P e t e r s o n v i l l e

Perennials and Shrubs

By Sheila Peterson, M.G.

            January in Southern California gardens is a great time to work when the days are dry and sunny.  There are some shrubs and perennials that have just finished their late fall or early winter bloom cycles and are ready to be cut back and cleaned up while their root systems are dormant.  If the plant is looking tired and there are a number of spent blooms with no more new buds, you can safely guess that their bloom time is done for the season.  Cut back to where you see fresh basal growth, removing about two-thirds of the plant.  This will allow the fresh new growth room and discourage clumping plants what have dead centers and lanky stems that eventually flop on the ground. 

You can also take this opportunity to lay down a two-inch layer of mulch around the plants, but wait another month or two to fertilize.  Synthetic fertilizers will encourage fast growth too soon and organic fertilizers may be washed away and depleted with the upcoming rainy season before the plant is ready to use it for spring growth.

            Do not get too carried away with cleaning up the garden and prune your spring flowering shrubs and perennials this time of year. The flower buds on most of them are already forming under the soft bark or the green stems and cutting them back now will result in a flowerless season.  It can also leave the plant looking poor all year because the entire growth cycle can be interrupted.  If the plants are starting to show swelling buds or new, tender growth on long-dormant wood or stems, there is a good chance they are getting ready for their spring or early summer bloom cycle and should be left alone.  Add mulch to keep the soil warm and discourage weeds that will be ready to germinate with the onset of the rains.

            Unless the weather warms up drastically and there is no rain, there is not much need to water your established shrubs and perennials since most of them are dormant right now.  Again, wait another month or two to do any fertilizing so you don’t inadvertently encourage new growth too soon and risk damaging tender buds and leaves when the temperature dips down and there are a few nights of frost.  If your plants do get some frost damage and the tips turn black, it is best to resist the urge to cut off the damaged growth until the weather starts to warm up.  That way the plant won’t continue to produce new growth only to be subjected to frost damage again. It won’t be long before the weather starts to warm and spring will be here and the new growth will be welcome and safe from damage due to the cold.

Perennials and Shrubs

By Sheila Peterson M.G.

            November begins the time of year that is best to plant California natives.  Because they require different care than most other plants, many garden centers do not carry a wide variety so you may need to look for a nursery that specializes in natives. Ironically it may seem that native plants are harder to grow than non-natives, but once you understand that they have adapted to grow in the wide variety of terrain and soil that exists throughout our area, you will be more successful with integrating them into your landscape. There are some natives, like romneya coulteri also known as Matilija poppies that typically grow in sandy, well drained soil. Planting them in an area that has compacted clay soil will only lead to their early demise.  Amending the soil with organic material and creating a mound to insure excellent drainage will increase their chances of becoming established. 

If you assume all California natives require little water once established, you are forgetting that many natives typically grow in wet soil around creeks that flow in the spring.  Use natives like dicentra formosa, also know as native bleeding heart, to an area that is shady and remains moist to assure a long life in the garden.        If you have a slope in your yard, native plants that typically grow on hillsides will give you many more options than the typical ice plant or ivy that is so overused. Just remember that there are natives that only grow on north facing hills and the shallow rooted ones prefer a south facing hill that remains sunny and try most of the year.  They may require a bit more research to understand their needs, but native plants will reward you with a long, healthy life, and if located properly, minimum care for a beautiful garden.

If you are looking at your garden and see areas that need improvement because there are shrubs that have grown too large or look out of place, this is the time of year to move them around the garden.

Continue to plant perennial bulbs for an amazing spring time display.  Look for ones that naturalize and increase their number of blooms each year such as narcissus, snowdrops, muscari and alliums.

In December garden centers will start carrying bare root stock. This is usually the most cost effect method to add a number of shrubs and perennials to your garden. Don’t overlook ordering bare root plants from catalogs at this time of year to make it even easier find unique hybrids.  Just make sure they are suitable to our climate. Reputable catalog companies will advise you if the plants you are ordering don’t do well in your region and suggest alternatives.

Perennials and Shrubs

Sheila Peterson, M.G.

It is October and one way to think about this month is to compare it to March in the spring as far as perennials and shrubs are concerned.  It is a great time to plant, divide, fertilize, prune, mulch and do just about everything that a garden needs, and the weather is almost perfect for working outside.

