Time to Plant:
Time for Summer Gardens
May 4, 2014
We have had a warm dry winter but now is the time to start planting our summer gardens. Hot weather is perfect for tomatoes especially Heirlooms which have more flavor. Plants some Roma's for pasta sauces as they are meatier and have less water. Also consider zucchini and summer squash, Corn, Cucumbers and beans. Make sure that you have Basil, Dill, Fennel, Sage and Thyme to had flavor to your dishes. Check out a vegetable page for the best plants to grow in the summer. Make sure to add and till in a slow acting, low concentrate of Nitrogen, Phosprous and Potassium. For an organic solution for Nitrogen use Bloodmeal, Cottonseed Meal or well composted manure, for Phosphorous use bone meal and for Potassium use a kelp meal or wood ash.
Water Conservation
Steps to Reduce Water Use.
May 4, 2014
Water is a problem here in Southern California, especially after our dry warm winter. The following suggestions will help cut down your water bill. If you must water by hand, use a soaker hose or sprinkler wand. They are more effecient than a regular hose and nozzle. Make sure that you store your hoses in the shade. Hot water coming out of a hose that has sat in the sun all day can stress and damage your plants. Let the water run and cool down before you shower your plants. Lawns need about 1 inch of water per week and perennials need 1 to 2 inches of water per week, so don't over water. If it is overly hot and windy, you may have to add additional water - Just don't over do it. Too much water can cause root rot. Water in the root zone, which is about double the size of the canopy. If the water starts to run off, let the water soak in before continuing. Water runoff is the biggest waste of water. Keep an eye on sprinklers to make sure your plants are receiving the benefit of the water and not the sidewalk. Keep your mulch fresh and loose. If it looks crusty, rake it up to allow the water to soak through. Water in the morning to allow the plants to soak up the water for the lond hot day.
Call now to schedule a yard spruce up. 818 371-8005
Summer in So California
Hot Hot Hot
May 4, 2014
With our hot summers in Southern California, one of the best things you can do is to apply Mulch to your garden areas. A good organic mulch will not only reduce the amount of water evaporation from your soil but will also add essential nutrients back in. It helps break up the clay in the soil providing for better water satuation. It also insulates the soil and, most importantly, helps keep the weeds down. If you notice bare areas in your garden that could use a boost of organic mulch, call us to schedule a fresh layer of mulch to be installed. Not only will your plants love it but it will give your yard a clean fresh look for the summer.
Member of :
State Contractor's License
# 457152
# 913180
Composting
Good Soil - Better Crop)
There is nothing more important to good crops than your soil. One of the best ways to enhance your soil is by recycling your leftovers. Grass, Paper, Vegetable and Fruit leftovers and peels all added to your composter will add important nutients needed for maximum crop growth
HEIRLOOM VEGETABLES
Summer all year long
We truly have had summer all winter here in Southern California. Now is the perfect time to prepare those gardens for vegetables. This year, why not step away from the usual garden variety and try some of the older and more unusual heirloom varieties. Below are a few varieties to try.
Heirloom Vegetables
From Seed to Supper
Hyacynth "Moonshadow" Bean
Chinese Red Noodle Bean
Cosmic Purple Carrots
Strawberry Popcorn
Cambodian Green Giany Eggplant
Strawberry Spinach
Rich Sweetness Striped melon
Plum Lemon Tomatoes
Mortgage Lifter Tomato
Purple or Green Tomatillos
French or Purple Fingerling Potatoes
Boothby's Blonde Cucumber
Cardoon
Southern California
Vegetable Planting Season
| Optimal | Acceptable | Not recommended |
|---|
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | ||||||||||||
| Beans (Bush) | ||||||||||||
| Beans (Pole) | ||||||||||||
| Beets | ||||||||||||
| Broccoli | ||||||||||||
| Brussel Sprouts | ||||||||||||
| Cabbage | ||||||||||||
| Cantalope | ||||||||||||
| Carrots | ||||||||||||
| Cauliflower | ||||||||||||
| Celery | ||||||||||||
| Chives | ||||||||||||
| Collards | ||||||||||||
| Corn | ||||||||||||
| Cucumbers | ||||||||||||
| Eggplant | ||||||||||||
| Endive | ||||||||||||
| Favas | ||||||||||||
| Jicama | ||||||||||||
| Kale | ||||||||||||
| Kohlrabi | ||||||||||||
| Leeks | ||||||||||||
| Lettuce | ||||||||||||
| Lima Beans | ||||||||||||
| Mustard | ||||||||||||
| Okra | ||||||||||||
| Onions | ||||||||||||
| Parsley | ||||||||||||
| Parsnip | ||||||||||||
| Peas | ||||||||||||
| Peppers | ||||||||||||
| Potatoes | ||||||||||||
| Pumpkin | ||||||||||||
| Radish | ||||||||||||
| Rutabaga | ||||||||||||
| Spinach | ||||||||||||
| Squash (Summer) | ||||||||||||
| Squash (Winter) | ||||||||||||
| Sunflowers | ||||||||||||
| Swiss Chard | ||||||||||||
| Tomatoes | ||||||||||||
| Turnips | ||||||||||||
| Watermelon | ||||||||||||
| Zucchini (Winter) |
In Frostless Areas only
