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Month by Month Gardening

Palaverdy Tree Roots Removal

Gardening Question From Sandra: I had a palaverdy tree removed. Now roots are sprouting. Soaked grown & try to dig them out( Az rock&clay ground) want to plant a lemon tree in fall. How do I get rid of this problem. Thank you for any help. Answer from Pat: My advice is to wait until […]

Planting California Native Plants

Here is the way to plant native plants (Best time to plant: in November) Native plants like best to be planted in plain, native, un-amended soil. Amended soil where garden plants have grown is not the best environment for native plants because native plants are sensitive to fungi and other pathogens that have been brought […]

New Zealand Spinach

Tips And Hints For Growing Easy-Care Warm-Season Crops Planting months: March-July Spacing: thin plants to 12 iches, rows 2 feet Special Tips: Soak seeds overnight Harvesting:Cut top sprouts 4 to 5 inches long, plants regrow, are invasive inland. Steam, stir fry, or eat raw. May continue to grow year-round. Recommended Varieties: just one kind. Step-By-Step […]

Sulfate of Potash

Gardening Question: In the rose-pro method of caring for roses in your book, it calls for sulfate of potash (0-0-22) which I can’t find in ANY nursery or hardware store around here.  I did find Sul-Po-Mag which has the same NPK numbers, but also contains sulphur and magnesium.  Can I use this instead? Answer from […]

Fertilizing and Rain

Q. Can you give me some reasons that it’s not good to fertilize when it’s raining? A. Walking on heavy soil when it is wet can compact the soil, but other than that caveat what’s wrong with taking advantage of rainfall to fertilize with organic fertilizer all the things that need it now, like roses […]

Southern California Gardening: Month by Month Guide, 2000

This much-loved book, often called ‘the gardener’s bible” is now completely revised and updated with an improved format, new cover, all-new photographs by Steve Gunther and much added material. Covers all the basic plants and plant groups grown in Southern California, including lawns, citrus, avocados, deciduous fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, roses, annual flowers, wildflowers, perennials, […]

Generic Fertilizers & Soil Amendments

This Generic Fertilizers Chart show you what products can be used for a “source of”, how quickly it works, approximate formula, and characteristics. Generic Fertilizers & Soil Amendments Chart. Be sure to reference “Southern California Organic Gardening: Month by Month” for in depth use instructions.

Swiss Chard

Tips And Hints For Growing Easy-Care Warm-Season Crops Planting months: year round Spacing:Thin to six inches, rows 18 inches apart Special Tips: soak seeds 24 hours prior to planting Easy to grow, huge roots, not much fertilizer, compost is best or aged manure. Harvesting: begin harvest as soon as leaves mature, take outer leaves and leave […]

Plant Zinnias Seeds

Plant seeds of zinnias now. “Benary’s Giants” (sold as “Parks Picks” by the Park Seeds) is immune to mildew. Choose a spot in full sun, till the ground to spade depth, work in organic soil amendment and balanced fertilizer into the top six inches. Soak the soil, let settle overnight. Plant seeds one by one, […]

Southwest Smart Garden Regional Guide

Over 2,500 spectacular identification photos, many taken by Pat Welsh, illustrate 250 plant category lists helping you choose plants for particular purposes, such as color, solid shade, near swimming pools, in a firescape, a boggy spot, for drought, heat, smog, or disease resistance, for fragrance, for hillsides, for ocean front, a narrow side yard, or […]