You want to look at the perennials that have been blooming all summer and divide the ones that grow in clumps if they are starting to look scraggly in the middle and their blooms are getting sparse and small. Replant the divisions with a little organic fertilizer and let the new roots get settled before next summer when they will be ready to grow and bloom again.  Some of these plants would be Shasta daisies, iris if you didn’t divide earlier, daylilies, and gazanias.  Other clumping plants such as agapanthus and clivia bloom better if they have crowded roots so you really only need to divide them if they are breaking out of their pots or you want to add some to another part of your garden.

This month is the best time to fill in spaces with new shrubs or perennials other than tropical or natives.  Although if you do want to plant those kinds of plants, they most likely won’t die, it just isn’t the best time of year for them to go into the ground for you to get the optimum results for your investment.

If you didn’t start cleaning up the garden last month, now it is necessary to get to it so you aren’t harboring insects and disease in dead wood and plant material over the winter. 

Watch for signs of new growth on perennial ornamental grasses that bloom in the fall, which is the signal it is time to cut them back to six to twelve inches from the ground.

Fertilize fuchsias and they will continue to bloom. Use an acidic fertilizer on your hydrangeas if they are the kind that will turn blue and you want them to turn blue.

Amend your soils with a layer of organic mulch to hold in the warmth of the summer just a bit longer and give the roots of your new transplants, divisions and tired perennials and shrubs time to stretch out and regain some vigor before the cold and wet of winter sets in (if it chooses to this year) and they will reward you next spring and summer.  Remember that even though it is getting cooler, you still need to keep the soils irrigated until the rain comes on a regular enough basis to soak the ground through to eight to twelve or so inches for your mature plantings.

Perennials and Shrubs

By Sheila Peterson, M.G.

            Signs of fall may be up in the stores, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that summer is over in the garden. There are still plenty of warm days ahead so you can’t let down your vigil of keeping pace with watering for those plants that need it during warm weather.  The nights will start to cool down but the soil is still warm and absorbs water quickly and Santana winds are right around the corner in the upcoming weeks or months.

You still have time to plant tropical plants such as the fragrant angel’s trumpet (brugmansia) with their long hanging flowers that now can be found with variegated foliage (Suaveolens Variegat) that is just as attractive without the flowers as it is when in bloom. You may have admired the charming velvet, purple princess flower (Tibouchina urvilleana) with the fuzzy leaves in other gardens, but if you want to plant it at the optimum time in your yard, do it now or wait until next summer.

Next month will be one of the busiest months of the year for planting, so it is a good idea this month to spend time preparing your perennial beds and shrubs by cleaning up the ground around them and removing any untidy or spent blossoms or growth that is unbecoming. It is also a good time to simply be ruthlessly honest and remove any plants that just haven’t held up well either due to being in the wrong spot or maybe they just are suited for your area or your level of maintenance.  It will only leave you with a vacant spot to put in something more appropriate next month!

This is also a good time to review the overall design of your garden and see if there are any structural changes that could be made to enhance the look of the layout. If those changes include shrubs used as borders, hedges or focal points, make note of that now so you can start looking for the appropriate choice of plant soon. You may want to do some research and visit some different nurseries and ask the opinions of the experts there what they recommend as well as using reference books for inspiration. Garden magazines are full of articles on new plants that have improved characteristics, such as drought tolerance or even new shades of green, for instance that are always being introduced by breeders. There are even slow growing boxwoods (Buxus microphylla) available for those of us that aren’t crazy about pruning every other month!

Shrubs and Perennials

By Sheila Peterson, M.G.

August in the garden is a laid back month with the main chore for shrubs and perennials being watching for signs of stress due to heat and keeping everything well watered.  Of course now is the time to make sure all of the sprinkler heads and drippers are working correctly and look for ways to save water.  Add mulch if you must.

You can cut back and feed your tuberous begonias and fuchsias if they are starting to look a bit scraggly from months of blooming and they will give you a repeat performance for a few more months through the fall. Only take off about a third of the growth to tidy them up.

Deadhead the perennials that are blooming like agapanthus and daylilies.  When cleaning up alstroemerias do not cut off the dead blooms, but give the entire stem a tug and it will give way from the base of the plant and make room for a new blooming stalk.

Cut back vigorous wisteria offshoots that are growing everywhere you don’t want new branches to vine out to only two buds.  This will encourage new blooms along the already established vine.

