A starter list of citrus trees for the Southwest garden

The small fruits of the kumquat

Citrus trees are favorites in the Southern California garden, and deservedly so. These trees can grow from dwarfs of only a few feet high to lofty shade trees. They have smooth, glossy leaves and remain evergreen year round. Flowers are relatively small and white, often blushed pink, but they perfume the air with a heady sweet scent. Citrus trees can be decorative in the landscape design. Some dwarfs are happy in large pots – particularly handy where space is at a premium or in higher, inland elevations where these plants need to be moved to areas that are protected from frosty temperatures.  Since there are hundreds of citrus varieties, here is a list of some of the most popular or interesting varieties that do well in Southern California. Plants that come in both standard and dwarf forms have a (D) after the name.

Grapefruit

• Oro Blanco (D)
• Red Rio (D)
• Star Ruby (D)
•    Dwarf
• Cocktail Hybrid

Lemon

• Eureka (D)
• Improved Meyer (D)
• Pink Lemonade (D)
•    Dwarf
• Pomona Sweet

Mandarin/Tangerine

• Algerian (D)
• Dancy (D)
• Gold Nugget  (D)
• Murcott
• Satsuma (D)
• Tango
•    Dwarf
• Honey
• Pixie

 
Lime

• Bearss Seedless (D)
• Mexican (D)
• Mexican Thornless (D)
•    Dwarf
• Kaffir Lime
• Sweet Lime
• Australian Finger

Orange

• Cara Cara (D)
• Fukomoto navel
• Moro Blood (D)
• Robertson Navel
• Valenica (D)
• Valencia ‘Midnight’
• Washington (D)
•    Dwarf
• Sanguinelli
• Tarocco
•  

Minneola-Tangelo (D)

Kumquat

• Nagami (D)
•    Dwarf
• Meiwa

Other dwarfs

• Calamondin
• Fingered Citron
• Pummelo
• Taveres Limequat

The white flowers of this lemon tree may not be showy, but they smell delightful!

There are plenty more citrus tree cultivars and varieties in addition to the ones listed here. These are some of the more interesting, flavorful, available or easy to grow in the Southern California area. As you can see, there are a lot of dwarf citrus trees available so you can find at least one or two spaces to grow them. Choose the best kind for your local soil and climate.

Related posts:

1. Which citrus to grow, oranges, lemons, grapefruits, tangerines, limes , etc.? Oranges, lemons, tangerines, limes, and grapefruits are just some members...
2. May to-do gardening list for Southern California MAY 2012 It’s been yet another odd weather year here...
3. June to-do gardening list for Southern California     This is one of the best months for...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

The trifoliate leaves of the asparagus pea

The asparagus pea is a decorative and unusual vegetable you don’t often see. For some reason very few people seem to be growing it in their edible gardens.  Why is a mystery to me. The asparagus pea is also called the winged pea because the seed pods sport wing-like ridges that run the length of the roughly two to three-inch long edible pods on four sides. The Latin name, Tetragonolobus purpurea, refers to these four-lobed seed pods and the deep scarlet, pea-type flowers produced by the plant.

Asparagus peas rarely reach more than 10 inches tall and can spread two feet wide. Thought to originally have been native to northern Africa and naturalized all over the Mediterranean region, they like plenty of sun and thrive remarkably well under hot, dry sun or warm humid conditions. They also accept soils less rich than most vegetables.

These pods are the perfect size to pick.

One of the most decorative vegetables with its brilliant colored little flowers, the asparagus pea shows off well in flower gardens as well as decorating vegetable gardens. Crop the pods as they develop. Serve them steamed, boiled, fried, stir-fried and used in just about any recipe that calls for beans or peas. They have a faint asparagus flavor. Mature peas have been used as a coffee substitute and the cheerful, red flowers are edible, too.

The deep red flowers of the asparagus or winged pea

Since asparagus peas aren’t all that well known, you are not likely to find them as started plants. But you can buy seeds. They germinate easily. They do best with a long growth season. In low or no frost areas they can be planted in the autumn and will grow very slowly over the winter. They can also be planted in the early spring. Being in the legume (pea) family, their roots will help enrich your soil with nitrogen. Crop them while they are small – less than two inches – while they are tender. Pods that grow too large and tough can still offer seeds to be used like any other dried pea or bean.

