Check off these 40-plus chores in the June garden
Summer’s start means plenty to do
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May garden checklist helps set up plantings for success
From setting up raised beds and drip irrigation to seed starting and proper spacing, here are the steps to kick-start growth
Soak up inspiration with tours, training and a planting checklist for the April garden
San Diego County plant lovers can check out a long list of events and experts
Seed starting, soil prep and winter harvesting: Here’s your March garden checklist
Ensure that you have inline drip irrigation installed in beds to help counter dry conditions, and get back to watering fruit trees
In the February garden, take these steps to protect plants from erosion before rains
Look for fallen branches, fill gullies, add mulch after downpour
It’s January: What to do in your garden this month
For The Union-Tribune Happy New Year! My New Year’s wish is for nice, slow, soaking rainfalls to help our new plants establish and our established plants thrive. What’s your garden...
Ready for rainy season? 11 things to check in the December garden
Also a good time to add ornamentals, prune and plan for fruit trees
Make a ‘base plan’ when planting in the November garden
Diagram carefully, irrigate properly and mind the needs of different species
In the October home garden, it's prime time for planting
Follow this checklist for phasing out summer vegetables and moving on to winter produce.
Follow this September checklist to strategize for fall planting and set garden goals
For The Union-Tribune Will the hot, humid conditions continue into September? That’s the prediction; hotter than normal and drier than normal. Shorter days are the saving grace and the...
With summer harvest in full swing, here are 50-plus tasks in the August home garden
Fill your baskets with squash, tomatoes, watermelon and more, and recheck irrigation setups for fruit trees
In the July garden, it's high time to plant another round of summer vegetables
Garden expert Nan Sterman explains the garden chores for July, including updating your watering patterns and which vegetables to plant and harvest
30-plus tips on helping your June garden produce to the max
As spring finally transitions to summer, “June Gloom” typically brings us some gray skies, especially along the coast. That means spring flowers last a bit longer while we wait for...
15 pro tips for starting vegetables in the May garden
May is the busiest month in my garden. Spring blooms give way to early summer blooms. Perennial bloom takes over for bulbs. The vegetable garden gets planted, fruit trees get...
Planting time is now: 30-plus ways to get growing in the April garden
The saying may be "April showers bring May flowers," but in our region, it's the winter rains that normally end in March and bring flowers in March and April. That's...
It’s seed-starting time! Get your garden’s planting prep under way as March ushers in spring
After a wet February, March might even bring more rain, hopefully tapering off by month’s end. Meanwhile, start your summer vegetable garden seeds. Watch for peach and apple and plum...
These irrigation options can help harness the rain for your February garden
Soon we’ll be seeing spring’s blooms, but for now, our gardens are still wet and cold. Plants may look to be asleep but they’re preparing to put out new leaves...
Gear up garden for what’s forecast to be a wet winter
Happy New Year. May 2024 be a year of bountiful gardens, green thumbs and happy gardeners.Prepare for rainThe National Weather Service modeling predicts a “historically strong” El Niño this winter,...
50 tips to get ready for the rainy season in your December garden
December is gift-giving time, and what better gifts to give your gardening besties (or yourself) than the opportunity to become a better gardener? That’s the goal of Garden School, the...
Ready to plant? 5 must-answer questions for your November garden – and 5 common mistakes
In our part of the world, fall is the busiest gardening season. The air is cool, the soil is warm and with the possibility of a powerful El Niño, we...
Transition to cool-weather crops in the October garden: Here are 20 to get you started
Did fall surprise us by sneaking in last month? Normally, cool temperatures arrive mid-October, but it seems we are already there. And cool air combined with still-warm soil means it’s...
43 tasks in the September garden: Take stock of summer successes, plan for fall planting
After August’s surprise hurricane, I’m curious to see our plants’ and gardens’ responses to rain in the heat of summer. This time of year, we often lose California native plants...
Tasks for the September garden: Take stock of summer successes and plan for fall planting
After August’s surprise tropical storm, I’m curious to see how our plants and gardens respond to rain in the heat of summer. This time of year, we often lose California...
Tasks for the September garden: Take stock of summer successes and plan for fall planting
After August’s surprise tropical storm, I’m curious to see how our plants and gardens respond to rain in the heat of summer. This time of year, we often lose California...
43 tasks in the September garden: Take stock of summer successes, plan for fall planting
After August’s surprise hurricane, I’m curious to see our plants’ and gardens’ responses to rain in the heat of summer. This time of year, we often lose California native plants...
50 tasks to tackle in the August garden, from frequent harvesting to thoughtful watering
It's summer! This is the garden’s harshest and most challenging season of the year, Southern California’s gardening equivalent to winter in most parts of the country. Pay close attention to...
