Cardboard mulching at McKinley Square

Helping native (and other plantings) with Cardboard mulching.

Clean cardboard (no tape, no staples) is a great source of for mulching.

Below are some pictures of the cardboard mulching around native plants that were planted in McKinley Square hillside in San Francisco.

The need for the cardboard mulching is to prevent invasive weeds from blocking out sunlight for the young native plants.  

Such invasive plants include Oxalis, and Foxtail weeds,  Oxalis, although not a hazard to dogs like fox Foxtail, contributes to the success of the Foxtail,  as Oxalis is strong in rainy season, and Foxtail follows once the Oxalis goes dormant. Its a 1-2 punch against native plants.

The native plants we are protecting with this cardboard mulching is Pacific Aster & California Fescue.

The cardboard itself will not be visible, as it will be covered with mulch, and then it will disintegrate after a few months.

Cut the cardboard halfway through to the center and make a hole, so you can move the cardboard around the trunk of the plant or grass. In this case the cardboard was pre-sliced 3 times (from a case of bottles) which was still fine to use. 

On the left is a finished product, on the right is cardboard mulching in progress, and in the center, you can't see it until the next picture, is and example of the before, our native plant, California Fescue is being suffocated of sunlight from the invasive Oxalis weeds.  

OK, there it is, the California Fescue which was not even visible in the previous picture is now dominant with the cardboard in place.  Once the card board is in place, cover it with wood chips, or other mulch, as was done to the California Fescue to the right and left.   Note how these plants are surrounded by weeds such as Oxalis. Before the cardboard was put in place, it was almost impossible to see the California Fescue.  With the protection against weeds given by the cardboard mulching, these California Fescue should succeed and thrive.

An example of cardboard mulching being set up around Pacific Astor

Its an easy one person job, but its always nice to have a friend help you.  In my case my cat Chewy joined me. 

Sidewalk Greening Meeting Wednesday Oct 24th, 6pm, 2012

Want a Free Sidewalk Garden at your Home?

With the help of Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF) some of the residents of your neighborhood are beginning to organize a community-based Sidewalk Garden planting on Kansas and Rhode Island from 18^th to 20^th (cross streets included)

FUF fundraises from generous donors to cover most of the cost.

Planting has many benefits:

·      provides natural habitat for

·      birds, butterflies and bees

·      decreases sewer overflows to the bay and ocean

·      increases property values

·      provides a buffer between the street and pedestrians

·       

Funding will cover all of the cost of tree planting (including concrete removal) and FUF will assist property owners with the permitting process, species selection, materials coordination and installation

If you'd like a Garden in front of your home,

Please contact Rich at phgreening2@gmail.com

Join us for a meeting with FUF at the Potrero Hill Library Community Room Wednesday Oct 24^th at 6:00PM

Rsvp to phgreening2@gmail.com

Requirements to get a FUF sidewalk garden:

·     Room on your sidewalk or front yard for a sidewalk garden

·     Property owner signs FUF Letter of Agreement and DPW permit forms

·     Owner or caretaker pays ONLY $300 for DPW permit

Carla Short from SF DPW Urban Forestry will be hosting a kick off meeting for sidewalk greening Potrero Hill at the Potrero Hill Neighborhood house (953 De Haro St)
This Tuesday, Sept 25, 6:30pm-6:55pm (this meeting intentionally goes back to back with the Potrero Booster's meeting at 7pm)

Watch the videos listed at the web sites below, come with, or email questions prior, to address below and they will be consolidated and given to Carla to have as many as possible answered ahead of time.

http://www.sfdpw.org/index.aspx?page=1532
and
http://sfdpw.org/index.aspx?page=1393

This meeting is start the process, give out forms, and are find out how many are interested, if large numbers from residents proceed there are opportunities for grants that would help fund the greening.  

If you want to go green (it should be cheaper than replacing cement),  but can't make the meeting, please email your name / address / phone #, and any questions you may have.

Thanks!

Join us!

Sustainable / native restoration for the McKinley Square Hillside is kicking off for fall, this Sunday Sept 9, 10AM-12Noon.  We are planning hillside restoration days every month, 2nd Sunday, 10AM-12Noon.

Lunch typically sponsored by Goat Hill Pizza & Chiotras Grocery.    Volunteers please bring gloves & gardening tools if you have them, otherwise they will be supplied.  
(Note: December is skipped for holiday season).

If you can't make the gardening days,  donations for plants and materials are welcome.  We are a fiscally sponsored non-profit.

Thanks!

COF Grant Item View fit together with master plan

McKinley Square
COF Grant Overview
View of how COF Grant items fit together with long term potential master plan.
Click on image for larger resolution.

A visit to Mission Dolores Park New Playground Area

Some images from the new playground area at Mission Dolores Park.

Notably a few items that could make sense for McKinley Square:

1. the mixture of native plantings in the middle of the playground area.
2. The "rock?" retaining walls.
3. A long slide [which was brought up a few times at the McKinley Community Meetings].
4. A telescope 

Final native planting day of Spring 2012

Final native planting day of Spring 2012 this Sunday.
June 10th, Sunday 10am-12noon.
Meet at 20th St @ San Bruno Ave
This is the last planting day until next fall.

This is part of a larger effort of hillside restoration, removing invasive weeds, improving trails, removing trash & graffiti. All are welcome to join.

A sampling of the plants, and plant plugs that have or are being put down are:

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Sticky Monkey Flower (Mimulus Aurantiacus), Perennial Aster (Aster chilensis), California Scorpion Flower (Phacelia californica), Gum Plant (Grindelia camporum), Costal Buckwheat (Eriogonum Latifolium), Red Fescue (Festuca rubra ‘Molate’) , California Fescue (Festuca californica ), Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha ), Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), Monardella Villosa (coyote mint), Carex vulpinoidea (Brown fox sedge), Indian milkweed (Asclepias eriocarpa ), Narrowleaf Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis ), Showy Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis), Silver Lupine (Lupinus albifrons), Summer Lupine (Lupinus formosus ), Calfornia Melic (Melica californica), One-sided Bluegrass (Poa secunda), Sea Thrift (Armeria)

Each planting effort we try to give plant plugs to each volunteer. Plants that are good for the park & hillside are also good for our backyards, perhaps even better.

Lunch & drinks sponsored by Goat Hill Pizza & Chiotras Grocery .