Give Bees a Chance

San Francisco

Island manzanita

Bear Valley, Colusa County, California

Antelope Valley, California

We have learned that the We have learned that the California flora has infinite California flora has infinite horticultural possibilities, horticultural possibilities, and, despite our collective and, despite our collective experience, we are still at experience, we are still at the beginningthe beginning..

Steve Edwards, DirectorSteve Edwards, DirectorEast Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden at East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden at

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Veg GuideVeg Guide

Veg Guide

Plant Materials Center – Lockeford

Pollinator.org

Toolkit,ArcGIS project

Hedgerows

or

Edgerows

Solidago californica 'Cascade Creek'

Conservation PlanningConservation Planning

►Step 1 – Step 1 – Identify Identify Problems: Problems: Determine Determine Resource Resource ConcernsConcerns

Ceanothus divergens

Step 2: Determine ObjectivesStep 2: Determine Objectives► Goals of landowner?Goals of landowner?► Any crops that producer wants Any crops that producer wants

pollinated? List.pollinated? List.► What is the specific bloom time that What is the specific bloom time that

the crop needs pollination? the crop needs pollination? ► Any specific pollinators wanted to be Any specific pollinators wanted to be

attracted? Bees, beetles, attracted? Bees, beetles, hummingbirds, butterflies, bats?hummingbirds, butterflies, bats?

► Any specific plants desired in hedgerow Any specific plants desired in hedgerow planting, or not wanted? Why? Listplanting, or not wanted? Why? List..

► Are there any existing large plants Are there any existing large plants and trees that will be retained?and trees that will be retained?

► Planting design objectives:Planting design objectives: Height of hedgerow desired: Height of hedgerow desired:

groundcover, sub-shrub, shrub, groundcover, sub-shrub, shrub, and/or tree?and/or tree?

Width of hedgerow?Width of hedgerow? Vehicle access needed through Vehicle access needed through

hedgerow?hedgerow? Maintenance plan – how will Maintenance plan – how will

weeds be controlled?weeds be controlled?

► Irrigation method planned?Irrigation method planned? Independent system that can be Independent system that can be

managed separately?managed separately? Tied into existing system for Tied into existing system for

orchard/vineyard/cropland? If yes, orchard/vineyard/cropland? If yes, what is the irrigation interval? How what is the irrigation interval? How often is crop irrigated, length of time often is crop irrigated, length of time (hours), calendar that irrigation starts (hours), calendar that irrigation starts and stops?and stops?

Dry farmed? If so, timing of plantings Dry farmed? If so, timing of plantings is critical; must be done in the fall.is critical; must be done in the fall.

After 3 year establishment, what is After 3 year establishment, what is plan for irrigation?plan for irrigation?

Step 3: Inventory Step 3: Inventory ResourcesResources

►Questions to help inventory Questions to help inventory resources:resources: Is area deer fenced or is deer a Is area deer fenced or is deer a

problem?problem? Protection needed from Protection needed from

livestock?livestock? Rodent problem? Gopher, Rodent problem? Gopher,

ground squirrel, vole, mice, ground squirrel, vole, mice, mole, etcmole, etc

►Any disease problems in crop Any disease problems in crop field?field?

►Vineyards: Pierces’ disease, Vineyards: Pierces’ disease, eutypa, white flieseutypa, white flies

►Apples/pears: fire blightApples/pears: fire blight

InventoryInventory

► What are crop types on neighboring What are crop types on neighboring fields?fields?

► Soils: what type? Any constraints Soils: what type? Any constraints (i.e., impervious layer, salinity, etc.)(i.e., impervious layer, salinity, etc.)

Note: If soil is heavy clay, Note: If soil is heavy clay, create mounds for proper drainage.create mounds for proper drainage.

► What is the drainage? Where does What is the drainage? Where does site drain to?site drain to?

► Irrigation water constrains? Boron, Irrigation water constrains? Boron, etc?etc?

► Any infrastructure to consider?Any infrastructure to consider? Underground pipes or utilitiesUnderground pipes or utilities Overhead power linesOverhead power lines Canal ditchesCanal ditches RoadsRoads FenceFence Etc.Etc.

