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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The eclectic gift shop 2 Women Traders will celebrate its reopening in a new location on Friday, March 24.
The celebration will take place from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at the reopened shop, 21130 A Calistoga St.
The shop's owners, Rita Caroni and Dayle Marshall, invite community members to stop in and say hello.
There will be refreshments and a drawing for gifts.
For more information call 2 Women Traders at 707-987-3870 or visit https://ispiritual.com/2womentraders .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – “Ohooo, I hates gophers!”
It’s kind of fun to say if you say it like Elmer Fudd. However, in truth, I don’t really hate gophers, just the damage they do, and they can do a heap of damage.
Deep, loamy soil, like those here in Scotts Valley, where the densities are greater than 12 per acre at any given time, are prime gopher territory.
Even if your soils aren’t deep and loamy, gophers still move in and when they do, it’s a disaster for your garden.
Scientists say they are great for the environment. They aerate the soil. Did you know that one pocket gopher can churn up to one ton of soil a year? This brings new seeds to the surface which aids in plant diversity. Their mounds cover vegetation which then breaks down, providing fertility. When they go about doing their underground business, nests and such, they provide deep soil fertilization.
OK, fair enough, gophers can be beneficial. But, they are also industrious little rototillers, voracious and destructive, gnawing off saplings, up-ending flower pots, leaving unsightly mounds in the lawn, undermining sidewalks, burrowing up ground covers, and consuming everything else!
A quick search on the internet shows a plethora of ways to rid your garden of them. There are many kinds of poisons, deterrents, mechanical traps, gas bombs, raised beds and underground baskets that bar them from roots. However, none of these work 100 percent.
The last four years during my daily trips to the garden have left me crying over what’s gone, and that has been about of 80 percent of what I’ve planted.
But recently, when the flooding sent gophers to the high ground I was forced to look at what was left. That gave me an idea for a different strategy. I’m going to plant things that gophers don’t prefer.
There are plants that gophers won’t eat because they are toxic, like Narcissus. Others have a disagreeable taste, but that doesn’t mean they won't eat them if they are hungry enough, like rosemary. Then there are those they eat but enough small surface roots survive to keep the plant going, like Mexican heather.
Below is a list of plants that gophers tend to leave alone. This list is a combination of plants that our friend Kate Frey noted to be gopher resistant and plants I have added from my own experience. I’ve organized them into gardening categories.
I’d also love to know what plants you are finding resistant. Let me know at
Gopher resistant plants
Low ground covers
Periwinkle, (Vinca major* and minor)
Wild strawberry (Frageria virginiana)
Wild strawberry (Frageria chiloensis)
Mock strawberry (Duchesnia indica)
Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea)
Creeping cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans)
Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbagoides)
*Vinca major is highly invasive and on our list of plants to avoid.
Vines
Creeping wire vine (Muehlenbergia axillaris); can also be a ground cover.
Bulbs
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
Voodoo lily (Dranunculus vulgaris)
Shrubs
Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii and lindleyana)
Rock rose (Cistus spp.)
California lilac (Ceanothus spp.)
California fuchsia (Epilobium canum)
Heavenly bamboo, (Nandina domestica); gophers may tunnel up and gnaw off the small stalks
Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium)
Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.)
Coyote bush (Baccharis spp.)
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
Mock orange (Philadelphus spp.)
Native currants (Ribes spp.)
Flowers
Flag iris. (Iris versicolor)
Native iris (Iris douglasiana)
Tall verbena (Verbena bonariensis)
Red hot poker (Kniphofia spp.)
Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)
Mexican primrose (Oenothera speciosa); gophers may eat the center root, but the surface side roots remain to keep, at least some of the plant(s) alive.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolia); gophers may eat the center root, but the surface side roots remain to keep, at least some of the plant(s) alive.
California buckwheat (Erigonum spp.)
Swamp flower (Helianthus angustifolius)
Cora bells (Heuchera spp.)
Mexican feather bush (Gaura lindheimeri)
Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa)
Herbs
Rosemary (Rosmarinus vulgaris); gophers may eat the center root, but the surface side roots remain to keep, at least some of the plant(s) alive.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris); gophers may eat the center root, but the surface side roots remain to keep, at least some of the plant(s) alive.
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
Spearmint (Mentha spicata); also makes a good ground cover
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita); also makes a good ground cover
Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium); also makes a good ground cover
Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria); where gophers are dense, it may be consumed
Oregano (Origanum vulgaris)
Trees
Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo)
Grasses
Sedges (Carex Spp.)
Rushes (Juncus spp.)
Deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens)
Native grasses
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Native American Empowerment Day scheduled for this Friday, March 24, at the Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College has been postponed.
A new date will be announced as soon as it can be scheduled.
The college apologized for the inconvenience.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Planning Commission this week will meet to discuss updating city ordinances regarding marijuana cultivation and dispensaries.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The commission will separately consider updates to two current city ordinances in light of changes to state law.
City Manager Greg Folsom’s report on the proposed updates to the city’s marijuana cultivation ordinance said that it’s suggested that individuals who wish to grow marijuana get a $250-per-year permit issued by the city.
Folsom said that annual cost would cover the cost of permitting and inspections to make sure sites are compliant.
Similarly, the dispensary ordinance updates would require a permit, as well as a background check and site inspection, he said.
The fee for the dispensaries permit would be equivalent to a business license, Folsom said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
032117 Clearlake Planning Commission agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd
On Sunday, Gov. Jerry Brown requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to aid with repairs to the damaged Oroville Dam spillway and to bolster state and local recovery efforts following February storms that caused major flooding, levee breaches, the evacuation of residents, power outages and extensive damage to roads and bridges across California.
Gov. Brown also issued an emergency proclamation adding Contra Costa and Solano counties to the 48 other counties – among them, Lake – included in his March 7, 2017, State of Emergency due to storms in February.
Sunday’s request follows three other separate Presidential Major Disaster Declaration requests – granted last month and last week – to support the response efforts for the situation at the Oroville Dam, impacts of the early January storm system and impacts of the late January storm system.
In addition, Gov. Brown has issued emergency declarations connected to storms in December, early January and late January, and the Oroville Dam.
Last month, Gov. Brown announced a four-point plan to bolster dam safety and flood protection statewide.
The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services also has previously requested assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration for individuals in Colusa, Lake, Lassen, Plumas, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, where the localized flooding from the February storms caused damage to more than 200 homes and businesses.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Five cats are Lake County Animal Care and Control are ready for new homes this week.
The cats available this week include four females and one male, including two black cats, a tortie, a gray cat and a gray tabby.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.
For those looking for a barn cat to keep the rodents at bay, be sure to ask about the barn cat adoption program. Feral barn cats are adopted out for $1 each, which includes altering, ear notching and vaccines.
In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Shelter_Animal_Search.htm .
The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).
Female domestic short hair
This female domestic short hair has a gray tabby coat.
She’s in kennel No. 26, ID No. 7089.
Female domestic short hair
This female domestic short hair has a gray coat.
She’s in cat room No. 47, ID No. 7088.
Tortie point
This female domestic short hair mix has tortie mix markings and blues eyes.
She’s in cat room kennel No. 63, ID No. 7103.
‘Buffy’
“Buffy” is a domestic long hair cat with an all-black coat and green eyes.
She’s in cat room kennel No. 119, ID No. 7075.
‘Peanut’
“Peanut” is a male domestic short hair mix with an all-black coat and gold eyes.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 131, ID No. 7074.
To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at