By Leah Taylor (All photos by Leah Taylor) (This article originally appeared in the January/February 2024 edition of California Garden) Planting a tree from the diverse genus Caesalpinia can can be a rewarding and environmentally friendly choice in any garden. This California native plant goes by many names depending on the species and geographic area […]
Winter is when I do most of my fruit tree pruning. Why most and not all? In which part of winter? Let’s get into the details … First, let’s answer this foundational question, “Why do we prune fruit trees?” Because it’s unwise to go out and start cutting branches arbitrarily just because you’ve heard you’re […]
Start or add to your citrus orchard this month when conditions are generally ideal for planting. Oranges, lemons and limes thrive throughout the county; grapefruit and tangelos do best inland. Pick varieties hardy in your area and plant in full sun in well-draining soil. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball, but twice […]
Sprawling oaks and sycamores aren’t suited for small urban lots, but several other native trees are good candidates. Some to consider for patio and street trees are the heat-loving desert willow (Chilopsis linearis) with its rosy-pink blooms; shiny-leaved Catalina cherry (Prunus ilicifolia ssp lyonii) with white flowers followed by red berries; western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) with deep […]
By Joan Herskowitz Creating a garden hospitable to birds is not only a personally gratifying connection with nature and opportunity to beautify the home environment, it is also important for sustaining resident and migratory bird populations. Due to habitat loss, native plant gardening is important for maintaining biodiversity. Doug Tallamy, ecologist and author, writes that […]
