Seasonal Issues

Container gardens can be enjoyed year-round, but tender plants need some help in winter. Learn how to adjust your container garden for seasonal change, as well as a step-by-step tip for protecting your potted plants from the cold.

Many gardeners are hit with allergies during the blooming season. But don’t blame showy garden plants for making you sneeze – it’s the wind-blown pollen of trees and grasses causing most of the suffering. Learn how pollen counts are determined, as well as some tips on alleviating allergy woes.

California has two seasons for planting and growing. Knowing the difference makes for a much better gardener.

Use the natural warm, moist air in the crawl space to overwinter frost-sensitive bulbs and grow cool-season plants.

Spring fever makes gardeners itchy to hit the dirt. And this year, you’re determined to go “water wise” and “drought tolerant.” Great! Just don’t buy-and-plant too early. Drought tolerant doesn’t mean “frost resistant.” Don’t let early frost turn spring fever into a cold your plants won’t recover from.

We were all fooled: Spring popped up, we ran out to the garden, and then Mother Nature blasted us with unexpected freezing temps. If your garden now looks like it’s not going to make it through the rest of the season, don’t panic. All may not be lost.

A rough winter and tough spring can really damage young trees. If yours look like they didn’t make it through the cold season, don’t give up hope yet. Learn why your favorites might not be blooming or leafing out – as well as how to help them bounce back.

Do you have some tender plants you can’t bear to part with now that summer’s over? You can’t just leave them outside in their containers, or they’ll surely fall victim to autumn’s frosts. Here are some ideas to help you get your plants through winter’s chill.

Marginally hardy plants need some extra TLC to make it through the rigors of winter. With just a few precautions and some regular garden maintenance in fall, you can help them survive the cold reality of winter and continue to enjoy their seasonal beauty for years to come.

Hold on to your hats…and patio furniture – it’s fall, which means hurricane season! A few long-term gardening practices – as well as some last-minute preparation – may help minimize some of the blow that Mother Nature dishes out.

The weather’s getting warmer and the urge to garden is great – don’t let your plants get frostbit by a cold night in early spring! Here are a few quick and easy ways to protect your springtime plants when the temperature dips.