Winter 2012

The Gardener’s Grapevine

New & Improved: www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org or www.mbbgarden.org

Although our planet seems to be reeling with

weather disasters setting all‐time records for de‐

struction this year, we can take solace in the fact

that our local communities are taking great

strides to counter the effects of global climate

changes. You can keep up with what the City of

Manhattan Beach is doing by going to the City’s

Web site and clicking “Going Green.” Pages

such as the following will have links to events,

educational material, incentive programs, and

more... http://www.citymb.info/Index.aspx?

page=2051. On page 5 of this newsletter, learn

how MBBG board members played a part in de‐

veloping educational programs.

If you think about it, the mission of the Garden

directly focuses on educating local community

members on ways they can make some signifi‐

cant changes to help the planet’s environment.

However, the hardest challenge we’ve had is

reaching large numbers of people and getting

good exposure for our message. This is about to

change dramatically.

On one of the most well‐traveled streets in Man‐

hattan Beach, there will be a demonstration gar‐

den installed that will teach about the benefits of

sustainable landscaping practices. It will show‐

case drought‐tolerant plants, including many

natives; drip irrigation; the use of mulch; and

permeable walking paths. Look for it on the cor‐

ner of Valley Drive and 15th Street, in front of the

U.S. Post Office. The Chamber of Commerce is

also there, and City Hall is right across the street.

President’s Message Look to the Post Office/Chamber for Sustainable Landscaping

Be sure to watch as this new garden unfolds.

The Leadership Manhattan Beach class of 2012

will spearhead the project, but they could also

use your support. The first thing they plan to do

is eliminate the water‐consuming grass that is

there by covering it with newspaper and then a

thick layer of mulch. If you haven’t seen this

technique of conquering turf, you are in for a

delightful surprise! Check the local newspapers

or the MBBG Web site on progress. To offer sup‐

port or join MBBG in becoming a sponsor of the

project, contact the City’s Environmental Pro‐

grams manager Sona Kalapura at (310) 802‐5058.

I look forward to meeting you along the path.

Draft of Post Office Design for Sustainable

Landscape

2

The Gardener’s Grapevine Published since 1996

Collaborative Editors:

Julie Gonella Ann Barklow

Martha Andreani Charlotte Marshall

Layout Editor:

Suzanne Schultz

The Gardener’s Grapevine is published seasonally by volunteers of the Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden, a nonprofit corporation whose membership includes amateur and professional gardeners. Other organizations may reprint an article if credit is given and the editor is sent a copy. We are grateful to Chevron, the City of Manhattan Beach, Rotary of Manhattan Beach, and VOICE for their generous sponsorship. Manhattan Beach Botani-cal Garden is located in Polliwog Park on Peck Avenue, just north of Manhattan Beach Boulevard.

Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden P.O. Box 1156

Manhattan Beach, CA 90267-1156 (310) 546-1354

julie@manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org

MBBG Board of Directors

Charlotte Marshall, President Julie Gonella, Vice President Martha Andreani, Secretary

Roy Gonella, Treasurer Mimi Andersen Jill Brunkhardt

Mike Garcia Dave Harris Eve Kelso

John Scott

MBBG Board of Advisors

Melanie Baer-Keeley, Horticulturist Tony Baker, Horticulturist

Ann Barklow, Arborist Kathleen Bullard, Environmental Consultant

Greg Monfette, Arborist David Moody, Naturalist

Joyce Haraughty, PR Andrew Pedersen, Entomologist

Bob Shanman, Bird Expert Lisa Ryder Moore, Composting

Committees

Garden Maintenance Friday Volunteer Directors:

Mimi Andersen, Julie Gonella, and Gretchen Renshaw

Large Jobs: Mike Garcia & Enviroscape

Mulch Delivery: Wally Miglin

Volunteers: Julie Gonella

Outreach PR: Charlotte Marshall

Rotary: Dave Harris City Liaison: Eve Kelso

Chevron Liaison: Jill Brunkhardt

Education Interpretive Signs: John Scott

Classes: Charlotte Marshall Garden Tours: Gretchen Renshaw

Our Mission Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden is a non‐

profit public education organization dedicated

to promoting earth‐friendly gardening tech‐

niques, encouraging the use of California na‐

tive and drought‐tolerant plants, and conserv‐

ing our natural resources.