Decorative, tasty and nutritious, the asparagus pea is a fun addition to the edible garden and deserves to be grown more often. You will also find these unusual vegetables referred to as ‘winged peas’ or listed as Lotus tetragonolobus.

Related posts:

1. Plant views: Grevillea flowers Grevilleas show the curious characteristic of brush like flowers often...
2. Plant views: Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri) The Matilija poppy is the common name for a very...
3. Decorative and unusual vegetables You can grow vegetables and herbs in a separate garden...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

A sampling of planting ideas for a living wall

Vertical gardening is also referred to as planting living walls. Building up instead of out is turning into one of the more popular concepts in the world of gardening today. Creating a garden that climbs up the wall of a building or a solid fence, or constructing vertical panels covered with decorative plants offers opportunities to garden where gardens never went before. This landscaping technique is catching on to literally liven up dead surfaces, to increase insulation and to create lovely gardens in spaces ordinarily too small to sustain a typical flat garden. It’s a great way to turn a dull wall into something eye-caching, to absorb heat on a sunny vertical surface or to make the most of a limited vegetable garden space.

The living wall is an ecological way use otherwise wasted surfaces while adding natural temperature controls for heating and cooling structures. But vertical gardening is also very decorative. This kind of garden actually is built UP a wall with the surface designed to be planted. Water naturally drains downward with gravity. As a result there is little waste of water.

Vertical gardens are built from scratch or from kits. Or you can build your own or have yours designed or constructed for you. There are many ways to design these living walls. They can be built up supported by strong fencing (these structures are very heavy) attach to block, structural or retaining walls, or be created on independent panels used either indoors or outdoors. Usually they are formed of steps or tiered pockets that will form footings for the plants to grow. When grown up the wall of a building or other structure, it is important that there should be an efficient waterproof lining between the planting area and the supporting structure to keep water from seeping into walls. The living wall functions like a thick, insulating wall. There are construction and insulation similarities between the building of a green roof and the building of a vertical garden.

A few years ago these systems were new and hard to find. Now there are many modular kits on the market that you can assemble yourself. These are being sold in garden centers, big box stores and on the Internet, so you can choose you style and price range.  

Forms for plants that can be used in one kind of vertical wall or a green roof.

Walls can be planted with exotic plants in protected areas, cascading colorful trailing flowers, lush green foliage, drought tolerant plants, or even vegetables and fruits. Imagine the decorative effect you can get from planting a living wall or think about picking a dangling strawberry, snapping off a few tasty beans or popping a cherry tomato into your mouth as you pass by your vertical garden. Or in our hot sun, you can now plant a sunny wall with a decorative wall hanging of sun-tolerant plants like succulents.

There are also fiber-constructed ‘pocket’ gardens that can be hung like a living tapestry. The watering system is made of tubing that waters each of the drainable fabric-like pocket that holds soil and a growing plant.

The concept of vertical gardening is not new and has been used for centuries by simply growing vines over a fence or trellising climbers up walls. Steep hillsides have been held in place by cast cement blocks or natural stone with the gaps planted so roots keep soil from leaking out while adding a decorative effect.

The difference of the new systems available now is that they tend to be modular and can be stacked or hung on a ninety-degree surface with root footings built in all the way up. This way many small plants can be planted close together, designs can be patterned into the flat surface, and even edibles like small-growing vegetables and fruits can be grown on the upright surface

If you have a small space that would benefit by being able to grow your garden upward, or if you want a beautiful, ecological wall for natural insulation, or if you just like the decorative idea of growing your own vertical garden or living wall, check into building a vertical garden or living wall.

