Asian Citrus Psyllid: a Hitchhiking Pest
International air travel is a wonderful thing, especially if you happen to be an insect. Just ask the Asian citrus psyllid. Thanks to hitching free rides on airplanes, where it typically stows away...
Category Archives: Advice
Yes, There’s Hope for this Esperanza
“Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.” — Erma Bombeck It’s a testimony to how tricky it is to grow plants in a doctor’s office that you hardly ever see them there. In fact, I ca...
‘Sticks on Fire’, Blue Chalksticks, and Termite Prevention...
While “familiarity breeds contempt” is a saying that, in truth, does not apply to most human relationships, it is a saying that often, and painfully, rings true when it comes to plants that dot the l...
TreePan, WaterBoxx, Growboxx, and Kumquat Tree
Newly planted trees need a steady supply of water and this reality presents a special challenge when the trees in question are planted in parkways along city streets. In Los Angeles, the concrete pa...
Irises, Lemon Fragrances, and Strawberry Trees
“The sages taught: whenever you see a beautiful tree (or animal, or human being), you should bless God for having created it.” This instruction was recorded nearly 2000 years ago in the Babylonian Ta...
A Quick Guide to Pine Trees
If you notice something emerging from your garden soil that resembles an exotic spider or the green tentacles of a misplaced sea creature, do not be alarmed. You are merely witnessing the germinatio...
Praying Mantis, Millipede, Lemon Tree, Gypsum, Amaranthus
Garden pleasures are not confined to spectacular floral displays. The sight of a praying mantis, for instance, is just plain riveting. What a magnificent creature to behold! It is so much larger tha...
Calliandra, Red Dye Scales, and Fragrant Orchids
We have a hedge that has red puffball blooms.This year, for the first time, we have a single white bloom among the red. It’s quite unusual. I have attached pictures. Can you explain this? — An...
California’s Perpetual Drought
Note: the following was written in February, 2018. Last April, California’s governor declared, “The drought emergency is over,” but already, less than a year later, in the middle of a warm, dry win...
It’s a Shame Gardeners Can Only Live Once
It’s really a shame that gardeners, like everyone else, have just one life to live. For focusing on bringing more beauty into the world, you would think that gardeners deserve two or three lives at ...
