Homegrown herbs are pungent, sweet, grassy, tangy, and aromatic, in ways that are lost in dried herbs. Fortunate for us, most of the traditional herbs and many less common herbs are all easy to grow in warm, dry summer gardens. And, these herbs are beautiful. Nan will discuss how to grow garden herbs for year round harvest and cooking–beautiful additions to every home garden.
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Planning for Fall Planting
September 12, 2024
Planning for Fall Planting
I received an email today with the subject line “Get a head start on fall planting!” Right away I knew it wasn’t written by a knowledgeable gardener. People who know about gardening in our climate know that a “head start” on fall planting is a death sentence for plants. We know to wait until that one morning in October when the air suddenly feels like fall - a little cool, a touch humid. On that morning, it’s like the whole earth takes a deep breath and says “Summer’s over. Now, get busy.” Why do we wait to plant in the cool months? It’s when plants have the best chance of establishing and thriving. Here’s why: All plants experience transplant shock. In the nursery, their roots grow all cozy and comfy in their pot. When we bring the plants home, we yank ‘em out of their pots, shake those roots up,…
All BlogsEdible gardeningFruits, Vegetables & HerbGarden DesignHow toNative plantsWaterwise gardening
Signs of Summer Garden Stress
July 13, 2024
Signs of Summer Garden Stress
I love summertime in my garden. The long days lure me from my office to spend hours outside… I know that the intense sun and dry air can dehydrate me and burn my skin to a crisp if I’m not careful. But what happens to our plants and gardens when temperatures soar and the humidity takes a nosedive? Here are common indicators of summer garden stress and why they happen. Signs of Water Stress Consider how water moves through plants: we water soil so the water can enter plants through their roots. From the roots, water travels up through stems and branches, ultimately into the leaves. Plants cleverly curl their leaves in extreme heat to protect themselves from sunburn and dehydration. That water doesn't stay in the plant, however. It moves through the leaves into the air by evaporation and by a process called "transpiration," which is similar to the…
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Raise Your Vegetables in Bed
February 24, 2024
Raise Your Vegetables in Bed
While you wait for your vegetable seeds to sprout, you have plenty of time to prepare your planting beds. For vegetables, annual flowers, and herbs, I always advocate for growing them in raised beds rather than in the ground. In regions like Southern California and the southwest, soils have very little organic matter, water is limited, and summers are hot and dry. In our backyards, growing vegetables in the ground is a big challenge. Growing them in raised beds, on the other hand, allows us to create the ideal conditions meeting vegetable plants’ needs. Extra water is limited to just the soil in the bed – fertilizer too – so it’s not wasted on ornamental plants that are just as happy – or happier – growing dry. On-ground beds For decades, I’ve gardened in 22” tall redwood beds that sit on the ground. While I still love my handsome wooden…