Author Archives: Arvind Kumar

About Arvind Kumar

Native plant gardener in San Jose, CA. I have been growing native plants since 2000 in a tract home lot front and back.

Aesthetic Pruning Day Nov 19

Posted on October 25, 2016
Image | Posted on October 25, 2016 | Leave a comment

The Fine Art of Edge Mulching

Posted on October 22, 2016

Mulching with woodchips is a great way to control weeds, retain soil moisture, keep plant roots cool, and add slow-release organic nutrients to the soil. To be effective for several years (in a low-maintenance garden), the mulch should be at … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

First Rain of the Season

Posted on October 16, 2016

This weekend brought the first major storm of the season to the Bay Area. It rained off and on all day Saturday and Sunday. Despite the drizzle and the rain, volunteers from Foothill College, West Valley College, and Milpitas High showed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Joy of Mulching

Posted on October 1, 2016

  Although summer has yielded to fall, the Loma Prieta fire still raging in the Santa Cruz Mountains is a reminder that fire season is not yet over. Fire, an integral part of California’s ecology, can still wreak havoc after … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Weeding in an El Nino Year

Posted on May 15, 2016

Thanks to the El Nino rains this winter, the native plants are doing well in the Native Garden. So are the invasive annuals. Open areas in garden beds are overrun with invasive annuals like slender oat (Avena barbata), ripgut brome … Continue reading →

Posted in Native Garden | Leave a comment

1st Day of Spring Bird & Plant Identification Walk

Posted on March 21, 2016

Vicki Silvas-Young is a lifetime birder and native plant aficionado active in both Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and the California Native Plant Society. When she offered to lead a beginner’s bird and plant identification walk at Lake Cunningham Park, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

PHHS Red Cross Club Conquers Invasives Again

Posted on January 16, 2016

This Saturday, January 16, Piedmont Hills High School Red Cross Club returned to the Native Garden on a visit scheduled by Albert Duong. The team of seven volunteers, along with Xin and Arvind, mulched large beds overgrown with invasive annual … Continue reading →

Posted in Native Garden | Leave a comment