I am sure that gardeners reading this might be a bit skeptical of orchids being easy. Full disclosure, some are very fussy, but even the easy ones can be killed if not properly tended. Grocery stores often feature orchids in their flower offerings and they are so gorgeous it is hard to resist buying one. […]
After downsizing to a smaller place last year there is one thing that I miss—the dozen Camellias that I planted over the years as well as two really old ones at my Victorian homestead. I think these two older Camellias were close to 100 years old which tells you that, once established, these are tough […]
On October 13, I participated in the Master Gardeners Open Garden day at the County Ag Center where San Joaquin County Master Gardeners tend several excellent show gardens. There is a Mediterranean Garden, a Native Plant Garden, and an Edible Garden among others. Open garden day offers lots of resources and helpful advice on gardening […]
Gardening is always a learning experience which keeps it interesting as well as challenging when some new pest shows up or something doesn’t go as planned. No matter how much we know, it seems that there is more to be learned in a never ending process. This week I want to share with you some […]
If you stand still in a garden of zinnias and other flowers frequented by hummingbirds, moths, butterflies and bees, it can be a joyful learning experience. Years ago, I became acquainted with the Gulf Fritillary (Agaulis vanilla) butterfly after growing some passion vines to provide shade to the deck on my wife’s studio. I didn’t […]
I discovered a Lily of the Nile, Agapanthus, which was a deep blue at my new home this year. The only ones I had ever known were either light blue or white. So, being a curious gardener, I looked up Agapanthus images using Google. I found that the genus Agapanthus consists of 4 species and […]
Most of us find gardening a challenge. So many plants to know and choose from, so many configurations of plants possible and so many things to consider, sun exposure or shade, plant textures, flower colors and advancing verses receding colors. What type and amount of hardscape and paths to include and also styles of gardens […]
PlantRight is an organization that works to reduce the number of invasive plants sold at nurseries in California. Master Gardeners and other volunteers have helped conduct eight annual surveys to assess how many invasive plants are currently for sale and to encourage nurseries to stop selling such plants. This year, PlantRight is not doing a […]
In this new age of ‘Fake News’ when facts are branded as fake and lies are freely airborne, it might be appropriate for gardeners to sort myths from garden facts. Planting by the moon. I had a gardening friend who swore that you should plant root crops by the dark of the moon. I don’t […]
Succulents and cacti are a new world-to me. The word “succulent” comes from the Latin word sucus, meaning juice, or sap and we are unlikely to be saps for liking these plants. Succulents have the ability to thrive on mist and dew, which makes them equipped to survive with scarce water sources. In our drought […]