Now is the time to prepare your soil for spring and summer plantings. Dig deep and mix in your mulch and lawn clippings, If you planted winter vegetables or flowers, now is a good time to check them for pests. With citrus trees, protect them against the cold by putting blankets over the top with a light on underneath.

It may not seem important to think about the potential summer drought conditions when the rains are coming down as much as they have, but this season does provide opportunity for saving money and resources for when the hot weather returns. If your garden seems to need a lot of water in the fall you should try saving rain water. Many complex systems are available, or the simplest could be a 30 gallon garbage can under a rain gutter downspout.

Call me with any questions.

The beginning of Californian’s hot weather is a good time to:

• Re-shape the “Winter/Spring” Flowering shrubs (Toyon, Ceanothus, Euryops, Azaleas, Escalonia, Privet, Viburnum, Pittosporum, etc.)
• Deadhead perennials, annuals, Roses, Bulbs (Lambs ears, Daisy’s, Oenothera, etc.)
• Weeds: Pull them before they go to SEED!!!
• Harvest and hang to dry (Statice, Negella, Hydrangeas, Roses in bud, Yarrow, etc.)
• Plant Winter squash, more lettuce and onions.
• Monitor water closely: for coverage and blockages.

Garden Design Correction Opportunities

During the hot dry season, look over your garden and decide if there are any plants that seem to consistently need pampering (extra hand watering, protection from the sun, etc.). Remove these plants entirely or move them to a better location where they will not need pampering. Reduce the need for watering by slowly replacing “needy” plants with more durable plants. The California natives come to mind.

Remember, your garden is your gym!

Call me with any plant questions.

Click here to view more project images, details and garden plan >

Arranged planting with predictable results. The key is in understanding each plant and its setting, soil, sun and water.

Maintenance

Water, weeding, pruning and mowing. Care and maintenance are the keys to long term beauty and consistent results.

In order to design for your lifestyle, you need to understand the plants you install and the maintenance they will require to produce the best results. Trial and error will cost you a lot of money so instead let me help you create a sustainable yard the first time.

Re-connecting with Mother Nature

Mother Nature needs to be rewoven into the fabric of our daily lives. I recommend to everyone with a large plot of ground to plant trees. One or two trees will be our saviors as they will clean the air for our collective grandchildren. With the forests of the world disappearing into furniture and houses it’s even more critical now than ever, that every home owner plant trees.

• Prune roses for shape, size and health
• Prune deciduous shrubs and trees
• Weeds…get them now while they are small and easy to pull!!
• If needed, change soil by adding or mixing in compost
• Great time to add top-dressing (3” to 4” thick of mulch to prevent weeds and cut down  water evaporation)
• Plant winter vegetables (last chance for broccoli, onions, lettuce, fava beans, peas)
• Save water for Summer and Fall in tanks, barrels or garbage cans
• Last chance for moving or planting any trees, shrubs or perennials
• Install or build support structures for summer veggies like tomatoes, beans and cucumbers
• Clean and sharpen tools

Prune back roses to a “five-leaf” but don’t prune more than 1/3 of the height of the plant. Feed for the last time this year and deep water twice each month until the winter rain starts. Call me for help if needed.

Winter Blooming Plant Profiles

Cyclemen: Tuberous perennials – attractive leaves in basal clumps with pink, white or read flowers. Grows best in loose, leafy-rich compost, out of direct sun with good drainage. Like Iris bulbs the tops of the tubers should not be buried. Keep damn.

Euryops: Evergreen shrug – native to South Africa. Dense, finely divided foliage with yellow daisy-lie flowers to 6 ft. tall. Drought tolerant once established. Hates frost. Prune for shape in June.

Hellebores Niger: Long-lived perennial for shade with greenish white 2 inch flowers. Has long stalked fan shaped leaves about 1.5-2 ft. tall. Likes leafy compost and damp soil.

Fall Soil Care

Spread leafy compost around the base of shrubs and trees in a thick layer and “dig-in” (mix-in) vegetable and annual beds. Active “five” foot growth at this time of year quickly converts nutrients for absorption. Now is a great time to apply a thick layer to retain moisture and lower the soil temperature. Both are necessary for root growth and maintaining a health root-collar. Use up any left-over compost and prepare your 2010  compost area for the upcoming autumn leaves, grass clippings and kitchen scraps.

Fall Tree Care

Prune out the dead branches and seal any cut over 1 inch in diameter. Larger trees with weak horizontal branches may need to be pruned or supported to prevent breakage during heavy rain and winds. Prune fruit trees for shape.

Fall Planing Tips for Shrubs and Trees

The very best time of the year for any major planting or transplanting is in the fall when the group is wet and there is the distinct probability of more train. For the great San Jose area that would be late October or early November after 3 to 4 hours of steady rain followed by a “dry spell”. The dry spell could be 12 to 24 hours allowing the ground a chance to absorb the liquid and yet remain “murky”. This makes digging large holes easier and gives the new baby roots the conditions they need to adapt to the new soil and location.

