Color

If you planted flats or peat pots of cool-season flowers in August, they can be transplanted into flowerbeds in October. Move young stock planted from seed from shade into full sun when they have two real leaves, feed each plant.

Keep the beds cleaned up, if necessary, start to replace faded flowers with winter annuals and perennials by mid-September. Plant as early as possible if you want blooms by Christmas. Plant alyssum, calendula, snapdragons, stock and viola from pony packs or from seed. Plant pony packs of candytuft, English primrose, foxglove, Iceland poppy, nemesia, malacoides and obconica primrose, and pansies. Plant annual African daisy, cineraria, johnny-jump-up, sweet peas and wildflowers from seed. You’ll enjoy the winter euryops and margurites if you put them in full sun now. If you are using a small container, replace all of the soil. If you are planting in a large tub, replace one third of the soil. Remember to add plenty of soil amendment regardless of where you plant.

Impatiens are easy to grow and nearly always in bloom. Put them into the ground using loose acid soil, hang them in baskets or keep them in the containers you bought them in. They do well in shady or semi-shady spots. Wait until fall to plant them in direct sun. With new varieties constantly emerging, there is a wide assortment to choose from to suit most any area of your garden. Water impatiens often, daily if grown in containers. They are one of the few plants that you almost can't over water.

Mix potting soil and milled peat moss with well-dug soil. Sprinkle the tiny seeds on the surface, pressing them into the soil, but don’t cover them (they need light to germinate). Mist with water, cover with plastic to keep them moist, and place them in a warm shady spot. When they have sprouted, remove the cover. Feed with a well-diluted solution of Liquinox Fish Emulsion. When there are two real leaves, transplant into the garden.

Lilies

They never go dormant and must never dry out, so plant bulbs at a depth of twice their height as soon as you purchase them. Work in plenty of bone meal below the roots. They like very good, well draining soil and constant moisture. Keep them out of windy areas.

Refer to a book on bulbs for planting depth and care. The rule of thumb is plant bulbs at depth of twice their height for larger bulbs and a little deeper for small bulbs.

Cyclamen

Most tropical fruit and flowering trees, palms, flowers and vines are planted when they are actively growing. Spring is the best time to put them in the ground. The objective is to get them in early so they can take advantage of the warm weather while getting established and hopefully they will harden in the late fall to prepare for possible frost.

Cacti are one family within the succulent group. Cacti all have spine cushions and "aeroles" or spines. Many can be planted as ground cover or in rock gardens. Succulents can be planted year-round. When planted in the ground, many can take full sun and others need some shade, especially those grown in containers. Check with your nursery for guidelines on how much sun the plant you choose can take. Water when the soil is dry one inch below the surface, or about every 1–5 weeks.

As the heat of summer really hits you may see your water hyacinth begin to blacken and the water lettuce start to get very yellow. Keep your eye on the pH. You can purchase products to lower the pH, but be sure they won't harm fish and plants before putting them in your pond. 

When adding any new plants to your pond, notice the depth of water they came from and place them at about that same depth. Use common bricks or plastic plant baskets to raise or lower them rather than concrete or cinder blocks. Concrete contains calcium carbonate that raises the pH very fast. In general, the pH is high here in San Diego, so putting cinder blocks or concrete of any kind is not recommended. Fish and plants have a hard time surviving. 

Start papayas from seed or in purchase in flats. Though usually thought of as a tree or shrub, papayas are actually perennials with hollow stems. Most varieties require male and female  plants to bear fruit. They grow best on the coast or on south-facing hillsides, and require fast draining soil. They produce fruit as young plants and are most successful when grown in large containers. Some varieties have seeds. Seedless varieties must be started from transplants—including the most popular in San Diego, Babaco. 

Check with a nursery to see whether the variety you choose can be planted from seeds. Rub the seeds on a piece of screen under running water to remove the covering. Germinate by putting the seeds on a plate, cover with a wet paper towel and a plastic bag. When they have sprouted and have two real leaves, plant them in shallow fast-draining soil. Keep them damp and in bright shade. If you compost, you may find seedlings popping up now. Plant groups of 3-5 seedlings in full sun about 4-6 feet apart. Make sure they have plenty of water and good draining soil.

Warm and Cool
Season Grasses

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 much more water. Also consider, traffic, maintenance and water requirements before deciding. See How-to-Projects for the garden above for detailed planting information.

Flame eucalyptus is especially beautiful against an ocean backdrop and can withstand the coastal winds. It can be kept as a tree or a very large shrub. It will bloom on and off all year, but not usually until established.

Check with a nursery about which vegetables may be easiest if planted from transplants and the best time to plant them. Rotate vegetables to help cut down on pests and prevent soil depletion. Try planting something totally different when you have cleared a row. Planting herbs and marigolds in with the vegetables will confuse insects and help control them as well.

Keep the area harvested to make room for planting more veggies and to help prevent pests and disease. Remember not to plant too much of one crop at a time and rotate vegetables you plant so you don’t become overwhelmed. Try planting different varieties of the same crop, your family will enjoy tasting the differences in variety, size and sweetness.

Vegetable gardens need full sun, so arrange 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 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.