- Prepared by: Terry Lewis
Published on: May 18, 2024
- Avoid cutting lawns too severely because the resulting stress causes yellowing.
- Water citrus being careful not to over water. Continuously wet soil in the upper few inches risks root rot.
- Hand pick hoplia beetles from white and yellow rose blossoms.
Pruning
- Remove spent blooms. Cut back annuals that have stopped blooming to encourage rebloom.
- De-candle black pines to encourage compact growth.
Fertilizing
- Avoid fertilizing herbs as too much fertilizer reduces flavor and fragrance.
- Last fertilization of citrus this month for this year.
Planting
- Spring planting season is over. Anything planted this month will need careful watering.
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: fall flowering (Crocus).
- Fruits and vegetables: corn, cucumber, plant from seed at timed intervals to prolong harvest.
- Annuals: globe amaranth (Gomphrena), lobelia.
Enjoy now
- Annuals and perennials: fibrous begonia (Begonia semperflorens), clustered bellflower, cockscomb (Celosia), morning glory (Convolvulus tricolor).
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: gladiolus.
- Trees, shrubs, vines: bird of paradise (Caesalpinia), bottlebrush (Callistemon), fringe tree (Chionanthus).
- Fruits and vegetables: apriums, cherry, cucumber, eggplant.
Things to ponder
- Garden and harvest crops in the cooler morning or evening hours.
- Never use honey, artificial sweeteners, or red food coloring in hummingbird nectar.
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- Prepared by: Terry Lewis
Published on: May 10, 2024
The garden is in full bloom. Cut flowers and harvest produce frequently to encourage repeated production of flowers and veggies. Pull weeds and hoe often.
Tasks
- Water and mow lawn. Set mower higher to shade out weeds and keep roots cool.
- Be cautious when applying sulfur to grapevines for mildew control. Damage occurs above 100°F.
- Trap, hand-pick or bait snails, slugs and earwigs. (See UC IPM pest note on snail and slug management.)
- Deeply water fruit and nut trees. Ideally, mature fruit trees should be irrigated to a depth of 3 feet.
Pruning
- Remove any unwanted sprouts on trunks of trees.
- Thin fruit trees allowing 4 to 6 inches between fruit.
- Deadhead roses to encourage repeat blooming.
- Remove dead branches from shrubs and trees.
Fertilizing
- Feed bedding plants with all-purpose fertilizer high in phosphorus.
- Feed vegetables and lawns with all-purpose fertilizer.
Planting
- Spring planting season is over. Anything planted this month will need careful watering.
- Fill in bare spots from earlier plantings of perennials and annuals.
- This is the last opportunity to transplant young plants.
Enjoy now
- Annuals and perennials: California poppy (Eschscholzia), Lantana.
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: squill (Seilla), Iris, amaryllis (Hippeastrum).
- Trees, shrubs, vines: oleander (Nerium), violet trump vine (Clytostoma).
- Fruits and vegetables: melon, asparagus, cucumber.
Things to ponder
- A garden of native flowering plants requires less water, fertilizer and energy than a traditional landscape.
- Weed seeds may survive for many years; many common weed seeds will germinate after 20 years.
- Prepared by: Terry Lewis
Published on: May 3, 2024
Keep recent plantings well-watered and mulched. Sudden warming plus drying winds can stress plants.
Tasks
- Use a 3-inch layer of mulch around trees and shrubs to retain moisture, suppress weeds and cool soil temperature. Keep mulch several inches back from the base of trees or shrubs to prevent damage to the trunk.
- If oakworms, redhumped caterpillars, or cabbage loopers are present, spray with Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk). Repeat every 7 to 10 days for several weeks as a preventative measure.
- Spray aphids with insecticidal soap or blast with a strong spray of water.
Pruning
- Remove suckers on roses and fruit trees.
- Prune and shape camellias, azaleas and hydrangeas after bloom.
Fertilizing
- A little used more often is better than a lot at one time. Follow package directions for specific plants.
- Do not fertilize plants during hot spells.
Planting
- Spring planting season is over. Anything planted this month will need careful watering.
- If you missed planting eggplants, melons or peppers, plant now and keep them moist.
