TIME TO PLANT SUNFLOWERS

FOR BEAUTIFUL SUMMER BLOOMS- PLANT SUNFLOWERS THIS MONTH- 

The garden stores are showing a large variety and plenty are in stock.

Last year I grew these Van Gogh ornamental sunflowers, they were amazing.

This year I am planting Sunzilla- 12 foot tall sunflowers!

December Garden Planting Guide

                                      

POINSETTIA "Christmas Star" indigenous of Mexico
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VEGGIES = BEETS - BROCCOLI - BRUSSELS SPROUTS - CABBAGE - CARROTS- CAULIFLOWER- CELERY - COLLARDS- ENDIVE - FAVAS - KALE - LEEKS - LETTUCE MUSTARD - ONIONS - PARSLEY - PARSNIP - RADISH-RUTABAGA - SPINACH - SWISS CHARD- TURNIPS

FLOWERS = POPPIES – VIOLA - SWEET PEA - SNAPDRAGON - PANSY - PHLOX MARIGOLD - LAVENDER - LUPINE - WALLFLOWER - CARNATION - CANDY TUFT CALENDULA - FOXGLOVE - COLUMBINE - BLUEBELLS -  BLAZING STAR - BULBS (Tulip-Daffodil-Crocus-Hyacinths).

GREAT GIFT IDEA- POTTED THEME GARDENS
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DIY:Succulent Gifts in Mason Jars and More

Create your own Succulent Garden in a mason jar:

1. Fill bottom with planting mix charcoal

2. Next pour in some sand with cactus mix

3. Place succulent in jar

4. Top the soil with decorative rocks

mason jar succulent gifts

Antique coffee tins make great containers for succulents

October Planting Guide Southern California

CARROT PLANTING STRIPS ARE A REALLY GREAT IDEA!

BEETS- Home grown are always best when it comes to flavor. The leaves from beets are an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, sodium and have higher iron than spinach.

BROCCOLI-  CABBAGE- COLLARDS- 
CARROTS- Seed Tape is a great way to plant carrots… easy and simple.

LETTUCE- Grows the best in the cooler weather.

FAVAS – KALE – LEEKS – PARSLEY

RADISH- Try 'Rainbow Radish' 

SPINACH- SWISS CHARD -WINTER ZUCCHINI

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FLOWERS TO PLANT IN OCTOBER
Cornflower - Butterfly Flower - Marigold - California Poppy - Candytuft - Carnation - Flax - Foxglove - Larkspur - Lupine - Nemesia - Nephophila - Pansy - Petunia - Phlox - Pincushion Flower - Poppy - Primrose - Snapdragon - Stock - Sweet Pea - Verbena - Viola - Wallflower

Heirloom Radishes: Watermelon

This is a great all year round fun garnish/vegetable to grow in your garden. Very fast turn around time from sowing the seeds to eating at your table. These watermelon radishes are truly beautiful when sliced and tasty too. I grow these often and love the results.

Radishes are a good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and Magnesium. A great dietary fiber and also high in Vitamin C. Ideal planting time in Southern California is July- August. I plant these through October in my raised beds.

September Garden Planting Guide

Sweet Peas

September Flowers: African Daisy, Bachelor Button, California Poppy, Flax, Foxglove, Marigold, Pansy, Petunia, Snapdragon, Stock, Sweet Pea, Verbena, Viola, Wallflower.

September Herbs: Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme

Vegetables: Beans (bush), Brussels sprouts, Carrot, Celery, Fava Beans, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Onion sets, Radish, Swiss Chard.

* Remember to mulch even in the cooler months ahead.

* Check for feeding (fertilizing). Azaleas, cyclamen, roses and fuchsias this month.

*Plant perennials. Plant sweet peas the first week of September (specifically the early variety: Mammoth, Early Spencer or Multiflora).

*referrences from Pat Welsh’s Southern California Organic Gardening Book- a month by month guide to gardening in Southern California.

ENJOY YOUR GARDEN!

