If your list includes new homeowners or first time gardeners, “Sunset Western Garden Book” or “Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening” can't be beat and will be used as reference guides for years to come. Are they talking about digging up the lawn and putting in a natural garden?
You might consider “Gaia's Garden, A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture” or “California Native Plants for the Garden”. Are they doing their best to grow a vegetable garden but may need a little help or inspiration? Look at “Square Foot Gardening” or “Carrots Love Tomatoes”.
But what about the experienced gardener? Do you have someone on your list that could probably write his or her own gardening book? I guarantee all gardeners love to peruse a beautiful book full of inspiring pictures. Consider two gardening books that made the Amazon list of Best Books of 2014, “The Gardener's Garden” or “The Writer's Garden”. If you are shopping for me I'll take either of the last two!
Our speaker, Kay Havens, will tell you all you need to know about growing healthy roses. Afterwards, you can practice your pruning skills in the rose garden, guided by Master Gardeners.
For more information see http://uccemg.com/?calitem=257307&g=16069
They can be used to fill in around stepping-stones and under other plants. They make a great way to prevent weeds from taking hold and they add depth and a finished look to a garden by covering bare dirt. There are groundcovers for almost every kind of garden culture from damp shade to drought tolerant.
Whatever plant is used, they all need special care while getting established. They should be kept well watered until their roots take hold and integrate well into the native soil. Be sure to note the growing conditions where the groundcover is going to be planted and either consult a good reference book or visit a nursery that can help choose the plant that will grow successfully in your space.
"Thoroughly examine plants for all stages of the pest, daily to several times per week. The bugs may be hidden inside dense foliage layers or fruit clusters, and they may hide or fly when startled. Handpick and crush the bugs or brush them off plants into soapy water. Wear gloves because of the odor they will emit when handled. A handheld vacuum dedicated to catching the bugs can be effective at reducing numbers, if used regularly. It is especially important to remove the bugs as early in the season as possible, when the very young nymphs are tightly clustered together; morning is best to reduce movement and flight. Be sure to also destroy the egg masses found on the underside of leaves.
For late-season infestations in pomegranate trees, prune trees so that there is a space between tree limbs and the ground. Leaffooted bug nymphs can easily be knocked out of the tree using a stick, by physically shaking the tree limbs, or using water from a pressure nozzle on a garden hose. Once bugs fall on the ground, they can be smashed. This method is effective against nymphs but will not dislodge eggs. It is less effective against adults, which are able to fly away. For this reason, this method should be repeated once every 1 to 2 weeks as necessary, until the majority of the bugs have disappeared. Laying a white ground cover beneath the plant can aid in seeing the insects when using this control method."
