A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

JuneThe first step in having color in your garden is planning well ahead. This month plan for the mums that will make your garden a joy next October. Divide clumps now and make some cuttings too. If you are limited on space, put a few divisions or cuttings in 4" plastic pots and bring them along for the next six weeks then tuck them in. Keep tops pinched back till first week in August. The

A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

May May is Lei Day in Hawaii or MAY IS THE MONTH OF MILDEW here on the coast, on your roses.Be sure to spray for mildew on your roses all this month, every week. Spray the soil also. Cut short stems on the roses for the first blooming to let the plant get strong, then after that, long stems to semi-prune as you pick. You can safely fertilize almost everything now, to keep it growing fast. When

A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

Calendula in Florence's Garden in February FEBRUARYCalendula can be in full bloom on Valentine's Day. Do note on your calendar to plant them next September or October. Learn to plant the lovely annuals that will soon be in bloom, in early fall, to get the best and most carefree bloom, we have all year. All of the following bloom best in our early spring: Calendula, Iceland Poppies, Primula,

A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

AUGUSTRemember, all beautiful color you see here in winter and very early spring should be planned about this time. The roots get a fine start and much of the best blooms come from this early planting. If your garden is full of mums now, and you lack room, get pony packs and transplant into 4" plastic size pots, and have inexpensive plants ready to pop into place later. If you plant directly

A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

JULYFERTILIZE, everything is growing fast and continues to need feeding. Water deeply and usually only once a week. Light sprinkling begets shallow roots. Mulch. Keeps weeds down and moisture in. July is the best time to separate iris. Don't use any nitrogens when replanting, only super phosphate. Remember, the new growth does the blooming, the second year is the best bloom and the third is good

A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

AprilIs your patio spilling over with color? It could be!Mine is brilliant with pots of blue and yellow violas, pansies, blue ageratum, geraniums,a nd white alyssum. But they were all planted in November and December. So reach for your calendar and make a note to plant these things next year in those months. Even a huge redwood tub of yellow marguerites was planted last fall. The petunias

A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

MARCH:FertilizeOrchid cactus after buds are set and again after flowers.Cymbidium or orchid - hi-nitrogen till July - every ten daysAzalea - cottonseed on surfaceHydrangea - acid now and again before bloom. Cottonseed will do. Roses: feed well now and each time they come into bloom, with a long acting commercial fertilizer, or use the fertilizer with systemic insecticide and do no spraying