Hey there, Backyard Blooms!
Welcome back to another edition of The Closed Loop, a quarterly newsletter from the Backyard Permaculture Guild!
We hope you -- and your garden -- had a restful, nourishing winter season. And welcome to Spring!
One of the greatest gifts we receive from practicing permaculture is the understanding that we are as much a part of nature’s cycle as the flowers blooming in our backyards. As we move into Spring, take a moment to consider what you are getting ready to grow, and what kinds of conditions you might need to make it happen. What can you prune away? What fertilizer are you hungry for? We’re all in this season of change together -- plants and people alike.
What’s Blooming?
How well do you know the native plants in your backyard? Here are a few common ones that you might see popping up at this time of year:
California Poppy -- considered a weed by some, this native flower attracts pollinators and can be used to create a safe, effective sleep aid tincture. Remember what Wayne Dyer said: “the difference between a flower and a weed is a judgment.”
Blue-Eyed Grass -- neither blue, nor a grass! This fire-resistant, perennial herb needs moist soil, so it might just be growing in your rain garden right now. Catch it before it goes dormant for the summer!
California Buttercup -- often called by its scientific name “ranunculus,” this cute little yellow flower self-seeds easily and needs very little summer water, so it’s a nice, low-maintenance native to add to your gardenscape!
Western Trillium -- this distinctive three-petaled flower is sometimes called “wake robin” because it’s such a reliable herald of spring! It thrives in shade, so you might be more likely to find it on a hike in the woods than in the open space of your backyard, but we love it anyway <3
Spring Fruit Tree Care!
Spring is the biggest season of growth for your fruit trees, so everything we do at this time of year is focused on maximizing the production of fruit -- and its flavor!
First and foremost, fertilize! New or 1-to-2-year-old trees should get 2-3 spadefuls of mature compost in a 2 or 3 foot circle around the base of the tree, staying at least 4” away from the trunk. Next, add a sprinkle of blood meal or citrus mix and work it into the soil before adding mulch and watering all that goodness in.
More established trees probably won’t need bagged fertilizer, especially if you followed our winter advice and used a cover crop! Just sprinkle a bit of compost on top of the soil, add your mulch and you’re good to go.
Hot tip: Under your citrus trees, for the sweetest fruit, we recommend using a fertilizer rich in phosphorus ;)
Project Spotlight: Grace & Curtis’s House in Hayward
When we arrived here for our garden consultation, Grace & Curtis’s house in Hayward was drowning in overcrowded fruit trees, rose bushes and debris. We could barely move around when we got there, much less was there any room for anything to grow!
We thinned out the orchard, removed a (literal) ton of debris from the front and back yards, and built a beautiful and functional garden landscape complete with hardscape patio and *outdoor pizza oven* (not pictured! sorry) for this family of 9!
A miracle, you say? A feat of superhuman strength and daring? Nope, just another day in the life of the Backyard Permaculture Guild!
Support Tan Oak Preservation in the Santa Cruz Mountains!
Starry Ridge Wildlife Refuge and Native Plant Sanctuary near Boulder Creek is home to thriving native forest and meadow ecosystems, including a community of rare Tan Oaks, which are threatened by Sudden Oak Death throughout the Bay Area. It’s also home to our beloved friend and guild member, Deeda!
For the last three years, Deeda and friends have been working to restore the native ecosystems at Starry Ridge using sustainable forestry practices like burn piles, tree thinning and sediment reduction to enhance the salmonid watershed. However, due to the recent executive order to pause funding for the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the grant that was making this vital work possible is in jeopardy.
That’s why we need your help! Donate $100, or any amount, to @OracleOak on Venmo with the note “for Starry Ridge” to help sustain necessary ecological restoration in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Your support will help preserve endangered native plants and animals, and make the whole region a little bit healthier. Thank you in advance 🙏