Please join our all‐volunteer‐run organization

by helping maintain the Garden on Fridays

from 9:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. No need to sign up;

just drop in. We’ll teach you earth‐friendly gar‐

dening techniques and provide the needed

tools. Non‐gardening tasks are available as

well. To learn more about MBBG, visit

www.mbbgarden.org.

New & Improved: www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org or www.mbbgarden.org

3

Thank You... John Scott for designing the new MBBG Wel‐

come brochure

Bruce Johnson and Jim Catella for laying the

brick path all the way to the lower east

entrance

Barbara Bott for the fun Succulent Club dem‐

onstration on how to create living wreaths

out of succulent cuttings (Succulent Club

takes place every third Saturday from 11:30‐

12:30 at the Garden. Free. All are welcome.)

Instructors of MBBG’s free fall classes: Mike

Garcia, Mimi Andersen, Gretchen Renshaw,

Bob Shanman, Greg Monfette, Tony Baker,

Lisa Ryder Moore, Maria Capaldo, and Pat‐

rick Moore. A special thanks to Gisele

Schoniger for presenting a first‐time class on

mulch.

Moving Planet event volunteers on Sept 24,

2011, especially Charlotte Marshall for creat‐

ing educational, innovative displays and

demonstrations. (See pages 4 and 9 of this

newsletter.)

This fall’s El Camino College volunteers:

Marieadele Martinez, Danny Mejia, Kohki

Nishioka, Chris Ponce, Patricia Serafin, and

Yassin Shehabi

New & Improved: www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org or www.mbbgarden.org

The new MBBG Welcome brochure

designed by John Scott with some help

from Julie Gonella

Bruce Johnson (left)

and Jim Catella

after installing the

final bricks to the

east entrance path

Barbara Bott with her demonstration

succulent wreath Gisele Schoniger showing a variety of organic mulch

4

The Top Five Calorie‐Burning* Garden Exercises 1. Manual mowing (500 calories/hour): Eco‐conscious homeowners realize the environmental benefits of manual push mowers, but there are health benefits as well. One hour of manual mow‐ing can burn off the famous KFC meal, which includes two pieces of grilled chicken, mashed pota‐toes, and green beans. Pushing a gas or electric mower is a 100 calories lesser workout.

2. Weeding or planting trees and shrubs (400 calories/hour): One hour of heavy yard work burns the equivalent of a McDonald’s hamburger and low‐fat ice cream cone. 3. Digging dirt (400 calories/hour): One hour of this rigorous activity can burn off a healthy, complete dinner, such as three ounces of skinless chicken breast with two cups of steamed vegetables and ½ cup of brown rice.

4. Sweeping or shoveling sand (400‐300 calories/hour): You can sit in front of the TV and eat a guilt‐free 8‐oz portion of meat lasagna after spending an hour burning off the caloric equiva‐lent of the meal by shoveling sand off the sidewalk. Pushing a broom instead of a shovel cuts the caloric burn by 100 calories.

5. Raking and bagging leaves (300 calories/hour): One hour of raking fall leaves can burn the equivalent of a buttermilk biscuit.

Gardening Tips Get Fit Through Gardening By Charlotte Marshall

New & Improved: www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org or www.mbbgarden.org

Sleeping 72 Sitting Quietly 80

Watering Lawn or Garden 122 Mowing Lawn (Riding) 202

Trimming Shrubs (Power) 184 Raking/Sweeping 324

Bagging Leaves 324 Planting Seedlings 324

Mowing (Push with Motor) 364 Planting Trees 364

Snow Thrower (Walking) 364 Trimming Shrubs (Manual) 364

Weeding 364 Clearing Land 404

Digging, Spading, Tilling 404 Laying Sod 404

General Gardening 404 Chopping Wood 486

Mowing Lawn (Push Mower) 486 Double Digging 688

Typical Calories Burned in One Hour

*Estimated hourly calorie‐burn rates for an average 180‐pound person.

