I live just up the street in Claremont so my soil is pretty much the same. I add alot of coco coir and manure to my soil for my raised beds I just bought a few truck loads of soil just to make it easier.

There are some cool gardening groups in the area

http://www.meetup.com/Inland-empire-organic-gardening/

also try to check out the farmers market in claremont on sunday morning it's pretty nice

You also might want to check out the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden in Claremont with its focus on CA natives. I'd like to get out there again some time.

Hi MsShelley, You must be a neighbor, I live where the 3 cities meet (Pomona, Claremont & Montclair). I'm a fellow Northeast Pomonan, who relocated here from Glendale.

About 8 years ago I was faced with the same dilemma you faced. We have great soil here for many plants, but it definitely is all about WHERE you put what type of plant, and learning how they work out here. My impatiens do go dormant (almost dead every winter) and will rebloom in spring. In a week or two you should be okay to plant them. in fact, I have a few new ones waiting in their planting container.

Do you know all the nurseries around here? Send me and email and I'll fill you in!

Skrip

Thanks so much for your replies. Yes, please let me know the best nurseries in the area, I have NO idea. I also need the best place to buy trees and bulk amendment.

Thank You-- for all your help. Yes, Skrip, I have found those nurseries. I was really looking for more of a wholesale/retail environment. I like to buy bulk amendments and I really do need large 24" box trees for my new garden. I'll keep looking and let you know what I find too.

Hello MsShelley and welcome to our area! I live in nearby La Verne and have heavy rich clay soil, so I can't help you with the gritty soil --- however, if I had very lean sandy/gritty soil I'd research plants (native and otherwise) that love and thrive in that type of soil. Some of the plants at High Country Gardens are described as liking that type of soil, and I long to grow some of them, but alas...

I second the recommendations already given -- the RSABG is an excellent resource and keep an eye out for their plant sales in spring and fall. Kirk's link to Wolfinbarger for mulch and amendment was the first that came to mind.

Impatiens are iffy in late winter and early spring because we can still have some late frosts -- in fact, we had ice on our car's windshield early last week, late for us but not unheard of. The soil they're in may have had too little amendment to retain enough moisture for them, or perhaps were planted too early given the frost and the other conditions.

Jen

Thank You Jenn and Kirk1977 Wolfinberger is exactly what I was looking for. I also found Sunshine Growers in Ontario, plants pretty good, prices a little high for a wholesale-type nursery, but I always seem to complain about the prices.