Clay Soil Shocker

If you are from a region of the country with loamy soil, or one of its variations, the clay soil in the San Francisco Bay Area can be a shocker. Drainage is slow; soil turns to sticky mud when saturated; then clumps or is brick hard when it is dry.

But, the clay soil structure also attracts nutrients and holds on to water, which is ideal during the summer dry season. With a little work and knowledge, and some new practices, you may come to appreciate clay soil properties. Some ideas worth exploring:

• Garden with raised beds or containers.
• Amend the soil to increase pore space, and improve drainage.
• Plant a cover crop or mulch to prevent soil from becoming compacted.
• Use native plants that are are adapted to clay soil.

For a good web article about working with clay soil, see Keith Baldwin's web article "Improving Clay Soils" in Fine Gardening.

Use containers or raised beds for plants that do not thrive in clay soil.

What’s Your Climate Zone?

One of the first things to figure out, when you start gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area, is your climate zone. The climate zone describes the general traits of the area including temperature, humidity, and physical and seasonal characteristics. You'll soon find that within these climate zones, Bay Area regions, cities, towns, neighborhoods, streets, and even yards have distinct microclimates.

The Sunset climate zones are useful for identifying plants that can live year round in the zone (versus the United States Department of Agriculture hardiness zones for identifying plants that can survive winter).  The difference is thrive vs. survive.

Our plot of land is in the hill area surrounding Montclair, in Oakland. According to Sunset, this puts us in Zone 16, which is in the coast range thermal belt. We are influenced by the marine layer (which includes fog), and warm inland breezes. This helps inform our plant choices for the garden. 

Coastal fog in Zone 16. Per Dallman, fog
drip can add as much as 10 inches
(25 cm) of precipitation to recorded
yearly rainfall. 

See the Sunset website for information about climate zones in Northern California: http://www.sunset.com/garden/climate-zones/sunset-climate-zone-northern-california-00418000067169/

Dallman, Peter R. “The Mediterranean Climate,” in Plant Life in the World’s Mediterranean Climates (page 3). University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California, 1998. ISBN 978-0-520-20809-4.

Our Wonderful Climate

Winter rain drips off a Juniper tree.

One of the great things about gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area is the climate! We are blessed with a temperate, Mediterranean climate, which features summer drought, and winter rain. Only about 2% of the earth claims a Mediterranean climate, including specific regions in California, Chile, South Africa, Australia, and the Mediterranean Basin. These regions are western and southern facing, and on the coast.

Native plants are adapted to these conditions, and use fascinating strategies to retain water, exist on very little water, and to propagate with the least hint of water. Plants from other Mediterranean climate regions often thrive here.

The more I learn about the Mediterranean climate, the more I appreciate it. I have had to rethink what makes a garden beautiful (for example, the coveted lush green lawns and English cottage gardens are water hungry, and difficult to achieve in the Bay Area). But reinterpreting the garden for a summer dry climate is challenging and full of possibilities. A useful book for learning more about plants that thrive in the Mediterranean climate is Plant Life in the World’s Mediterranean Climates, by Peter Dallman.

          Dallman, Peter R. “The Mediterranean Climate,” in Plant Life in the World’s Mediterranean Climates (pages 1-18). University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California, 1998. ISBN 978-0-520-20809-4.

Welcome to Eden

This blog is dedicated to gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you are new to the Bay Area, this might help you transfer your gardening skills and knowledge; if you are a long time gardener in the area, share what you know.

By now you have probably encountered the clay soil and summer drought conditions that characterize the area. You may wonder why I refer to Eden. Eden brings about images of a lush, verdant garden, in direct contrast with the dry climate, brown hills, and small-leaved plants that you have observed. But, over the past 13 years in the area, I have come to appreciate the fabulous climate, the tenacious, drought-tolerant native plants, and the subtle seasonal differences. As my ideas of gardens and gardening have been challenged and transformed, the Bay Area has become a type of Eden.

I enjoy the science and art of growing things, and the community of those who share that interest. I thrive on taking field trips, interviewing people, and taking classes. I love learning about tools, history of gardens and gardeners, plant mechanics, pruning, roof top gardens, native plants, and garden design. My life quest is to learn how to be (not just do), and to sit at the feet of the Master Gardener. I would love your company!