Download and read the "Avocado Care, Avocado Variety Chart and Schedule" all in one pdf!

With California's current drought conditions – wildfire season this year has already been amplified. Here are links for more information on what we can all do to alleviate problems caused by our current drought:

• Create a Defensible Space During Wildfire Awareness Week
• Landscaping for Fire Protection (Calif. Garden Web)
• UCCE Sustainable and Fire Safe Landscapes
• CAL FIRE

In addition, there are helpful publications available from:

http://ucanr.edu/Publications_524/

• Landscaping Tips to Defend Home from Wildfire (Publication 8322)
• Home Landscaping for Fire (Publication 8228)

On January 25^th, a throng of eager pruners – Master Gardeners and members of the public - did a job Edward Scissorhads would be proud of, trimming over 160 rosebushes at Heritage Museum in Santa Ana. Now the rosebushes have recovered and bloomed forth in abundance. The pruning allowed the roses to build up strength for a new season and also eliminated disease carryover from the previous year. The roses are tended twice a month by Master Gardeners to keep the garden looking its best and to have a great venue for rose growing instruction.

If the roses in your garden have given you that great first flush of blooms, continued care can keep you in roses throughout the summer. Be sure to deadhead regularly, cutting the stems back to a cluster of 5 leaves. Check for diseases and remove diseased leaves promptly. May diseases and pests can be controlled with insecticidal soap. For more information, visit the ornamental plant section of this website.

While being a good steward of our environment has been a goal of home landscapers for many years, there is increasing emphasis on adopting sustainable landscaping practices and principles.

What exactly is sustainable landscaping? In a nutshell, it involves selecting plants that are adapted to your climate and microclimate and implementing maintenance practices that reduce water waste, protect water quality, nurture soil, recycle organic matter, incorporate integrated pest management (IPM), protect and encourage desirable wildlife, and conserve energy.