Signs of Spring in Southern California

A day before the Groundhog tells the world about the coming of Spring, February first in Southern California shows blossoms everywhere.

Happy Girl, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

It appears that our recent El Nino storms nourished the flowers and helped the insect population.


This flowering tree was filled with blooms, and quite a swarm of happy bees, which are not picture here.


There will be more Southern California floral photos here. This tree was spectacular, and covered in pink blossoms.


Enjoy an early taste of Spring fever if you live in Southern California. I think were in for a showy floral season with the help of all of this rain.

GARDENING TIP: Now is a good time to use the weed and feed sold at your local nursery. It'll boost your grass and fight back the weeds and crab grass that could take hold if you don't catch it now.

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A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

Calendula in Florence's Garden in February


FEBRUARY

Calendula 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, Primroses, Cineria, Stock, Marguerites, Daffodils, Freesia, Statice, Callas - boom in February and March if planted in the fall. Buy them by the dozen then, at very reasonable prices. They will all be available in 4" pots at a higher price now. Another advantage of early spring bloom is the dormancy of many insects.

Roses pruned last month can be fed a good 1 cup of balanced commercial fertilizer now, 10% nitrogen. As soon as all of the the sprouts are out.

Buy cottonseed meal to feed Azaleas next mont - good for other shade plants too.

Prune Poinsettias, Lantana, and semi-hard hibiscus, bougainvillea - about the middle of February. Our last freeze date in this area is February 28. Finish dormant pruning early in February.

In spite of the advice of others, I don't fertilize my lawn much now or it gets too think in March and is very difficult to cut.

Cymbidiums get Hi-nitrogen til July.

Epiphillums get a Hi-bloom fertilizer as soon as blooms appear.

Fuschsias get a second and last feeding of blood meal now. 1T per basket and a heaping T per foot in the ground. Don't work into soil.

Pelagoniums gat a pinching now.

Dahlias and tuberrose go in now.

Try another dozen delphiniums in enriched soil. Bait for snails. Or you can use plastic cherry tomato baskets inverted to protect delphiniums from birds and snails.

Make a mum tree. Put 3 plants close together and pinch out side shoots till correct height is reached, then train it like a tree rose. Pompoms are best.

Calendula, carnations, cinerarias, and dahlias always suffer insect damage. I protect from the time of planting with the granular form of systemic and therefore do no spraying, simply using the granules every six weeks.

Meyer lemons do very well here. They are dwarf and look great in a large container.

Try some Azaleas even if they are difficult here. They don't really like our alkaline water and soil. Work an azalea mix into your soil. I don't like pure peat, once dry it is next to impossible to get it wet again.

~Florence Sullivan

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A Calendar for Growing Flowers in Coastal Southern California

My friend, and gardening mentor Florence Sullivan, passed away recently at the age of 95 1/2. I had previously asked her daughter's permission to share her gardening tips. She wrote a booklet, with the above title, so any tips I share on this blog, with this title are from "Florence Sullivan," with the kind permission of her daughter Holly.

Since it's already February, I'll do this slightly out of order and start with February.

AUTHOR'S NOTE
This booklet contains flower gardening information for a specific area. This area includes Santa Barbara to the Mexican border and from the Pacific, inland to the hotter areas.
To make the best use of this information, may I suggest that you get a thin felt pen with green ink, go to your calendar and turn to the current month. Jot down chores which apply to your garden. Then continue thru the year. Green ink will suggest gardens. Thereafter when you fertilize or spray, make a note on your calendar, in green, to remind you when to do it next. Then you will be organized, and your garden will flourish.
Happy Gardening

Florence Sulivan

Mrs. Sullivan has taught Basic & Container Gardening at the South Coast Botanic Garden and lectured to Garden Clubs. She has gardened in this are for 25 years. (Copyright 1986 - Florence Sullivan)

September 1, 1913 to February 9, 2009

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