The art of transplanting a vegetable seedling (in five steps)
Transplanting vegetable seedlings is such a simple act, and yet there are better and worse ways to do it. There's even an artfulness and fluidity to the process. Here are photos with captions describing the five motions that I go through. It's about getting the plant...
Gardening with kids
Yesterday, I opened the door and my two sons, ages 1 and 3, ran straight for the blueberries. After they'd worked those plants, they dropped down to the strawberries, and then the garbanzo beans, and then the broccoli, and then the peas, and then the carrots. "What...
What to do in a Southern California garden in May
(Last updated: May 2021) May can be spring, or May can be summer. Last year (2016) it was spring, with cloudy and showery weather, but this year so far it feels more like summer with dry breezes and lots of sun and not much May Gray yet -- yet! The forecast is for it...
When and how to prune citrus trees
My impression is that most of us think that, as a general rule, all fruit trees need to be pruned. It's simply not true, especially regarding citrus. In contrast to this mistaken notion I'd say that, as a general rule, citrus should not be pruned. I can think of only...
What to do in a Southern California garden in April
In April, my gardening mind is busy, as I suspect is yours. Mostly, I think about three topics. The first is fruit set -- flowers becoming fruit on the trees. The above photo is the fruit set on my Blenheim apricot today; this tree is an over-achiever, year after...
What is the best time of day to water your plants?
Looks like the irrigation season is upon us. My yard hasn't been rained on in over a month now. As you start to water your plants for maximum yield and efficiency you might wonder, as I often have, what time of day is best: morning, afternoon, evening, middle of the...
My boy and his placenta tree turn three
Kids grow fast, as do avocado trees -- especially when planted over a power-packed placenta. Oddly, prior to looking through the retrospective below, I had felt rushed for both of them to hit some developmental marks even faster. As of today, Cass can legibly write...
Where to plant a vegetable garden
It's nearly spring, the time of year when many people think of planting a vegetable garden. If this will be your first one, or if you've moved into a new house, or if your past vegetable gardens struggled, here are what I consider the two most important factors...
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