5

Organizational News

New & Improved: www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org or www.mbbgarden.org

MBBG Board Members Make Impact on City’s Environmental Task Force Gretchen Renshaw and Julie Gonella are close to

completing their service as volunteers on the water

group of the City of Manhattan Beach’s 2011 Envi‐

ronmental Task Force (ETF). Working with Envi‐

ronmental Programs Manager Sona Kalapura and

fellow volunteers Greg Monfette, Paul Beswick,

and Ann Lin, they devised two affordable pro‐

grams and one project and presented them to City

Council. All three were enthusiastically approved.

The first program is a six‐month pilot called the Landscape Sustainability Audit. You can find it on

pages 7–8 of this newsletter. The second program, called the Community Mulch Pilot Program, en‐

ables residents to pick up free tree‐trimming mulch at the Manhattan Beach City Yard located near

Sand Dune Park at 3621 Bell Avenue. Pick‐up times are from sunrise to sunset every day. Bring your

own gloves and bags for gathering up this garden‐enriching mulch.

The project will showcase the elements of a sustainable landscape by creating a demonstration garden

at the downtown Post Office on Valley Drive and 15th Street. All funding, including the purchase of

climate appropriate plants and trees, material for the permeable pathways, a drip irrigation system,

and benches will need to come from community donations. The Leadership Manhattan Beach class of

2012 has stepped up to help with education, funding, and installation; however, we could use addi‐

tional support for this important project. If you would like to contribute—with your time or help and/

or financially—to the amazing garden that will soon grace the adjacent corner to our 9/11 Memorial,

please contact Sona Kalapura at (310) 802‐5058.

Great Web Sites! Wildflowers of the Santa Monica Mountains: http://itunes.apple.com/

us/app/smmplants‐plants‐santa‐monica/id301377726?mt=8

Wildflowers of the San Gabriel Mountains: http://itunes.apple.com/

us/app/sgmplants‐plants‐san‐gabriel/id356087205?mt=8

http://www.plantnative.org/

G2 Gallery – Supporting Art and the Environment http://

www.theg2gallery.com/calendar/1011.html “Mission: The G2 Gallery

believes in the union between environmental causes and the power of

photographic art to change the world. We share this passion with the

world’s best photographers, who use a camera as a tool to inspire

conservation.”

Juan Price (left), the City’s Maintenance Supervisor,

accepts the first load of free organic mulch from a lo‐

cal tree trimmer.

6

New & Improved: www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org or www.mbbgarden.org

Focus on Wildlife Biology and Bio-control of Mealybugs By Andrew Pedersen, Entomologist and MBBG Advisor

Anyone who has tried growing citrus trees has likely found their

plants covered in powdery white insects at some point. These

are mealybugs, a soft‐bodied insect that is closely related to the

aphid. Like aphids, mealybugs have piercing‐sucking mouth‐

parts, which they use to feed on plant sap. Their characteristic

appearance comes from the thick, waxy secretions they emit for

protection. Most species will lay eggs in masses within cottony

egg sacs. The first stage of the nymph, called the crawler, is small

and highly mobile and therefore serves as the primary method of dispersal for mealybugs, which are

largely immobile. The later nymphal stages and the adult females have smaller legs and no wings.

Adult males develop wings and shed their waxy coats.

Mealybugs attack a variety of plants, but are probably most significant as

pests on citrus and grapes. Aside from their obvious unsightly appear‐

ance, mealybugs can also produce sticky honeydew from their feedings,

which can lead to mold on plants. Additionally, in large numbers they

can cause fruit loss and limb death.

Most species of mealybugs are well‐controlled by naturally occurring

parasitic wasps. You can improve the effectiveness of the work done by

the parasites by avoiding insecticide applications and providing addi‐

tional food sources through flowering plants. Control can also be aug‐

mented by adding mealybug destroyers to infested plants. Mealybug

destroyers are small lady beetles that will attack most species of mealy‐

bug. Interestingly, the larvae of the mealybug destroyer closely resemble the mealybugs they attack.

