by Mel Kendall

The focus of our new landscape was to create a low-maintenance pollinator magnet. Our research pointed us to the philosophy that what we planted had to have these two characteristics: low or no maintenance during the winter and summer and the requirement for only a few dedicated workdays in the spring and fall. The pollinators have arrived in droves, featuring multiple kinds of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

The fall of 2021 was our first year of fall maintenance. I use the words ‘installed' instead of ‘completed' because, in the words of a wise UC Master Gardener friend, “a garden is never completed, it evolves.” I have mentioned my preference for deciduous trees because they have set times for debris dispersal. Evergreen trees seem to be a constant maintenance issue with their leaf, flower, fruit and bark debris dropping on a continual basis. As a result, our trees are deciduous, but the shrubs are either evergreen or deciduous, depending on where they are in the landscape. The plants are chosen for their constant color and coverage. They have been working all summer producing their various raisons d'être: regular flower production for pollinators and ongoing green leaves that cover and protect the soil while providing constant color. Each of these plants has some basic maintenance, but not too much, keeping with our low-maintenance theme. 

- Daylilies (Hemerocallis) Some are deciduous and some are evergreen. All produce flowers on a regular basis and require little or no upkeep.  Removal of spent blooms and stems (called deadheading) on a regular basis and an early spring removal of dead leaves from the previous year's growth is all that's required.

- Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria) We have three varieties of these plants and are very satisfied with their performance in the landscape.  All three are evergreen and produce long stems with flowers on a rotating basis. These plants fulfill their low-maintenance requirement admirably, only requiring removal of spent stems, blooms and leaves as needed. 

- Lantana (Lantana camara) Evergreen and virtually maintenance free. To encourage reblooming, deadhead periodically. To contain overgrown plants just cut back a third of the plant's growth in the spring.

- Gaillardia- (Gaillardia spp.) Amazing flower power contained in each plant. Deadheading as needed will ensure their continued explosion of flowers. They are herbaceous, with leaves that die back in the fall and reemerge in the spring.  Each plant should be cut back to 6 inches from the ground in the fall. 

- Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) Spring and summer care consists mainly of pruning. When new spring growth emerges in spring, cut the old stems back to just above the lowest set of leaves. If the plant begins to sprawl in the summer, cut off the top one-third of the stems to encourage more upright growth. If the plant stops blooming in summer, remove the top half of the branches to encourage new growth and a fresh flush of flowers.

- Roses (Rosa spp.) Roses usually don't go completely dormant in our climate zone but wait until late winter before pruning. Remove all the old leaves, prune out weak, spindly or diseased canes at the base, remove any canes crossing through the center, then prune remaining canes back by one-third to one-half.

- Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens) An evergreen globular plant that blooms nearly all year long.  Removing the spent flower stalks periodically to neaten their appearance is all that is needed.

Fall brings leaf drop in our deciduous trees and shrubs. After the leaves have fallen, we can see all the branches, making it easier to prune for shape and maintenance. The trumpet vines (Campsis radicans) growing on the fence only require thinning and cutting off any shoots that have outgrown their designated areas.  If allowed, these vines have the potential to “take over” and possibly overburden the fence, so thinning and maintaining is a must.

The trees, depending on their growth habit, required some thinning and shaping to allow them to fill out areas as desired.  Our maple, Acer ‘Warrenred' PACIFIC SUNSET^® is growing perfectly, both in height and canopy width.  For now, we are leaving it alone. The smoke tree (Cotinus x 'Grace') sent out long branches all over the canopy that were cut back to their origin points after some research on how to prune them. Keep in mind that continued hard pruning will affect flower production, but will control the tree's size.  Our black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Twisty Baby'™) grew exponentially this last year.  After the leaves dropped, we were able to see the branches simplifying our pruning plans. We wanted to bring the branches up from the ground and thin them so the tree stayed the same height, but with a thinner and more open canopy.  As mentioned, this tree grows aggressively, so it will probably need more than cursory “finger pruning” of new growth.  

The first year of our new landscape has gone well, and we'll see how the plants we pruned this fall recover in the spring.  Hopefully, we didn't go too overboard and kill anything.  Regardless, we learned a lot about each plant and had fun doing this chore. Gardening in any form is always delightful for me, so excuse me while I don my gardening attire and head out to enjoy another day in my own special secret garden.

Napa Master Gardeners are available to answer garden questions by email: mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. or phone at 707-253-4143.  Volunteers will get back to you after they research answers to your questions.

Visit our website: napamg.ucanr.edu to find answers to all of your horticultural questions.

Photo credits: Mel Kendall

References:

American Daylily Society https://daylilies.org/

Missouri Botanical Garden-Kniphofia uvaria

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=i310

UC IPM-Lantana http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/lantana.html

Monrovia -Gaillardiahttps://www.monrovia.com/sunset-snappy-blanket-flower.html

-Bulbine https://www.monrovia.com/orange-stalked-bulbine.html

Acer ‘Warrenred' PACIFIC SUNSET^® https://www.jfschmidt.com/pdfs/pacificsunsetmaple.pdf

Grace Smoke Tree Cotinus x 'Grace' UC Master Gardeners Sonoma County http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Plant_of_the_Month/Cotinus/

Robinia pseudoacacia Twisty Baby™ Oregon State

https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/robinia-pseudoacacia-twisty-baby