California Gardening

Pool landscaping: a question of symmetry

Posted by zagyzebra February 22, 2015

9 Comments

Richard EmeryUpdated March 1, 2015 The Sago's have spines on the tips of the "fronds", best to keep them away from where you might have to walk through them. I would definitely go symmetrical at the edge of the pool and do something a bit taller in the ba...

Mother Nature Fooled the beans, Now Hurry Hummingbird it's up to you

Posted by Wild Haired Mavens(Zone 10) February 19, 2015

4 Comments

Wild Haired Mavens(Zone 10)Updated March 1, 2015 I spotted a lady beetle nosing around my planter ode to spring I'm so happy. Isn't she beautiful

Veggie season?

Posted by slowjane CA/ Sunset 21 February 10, 2015

18 Comments

Wild Haired Mavens(Zone 10)Updated February 28, 2015 For the butterflies I have dill, carrots, sweet Annie, rotted fruit, and wild licorice. Need to mail that monarch society and get some milk weed, butterfly flower.

Ground cover for erosion control?

Posted by Sabine Halfhill February 23, 2015

4 Comments

California SmartscapeUpdated February 25, 2015 Sunny Slopes & Plants that Hold Them! This is a good article on a few suggestions for planting slopes with native species.

Is there an "easy" red Kangaroo paw???

Posted by Sabine Halfhill February 13, 2015

7 Comments

Sabine HalfhillUpdated February 22, 2015 Thanks guys! I went back to the nursery to get more plants and mentioned my floppy kangaroo paw. They said, "oh yeah... those are leftover from last year"... They had some gorgeous new plants with tons of buds and flower...

Western Sword Fern (Polysticum munitum) very brown

Posted by kookoo2 February 22, 2015

2 Comments

kookoo2Updated February 22, 2015 Where are you, Kate?

Homeless Veteran Gardening

Posted by bearstate(9A) February 3, 2015

10 Comments

BearStateUpdated February 22, 2015 Journal Entry: 2015-02-22 Back at the beginning of February, I risked planting some President and Lucifer Canna rhizomes, early. The risk paid off as it was a warm February here in San Jose, CA and the first (2) of (9) rhiz...

Orange tree questions re fruiting, blooming and harvesting

Posted by slowjane CA/ Sunset 21 February 18, 2015

7 Comments

zeuspaul(9b SoCal)Updated February 22, 2015 I have Cara Cara and two kinds of Valencia and some of each have ripe fruit and are dropping fruit now. The fruiting seasons are not consistent. They sometimes blossom two or three times a year. The resulting fruit then comes ...

Need help with identification

Posted by Nancy Taylor February 18, 2015

3 Comments

Nancy TaylorUpdated February 19, 2015 Thank you cakbu z9 CA and eaga, No, there is no mulch nearby. The black specks are splatter everywhere and are next to impossible to get rid of. I looked up pictures of artillery fungus and it sure does look like it. I will inv...

Anyone have experience with avocado cultivars?

Posted by avocadude February 19, 2015

avocadudeThis appears to me a sign of deficiency I'm not sure though, It's only on new stems ...

Echium wildpretii. "Tower of jewels"

Posted by llilibel03 February 16, 2015

6 Comments

llilibel03Updated February 18, 2015 I got them from two nurseries. One should produce red spears, one blue. I guess it's too late to separate them? Survival of the fittest? Would love to try white ones too. I'm going to start some more next year so, hopefully, hav...

Dymondia

Posted by Sabine Halfhill February 18, 2015

1 Comment

Nil13 usda:9a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)Updated February 18, 2015 My recommendation woud be to take the plants in the shade and help fill in the part shade so you aren't looking at a 5 year fill in. That's if they even survive. Dymondia hates clay and needs full sun.

Potatoes from Van Bloem Gardens

Posted by pbsjones(Sunset 14/USDA 9) February 18, 2015

pbsjones(Sunset 14/USDA 9)Does anyone know what potatoes are in the Van Bloem Gardens "Harvest Blend" potato bag? I snatched one up at the local store, and was surprised that none of the taters were named, just a red, a blue and a white/yellow. Searching...

Lattice grid pavers and what to plant

Posted by oberci February 13, 2015

7 Comments

emmareneUpdated February 17, 2015 ,Dymondia, start small until you know you like it. How often do you use this path?

Growing canker on plum and nectarine trunks

Posted by Aaron Davidsson February 11, 2015

4 Comments

hoovb zone 9 sunset 23Updated February 17, 2015 No, don't scrape. Put on a garden glove and gently rub off the super loose stuff, maybe, but you don't want to open any more wounds. I'd just leave it, and if stuff flakes off, repaint. A commercial grower told me the following:...

Please help, sick ficus tree

Posted by johnthelandlord November 15, 2014

13 Comments

BarbJP CA 15-16/9BUpdated February 17, 2015 Yay! Happy story ending! Thanks for the update.

Replacement Shade Trees for Empress Trees (Paulownia tomentosa)

Posted by hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA(10b Sunset 23) February 15, 2015

14 Comments

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA(10b Sunset 23)Updated February 17, 2015 It is quite far from our patio, Barb - at least 20' away, but I am still scratching the ficus. I do like the Rusty Fig, though, and considering that still. Appreciate everyone's suggestions, it has been very helpful! Patty S.

Vegetables in part-shade?

Posted by Olive1975 January 16, 2012

6 Comments

Wild Haired Mavens(Zone 10)Updated February 17, 2015 I grow Swiss chard, carrot,and kale like that; they actually have been in part shade for over a year. I have to water less. Was able to get indigo rose tomato, peas, okra, beans and a sugar baby watermelon for summer. I'm all co...

Apple trees never went dormant this year

Posted by fresnogardengal February 11, 2015

5 Comments

fresnogardengalUpdated February 17, 2015 Thank you! That's what I needed to know. I've never experienced this with my fruit trees before in central California.

Verbena de la Mina turning brown

Posted by Sabine Halfhill February 10, 2015

5 Comments

BarbJP CA 15-16/9BUpdated February 17, 2015 If the soil right around the root ball, ie, the soil from the pot it was in, got dried out it would be difficult to re-wet it from watering the surrounding soil it's planted in. I would take a stick or dowel and push it into the s...

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