They differ from their prey by having longer legs and being more active. Mealybug destroyers are

commercially available from a variety of sources.

Mealybugs cover the stem of the plant

on the left as a Mealybug Destroyer

emerges from the dead flower pod on

the right.

The ugly Mealybug De‐

stroyer is a beneficial insect.

Landscape Sustainability Audit By Gretchen Renshaw, Julie Gonella, and Greg Monfette

The City of Manhattan Beach now offers a free Landscape Sustainability Audit to residents. It is de‐

signed to be both informative and educational. As a gardener who supports MBBG and is already fa‐

miliar with many of the elements of sustainable landscaping, you may want to perform this audit

yourself. If you prefer professional help, however, and live in Manhattan Beach, you may contact one

of the City‐approved landscapers who will come to your home and evaluate the sustainability of your

yard free of charge:

The Cutting Edge Matt Preuss (310) 406‐2251

Enviroscape Mike Garcia (310) 420‐8507

Land Matters Melissa Carnehl (310) 372‐7604

Pacifica Landscape and Design Gary Gardner (310) 927‐7064

7

Manhattan Beach Landscape Sustainability Audit

New & Improved: www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org or www.mbbgarden.org

1) Plants on Site—Sustainable plants are well adapted to local climate, soil, and rainfall patterns, requiring less

summer watering than conventional landscape plants. They are California‐friendly and thrive without pesti‐

cides or extensive fertilizer applications. For more information on plant selection visit Garden Spot at

www.bewaterwise.com.

Place a +1 or a ‐1 for each applicable criteria listed below, and then add up to get the Total Plant Score.

2) Turf on Site—According to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, turf grass is one of the

most water‐intensive plants in your landscape. The high water use and frequent maintenance needs make turf

grass a time‐consuming, expensive option. Check the MWD website at www.socalwatersmart.com for rebates

and information on turf removal and more.

Score a +3 for less than 25% turf or a +1 for less than 50% turfto get the Turf Score:

Turf Score_____

3) Irrigation—As a water conservation measure, it is important to periodically review your irrigation system,

one zone at a time, monitoring for leaks or overspray and making repairs or upgrades as necessary.

Updated irrigation systems will score the highest points. To evaluate the irrigation, you must run each of the zones on the

system. Place a +1 for each Water Saver that occurs in any zone and place a –1 for each Water Waster that occurs in any

zone; then add up to get the Total Irrigation Score.

4) Wildlife—Provide for migrating and resident birds and butterflies. Flowering nectar and seed‐producing

plants are essential food sources. Shrubs serve as cover, while a small fountain or large moving‐water feature

supplies a drink and a bath.

Place a +1 for each applicable criteria below; then add up to get the Total Wildlife Score:

___ Plants with nectar and seeds ___ Shrubs that provide cover and protection ___ Fresh‐water source

Total Wildlife Score_____

+1 for Appropriate Plants ‐1 for Inappropriate Plants

___Watered twice/week ___Watered more than twice/week

___Watered only once a week ___Require fertilizer 2x/yr. or more to look healthy

___Have proper growing space to reach full size ___Prone to disease requiring pesticide 2x/yr. or more

Total Plants Score_____

+1 Water Savers ‐1 Water Wasters

___Drip irrigation ___“Fogging” sprinklers

___Rotary sprinklers ___Leaks

___Smart controller ___Overspray on paved areas

___Rain sensor ___Microspray emitters

___Hand watering ___Water does not soak in; runs off during irrigation

___Irrigation off during winter

___Turf grass zone & beds separate

Total Irrigation Score_____

8

New & Improved: www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org or www.mbbgarden.org

5) Water Retention—Prevent water run‐off to promote clean oceans, and maintain our ground water supplies

by directing irrigation and rain water where it can percolate down, into your permeable landscape. Or collect

rain water for later use. Learn about rainwater harvesting and more at the Office of Sustainability and the Envi‐

ronment at http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/categories/content.aspx?id=3847.

