December Tips & Events for Santa Clara County | |
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“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
~John Muir
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Quiz: What Plant Is This? | What plant is this? This California native has smooth, reddish-brown bark that peels, giving it a layered look. The leaves are small and evergreen. In winter, it produces small bell-shaped flowers. You often see them while hiking in the mountains. | Photo credit: Allen Buchinski | |
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Photo: Male and female shothole borers, Akif Eskalen, UC Davis | |
An update on the invasive shothole borer (ISHB) recently detected in San Jose: Officials are conducting visual inspections and trapping across the Bay Area. Most San Jose detections have been in the north, particularly near Coyote Creek. The city estimates that 20% of local trees could be vulnerable to this destructive pest. While the city is planning for treatment of moderately infested trees, no treatment products are available directly to residents. Severely infested trees must be removed. Concerned residents should consult the detailed FAQs and action plans available on both Santa Clara County and San Jose city websites. |
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Dispose of Unused Pesticides and Fertilizer | Winter is a great time to get rid of unused pesticides and fertilizer. But disposing of them must be done carefully. Pouring garden chemicals down the drain is not only against the law, but water treatment plants aren’t designed to remove all toxic chemicals from wastewater. And street drains carry chemicals directly into rivers and the ocean. Santa Clara County offers free hazardous waste disposal. Reduce your use of toxic chemicals by using integrated pest management methods to solve garden problems. Identify the target pest, use non-chemical practices first, and if you need a chemical treatment, only purchase and use what you need. |
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Photo credit: Nevada Department of Agriculture |
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Can’t wait for spring? Forcing bulbs involves getting spring bulbs to bloom indoors during winter. Start by selecting the bulbs. Some bulbs such as hyacinths need to be chilled, while others like paperwhites do not. Select a container without holes and place a layer of rocks on the bottom. Position the bulbs on the rock layer, pointed end up; then fill with water to the bottom of the bulbs. Top up water if the level drops. Replace water if it gets murky. Keep the container in a cool dark location until the roots start growing; then move it to a sunny location and enjoy the display.
Photo: Daffodil bulbs forced to bloom indoors in shallow container on rock pebbles, Ying Chen
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Plant Asparagus Crowns Now | |
An asparagus bed can provide delicious harvests for 15 years or more. But it requires good preparation and planning. Soil needs to be well amended for growing this perennial vegetable, and the dormant crowns must be planted deep in trenches. Choose a site that has at least 8 hours of full sun. At the end of the harvest season each year, some spears need to be left to grow into ferny stalks 4–8 feet tall, in order to replenish the roots. Some gardeners find them unsightly at the end of the summer, so that might be a factor when choosing a site. See the link for more details on planting and growing.
Photo: Ferny stalks of asparagus, University of New Hampshire
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Photo: Western fence lizard, Jack Kelly Clark, UC | |
Want to increase the biodiversity in your garden? A varied landscape attracts a wider range of wildlife, including pollinators, beneficial insects, and even lizards. These scaly garden helpers thrive where an assortment of plants create food and shelter. Trade some turf for a more diverse selection of plants and watch your yard come alive with insects—and the lizards that hunt them. That diversity also supports local pollinators and birds, transforming your yard into a vibrant ecosystem. Tip: include a few flat rocks for the lizards to bask on. |
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This is a manzanita (Arctostaphylos). It is named for the tiny, red, apple-like berries it produces (manzanita means little apple in Spanish). There are many species of it in California, varying in size from more than 20 feet to only a few inches tall. The plant has smooth, peeling bark that serves as a quick way to shed lichen or parasites and makes it hard for insects to crawl up. It can be a great addition to your garden. As a winter-blooming plant, manzanita provides a needed source of nectar for pollinators. It is drought tolerant once established.
Photo: Manzanita flowers, Ying Chen
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More December Tips and To-Dos | |
For more gardening tips and to-dos, visit the monthly tips archive on our website. Perfect for browsing, you may recognize some of the content, but you’re sure to find something new. It starts with to-dos for the month; just the thing to review before heading out to your garden. | |
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No plant clinic November–February.
Holiday Wreath-Making Workshop: Morning Session Sunday, December 8, 10 am–noon, Martial Cottle Park - UC Master Gardener Pavilion, 5283 Snell Avenue, San Jose
Holiday Wreath-Making Workshop: Afternoon Session Sunday, December 8, 1–3 pm, Martial Cottle Park - UC Master Gardener Pavilion, 5283 Snell Avenue, San Jose
Winter Rose Care and Pruning Monday, December 9, 7–8 pm, Saratoga Library - Community Room, 13650 Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga
Winter Rose Care Wednesday, December 18, 7–8:30 pm, Cupertino Library, 10800 Torre Avenue, Cupertino
Succulent & California Natives Holiday Open House & Sale Saturday, December 21, 9 am–noon, Martial Cottle Park, 5283 Snell Avenue, San Jose
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Check our calendar for the latest schedule of events. Videos of many past presentations are also available.
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University of California Master Gardener volunteers promote sustainable gardening practices and provide research-based horticultural information to home gardeners. Visit our website for more information including:
Have a gardening question? Ask us. We’re here to help!
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