SoCal Garden Clinic archive: Advice from the pros
- 1
For a drought-resistant lawn substitute, look into yarrow, hummingbird sage or breath of heaven. Here’s why.
- 2
Question: I have a plant with five round watermelons growing from it. They are all dark green.
- 3
Question: I live in San Diego and am trying to grow horsetail reed as a hedge in front of my fence.
- 4
You might recall that when a reader wrote about twin rows of Italian cypress — one established and healthy, the other newer and dying — the SoCal Garden Clinic asked a Pasadena nurseryman to tackle the question of why the plants might be struggling for survival.
- 5
This week our SoCal Garden Clinic turns to problematic avocado trees: Question from reader Steven Klein of Malibu: In November 2011, I planted a 3-gallon Lamb Hass avocado tree on a slope with full sun about 90% of the day.
- 6
Pat Morgan of Westlake Village wrote to the SoCal Garden Clinic to ask: My fig tree was started from a cutting three years ago and was recently transplanted to our atrium.
- 7
Question from reader Vince Capati of Torrance: I love the color and variety of gazanias, and they seem to work well in our climate as long as they’re not over-watered.
- 8
Dear SoCal Garden Clinic, My garden, as well as many of my neighbors’, is overrun by nutgrass.
- 9
I have two orange trees that were planted 12 years ago.
- 10
Do you have any suggestions for drought-tolerant, kid-friendly ground cover?
- 11
Ever had raccoon dig up your lawn? Melanie Polinger of Manhattan Beach is feeling your pain.
- 12
Italian cypress trees can be a reliable choice for gardeners looking to create a visual screen between properties.
- 13
Mistletoe may symbolize love and prompt a kiss this time of year, but what if it’s killing your trees?
- 14
Yoshie Tachiki of Los Angeles wrote to the SoCal Garden Clinic to ask: We have a Fuji apple tree that has a white, cotton-like substance on the limbs.
- 15
How can you keep squirrels and rats from raiding your citrus trees?
- 16
San Diego reader Don Skolnik wrote to our SoCal Garden Clinic to ask if eggplant can be grown as a perennial.
- 17
Los Angeles reader Millicent Stoller wrote to our SoCal Garden Clinic saying she was trying to plant for monarch butterflies.
- 18
“When is the best time to buy and plant freesia bulbs?”
- 19
What causes Japanese maple tree leaves to turn brown?
- 20
Is there a lilac that can flourish in Southern California and still have the scent of East Coast lilacs?
- 21
“We are growing asparagus for the first time, and the plants rose to about 3 feet,” Culver city reader Jesus Pantoja wrote to the SoCal Garden Clinic.
- 22
It’s a common problem: Brenda Rees of Eagle Rock writes that her pomegranate tree, about 5 years old, delivers loads of fruit, but much of it has been splitting open this year.
- 23
How do you revive Elijah Blue fescue, the popular blue tufted ornamental grass, if it’s is looking dry and dead?