Place a +1 for each of the following that apply, and then add up to get the Total Retaining Rainwater Score:

___ The use of rain slopes or grading that direct water flow to flowerbeds ___ One or more rain barrels

___ A rain‐water harvesting and retention system ___ Use of permeable paving material on site

Total Retaining Rainwater Score _____

6) Pesticides—Little or no use, including “Rose Systemic,” “Weed and Feed,” “2 in 1 Protection,” “All in Once,”

and herbicides such as Roundup. Help keep the environment healthy and thus sustainable. Learn integrated

pest management techniques at www.ipm.ucdavis.edu .

Place +2 in the Pesticide Use Score if there is little or no use on site.

Pesticide Use Score ____

7) Fertilizers—Use limited to no more than 2x/year. Slow release fertilizer is preferable. No “Weed & Feed,”

“All in One,” or “Miracle Grow.”

Place +2 in the Fertilizer Use Score if there is little or no use on site.

Fertilizer Use Score____

8) Organic Mulch at least 2” deep—Non‐decomposed garden waste such as leaves, bark, twigs, woodchips, pine

needles, and nutshells improve soil heath as they break down. Apply a 2” to 4” layer to impede weed growth

and erosion, promote beneficial insects, maintain a steady soil temperature and reduce water evaporation. Keep

mulch 2” from small plants, 6” from shrubs, and at least 12” from tree trunks. Pick up free tree‐trimming mulch

at the Manhattan Beach City yard located at 3621 Bell Avenue. For more information call (310) 802‐5058.

Place a +2 in the Organic Mulch Score if there is the proper use of mulch on the site.

Organic Mulch Score ____

9) Vegetables and/or fruits—Growing your own fruits and vegetables reduces energy consumption by keeping

the supply local. To maintain sustainability, these should be grown pesticide‐free.

Place a +2 in the Food Production Score if there is a pesticide‐free vegetable garden on site.

Food Production Score ____

10) Compost bin—Compost is decomposed nutrient‐rich organic material that can be worked into the soil or left

on the surface like mulch. Combine 50% greens such as fruit and vegetable scraps, grass, plant trimmings, or

bread with 50% browns such as nut shells, rinsed eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, woodchips, sawdust, tis‐

sue, and paper towels. DO NOT ADD meat, fish, dairy, bones, diseased plants, invasive weeds, or weeds that

have gone to seed. Keep moist, but not soggy (like a wrung out sponge), by applying water when needed. To

purchase a worm bin (good for small yards) or compost bin, contact Waste Management at (310) 830‐7100.

Place +1 in the Composting Score if there is a compost bin on site:

Composting Score ______

Total the scores from above to determine your total score:

Total Sustainable Landscape Audit Score___________

15+ = Excellent, 10–14 = Good, 0–9 = Poor

9

How to Create a Quiet Garden Adapted from “Sound and Fury in the Garden” by Emily Green, L.A. Times, August 18, 2005

1) Grow quieter plants. Look at plants not just for their appearance but for what it will take to main‐

tain them.

How helpful it would be if garden centers that sold plants put tags on them

specifying not only the amount of sun and water needed, but also the

amount of noise generated by the maintenance. The tag for a flat of typical

lawn sod could read: ʺFull sun, regular water, and more decibels than a Ted

Nugent concert.”

2) Plant less or no turf grass. A rule of thumb... if it has to be cut often, it’s noisy. Grass is easily the

noisiest plant. Consider only keeping grass where you use it. Imagine if in our front yards and park‐

ways, where lawn is mainly ornamental, grass were replaced by shrubs, mulch or gravel and trees.

This could reduce the hours of weekly noise by one‐half.

3) Use groundcovers. By replacing the lawn bordering on sidewalks and streets with different

groundcovers, say a mixture of gravel and dymondia, it could be watered less and grow less. Edging

with a weed whacker, a tool that manages to combine the worst aspects of a swarm of irate hornets

and a dentist’s drill, could be done once a month instead of once a week. Or even every four months.