Summer flowers: Sunflower, Dahlia, Plumeria

Summer time is the perfect time to ENJOY your garden. 

smiling zucchini

smiling cactus

sugar baby watermelon

June Garden Planting Guide

GARDEN PLANTING GUIDE FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE *SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA*

SUGAR BABY WATERMELON

BEANS- Bush and Pole Types, 

BEETS

CANTALOUPE

CORN

CUCUMBER

LIMA BEANS

OKRA

PEPPERS

PUMPKIN

RADISH

SUMMER SQUASH

SUNFLOWER

SWISS CHARD

TOMATOES

WATERMELON

MY FIRST CUCUMBER THIS SEASON WITH MANY MORE ON THE WAY

Salad Bowl- From Garden to Table

One of the easiest raised planter garden vegetables to grow is lettuce. It sprouts up well in cold weather and in the summer can be planted in shady areas for equal success. Planting lettuce seeds each month provides a continual and fresh harvest. Throw in some nasturtium flowers for a peppery tasting and colorful addition. Growing a variety of different lettuce types will make your dinner salad bowl a gastronomic delight! 

Renee's Seeds

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Succulents: Aeoniums

Aeonium Succulents: 

Leaves arranged in rosettes and flower with white or yellow blooms. 

From the Crassulaceae family of succulents and look like large rose flowers. 

Drought tolerant and easy to grow. 

They do not like intense heat or frost.

Black Rose with Lavender in my front planter beds

Black Rose MacroPhoto 

Variegated Aeonium

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 

May today be a day of thanksgiving for our relationship with our mother's. For those who have passed away and for the memories that will always be with us... blessings.

Purple Contessa Flower

Dahlia Planting Time

Adding more flowers to my garden this year next to my tomatoes and around my herb garden has been very rewarding. If you have not tried Dahlias I highly recommend them! There’s still time to plant them before the summer heat sets in and I promise you will love the sturdiness and beauty of this amazing flower.

The photos below are the Sky Angel Purple Dahlia

Simple Care Guide for Growing and Caring for Dahlias:

→ Plant Dahlias in April and May with morning sun exposure and at least 6 hours of sunshine per day.

→ Plant 4-6″ Deep and 18″ apart. Do not water right away. Less water is better until sprouts have appeared. Since these flowers are planted in April and May the natural rainfall should suffice.

→ Use stakes for tall growing Dahlias over 3 feet.

→ I grow these in my vegetable garden since they both require the same type of fertilizer such as 5-10-10.

→ Dahlia bulbs are tubers. The dahlia plant can mature for years without benefit of seed or spores. To sprout the next season, each tuber must have one eye. This makes a great cut flower.

Monday Inspiration

PHOTO CREDIT: glassfloatjunkie.etsy.com

I purchased a glass fishing float from a vendor on Etsy to add to my "under the sea" succulent garden. The photo and caption above is from her Facebook page and I thought it was a beautiful insight to start the week. Happy Monday!

GLASS FISHING FLOATS IN THE SUCCULENT GARDEN

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MAY PLANTING GUIDE: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

VEGETABLES TO PLANT IN THE MERRY MONTH OF MAY:

 

BEANS: Bush and Pole
BEETS- these can be bought in seed strips which makes planting very easy
CANTALOPE- yummy
CARROTS- you can buy carrot strips for easy planting
CORN- a fun garden plant for kids
CUCUMBER- try patio snackers variety
EGGPLANT- a great purple color in the garden- try the Nadia Eggplant 
LIMA BEANS- only if you have to- do southern californians really eat Lima Beans?
OKRA- do you think Oprah likes Okra?
PEPPERS- I typically will get peppers as plants vs. seeds
PUMPKIN - try Carriage Pumpkins
RADISH- try rainbow radishes
SQUASH- winter and summer can be planted now
SUNFLOWERS- from miniature to 8 foot tall growers- they are all amazing
SWISS CHARD- easy to grow and beautiful colors
TOMATOES- I grow yellow pear and cherry tomatoes every year + roma and heirloom
WATERMELON- sugar baby is a great small melon for backyard gardener

COMPANION PLANTING- TRY GROUPING TOGETHER THESE COMBINATIONS:
Why companion plant? 
* It helps and improves plant growth by enriching the soil. 
* Plants help eachother grow by placing tall plants next to smaller plants that need shade.
* It can help with pest problems with the aromatic scents of marigolds and other herbs.
* Attract the good insects "beneficial" insects- plant attracting pollinators!