Originally posted 2011-08-15 04:07:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Related posts:

1. How to Care for a Living Christmas Tree ‘Tis the season to decorate for the holidays and indoor...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Originally posted 2011-12-26 18:18:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Related posts:

1. Designing a Small Space or Apartment Garden With all the political and financial changes in the country...
2. Designing with rocks and boulders Tips on using rock, stone and boulders as building materials...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Art can be fun and whimsical in the garden

Richie Steffen, expert on integrating art in the landscape offered a lecture at the recent Pacific Horticulture Symposium in Pasadena, California that reminded all of us just how the garden can contain art or become a piece of art itself. In the desperate pursuit of fame and fortune encouraged by our consumer society so many of the finer aspects of our culture and life are falling by the wayside. The arts and those aspects of human creativity that are being displaced by the need for material acquisition are leaving people with a growing need for something more than physical comforts to nourish the heart and soul. You can create your own home retreat to lift your spirits and put back the missing creativity in your life by making your garden a place of art. Whether you add art to your garden with murals, statues, décor, ornamental surfaces or make your garden into art with creative structures or design with plants.  Steve encourages us all to look at the garden as not only a place to entertain or to use for practical applications like pets, growing edibles and play, but as a place to have fun, add healing, therapy and joy to daily life. Enjoying art in the garden and the garden as art can make your landscape into a very important part of your life.

Originally posted 2010-10-29 12:22:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

You can design a landscape plan by hand or on the computer.

The most common mistake in gardening is failing to plan out a garden first. Even if you just scribble out your ideas on paper, you will be doing yourself an enormous favor. The more detailed and accurate your plan, the more money, frustration and regrets you will save yourself. You can call in an expert designer for the more complicated plans or even to coach you with your own design. Or you can design a DIY landscape plan for yourself.

The reason you want to start on paper is so you can see how things will flow together. Designing on paper gives you a chance to test out different ideas. It is much easier to change things with a delete key on the computer or a pencil eraser – and cheaper than having to make changes with heavy labor and expensive materials in the garden itself.

Start out by making a list of all the things you want in your DIY garden. Think of how you will be using your space: for exercise, pets, entertainment, growing edibles, relaxing etc. Then add appropriate items to your list like patios, swimming pools, lawns, pens, barbecues, raised vegetable gardens, water features, seating areas, driveways and patios and so on.

Sketch out how all these areas will work along with each other to form a useful yet decorative flow. Use walkways and paths to link events together. Remember safety and design areas like swimming pools and child play areas where they can be observed from the house. Place edible gardens like herb gardens and vegetables where they will be convenient to the kitchen. Designing wisely can then be made artistic and picturesque.

As you lay out a DIY plan place the permanent features – the hardscape – first. Also make sure you sketch out the important systems like drainage, irrigation and utility lines like electric and gas. Make sure you make provisions for future expansion – utility lines that can be capped but will be available for future use.

Once your overall design, hardscape and systems are in place, you can then start designing the living part of your design or the softscape. Start with the largest features; the trees. Plant the right kind of tree in the right location so it will fit properly when mature, the roots will not interrupt any of your hardscape as the tree grows. Consider the sun at different times of the year and plan shade from your tree so it enhances your garden. Then move on to specking out the different kinds of plants you will use. Always plan for the mature size. (You can always fill in with smaller plants and annuals while the newly-planted are too small to fill their space.)

The final part of you plan can involve adding final details like décor, supplementary plant lists, edging materials and other practical and decorative elements. Do plenty of research. The more you know about design and the elements you include, the better your design will be. Like any do-it-yourself project the success of your project is directly proportional to the wisdom with which it is pot together. And one of the wisest things you can do in a DIY landscape design is a plan.

Originally posted 2011-04-09 05:54:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Related posts:

1. Landscape Design: Getting Creative with Space Garden design is a science with a lot of different...
2. Southern California landscape design for hills and slopes Southern California has plenty of hillsides and slopes. Although they...
3. Designing steps or stairs into the landscape If you have a landscape that has areas of different...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Covered chain-link fence gives the illusion of a deep, informal, wildflower garden while blocking undesirable views. (Photo and design by Jane Gates)

Garden design is a science with a lot of different techniques to make your landscape into something that not only grows well, but functions practically and looks great. But there are many tricks to the trade. One element that can help any space accommodate a more scenic garden is to use space – to sculpt what exists and use illusion where it doesn’t. There are many ways to make your garden appear much more than it is. You can build illusion into your landscape to punch up the assets or to disguise any short-comings on your property. Here are some tips on how to build illusion into your landscape.

