to plant. We will provide ways to add a single edible to your existing landscape, add edibles to container gardening, and creating a small 100 sq ft patch. 

Note: Seating is limited to 25 for this class.

This class is full. Please check out Introduction to Edible Landscaping class in June.

POPULAR! Learn about the fascinating varieties of succulents, planting techniques, soil selection, propagation by cuttings and divisions and ongoing care including watering, fertilizing and pest management. Everyone will get hands-on instruction planting succulents in a pot they can take home. Please bring a special container with a drain hole for your planting. Class includes a succulent swap, so everyone is invited to bring succulent cuttings to share with one another for our plantings and to take home.

Note: There is no cost for the class, but Quail Hollow Ranch collects $3 for use of the facilities.

Designed for beginners and intermediate gardeners, this course will cover introductory topics including why to do it, why not do it, how to do it and what to plant. We will provide ways to add a single edible to your existing landscape, add edibles to container gardening, and creating a small 100 sq ft patch. 

SAVE THE DATE! OUR GARDEN TOUR in MAY

When: Saturday, May 18, 2019
Where: Salinas area

Our popular Garden Tour is back! Please join us on a self-guided tour of farms and home gardens in the Salinas area showcasing a variety of garden designs and styles. Please check our website soon for more information.