Tasks to tackle in the August garden, from frequent harvesting to thoughtful watering
It's summer — the garden’s harshest and most challenging season of the year. It's Southern California’s gardening equivalent to winter in most parts of the country. Pay close attention to...
50 tasks to tackle in the August garden, from frequent harvesting to thoughtful watering
It's summer! This is the garden’s harshest and most challenging season of the year, Southern California’s gardening equivalent to winter in most parts of the country. Pay close attention to...
Produce takes center stage in the July garden
Finally, it's summer! Time for tomatoes and cucumbers, and summer fruits. Flowering ornamental plants slow down, but edibles kick into peak production.It's sunny out thereProtect your skin, your hair, your...
In the June garden, get ready for a warm, dry summer
Are you still waiting for the sun? While May brought inland gardens warmer temperatures, the coast was still cool and gray. Let’s hope June brings sun, not gloom, to the...
This year, garden tasks in May require a different timeline
Gardens are all late this year. With our long, cool winter and spring, May plants are behaving more like April plants. Perennials are blooming, sweet peas and native wildflowers are...
This year, garden tasks in May require a different timeline
Gardens are all late this year. With our long, cool winter and spring, May plants are behaving more like April plants. Perennials are blooming, sweet peas and native wildflowers are...
In the April garden, enjoy the show, then start planting for summer
April is normally our showiest garden month, but after recent extreme rains and surprisingly cold temperatures, everything seems to be behind. Take some time to document this April in your...
Tend to buds, sprouts and other harbingers of spring in the March garden
After a colder-than-normal February, we look to March for warmer temperatures. This month inaugurates spring’s earliest blooms, tiny new leaves on winter bare branches, and the tiniest sprouts of newly...
Tend to buds, sprouts and other harbingers of spring in the March garden
After a colder-than-normal February, we look to March for warmer temperatures. This month inaugurates spring’s earliest blooms, tiny new leaves on winter bare branches, and the tiniest sprouts of newly...
Cool time to work the soil in your February garden? While it’s still damp
It’s been a rainy winter, but soon the air will warm and the soil will dry out. Take advantage of still-damp soils in February to get ornamental plants established now....
Cool time to work the soil in your February garden? While it’s still damp
It’s been a rainy winter, but soon the air will warm and the soil will dry out. Take advantage of still-damp soils to get ornamental plants established now. Watch for...
Good cleanup in January starts the garden year on a healthy note
Happy New Year! Let’s all spend more time digging in the dirt this year. It’s good for our immune systems, for our mental health and good for the planet, too.Kick...
December gardening tips and a few gift ideas for the green thumbs on your holiday list
The holiday season is a great time to garden and to indulge the gardeners you know. Looking for a garden gift? My favorite gifts to give and get include:Uncommon plantsA...
December gardening and a few gift ideas for the green thumbs on your list
The holiday season is a great time to garden and to indulge the gardeners you know. Looking for a garden gift? My favorite gifts to give and to get include:Uncommon...
In the garden: As weather cools in November, shift into full planting mode
It’s finally fall. We’re past the uncertainty of October weather. From now until April, gardeners are in full-on planting mode. So, get planting!Build a gardenBefore you jump into planting, make...
In the garden: October a time for maintenance, watering adjustments
After a brutally warm August and September, we are all anxious for the cooler and shorter days later this month. Be patient. Don’t plant until the weather cools. And once...
In the garden: October a time for maintenance, watering adjustments
After a brutally warm August and September, we are all anxious for the cooler and shorter days later this month. Be patient. Don’t plant until the weather cools. And once...
Late summer is prime time for vegetable harvest
The high temperatures of August and early September probably aren't the end of it. Expect heat until at least mid-October. These are the most important months to pay attention to...
Late summer is prime time for vegetable harvest
The high temperatures of August and early September probably aren't the end of it. Expect heat until at least mid-October. These are the most important months to pay attention to...
Be mindful of heat, drought as summer gardens transition in September
Heat is ongoing. Drought compounds the heat, making for challenging gardening conditions. The entire state is in drought with nearly half of us living under the most extreme or exceptional...
As August temperatures soar, it’s prime time for vegetable harvest
August kicks off the hottest part of the summer. Expect heat — and more heat — until at least mid-October. These are the most important months to pay attention to...
Beat the heat in your July garden: How to keep your plants – and yourself – from drooping
Summer! The coast is clearing (literally) while inland, temperatures soar. July is the time to reap the harvest and stay out of the midday sun.Protect yourself• Set your alarm for...
June in the garden: Get ready for higher temperatures by using water wisely
Soon we’ll have warm evenings and hotter days. But we are in the worst drought of the past 1,200 years, so don’t overdo watering the garden. It helps to grow...
June in the garden: Get ready for higher temperatures by using water wisely
Soon we’ll have warm evenings and hotter days. Water is sacred, so don’t overdo it in the garden. It helps to grow plants that “drink responsibly!”Manage water• We are in...