InventoryInventory

► Landscape description—what Landscape description—what does surrounding area look like? does surrounding area look like? What was it like before it was What was it like before it was disturbed? What types of native disturbed? What types of native plants exist nearby? Describe: plants exist nearby? Describe: vegetation type (oak woodland, vegetation type (oak woodland, chaparral, riparian, rangeland, chaparral, riparian, rangeland, etc).etc).

InventoryInventory

► What is the MLRA?What is the MLRA?► What is the soil type?What is the soil type?► Aspect?Aspect?► Slope?Slope?► Access?Access?

InventoryInventory

Desert willow

Step 4: Analyze Resource Step 4: Analyze Resource DataData

►Goals – Long Term & Short TermGoals – Long Term & Short Term►Consider long-term goals such as Consider long-term goals such as

permanent plantings that need permanent plantings that need room to mature. Or short-term room to mature. Or short-term goals such as annuals or goals such as annuals or perennials to provide cover while perennials to provide cover while the larger shrubs and tress the larger shrubs and tress become established.become established.

Step 5: Formulate Step 5: Formulate AlternativesAlternatives

► DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS:DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS: HydrozoningHydrozoning is the grouping and is the grouping and

watering of plants according to watering of plants according to their water needs. Determine the their water needs. Determine the hydrozone to select CA native hydrozone to select CA native plants that require/tolerate planned plants that require/tolerate planned irrigation or drought conditions. irrigation or drought conditions.

►

►Group plantsGroup plants so the so the flower patch is at flower patch is at least 1.5 meter in least 1.5 meter in diameter, for diameter, for optimal bee optimal bee attraction and attraction and length of time spent length of time spent feedingfeeding Salvia clevelandii

► Plant flowers that bloom Plant flowers that bloom successively over the spring, successively over the spring, summer and fall seasons to provide summer and fall seasons to provide pollen and nectar to the native pollen and nectar to the native bees. In California, native bees are bees. In California, native bees are active from mid-January through active from mid-January through mid-November. Try to incorporate mid-November. Try to incorporate at least 3 species per season, at least 3 species per season, optimally 15-20 different plant optimally 15-20 different plant species.species.

► Other considerations:Other considerations: The species already grows on the The species already grows on the

site site Other nearby sites with similar Other nearby sites with similar

environmental conditions environmental conditions Local plant expert recommendationsLocal plant expert recommendations Literature on local flora and plant Literature on local flora and plant

communities communities Historical recordsHistorical records

Plant Spacing/DensityPlant Spacing/Density

““Many professionally designed gardens Many professionally designed gardens are overplanted. This is especially are overplanted. This is especially true of commercial properties such as true of commercial properties such as shopping centers and housing shopping centers and housing projects. Although developers want projects. Although developers want to create a sense of immediate to create a sense of immediate lushness and opulence, what they lushness and opulence, what they have in fact created is a maintenance have in fact created is a maintenance nightmare. All too quickly, the plants nightmare. All too quickly, the plants will need constant pruning and will need constant pruning and hedging…. A look of lushness can be hedging…. A look of lushness can be achieved a far less expense simply achieved a far less expense simply by planting at appropriate densities, by planting at appropriate densities, leading to far lower maintenance leading to far lower maintenance costs in the future”costs in the future”

Other Planning StepsOther Planning Steps

► MAKE DECISIONS MAKE DECISIONS (CLIENT DECIDES)(CLIENT DECIDES)

► IMPLEMENT THE IMPLEMENT THE PLAN (CLIENT PLAN (CLIENT IMPLEMENTS)IMPLEMENTS)

► EVALUATE THE EVALUATE THE PLANPLAN

Tidy tips

It is challenging to get it It is challenging to get it “right” when you’re “right” when you’re working on the working on the experimental edge of an experimental edge of an ever-changing endeavor ever-changing endeavor where unrepeatable events where unrepeatable events and startling surprises ruleand startling surprises rule..

Steve Edwards, DirectorSteve Edwards, DirectorEast Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden at East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden at

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Questions?

Lisa Woo Shanks

Lisa.Shanks@ ca.usda.gov