On the wall of my office hang several brightly colored posters from the International Society of Arboriculture that demonstrate how to prune, plant, choose and correctly locate trees in the landscape. They are simple, easy to understand and offer sound advice. I’m amazed at how many people look them over and then exclaim cheerfully, “I like this one best!”

 They are talking about the poster titled  “HOW TO KILL A TREE”,  depicting a miserable specimen in great distress. The picture illustrates what people do, not usually on purpose, that not only injure and wound, but also stunt, drown, weaken, poison, torture and eventually destroy trees. Yes, it is a cartoon but these things happen for real–every single day. Read the rest of this entry »

“And because the breath of
flowers is far sweeter in
the air (where it comes
and goes
like the warbling of music)
than in the hand,
therefore nothing is more fit
for that delight
than to know what be the
flowers and plants that
do best perfume the air.”
Francis Bacon 1561-1626

Although they are not exactly on top of a drought tolerant plant list , I have seen lilacs blooming out in the middle of nowhere- where they have received no summer water, no care, no nothing. The books say they need moderate water in our zone, but again, I beg to differ. And since they are an old-time favorite of so many, because of their incredible and unmistakable fragrance, I thought I’d just say a word about them.

New residents moving from much colder climates remember lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) effortlessly blooming in early summer and are likely to ask you to plant some. Go ahead! Just be careful about where you put them. Although lilacs grow and perform well in our area, they are often planted in southwest or west exposures, where they can struggle and/or burn in our scorching, “broil setting” afternoon sun. An east or northeast exposure will provide these beautiful shrubs with all the sun they need to bloom. Remind your customers that lilacs do not like acidic soil. Dig in some dolomite lime when planting and re-apply yearly by working into the top 6″ of soil.

Since most lilacs bloom on year-old wood, prune them right after flowering, removing spent flower heads back to a pair of leaves. Growth for next year’s blooms starts here. Be patient! Heavy blooming can take 3-5 years after planting, but it’s worth the wait. Just remember to plant them with other later-blooming shrubs-they are pretty plain when not in flower.

Finally, I’d like to address the “old wives’ tale” about getting more blooms by putting ice on the plants in winter: Prune correctly, correct acidic soil, and leave the ice cubes in the freezer. Don’t forget a nice mulch layer to keep roots happy.
And one final thought about the lovely, fragrant lilacs: I think they bloom around tax-time just to make people feel better…ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

The Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) - AB1881 became effective January 1, 2010. WELO, (pronounced wee-low) essentially makes it illegal to waste water in the state of California. Its purpose is:

• To establish a structure for designing, installing, maintaining, and managing water efficient landscapes in new and rehabilitated projects.
• To use water efficiently without waste by setting a Maximum Applied Water Allowance (MAWA) as an upper limit for water use and reduce water use to the lowest practical amount.
• To establish provisions for water management practices and water waste prevention for existing landscapes.
• To promote the value and benefit of landscapes while recognizing the need to use water and other resources efficiently. Read the rest of this entry »