May gardens are gearing up for summer bounty
May is the month of garden promise. Summer veggies are in flower. Small fruits cover the branches of fruit trees. Pollinators visit blooms, doing the business that ensures we’ll be...
In the April garden, make the most of this prime time for planting
April is the month when our gardens show off their best selves. Bulbs are blooming, annuals are showing off, native plants are lush and green, and summer’s vegetable seedlings promise...
In the April garden, make the most of this prime time for planting
April is when our gardens display their best selves. Bulbs are blooming, annuals are showing off, native plants are lush and green, and summer’s vegetable seedlings promise future bounty.Gardens around...
In the April garden, make the most of this prime time for planting
April is the month when our gardens show off their best selves. Bulbs are blooming, annuals are showing off, native plants are lush and green, and summer’s vegetable seedlings promise...
In the April garden, make the most of this prime time for planting
April is the month when our gardens show off their best selves. Bulbs are blooming, annuals are showing off, native plants are lush and green, and summer’s vegetable seedlings promise...
There’s plenty to do in the March garden as spring arrives
It’s been a strange rainfall year. We’ve had big storms alternating with long dry periods. We need to adapt garden practices to keep plants going. Without sufficient rains, plants will...
Plenty to prepare in the March garden as spring peeks around the corner
It’s been a strange rainfall year. We’ve had big storms alternating with long dry periods. This pattern is consistent with climate modelers’ predictions. We need to adapt garden practices to...
Irrigation, pruning and planting lead the February garden to-do list
The days are growing longer, the air is slowly warming and there’s been little rain recently, though February is traditionally the wettest month of the year. Pay attention to what...
Irrigation, pruning and planting lead off the February garden to-do list
The days are growing longer, the air is slowly warming and there’s no rain in sight, though February is traditionally the wettest month of the year. Pay attention to what...
It’s time for garden cleanup and a deep dive into bare-root beauties
Happy new year! What are your New Year's resolutions? Here are mine: garden, garden and garden more.Starting the new year is like planting a new seed. How tall will it...
Watch your garden’s water needs as warm, dry conditions settle in
Warm, warm, warm, dry, dry. This is our second La Nina year in a row, which means this warm, dry weather will continue at least through early spring. Normally, we'd...
In the November garden, carry on cool-weather planting, but cut back on water
While fall rains have already begun, climatologists predict a dry winter, courtesy of the long-anticipated La Niña conditions. Reservoirs are at dangerously low levels. There’s little chance of their being...
In October, the time is ripe to plant ornamentals
It’s almost time: Soon we’ll wake up one morning and it will finally feel like fall — our best planting time.Why fall? That’s when the air is cooler, yet the...
In October, time is ripe to plant ornamentals
It’s almost time: The air is cooling, the days are growing shorter. Soon, we’ll wake up one morning and it will finally feel like fall — our best planting time.Why...
September garden heads-up: Devastating citrus disease now here
Last month, citrus greening disease, huanglongbing (HLB), finally appeared on San Diego County, in backyard citrus in Oceanside. County officials held it off for a long time but, sadly, it...
August in the garden is go time for homegrown goodness
We've had heat, humidity and surprise showers so far this summer. What happens this month sets the tone for our gardens for the rest of the year.Personal careGarden in the...
August in the garden is go time for homegrown goodness
We've had heat, humidity and surprise showers so far this summer. What happens this month sets the tone for our gardens for the rest of the year.Personal careGarden in the...
It’s July: Here’s what to tackle in your garden
In July, temperatures warm and peaches ripen. Sunflowers reach toward the sky. Welcome summer!Personal carePace yourself in the heat. Garden early in the morning and late in the day. Stay...
June in the garden: The ideal time to plant a second round of summer produce
It’s been a cool, dry spring, but now, we can enjoy summer. Here’s to bare feet, shorts and sunscreen in the garden! It’s also time to put the lessons you...
June in the garden: The ideal time to plant a second round of summer produce
It’s been a cool, dry spring, but now, we can enjoy summer. Here’s to bare feet, shorts and sunscreen in the garden! It’s also time to put the lessons you...
May already? Time to plant these summer edibles in your garden
Fruit trees are developing, vegetable gardens are exploding, and ornamentals are putting on a beautiful show. After a winter of little rain, prepare your gardens for a dry summer. Pay...
In April, home gardeners, native plants are putting on a show
Rain is on my mind, or lack thereof. Across Southern California, the season’s rainfall is less than half of normal. That portends a dry spring and summer — challenging for...
Here’s what to plant now in your March garden
Rain! We had rain! Most of the county got close to an inch on Wednesday, some inland valleys and the mountains got even more. Our gardens perked up, and surely...
