Autumn Gardening for Wildlife in the Santa Cruz Mountains
By Marielle Martin
As the Santa Cruz Mountains settle into autumn, the cooling air and long shadows make it the perfect time to rethink your garden – not just for you, but for the wildlife that shares it. With the rainy season coming on, October’s the time to plant pollinator favorites, leave seed heads for hungry birds, and find clever ways to outwit the deer and gophers that wander our wooded slopes.
Blooms for Bees, Butterflies, and Hummingbirds
Fall is a final call for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. In the San Lorenzo Valley, where fog drifts through redwoods and the weather shifts from ridge to valley, native plants are your best bet. California fuchsia, with its vivid, tubular blossoms, is a hummingbird favorite. Goldenrod’s yellow plumes call in the bees. And Mexican sage, with purple spikes still blooming through October, loves our well-drained soils.
Plant these in generous clumps so pollinators can find them easily. If you’re up higher, a bit of shelter from wind helps. Mix in a little compost, but don’t overdo it; natives prefer the lean, rocky soil of our hills. Those late-season blooms will keep your garden alive with color and motion.
Seeds for Songbirds
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) flower and seedheads
When flowers fade, don’t rush to cut them down. Let sunflowers, coneflowers, and purple needlegrass go to seed – finches, sparrows, and juncos will thank you. Their dried stalks also glow beautifully in the slanting October light. For winter color, tuck in a toyon bush; its red berries will draw robins and waxwings.
In smaller spaces, keep seed-bearing plants near a window for easy birdwatching. Compost the rest, but only clean, disease-free clippings. Leaving a few seeds behind is the simplest way to feed your feathered neighbors.
Keeping Deer and Gophers at Bay
Deer and gophers are our constant companions here. Keeping your garden thriving means working with nature, not against it. For deer, an eight-foot fence is the sure fix. But if that feels too fortress-like, border your space with lavender, rosemary, or yarrow. Their scent keeps deer out and pollinators in.
Gophers take a little more strategy. Use wire baskets for new plantings or line raised beds with hardware cloth. Skip the poisons; they harm the very creatures you want to welcome. A tall perch pole invites hawks or owls to help with rodent patrol, and a patch of coyote brush can give foxes a home base.
With a bit of planning, your garden will stay alive with color, song, and small surprises well into winter.For seasonal tips and local workshops, check out the UC Master Gardeners of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties at ucanr.edu/site/uc-master-gardeners-monterey-santa-cruz-counties.
Featured photo: Mexican Bush Sage draws hummingbirds and is perfectly suited to the region’s well-drained soils. Its purple spikes unfurl through October. (Photo by Robert So)
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