In defense of these plants and trees, we need to remember that the influences that affect the rate at which they grow, the color they develop, their size and longevity, are never the same.  It is through journaling and record keeping that we start to unravel the mysteries of our gardens.

When choosing a journal (or creating your own), it is important that you have the space to record the key factors:  sun exposure – both intensity and duration; water – both through rainfall and irrigation; temperature – highs and lows; adverse conditions such as wind; frost dates; the dates that you apply fertilizer and/or compost; and your planting and pruning schedule.   There should also be a space to copy down all of the information included on the plant tag.   It is also helpful to note the challenges your face (a pest, mildew, etc.) and how you treated for them and whether or not it was successful.  A place to organize pictures of your garden at various times of the year will serve to remind you not only of growth rates, but also at what time your garden is at its best and when to plan your outdoor party.

If you have a journal from last year, you have undoubtedly noticed the different bloom dates for many landscape plants; i.e., Camellias and Pyrus kawakamii (Evergreen Pear Trees).  Many of our trees that blossom in the spring are doing so at a much earlier point in time this year, due to a combination of the unusually high temperatures we have had for extended periods of time, and the lack of rainfall.  Remember that our plants don’t grow, bloom or produce based on the same calendar we use to chart the course of our daily lives.  Their calendar doesn’t have dates but, rather, climate influences that guide them through their stages.

Another important factor to record is the specific variety of plant that you have enjoyed more than others.  We all think that the little plastic tag from the nursery will stay put next to the new tomato plant that we have carefully introduced into our garden, but then reality hits and it breaks or is somehow eaten by the soil or is overtaken by the plant itself.  Whatever the cause – it most certainly will disappear.  It can be very frustrating to enjoy the fruits of your labor, only to not be able to remember what it was that you planted!

There are many journals and logs available online, depending on how in depth you would like to be with your record keeping.  I created my own journal with Excel and maintain it on my computer because I maintain records not only on the plants in my own garden, but others that I observe through my work.  My thought here was that it was probably safer because I back up the information on my computer regularly, and I would hate to see years of observation lost.  On the other hand, there is something very therapeutic about strolling through your garden with journal in hand, making notes on the spot and noting every detail – details that I think are sometimes forgotten by the time I sit down at my computer.  I can’t recommend any specific journal, but a search online produced many interesting options that you may wish to explore:

A Gardener’s Journal – for people who are very serious about detailed record keeping

Plant Jotter – web based with a yearly subscription

My Green Thumb: Your Gardening Organizer (available through various online bookstores)

Easy Bloom – is a device that actually records some of the environmental data and information in your garden and inputs it to your computer for you to track and maintain

Whether you choose to journal (record keeping with some of the emotion of gardening included) or to maintain a log (just the facts; all of the facts), you will be able to reflect upon your efforts and that selections you make this year, and use that information in the years ahead to better understand your garden and how it will perform.

There are three words that we are hearing on a regular basis in the gardening community: sustainable, green and Xeriscape. These three terms or garden concepts have overlapping meanings that can cause some confusion. They are not garden styles, but rather descriptions of the practices to be used in the garden.

Wikipedia has a great definition of the concept of a sustainable garden, which is “integrate environmental, social and economic factors in an attempt to create a more sustainable future.” Practices to incorporate for a sustainable garden would include retaining as much water on your property from sprinklers and/or rain via bioswales, proper irrigation techniques, rain barrels, etc. to avoid runoff; incorporating native plants to foster our local insects and birds; the use of organic fertilizers; planting edibles; propagating plants through your own cuttings and/or sharing with other gardeners, or by purchasing through seed companies such as Seeds of Change (www.seedsofchange.com); using recycled materials whenever possible (i.e., the concrete pieces of a demolished driveway can be reset as stepping stones or used to create a patio); recycling your kitchen and yard waste by composting.

Green gardening overlaps a great deal with sustainable gardening, focusing on the use of organic fertilizers and pesticides or by avoiding the use of fertilizers or pesticides all together.
Xeriscaping does not mean a few lonely plants surrounded by white rock – an image often created by the word. It is the use of native plants and chemical-free gardening techniques. The key to Xeriscaping is to choose plants according to water needs, using not only natives, but primarily drought-tolerant plants.

All three of the gardening concepts described above have the same principles involved: 1.) plan and design, 2.) evaluate your soil and choose plants accordingly, 3.) consider the natural elements of the space, including sun and wind exposure, 4.) group plants according to water needs and irrigate efficiently, 5.) minimize turf areas, 6.) apply mulch.

Once you have chosen the concepts you wish to use to garden, it is time to select a style or a combination of styles. Some important factors to consider when choosing a style are your home’s architecture and your personal taste. The list of garden styles grows constantly, reflecting gardeners’ desires to mimic a place they have visited, include plants that bring back memories of childhood, or replicate a public or private garden they have recently visited. You need not limit yourself strictly to the elements of a particular style, but researching the various styles can help you define what it is you are trying to achieve and to create a plant palette. A web search on garden styles such as Tuscan, Cottage, French Country, Desert, Contemporary, Zen, Tropical, Traditional, and Woodland will produce results and photographs to help you zero in on what your preferences are. Design choice can get even more specific with the themes of a Moonlight Garden, Butterfly Garden or Edible Garden.

