The ‘Easy to Grow’ Camellia In late fall and early winter there is not much in bloom in my garden. One of the gorgeous exceptions is my Camellia sasanqua ‘Apple Blossom’. Its white flowers blushed with pink and accented with a golden center are stunning against the dark green foliage. The sasanqua camellias are less […]
What’s Attacking the Citrus Trees?
Citrus Leaf Miner and What to do About It A few weeks ago there was a flush of new leaf growth on my lemon, lime, and orange trees. I love to see it and so, apparently, does an annoying pest: citrus leaf miner. Now I have damaged and distorted looking leaves, so sad. If you […]
The Secret to Growing Backyard Apple Trees
I never saw apple trees when I was growing up in southern California. There were lots of orange trees and other citrus, of course, and a few neighbors had peach, plum or apricot trees, but no apples. I had heard that it didn’t get cold enough to grow apples. It wasn’t until I went through […]
What To Do in the Garden: March
Feed! Seeds! Weeds! March is probably the busiest month of the year in the southern California garden. So head to the nursery to get plants and supplies, slap on those gardening gloves, and let’s get busy! Feed Everything! It’s spring and everything in the garden is sending out new growth. Encourage vigorous healthy growth, and […]
Winter Bloomers: Camellias
Add Color to Semi Shade with Camellias If you want flowers in winter that don’t need to be planted every year, plant camellias. Depending on the variety, they can bloom from October to April. The perennial shrubs or small trees are evergreen and long lived in the garden. They prefer semi-shade but the sasanqua varieties […]
Navel Oranges Ready to Harvest
Harvesting, Storing, and Using Navel Oranges Just when there isn’t much fruit to harvest in the garden, the navel oranges are ripe! Nothing says ‘California’ like a bowl full of bright oranges on your counter! Especially if you have East Coast relatives visiting over the holidays! If you are lucky enough to have an orange […]
Favorite June Flowers: Hydrangea
Some flowers bloom only once a year for a brief time. I usually don’t have much patience for these types of plants preferring instead those with a long bloom season. But I make an exception for hydrangeas because they are just so spectacular! Dozens of individual flowers make up flower heads six to eight inches […]