* Small trees will give the illusion of distance. To make a garden look larger, plant small trees in the furthest spaces. You can build illusion into a landscape to make a small garden look larger by using perspective. For example, a large tree will make the general area look even smaller. A small tree in a short distance will read as a larger tree viewed more distantly
* Large trees will dwarf a garden unless the space is so small that the canopy has the effect of a roof and the trunk is like a wall in which case the tree won’t register much as a tree from a perspective view anyway. But it can create a natural outdoor room.
* You can create a rolling effect without having to move a lot of soil by planting gardens or areas of the ground cover plants that grow at different heights.
* Create ‘windows’ to look through to define special spaces or punch up a focal point. ‘Windows’ can be in the form of shrubbery or walls that have spaces to look through, actual windows hung from patio overhangs or cut in walls, or the spaces between objects or structures. Creating window views adds an illusion of complexity.
* Distract the eye from something you want to down-play by refocusing attention elsewhere. Creating a focal point will help move the attention to where you prefer someone to be looking.
* Disguise ugly features by growing vines over them or surrounding them with decorative panels.
* Paint objects a bright color, grab attention with showy décor or plant hot colored flowers in reds, yellows and oranges to make an area stand out. Conversely, blend in areas you want to down-play with dull colors or masking walls, vines or facades.
* Elongate short spaces by building a winding path that draws out the look of distance. This works especially well when landscaping hills and slopes.
* Break up long spaces by dividing them with fences, structures, patios, hedges or other items to partition off space and create rooms. You can create intrigue by inviting someone from one outdoor ‘room’ to the next with an archway or decorative gate.
* Disguise utility areas with decorative fencing or handsome planter areas that will hide eye-sores.
* Paint murals behind narrow garden areas on walls or fences to add the illusion of depth.
* Hide smaller pipes and utilities under fake rocks or grow shrubs around them to disguise them.

Other things you can do are to use the overall effect of your landscape area to play with illusion. For example, lighting can transform the whole feel of your property. Use lighting at night to pick out features that will make your garden glow. You can spotlight only the areas you want creating the illusion of a whole new and different garden from the daytime view. Or you can be more subtle by simply highlighting certain gardens, your front door, a seating area or a single focal point in the garden.

You can divide space up by light or by passageways. Create pathways that meander to break apart areas. If your space is shallow, make the path start wide and narrow as it continues to form an illusion that it is stretching much further away.

These are just some ways you can use illusion to change the shape and effect of your garden. With some tricks of space and color you can make any garden look better.

Originally posted 2011-03-06 07:20:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Related posts:

1. Designing a Small Space or Apartment Garden With all the political and financial changes in the country...
2. Southern California landscape design for hills and slopes Southern California has plenty of hillsides and slopes. Although they...
3. How to create a woodland garden design A woodland garden is easy to design if you live...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Prominent centers accentuate the white petals

The Matilija poppy is the common name for a very showy California native, Romneya coulteri.

Matilija poppy threesome

When happy, this plant can spread to huge stands by underground runners.

The tall while flowers contrast well in clear blue skies

Romneyas can form huge stands

Give it lots of sun, excellent drainage on poor soils and plenty of room to grow.

Most plants grow to about six feet tall and can spread widely.

Flowering in spring, the flowers are easily four inches in diameter.

The Matilija poppy has a soft, green-colored foliage with a bluish hue.

It can be fussy about where it wants to grow and is intolerant of root disturbance.

The Matilija poppy has white petals like soft crepe paper.