Whatever the size of ht container (1-5-15 gallon or 24:-36″ b ox) or root ball, dig the new hole twice as big then fill the bottom with compost or planing mix. After removing the container place the root ball in the center and fill around it with compost or planting mix. Tamp the soil down and make sure the root collar is not buried or any roots are exposed. Make a donut shaped well around the newly planted shrub or tree for use during deep watering. If this is done right before the fall/winter rainy season then Mother Nature will water this transplant properly.  If she doesn’t you must by laying a hose out to the donut well and filling it every day for two weeks, or until it starts raining.

For those with lots of potted plants, mix P4 crystals (most nurseries carry these) in the soil before planing. These “rock-salt-sized” clear crystals soak up water, expand into tiny “jell-o like” cubes and then slowly release the water they are holing back into the soil. Potted plants in sunny locations are at the highest risk of drying out.

For Your Garden Plants

• Deadhead regularly
• Roses need feeding every 6-8 weeks and deep watering every month
• Vegetable gardens need clean-up – Remove compost debris, get open group prepared for next planing by adding compost and turning the soil with a shovel
• Harvest your garden – Cut and hang dry your onions, garlic, roses, Nigella, Hydrangeas, Limoniom, Lavender, Yarro, etc. Harvest vegetables and eat them or preserve them (canning, drying salting or freezing). Harvest season lasts til November in the Bay Area.

Learn to use things from your garden to make Christmas Gifts

• Lavender sachets
• Lemon Verbena Tea
• Christmas ornaments (cones, seeds, flowers)
• Wreaths
• Table Decor
• Dried Flower arrangements
• Apple Dolls
• Corn-husk -Dolls
• Much more

Water

The summer months are ahead so now is the time to deal with any water issues in your garden.

• Check for and fix all leaks in your sprinkler or drip system
• Clear away any foliage near sprinkler heads to insure that water is reaching as far as possible.
• Dump all standing water to avoid mosquito breeding.
• An “on-demand” water bowls for animals (both wild and domestic) is best.

Weeds

Avoid chemicals! Pull ‘em, dig ‘em, chop ‘em, cover ‘em. Using bark chips has both positive and negative side effects. A thinks lay4t (4″) of mulch is a better alternative to bark chips if you desire healthy plants. Bark chips are perfect cover for an open area of ground but don’t put them close to any plants or over any root systems. Bark chips leach the nitrogen out of the soil, therefor inhibiting any plant growth. This is  great for weed control in open areas but bad for any plants you are trying to grow.

Compost

Feed your garden with it’s own debris. Use only leaf material and grass clippings (no twigs, branches, soil, wood and absolutely no bark chips). Water the compost area occasionally and “turn/dig” it with a shovel or fork to help it ferment evenly. Spread the mulch on any open soil area.

Fixing Poor Soil

• If the is soils is sandy -  add clay and compost.
• If the soil is rocky – add compost and remove the larger rocks.
• If  the soil is clay -  add lost of compost and some small rocks.

Future Possibilities

As the cost of water and food goes up and up…

• Switch lawns to vegetable gardens
• Add rainwater storage to property
• Arrange for gray-water usage (bucket in the shower – basin in the sink)
• Learn about food preservation: canning, drying, smoking, freezing
• Share garden products and ideas with neighbors
• Grow trees for shade, compost and food
• Switch ornamental plants to California Natives

I am always available for questions about gardening at 408-259-6841.

Caroline

Digging projects are much, much easier when the soil is damp/wet.

* Amending soil (add manure, sand, or compost)
* Turn soil, add amendment, turn again.
* Moving shrubs
* Planting trees or shrubs
* Fixing/changing sprinkler lines

The rainy-season (Nov, Dec, Jan, & Feb) is the best time to plant trees, shrubs California Natives and winter vegetables. Consider reducing the size of your lawn and planting instead drought-tolerant shrubs and perennials or even a vegetable garden. Save lots on your water bill by switching from lawn to California Natives or plants from other arid climates (South Africa, Greece, Italy, Australia, Mexico, ect.) Some of these plants might include:

* Blue Hibiscus – Alyogyne huegelii
* Manzanita – Arctostaphylos
* Coyote Bush – Baccharis
* Blue Blossom – Ceanothus
* Red Valerian – Centranthus Ruber
* African Iris/Fortnight Lily – Dietes
* Fleabane – Erigeron
* California Poppy – Eschscholzia
* Yellow Shrub Daisy – Euryops
* Silk Tassel – Garrya

* Grapes
* Toyon – Heteromeles arbutifolia
* Hollywood Juniper – Juniperus “Torulosa”
* Spanish Lavender – Lavendula Stoechas
* 4 o’clocks – Mirabilis
* Daffodils – Narsisus
* Coast Live Oak – Quercus agrifolia
* India Hawthorn – Raphiolepis indica
* Mexican Bush Sage – Salvia leucantha
* Wooly Thyme – Thymus Lanuginosis

Garden Tip for those with Citrus Trees

String Christmas tree lights all over your tree and cover it with clear plastic if the temperature falls below freezing for several nights in a row. You could save the crop and the tree a lot of damage.