For a fun quiz from Better Homes & Gardens to help you determine your style, visit: http://www.bhg.com/bhg/quiz.jsp?quizId=/templatedata/bhg/quiz/data/1189707784144.xml

Even if the “garden” is actually one potted plant in the living room, no one who is responsible for a plant should be without a water meter.  These are inexpensive devices that can be probed into the soil of a potted plant or taken outside to check the moisture levels in various areas of the garden.  For the more technically savvy gardener who would like to take it a step further, consider the “easy Bloom” device which can measure sun exposure, moisture levels, temperature and more (especially useful for the micro-climates of your landscape).  The device can then be plugged into your computer and the information is uploaded to their website where the information is downloaded and recommendations are made.

We could not do without some basics in our tool chest:

• Gloves – consider the type that ride up high on the arms to protect from thorn abrasions and prickly shrub encounters
• Garden Stool/Kneeler – this one lightweight device serves as a low stool and then flips over and acts as a kneeler that has support handles to help you back up
• GOOD pruners – essential.  Do not waste your money on inexpensive or bargain tools, as you will risk bad cuts, broken handles and a lot of frustration.

For someone ready to incorporate edibles or flowers for cutting, container gardens that are assembled within minutes (without tools!) and can be built to up to 36” in height, are on everyone’s wish list.  Please visit our website to view a gallery of configuration options and purchasing information.  Once assembled, the beds can be filled with soil purchased in bulk at local companies such as Aguinaga in Irvine.

Water/rain barrels have also become quite popular.  They connect to your downspout or gutters to collect the rainwater that would otherwise go to waste.  We would encourage you to read the article at http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/ask-og-rain-barrel-hygiene, which will guide you through the collection process.

And what gardener doesn’t love a good book to pour through during the winter to plan their Spring projects?  Some of the most useful books include Sunset’s Western Garden Book, Landscape Plants for California Gardens by Bob Perry, Pat Welsh’s Southern California Gardening and Southern California Organic Gardening.  Another book sure to be appreciated would be the one that the gardener in your life would write themselves – a gardening journal.

We wish you happy gardening and a holiday season filled with joy ~

• the beds can be constructed in minutes and with no tools
• you can choose between the rough-sawn look of the Rustic Series, a natural cedar wood finish, or select a food-safe Tung Oil finished product
• using the Rustic Series, the beds can be built to as high as 36″ by adding kits on top of each other
• the raised beds are perfect for not only waist-high gardening, but for raising your growing area into the sunlight of side yards or small lots
• raised beds allow you to buy soil in bulk — soil that is perfectly suited to what you choose to grow (vegetables, cut flowers, etc.) and is loose and loamy creating an environment that is extraordinarily easy to plant in
• these beds are constructed of 100% Western Red Cedar and handcrafted right here in the USA

All of the products can be purchased through Home Depot.  To view all of the possibilities and to kickstart your creativity, view the PDF of the product catalog by clicking here to see all of the options.

Or, contact us to arrange for a consultation and/or design to create a garden that includes growing your own fruits and vegetables.

For further education on this topic,  please visit the links below to form your own opinion regarding fair trade and chemical use.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6816618_harmful-farm-chemicals.html

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/The-Secrets-Behind-Your-Flowers.html?c=y&page=1

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/feb/13/business/fi-toxicflowers13

http://www.environmentalcommons.org/cetos/articles/flowers.html

• Container plantings will need more water this month and, probably, next.  Inland, this can mean as much as every other day; coastal areas require less, but still may need a good soaking 1-2 times per week, depending on how often we experience a heavy marine layer.
• In the last two weeks of August, roses can be trimmed back as much as 1/3 to encourage a Fall bloom.
• August is a good time to gain control over Fire Blight, which is spread by bees and insects.  It is exhibited by clusters of brown leaves on certain trees, such as the Ornamental Pear.  Remove the effected branches by cutting back to approximately 12” below the damage.  Be careful to disinfect your trimmers between EACH cut, by dipping them in a solution of 10% bleach.  Precise directions for this process are available here:  http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7414.html
•  Now is the time to assess your landscaping for potential hazards if you are in a fire zone. The State of California has several tips on its website to help you prepare for Santa Ana winds and the fire season, including:  http://www.readyforwildfire.org/defensible_space
• August is an excellent time to apply a layer of mulch to your garden beds.  Mulch will help to keep the root zone of your plants cool through the hot months and warm during the cold months.  It will also assist in the suppression of weeds and to retain moisture in the soil.  A layer of fresh compost beneath the mulch will help your soil to become richer and healthier.  Remember that California native plants have different requirements for any type of fertilizer, including compost, so consult your landscape professional or nursery for more information about
  California natives.  You can read more about the benefits of compost and mulch here:
  http://uccemg.com/Soils-Fertilizers-Compost/?s=547&reportnumber=1013&catcol=3821&categorysearch=Mulch
• Check your irrigation to make sure it is working properly.  Changing out your controller or sprinkler heads may be eligible for a rebate from your water district:  (http://www.socalwatersmart.com/estimateyourrebate).
• Start to plan for your cool season vegetable garden.  This chart will help you determine when to plant (now is a good time to start some of those vegetables from seed):  http://ucanr.org/sites/gardenweb/files/29040.pdf
• Really take a look at what has worked for your garden and where changes need to be made.  Fall is the best time of year for planting, so use the next couple of months to develop a design to incorporate the changes you would like to see.

Most importantly, enjoy the last few lazy days of summer!