The Real Dirt

Flowers blooming

The Real Dirt blog covers regional gardening issues from soil health to planting for pollinators; from fire resistant landscaping to attracting wildlife. Read all about it!

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Flowering head of Euphorbia characias. Jeanette Alosi
The Real Dirt: Article

Euphorbias Thrive in Our Climate

March 22, 2024
Looking for a drought tolerant plant? Euphorbias are one of the most dramatic garden plants, and they happen to do well in our ongoing conditions of drought. The genus is expansive and includes 2000 species of herbaceous perennials, annuals and biennials, as well as evergreen and deciduous shrubs.
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Aeonium arboreum (Tree aeonium). Laura Kling
The Real Dirt: Article

Echeveria and Sempervivum and Graptopetalum, Oh My!

March 15, 2024
The current emphasis on water-wise gardening has created an interest in succulents. All succulents are able to store water and food in their leaves, stems and roots. These stored nutrients can be released when needed. This makes them drought tolerant.
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Spaghetti tubing in a patch of Chinese Hardy Orchids. Jeanette Alosi
The Real Dirt: Article

Watering and Irrigation

March 1, 2024
If you plan to travel this summer, now might be a good time to install an automatic watering system. Doing so can ensure that your plants will not be under-watered or over-watered in your absence.
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An angel (or fairy) sculpture creates a pleasant accent in this calming rock garden area. Debi Durham
The Real Dirt: Article

Healing Gardens

February 23, 2024
Quiet, solitude and a connection with nature can be vital to one's peace of mind. Health care centers and hospitals have discovered this, and often incorporate garden spaces into their architectural designs with an eye towards reducing anxiety and improving recovery.
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