Back in April of last year I wrote a post about a custom potting soil mix that I have been using for about seven years now. I was even so bold as to call it the “perfect” mix. Of course you can’t make those types of claims without some proof, right? So in that post last year…
Spring time in my garden is when I like to make the major changes. Spring is also when I find myself planting 90% of everything I will put into the ground that year. However, before any plantings, time must be dedicated to ripping plants out. We all know that life isn’t fair, and tough choices have to made when building…
One of the things that I really enjoying doing is helping people with their landscape planning or updating. While I have neither the time nor interest to manage full landscape projects past my own yard, I do offer help with landscape and plant consultation. The overwhelming majority of new landscapes that are put in on a new Southern Californian tract…
Ah yes, SUPERthrive. The most well-known snake oil in the gardening world or the champion of plant growth and transplant shock prevention? The debate has raged for decades now. Having personally read and listened to so many opinions on the product over the years, I decided to take the bull by the horns and run my own SUPERthrive…
There are two easily confused Umbrella Trees that have been grown for many years in Mediterranean climate gardens. One is Schefflera actinophylla and the other is Schefflera pueckleri—if I were to label them with the most recent nomenclature. However, any old-time gardener will instead remember Schefflera pueckleri as Tupidanthus calyptratus instead. I actually still have an issue with the name change. So…
This will be the first post in an ongoing series that will be dedicated to palm tree growing tips. I remember back when I first started growing palm trees and tried doing research on the subject, a lot of the advice I am going to share wasn’t readily available. Much of it I had to experience on my own. Over…
I first happened upon Dyschoriste hygrophyloides (Bridal Flower) during a visit to a friend’s house in Florida in the spring of 2007. He took me to a somewhat famous tropical plant hotspot called Jesse Durko’s Nursery in Davie. It was there that Dyschoriste hygrophyloides and many, many other tropical plants were for sale. Unfortunately for me it was a little like being…
Over the last few years I have become an admirer of the smaller growing Agaves. When most people think Agave the first plant to come to mind is likely Agave americana (Century Plant). The Century Plant can grow to have a spread of 8 feet; it suckers profusely, and in certain soils can spread with…