gardening

Native California plants are beautiful and naturally drought tolerant. Climate change is bringing extreme heat, drought, water scarcity, and wildfires to California, making it challenging to select the right landscape plants that suit the state's diverse climate. Local native plants support wildlife …

Healthy, vibrant plants start with the soil beneath them. Whether you're starting a vegetable patch or a flower border, fertile soil is the foundation of plant health. Poor soil leads to nutrient deficiencies, weak roots, and more plant diseases. But great garden soil boosts nutrient uptake, support …

Healthy soil is the secret to a thriving garden. If your plants are not growing well, it is often due to the quality of the soil. Healthy garden soil produces healthy plants, which are less vulnerable to pests. Every successful gardener knows the importance of soil health. If the soil lacks nutrient …

Autumn arrives, bringing a chill in the breeze, short bursts of rain, and a steady drop in temperature, signaling the transition from summer to winter. Gorgeous hues of rust, gold, brown, yellow, and red cover your entire garden in beauty, providing an amazing distraction from the approaching freeze …

The late summer season brings an array of rewarding gardening tasks that offer both beauty and bounty. Borders are filled with beautiful late summer flowers, and there's plenty of vegetables to harvest in the garden beds. August and September are the best times for maintenance, division, propagation …

An inexpensive way to propagate your favorite parent tree is to try growing one from cuttings. You can do just that by growing fruit trees from cuttings, which is called vegetative propagation. From selecting the perfect cutting to coaxing the first roots and finally planting it in your garden, this …

Blackberries are one of the delicious, attractive, and nutritious fruits that grow well in a wide range of climates. They are a wonderful choice for farmers and gardeners looking to grow edibles economically. Blackberries are hardy perennial plants that grow on canes of a perennial shrub. These berr …

In recent years, the decline of pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, has made hand pollination an essential skill for home gardeners, particularly for crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. While nature still works best, hand pollination adds precision, better fruit set, and peace of min …

Tired of watching your garden wilt during hot, dry spells? You're not alone. As drought conditions become more common, many gardeners are adopting more brilliant, more sustainable methods. That's where drought-tolerant and water-wise gardening comes in. By choosing native plants, employing strategic …