Category Archives: Gardening Practices

You Can Never Go Wrong With Gypsum

December 3, 2013 no comments
If there’s one soil amendment that you can utilize with absolute confidence, it’s gypsum. A reader named Jim informs me that he is moving from Woodland Hills to Chatsworth, and I would be...

Rain in the Garden

December 1, 2013 no comments
Mild winters have brought so many people to Southern California that there is not enough water – thanks to those same mild winters – to sustain them and their gardens. Were it not for sno...

Front Lawn Transformation

December 3, 2013 no comments
A front yard with nothing but lawn can become tiresome. A simple solution to this grassy monotony is to make a path from the front door or entrance area of your house to the sidewalk or street. Then ...

Frost and Frost Protection

November 26, 2013 no comments
  Note:  the following was written in January, 2009 It seems that we have already experienced more than our fair share of cold weather this winter. If you live in the Valley and leave home each ...

Starting Seedlings in Styrofoam Cups

November 26, 2013 5 comments
Starting Plants Indoors in Styrofoam Cups As cold and wind and rain become outdoor companions this time of year, gardening may be the last thing on your mind. But with the help of some Styrofoam cups...

Wood Ashes and Soil pH

November 24, 2013 2 comments
During the winter, we use our wood-burning fireplace a fair amount of time. We therefore have a significant amount of wood ash. I have heard conflicting opinions on using wood ash as a soil amendment...

Frost Protection Devices

November 24, 2013 no comments
Just when it seemed I would have to write about coping with hot weather in the middle of winter, along comes record-breaking cold. Suddenly the topic shifts to preserving plants that have been damage...

The Blessing of Rain

November 24, 2013 no comments
Rain is nearly always a blessing in dry climates such as our own. Even the many recent downpours, aside from the inevitable tree damage and slope erosion that accompany such storms, have their positi...

How to Turn Lawns Into Flowers

November 19, 2013 no comments
If you have a lawn and are concerned about the water it guzzles, you may want to consider converting part or all of it into a perennial garden. This does not have to be a labor-intensive process R...