BEANS - RADISH - SUNFLOWER- EGGPLANT- ROSEMARY

TOMATO- BASIL- CARROT- PARSLEY

CUCUMBER- PEA - SUNFLOWER- MARIGOLD- RADISH- CARROT

SAGE - THYME - TOMATO - BASIL- DILL- MARIGOLD- LETTUCE

Check out these Heirloom Seeds on ETSY that looked interesting. Sunflowers and all types of seeds


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Time to Plant Pumpkins

Can it really be time for planting pumpkins? YES!

 I recommend trying the Cinderella's Carriage which in Southern California can be planted by seed April through June. Plant in Full Sun with a distance of 3 feet between seeds. They reach 18-35 pounds and are deep orange-red. I purchased these from Renee's seeds and in the past have had great success.

According to Renee's Seeds, "We import seed for this big gorgeous heirloom pumpkin from its original French breeder who maintains the best centuries-old strain, still beloved in European markets. Cinderella's Carriage is our name for this large, thick-fleshed selection that looks exactly like the original in the old-fashioned illustrations of the magical fairy tale coach."

 

Last year my Cinderella Pumpkin at 5 pounds- still growing

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   ************* pumpkin tins***********

Ocean Theme Landscaping Gallery of Photos

Ocean Themed Landscaping, Drought Tolerant and Water Wise. I use all types of mediums to create a water wise landscaping with an ocean theme and peaceful oasis effect.

Ideas: Nautical items, Antique pieces, Driftwood, Seashells, Japanese Glass Floats, Rope, Cement Sea Figures, Glass Mulch, Moonstones, Aloe, Succulents, Cactus, Palms, Euphorbias, Sand, Antique Coke bottles, etc. The list is endless! 

Pinterest Photo Gallery Link

Succulents for Retaining Walls and Borders

Succulents are the quintessential plant for borders or retaining walls as they require very little water. Similar to cactus, succulents are able to store water and planting them in cactus mix helps create the perfect soil environment for easy drainage. Group them closely together and mix in rocks for better growth and showy display. Photos below: front yard planter/retaining wall.

 more succulent photos- "see more"...

Nature's Patterns- Daily Gratitude

Simply put... beautiful walk this weekend and I was glad I had my camera. The natural patterns all around were jumping out at me, or maybe I was just in a state of amazing gratitude and noticed. 

AGAVE : San Diego

Palm Tree Trunk: Swami's Beach, San Diego

Low Tide: I found a Heart in the rocks

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Happy St. Patrick's Day

♣    Happy St. Patrick’s Day    ♣

Good luck in the garden

Shamrocks are considered a good luck symbol; representing faith, hope and love. The age-old saying: “The Luck of the Irish” with its magical mysticism just might rub off in our gardens today with a little St. Patty’s Day symbolism.

The word Shamrock comes from an Irish word meaning little clover and is said to have gotten its symbolic meaning in Ireland in about the fifth century. St. Patrick used the abundantly growing green shamrock to teach Christianity by using a natural method to show the concept of the holy trinity. Each leaf representing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The shamrock was a sacred plant in Ireland even before St. Patrick with the Irish Druids because the leaves in a cluster of three formed a triad. Currently the shamrock is still used as a good luck symbol and popular with Irish brides as the clovers are intertwined in bridal bouquets.

Botanically speaking:

“The true Irish Shamrock, as identified by Nathaniel Colgan c. 1893 is a clover. It is not one of any or many clovers, it is one species, collected from a majority of counties at that time and with the exception of a very few plants, the majority were Trifolium repens or a form of this plant – White clover also known as Dutch Clover”. …’From Ireland’ © Jane Lyons, Dublin, Ireland