- Propagate geraniums and other soft wood perennials from cuttings.
Enjoy now
- Annuals and perennials: alyssum (Lobularia), maiden grass (Miscanthus), cup flower (Nierembergia), beard tongue (Penstemon), rose, pansy (Viola).
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: tulip, Watsonia.
- Trees, shrubs, vines: snowberry (Symphoricarpos), star jasmine (Trachelospermum).
- Fruits and vegetables: snow peas, squash, strawberries, Valencia orange.
Things to ponder
- Control scale with insecticides or summer horticultural oil. Repeat in June if necessary.
- This season, consider installing drip irrigation to provide for plants without using more water than necessary.
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- Prepared by: Terry Lewis
Published on: April 26, 2024
Whether the pest you face is plant or animal, remember safety first. Read labels thoroughly before opening containers that hold garden chemicals.
Tasks
- Check drip and sprinkler systems – clean filters, check emitters, fix leaks and re?set timers.
- Watch for Western grapeleaf skeletonizer. Use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to control.
- Control gophers and moles with traps, baits, or fumigation.
- Clean up drying vegetation within 30 feet of structures for fire prevention.
Pruning
- Remove spent lilac flower clusters just above points where leaf buds are forming.
- Hedges grow vigorously this month. Trim lightly every 2 or 3 weeks to maintain size and shape. Heavy pruning exposes the interior to sunburn.
- Thin apples to one fruit per cluster.
Fertilizing
- A little used more often is better than a lot at one time.
- Fertilize almond, apple, cherry and plum.
- Fertilize citrus.
Planting
- Spring planting season is over. Anything planted now will need careful watering.
- Fruits and vegetables: cucumber, eggplant, okra, parsley.
Enjoy now
- Annuals and perennials: California poppy (Eschscholzia), blue marguerite, coral bells (Heuchera), iris, sweet pea (Lathyrus), Texas ranger (Leucophyllum).
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: harlequin flower (Sparaxis tricolor).
- Trees, shrubs, vines: cistus (rock rose), rose.
- Fruits and vegetables: butter lettuce, peas, spinach.
Things to ponder
- This is the month to propagate geraniums and other soft wood perennials from cuttings.
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- Prepared by: Terry Lewis
Published on: April 18, 2024
When plants grow where we don't want them to grow, we consider them weeds.
Tasks
- When using herbicides for weed control, spray on a calm day and protect plants by shielding them with a large piece of cardboard.
- Learn to use the ‘Season Adjust' feature on your controller to make irrigation adjustments easier.
- Apply mulch to plantings for water retention. Mulch should be 3 to 4 inches thick. Don't allow mulch to accumulate against stems or trunks of plants.
Pruning
- Shape spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.
- Take 4-inch soft wood cuttings to propagate perennials, such as chrysanthemum, azalea, marguerite, lavender, aster and geranium.
Fertilizing
- Feed vegetables and lawns, but use care with lawns, as nitrogen encourages lush growth that requires more water.
- Fertilize deciduous fruit and nut trees with one third of the annual amount of fertilizer needed.
Planting
- This is the end of the spring planting season. Many annuals and vegetables can be planted from seed or transplanted. As temperatures rise, water new plantings.
- Perennials: coneflower (Echinacea), beard tongue (Penstemon), gloriosa daisy (Rudbeckia), plant from seed.
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: fairy lily (Zephyranthes).
- Fruits and vegetables: corn, pumpkin, squash, watermelon, plant from seed.
- Trees, shrubs, vines: bottlebrush (Callistemon), cotoneaster, solanum (potato vine).
- Annuals: globe amaranth (Gomphrena).
Enjoy now
- Annuals and perennials: dianthus, twinspur (Diascia), wallflower (Erysimum), California poppy (Eschscholzia).
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: squill (Scilla).
- Trees, shrubs, vines: Photinia, Spirea.
- Fruits and vegetables: snap peas, turnips, onions.
Things to ponder
- To cover 100 square feet of space with mulch 3 inches deep, you will need one cubic yard of trunk space.
- Use the least toxic chemical – water, insecticidal soap, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) or horticultural oils – for pest control.
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