So. California |
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August 2007 From Sunset Magazine By Sharon Cohoon 
SHOPPINGEfficient irrigation controllers. "Smart" timers, such as WeatherTrak by HydroPoint, irrigate your garden only when it needs it by factoring in time of year, temperature, winds, and other information gathered from weather satellites. There's also a good chance your local water provider will assist you in programming the timer and will rebate part of its cost. See www.bewaterwise.com/rebates02.html for details. Related story: Summer watering guide Sustainable-garden ideas. Looking for garden-design inspiration? Check out photos of the entries in Roger's Gardens' first California Friendly Garden Contest, now posted on the nursery's website (www.rogersgardens.com), along with other useful tips on Mediterranean climate–appropriate gardening. PLANTING Asian vegetable seeds. If you think you've grown every veggie around, get a copy of Kitazawa Seed Company's catalog (www.kitazawaseed.com or 510/595-1188) and order a garden culinary adventure. Intriguing possibilities include gai choi, a Chinese dark green mustard used in stir-fries; 'Akarenso', a red-veined Japanese spinach that may be used raw in salad or cooked; and 'Akehime', a quick-growing kabocha squash. Late tomato crop. You can still plant tomatoes for harvest in late fall to early winter, if you look for varieties that need only a short growing season. Because they were cultivated for cooler climates, they'll usually have names such as 'Siberia', 'Glacier', 'Manitoba', or 'Oregon Spring'. Related story: Grow the perfect tomato Summer-to-fall color. If your garden lacks blooms, consider some of the following: blue hibiscus (Alyogyne huegelii), California fuchsia (Zauschneria californica), cape plumbago, lantana, sea lavender (Limonium perezii), Tagetes lemmonii, and yarrow. All need little water once established. MAINTENANCE Clean up houseplants. Give summer-stressed plants a proper bath to clean their leaves, raise humidity around them, and prevent spider mites and other insect infestations. Garden author Julie Bawden-Davis suggests taking the plants outdoors to rinse off their leaves. Tilt the plants at a 45° angle to wash any insect pests and their eggs onto the ground rather than back into potting soil. This and other tips appear in Bawden-Davis's new book, Indoor Gardening the Organic Way (Taylor Trade Publishing, 2007; $20). Dethatch warm-season grasses. Late summer is an ideal time to dethatch Bermuda, Kikuyu, St. Augustine, and zoysia grasses, since they're actively growing and will spring back quickly. If the thatch buildup is modest (a half-inch or less), leave it be — it's conserving soil moisture. But thicker thatch prevents water from penetrating. Try a dethatching rake if you have a tiny lawn; otherwise, rent a dethatching machine. Related story: Dethatching and aerating your lawn Groom plants. Watch for new basal growth on perennials such as coreopsis and penstemon. Cut back spent flower stalks to just above this growth to shape plants and encourage rebloom. |
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