4) Learn to love leaves. The best way to put leaf blowers out of business is to learn to love

leaves. Forget the marigolds under the flowering tree. Forget grass under the tree. In‐

stead, try keeping the shaded area under the leaf canopy mulched, and the tree

will do what nature intended... become self‐mulching. Soon you will have birds feeding

on the worms and grubs in the mulch and bird song instead of an 85‐decibel roar.

5) Forget Edward Scissorhands. Sometimes it’s not our plants that need changing, but our

aesthetics. Hedges are only noisy if we sculpt them with buzz saws every week. Our standard

plants—boxwood, ficus, Carolina cherry, holly, oleander, Texas privet—all seem to need constant

pruning because we fertilize so heavily and then water until our gutters runneth over. Left to their

own devices, these are actually rugged plants. They need regular watering when they are first put in,

but once established, they should need only occasional water. Pruning could be done as needed.

Once the plant is easier to shape, it’s worth devoting time to hand‐cutting the hedge to put enough

variation in the surface that it doesn’t become a plate for dust and spider webs. The slight unevenness

allows for a pleasing play of light and shadow. There is no better way to spend a drowsy afternoon.

As leaves rustle in the afternoon breeze, it may hit you that this is, indeed, the American dream.

Thank You MBBG Sponsors! 10

Printed on Recycled Paper Printing Courtesy of Chevron

The Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden is located in Polliwog Park on Peck Avenue, just north of Manhattan Beach Blvd.

www.manhattanbeachbotanicalgarden.org

Become a Sponsor and/or Member of Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden—P.O. Box 1156, Manhattan Beach, CA 90267‐1156

Name _______________________________________________ Telephone _________________________

Mailing Address ___________________________________________________________________________

E‐Mail Address if you would like to receive The Gardener’s Grapevine electronically along with

occasional bulletins_________________________________________________________________________

Membership: Student, $12 Senior, $18 Regular, $24 Family (Household), $36

New Member Renewal

Sponsorship Levels: Poppy $50 Buckwheat $100 Sage $250 Redbud $500 Alder $1,000 Oak $5,000

Please support our all‐volunteer organization. Dues and donations to the Manhattan Beach Botanical Garden are tax de‐

ductible and are used for outreach and education, as well as for the purchase of new plants, the replacement of garden

tools and materials and occasional special projects requiring hired contractors.

Oak ($5,000)

Chevron Corporation

Alder ($1,000)

Mike Garcia

Helen Ristani

Rotary Club of MB

Redbud ($500)

Julie & Roy Gonella

David Lesser & Family

MB Property Owners Association

John Scott

Sage ($250)

Martha Andreani

Charlotte & John Barry

Kathy Clark

Kristie Daniel‐DiGregorio

Hermosa Garden Club

Kellie Hunter

Robin & Sharon Nakazaki & Family

Neptunian Women’s Club

Deborah & John Porter & Family

Bob Shanman of Wild Birds

Unlimited: Free Birdseed

Hans & Rachel Vandenberg

Buckwheat ($100)

Ann Barklow

Janet Brownlee

Kathleen Bullard

Dr. Maria Capaldo

Thomas Conroy & Alice

Neuhauser

Ann Dalkey

David Dow

The Goshtigian Family

Dave Harris

Deborah & Will Hass

Russ & Charlotte Lesser

Kim Lewis

Marina del Rey Garden Center

Edie Merrifield & Family

Cheryll Lynn & Scott McNabb

Lisa & Patrick Moore

Laura & Layton Pace

Bernard & Shirley Reyner

Geoffrey Yarema

Zwissler Family Poppy ($50)

Anonymous

Isa & Barry Anderson

Diane & Lou Charbonneau

Poppy (cont’d)

Jim Catella

Cathy Clous

Stana Edgington

Virginia Evans

Gail & Wayne Fenner

Kaye Gagnon

Georgette Gantner

Mike Gumino

Joyce & Ken Haraughty

Betty Keel

Kris Lauritson

Liza Levine

Charlotte Marshall

Ann Martin

McAree Family

Don & Jeanne McPherson

Pamela McManus

Meyers Family

Andrea Miller

Vickie Ruch

Dixie Roy

Carol Tanner

Temple Shalom

Phyllis & John Wormington