Related posts:

1. The showy California native Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri) Sometimes we become so used to seeing fancy hybrid flowers...
2. Plant views: Grevillea flowers Grevilleas show the curious characteristic of brush like flowers often...
3. Wildflowers Peak at the California Poppy Reserve If you can, rush out to the Antelope Valley California...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Spring garden preparation

Once the frosts are gone you want to get your soil ready for planting by digging in amendments.  Vegetable gardens are heavy feeders so rich soil is important.  If you’ve prepared your vegetable plots with lots of organic matter, you are ready to start planting vegetables. Stay away from manure for root vegetables as it causes them to fork. Some of the most tender vegetables like cucumbers and beans may be a risk for even the mildest frosts, but you can take the chance if you’d like. Most of the cool-weather crops like lettuce, broccoli and cabbage are likely to bolt (send up long flowering shoots and become bitter) as soon as it becomes hot so they can be planted the earliest . Peas also will be likely to succumb to mildew as soon as weather turns hot. If you live in a mild winter climate, these crops are ideally planted in the autumn to grow as winter crops.  They will handle a light brush or two of frosty nights, but won’t do well if it really gets hot.  But tomatoes, peppers of all varieties, eggplants and squashes should be ready to take off as soon as they are planted in spring warmth in any area. While you are preparing for spring, you might want to add a raised vegetable garden to make maintenance easier and discourage damage by pests and pets.

The hillsides are blazing with wildflowers in spring.  Check out the wildflower page in this blog to help you with identification.) Mustard, Lupins (yes, those are what cause the fields of purple you notice along the sides of the road) and plants native to your own area herald the springtime warmth and lengthening daylight.

There will be a downside to the  lovely weather in spring, however. The pests will be enjoying it, too. Beware of coatings of aphids on the soft new growth of vegetables, roses and other plants in your garden. If you catch them early, a good squirt with the garden hose should wash off enough pests to keep numbers down. But you will have to be vigilant and keep the washing up or the pests will proliferate and you will have to resort to insecticides. Please consider starting with the gentler materials like insecticidal soaps. These are better for our health and that of the environment even if they may not be quite as efficient as some of the stronger poisons.

Keep weeds pulled while they are small and before they set next year’s seeds or compete for soil nutrients. Hand-pick snails, slugs and caterpillars. Put up rabbit or deer fencing and under-wire garden areas with hardware cloth or chicken wire to protect from gophers or moles. Try to use poisons carefully and only when necessary. Although we may not like the behaviors of all those natural critters, they do have their place in the balance of nature. The better we can live in harmony with them, the more likely it is that all of us will be able to share this beauty in safety.

Spring time is a busy time in the garden.  Preparation for things to come mixes with planting and maintenance.  If you keep up with a little bit of everything, your garden is more likely to be successful this year.  As always, preparation in spring will pay off later.

Originally posted 2009-04-30 18:48:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Winter gardens need less water

It’s winter in the Santa Clarita Valley and our gardens are not growing the same as in the warmer months. That means winter watering in the SCV needs to be adjusted. Automatic watering systems cut down on work and things to remember, but they may not be your friend if you just set them once without regular adjustments throughout seasonal changes. In the winter the air is more moist, temperatures lower and most plants are dormant or at least semi-dormant so they don’t use the water they need when in active growth. That means if you leave your watering system the same as it is in the spring and autumn – or worse, the summer – you are wasting lots of water, encouraging weeds and fungus infections and paying much more than you need to for your water bills.

During December, January, February and March, even if we have winds or a heat wave, water evaporation is much slower than in other months. If there is a decent rain shower that delivers at least a tenth of an inch you can plan on a minimum of five days before lawns or garden will need extra watering in most SCV areas. A good rain storm that drops an inch or more can keep some soils moist for the next seven to ten days. Just because the soil looks dry on the surface does not mean there isn’t ample moisture under the surface. Before you let your sprinkler system spatter away precious water, dig down an inch or two to see if you really need to have your irrigation on.

One other way to make watering easier and more efficient is to get a smart irrigation controller. These are more expensive than regular water system timers but will pay for themselves over time by saving water and keeping plants healthy. Smart irrigation controllers automatically adjust with the weather to deliver the amount of water your SCV garden really needs.

Originally posted 2011-02-28 07:20:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Related posts:

1. Winter Lawn Care in Southern California Southern California is known for its dry summers. Winter months...
2. Chaparral Winter Gardening Tips The curious thing about gardening in the Southern California chaparral...
3. Quick tips for garden work in the winter If your soil does not freeze hard in the winter,...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.