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Purchase
& Plant
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Summer
Color
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If
you have room in your flowerbeds, you have lots more options for
beautiful summer color! Really look over your garden area. Replace
and add permanent plants this month and on through June. There
usually isnt much rain through the summer, so choose
drought-tolerant plants and group them according to their need for
water, shade, sun and type of soil. Be sure to prepare your soil before planting.
Plant annuals in pony packs like
ageratum, cosmos, marigolds, nierembergia, petunias, salvia, sweet alyssum
and verbena. Some seeds like morning
glory, ageratum, coleus, lobelia and scarlet salvia seeds have
special planting requirements. Read the packages carefully. Choose
and plant some of the following warm-season flowers.
| Annual/Perennial
Seeds |
Perennial
Transplants |
achillea
ageratum
alyssum
anchusa
balsam
basil (ornamental)
browallia
calliopsis
celosia
cleome
coleus
cosmos
gaillardia
gazania
geranium
globe amaranth
gloriosa daisy
helipterum
hollyhock
impatiens
lobelia
marigold
morning glory
salvia
sanvitalia
strawflower
sunflower
thunbergia
tithonia
verbena |
agapanthus
camapnulas
candytuft
carnations
columbine
coreopsis
coral bells
daylillies
delphiniums
dianthus
dusty
miller
forget-me-nots
gaillardia
geum
marguerites
penstemon
perennial alyssum
Pride of Maderia
Shasta daisies
statice
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| Bulbs |
Break
apart tiger flower bulbs and plant three inches deep and six inches
apart. Mix in plenty of soil amendments if you have clay soil, or
put them in pots or raised beds. They like full sun on the coast and
afternoon shade if planted inland. Though the flower lasts only one
day, there will be many to follow through August.
Prepare the ground now to plant
dahlias next month. Mix organic matter and compost, or aged chicken
manure, nitrolized wood shavings and pre-moistened peat moss about a
foot deep now. Keep the soil moist.
Tuberous begonias can be brought out
if you put them up last year, or you can purchase them now. Check to
be sure that there is a sprout or two on the tuber. They like an east-facing wall or
semi-shade and require
rich acid soil. They are
a very rewarding plant, but are not easy to grow. Check with a nursery for specific details on growing begonias from tubers.
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Chrysanthemums,
Euryops, Gamolepis and Marguerites |
All
of these plants root easily. For mums, bending the stalks from the
tips until they snap -- about 3-5" make cuttings. Then dip the
end in RooTone. There should be at least two leaf buds. Place in
flats with damp, fast-draining planting mix. Cover with plastic and
put them in a brightly lit shady spot. Put them in the ground once rooted
and feed for growth. Pinch them back through August to encourage
bushiness once they begin to grow. Stake as needed. |
Transvaal
Daisy
(Gerbera) |
These
daisies need good drainage and are easy to grow in pots or in the
ground. They can be planted now through April. Don't plant too
deeply (keep the crown exposed), but make sure all the roots are
underground. Build them up with a moat around the base so the water
can drain off. They don't like to be too moist. Let them dry out
between watering. They should be protected from snails and
fertilized regularly. |
| Bamboo |
Bamboo
is a type of grass and spreads easily. There are over a thousand
species and some are difficult to find. There are many that grow
well in San Diego but you may have to look in specialty nurseries
for the type you want.
Bamboo grows on large woody stems
(culms) which are separated by joints (nodes) on a large rhizome.
Before hardy bamboo begins to grow, separate the rhizomes from the
parent plant with at least three connected culms and roots attached.
Plant the rhizome in rich soil at about the same depth you found it
in. Cover with mulch, and if there is a concern that it will tip
over, stake it. Keep moist until well established. Spreading can be
somewhat controlled by the amount of water and fertilizer it
receives (starting next month). |
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Warm-
and Cool-Season Grasses |
Warm- and cool-season grasses can be planted from seed this
month or sod any month of the year, but cool-season grasses do better when planted in October.
Plant bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass now, hold off on
planting Bermuda, St. Augustine and zoysia until April. Determine what type of lawn will be
best suited for your needs. Warm-season grasses go dormant in the
winter and are invasive. Cool-season lawns stay green but require a
considerable amount more water. Also consider, traffic, maintenance
and water requirements before deciding.
Before planting any seed or sod,
prepare the ground by deeply tilling the soil and adding soil
amendment as needed. Level the area and lightly roll the ground.
Install edging if necessary to keep warm-season lawns from invading
borders. Lightly and evenly sprinkle seed over the area and cover
with Whitney Farms Garden Mulch as a top dressing. Sprinkle 2-3 times early each day to
keep damp until it is established (avoid watering late in the day). If you prefer the
quick approach, plant sod. Keep it very moist until it is firmly
established. |
Citrus
and
Avocado Trees |
Avocado
and citrus trees will benefit from being planted now by the warmth
of the spring and summer when they are establishing their roots.
They need good draining soil. Check with a nursery on which type of
trees would be best for your area. |
Summer
Vegetables |
Plant
most summer vegetables now -- the earlier the better. Plant,
artichokes, chayote, corn, green beans, New Zealand spinach and
tomatoes. Plant beets, carrots, chard and turnips year round. Winter
veggies like broccoli, cabbage, head lettuce and potatoes can also
be planted if the weather stays cool. Be sure to schedule your
planting. As winter crops finish, cleaning out the area will not
only make room for summer veggies, but also can help prevent pests
and disease as well. You dont have to plant the entire package of
seeds; plant only what your family will eat at a time then plant the
rest of the seeds throughout the season as needed.
Vegetable gardens need full sun, so
arrange your garden from north to south to make the best use of
light. Plant tall crops to the north and short crops to the south.
If you have clay or sandy soil add plenty of organic soil amendment.
Plant raised beds if the soil is hard or has poor drainage. Most
vegetables need an inch or more of water a week. Installing a drip
system is the best way to ensure proper watering in our area. By
putting the water where the roots are you will use about 50 percent
less water. |
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