Whether it's along a coastal or a desert stream, the riparian area plays a pivotal role in the health of our watersheds. In "Life on the Edge", viewers discover what that means.
In streamside or riparian areas, choosing the right plants and where to plant them depends on location in relation to the streambed. There are three zones that dictate the kinds of plants that can be grown.
Bare-root native plants are an economical way for gardeners to contribute to the health of ecosystems and watersheds. While they are affordable because of their small size, they also require careful handling.
Excessive summer irrigation of oak and madrone trees may promote fungal diseases such as the oak root fungus (aka armillaria root disease) and crown rot.
Christmas trees planted in unirrigated sites depend on the weather for survival. A research trial set out to find factors that would help seedlings survive during drought years. Results were mixed.
Farmscaping describes a broad range of activities that improve the diversity of a small farm and enhance the ecosystem it inhabits. Creating riparian buffer zones is one such enhancement.
Elizabeth Murphy |
Jul 2013 |
Article
Credit: Creative Commons / CC BY-NC-SA
(Cropped from original)
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