February garden chores: Plant ornamentals and keep those winter veggies coming
What a crazy winter we’ve had. Dry, dry, dry and then torrential rains and winds! How has your garden fared?IrrigationWith days still cool and the sun still low in the...
Start turning garden dreams into reality with these January tasks
New years bring new opportunities in life and in the life of your garden. What will you do this year? Plant a vegetable garden? Add fruit trees? You can create...
Start turning garden dreams into reality with these January tasks
Happy New Year! New years bring new opportunities in life and in the life of your garden. What will you do this year? Plant a vegetable garden? Add fruit trees...
Three gardeners find purpose in growing their own produce during pandemic
If the shutdown orders have you longing to upgrade your home environment, you might reconsider your backyard ... or your front yard. COVID-19 has made gardening a hot hobby. Digging...
Check off these December garden chores for a parade of blooms in spring
In other climates, gardeners take this time to plan and dream. Here, our mild winters make for year-round gardening. This is our best time to clean, plant, prune, and to...
7 things to take care of in the garden in November
Thank goodness it’s fall! After the oven that was October, cool weather is a huge relief — for us and for the garden, too. Now, let’s watch for rain.1) Plant...
October brings plenty of chores for home gardeners
October is the grand transition. There’s that one morning when you wake up and go outside and the air feels ... different. It’s fall. And it’s time to start planting.Toward...
October chores for home gardeners
October is the grand transition. There’s that one morning when you wake up and go outside, and the air feels ... different. It’s fall. And it’s time to start planting.Toward...
September chores for home gardeners
The heat wave may not be past us yet. Although August turned out to be an oven, let’s hope this month is cooler for us and for our plants.Protect yourselfWe...
August chores for home gardeners
Gardens are perfectly imperfect. Don’t expect them to look ready for a magazine shoot. Holes in leaves, straggly stems and a few pests are fine, as long as plants continue...
July in the Garden
Last month was all about “June gloom,” at least along the coast. This month, expect temperatures to warm up, tomatoes to color up, and powdery mildew to dry up. It’s...
June chores for home gardeners
Summertime! Do a happy dance to welcome the long days and bright sunlight. The focus now is summer fruits and vegetables. With COVID-19 keeping us close to home, this is...
You can still plant vegetables (or flowers), here’s how
April showers bring May vegetables? That’s not how the poem goes but this year, it sure seems to be what happened. Our late and very wet spring kept us out...
29 things to do in your garden in May
April showers bring May vegetables? That’s not how the poem goes but this year, it sure seems to be what happened. Our late and very wet spring kept us out...
April chores for home gardeners
Is your garden in full, glorious bloom? April is traditionally peak garden tour season; since we can’t visit each other’s gardens in person, let’s do a virtual garden tour. Take...
26 garden chores for March
We’ve had some rain but the U.S. Drought Monitor (droughtmonitor.unl.edu) shows California drying out once again. More than 70 percent of the state is now abnormally dry and or in...
10 great small trees for San Diego gardens
As our spaces grow smaller, the need grows for trees that fit the smallest gardens, patios and courtyards. Here is a selection of my top 10 beautiful trees that don’t...
24 garden chores for February
Cool temps and longer days characterize February. It isn’t spring yet, but you are itching to plant your spring garden. Except for in the warmest regions, just wait. The soil...
Garden chores for January
January is the best time of year to plant deciduous trees — those that lose their leaves in winter. The nurseries are overflowing with bare-root trees, and those already in...
31 garden chores for December
The days are the shortest of the year. We might get rain, but we can also get a week or two of hot, dry Santa Ana winds. Be prepared for...
25 gardening chores for November
Dry winds at the end of October were pretty brutal on gardens. If you planted ornamentals in the heat and they withered, give them some extra water now, to see...
29 garden chores for October
October is transition time in our gardens. The air is cooling, while the soil remains warm; together, they create the perfect planting conditions. And with any luck, we’ll soon see...
Jardineria de septiembre: 22 cosas que hacer este mes
Este mes perdemos una hora de luz del día cuando el sol comienza a caer un poco más bajo en el cielo. Aún así, el final del verano es a...
September gardening: 22 things to do this month
We lose an hour of daylight this month as the sun begins to sink a bit lower in the sky. Still, late summer is often hot, hot, hot in San...
28 things to do in the garden during August
It’s summertime and the garden is ... hot! Garden when the sun is low in the sky — early in the morning and late in the afternoon. In between, find...
34 things to do in the garden in July
Last year, we had an early, hot summer. This year, summer’s heat has taken its time arriving, so if your garden seems stuck in neutral, blame the weather. The National...
30 things you can do in the garden this month
Has the rain ended? We’ve had a surprisingly cool, wet spring, which is great for keeping plants irrigated yet is not without its downsides. • If your squash, roses and...