Bad Bugs, Good Bugs

/
Bad Bugs, Good Bugs

As I brushed against the beautiful blue flowering Salvia guaranitica I saw a burst of movement out of the corner of my eye. I would have loved to ignore it and just keep on pruning, but I’m an old and wily gardener, and I know it’s best to investigate anything unusual I see in my garden immediately. Sure enough, when I brushed the Salvia again, there was a burst of action. Tiny white insects swarmed for a moment and then settled back onto the undersides of the leaves. Oh no. Whitefly.

Read More

The Birds and the Bees

/
The Birds and the Bees

Spring is in her prom dress now, and all the birds and bugs are zooming around, finding mates, showing off, and building nests. If your garden is planted to attract hummingbirds, you may be puzzled by some unusual behavior. Occasionally you may see a hummingbird ignoring all the beautiful red tubular blossoms you have provided and instead zooming around under an old porch or dead tree. What the heck is it doing?

Read More

To Prune or Not to Prune, That Is the Question

/
To Prune or Not to Prune, That Is the Question

During the summer months, this had been a butterfly garden, full of dozens of different pollinators. Now, with late fall turning into winter, it was time to cut back and shape the garden for next year's pleasure. One of the Verbenas needed to be moved out from under the shade thrown by a huge Salvia karwinskii. There was never a better day for a sharp pair of pruners.

Read More

Gardening for Good Bugs

/
Gardening for Good Bugs

The blooming nectar plants, the bushy cover of California natives, the seed and berry-bearing shrubs in our borders attract birds, pollinators, spiders, and predatory insects to create a busy, diverse, dynamic growing zone in which our fruit-trees, vegetables, and tender flowering plants can thrive without harmful infestations of insects getting out of balance.

Read More