Tropicals love the weather we have been having and are most likely growing and blooming enthusiastically.  Support them by feeding them now.

Needless to say, this is fire season.  If the hot weather has claimed any shrubbery close to the house (or anywhere else for that matter) and it is dead and dried, be sure to clear it out now because it is a fire hazard and will ignite easily.  Break it down and add it to the compost bin with equal amounts of live greens.

Unless you have a cool, shady spot or live along the coast, it is best to hold off on planting for a couple months until the weather cools down a bit.  Instead, make plans for the fall planting on paper while pursing through gardening books and magazines and sit back, enjoy a leisurely summer and dream of what your garden will look like next summer!

Perennials and Shrubs

By Sheila Peterson, M.G.

With summer well under way, watering needs, weeding and watching for signs of insect infestation should be a simple walk through the garden if you did your planting, fertilizing and mulching earlier this year, and now you can enjoy the garden. 

Many perennials are in full bloom now and may require deadheading to keep them going throughout the summer. To avoid deadheading chores, making cut flower arrangements for the house or as gifts always works too! 

Plants such as fuchsias, scabiosa, germaniums, pentas, penstemon and heliotrope will also need to be fertilized once a month to give them the nutrients they need to keep going all summer.  Use a fertilizer highest in phosphorous (the middle number of the three usually found on fertilizer packages). Slow release, organic fertilizers that also amend the soil are usually the best choice so the plant can use it as needed and it provides a healthy defense against diseases and other stresses that abound in summer.

Other flowering plants that are self-cleaning, meaning they drop their spent blooms and rebloom on the same stem, may start to get leggy and look a bit straggly during this rapid growing season.  To avoid having to do an entire cut back of the whole plant that will leave you with a butchered looking specimen, not to mention stress the plant out, do weekly pinch backs of three to five stems a week.  This will allow the older growth to shield the stubby pinch-backs while they fill in with new, compact growth.

If you have perennials and shrubs in containers, this is the time they will test your loyalty, especially if they aren’t on a drip system with a timer.  You may end up watering them every day during the hot months, or even twice a day if they are root bound and in terracotta pots.  If you have a shady spot, even though they may be sun loving plants, you might want to move them for the summer months for a slight reprieve from the heat and constant light.  Most sun loving plants can get by with bright light all day for a few months with no problem if it helps keep them hydrated.  You also might consider putting in a do-it-yourself drip system if they are in a convenient spot and you can protect the surface they sit on from water damage.

Now is also a good time of year to think about water conservation for your larger shrubs that require more water then other parts of the garden to look good.  Putting in hidden drip systems to hydrangea bushes that will concentrate the water source right to their root systems will sometimes make the difference between a so-so plant and a spectacular plant. Or better yet, put in a ceonothus, it’s just as beautiful and you won’t have to worry about watering it at all!

Pansies

Pansies (viola wittrockiana, viola tricolor hortensis) belong to the Viola family of perennials, however we usually treat them as cool season annuals in Southern California.  There are some new varieties of Pansies on the market that are heat-resistant and can be grown throughout the year in coastal and cooler inland climates. 

Pansies grow about eight inches high and should be planted six to eight inches apart to fill in a flowerbed.  Their flowers are two to four inches across, depending on the variety and growing conditions.  Pansies can be used in mass planting in flowerbeds and are especially well suited to window boxes and container gardens.  They make an excellent cover planting for spring-flowering bulbs.

Pansies come in almost many colors including white, blue, mahogany red, rose, yellow, apricot, and purple.  They can be found in rich jewel tones as well as pale, old-fashioned colors.  Some are one solid color, others are bicolor with blotches that resemble faces.  There is even a very dark purple variety that looks black and shows up in the nurseries around Halloween!

Pansies can be started from seeds in the early fall or transplanted from nursery packs throughout the fall, winter or spring.

If planted in a cool soil rich with organic matter and kept moist, they will reward you with numerous, large flowers throughout the growing season.  Feed with a fertilizer high in phosphorus to assure continuous bloom.

Near the coast they can be planted in full sun, but inland it is best to plant them where they will receive partial shade, especially during the hot afternoons.  If they don’t receive a few hours of direct sun during the day, they will become leggy and have sparse blooms. 

Regularly remove spent blossoms before they go to seed to prolong the blooming period.  Cut back some of the stem and leaves when you remove the spent blossoms to keep them neat and compact.