Black Fruit, Red Fruit, and Birdscapes
There is a reason that mulberries and blackberries are so attractive to birds. In whatever stage of their development, whether red and unripe or black and ready to pick, mulberries and blackberries s...
Category Archives: Sustainability
Mulch, Fertilizer, & Tomatoes
“I dumped quite a bit of redwood mulch on my tomatoes, roses and annuals. The tomatoes are thriving, but the others are just doing so-so. Why the difference and what can I do to improve the con...
Are Chickens in Your Future?
Chickens just might be part of your future. You never know. Now that unpredictable financial twists and turns have become the norm, and creative ways of saving or making money at home are eagerly sou...
Barn Owl Nesting Box = Gopher Control
“Can you suggest a plant that repels gophers? We have a large number on our embankment and they are starting to create a real problem. Also, previously you had reported that New Zealand flax is...
Sustain Yourself by Growing Your Own Food
Writing about how to feel safe while facing an uncertain future, a Wall Street Journal columnist recently passed along this advice from a veteran investor: “Try to own a house, no matter how bi...
Let Nature Take Its Course
“Once, while walking through my garden, I saw a hummingbird jab its beak into a leaf where a horde of whiteflies had nested. The whiteflies scattered in a cloud. Seconds later, the hummingbird ...
Urban Farming and Self-Sustaining Gardens
Yes, it’s easiest to put grass clippings by the curb for the city to haul away. But if you really want to beautify Los Angeles – and your own yard – you can recycle the clippings by...
Cactus Mystery on the Way to Camarillo
By now, any plant watcher who regularly drives west on the Ventura Freeway (101) toward Camarillo should have wondered about the cactus growing between the Camarillo Springs Road and Pleasant Valley ...
Earthquakes & Sustainability
At a garden I visit every day, an arbor festooned with hanging baskets lies prostrate on the ground, felled by Monday’s earthquake; a few feet away, roses glisten in the morning sun. The glory ...
How To Turn Acorns Into Oak Trees
As daylight hours are reduced in the last days of December, gardening may be the last thing on your mind. But with the help of some Styrofoam cups and a little soil mix, you can start many plants ind...
