Pat Welsh - Pat Welshs Southern California Organic Gardening

Pat Welshs Southern California Organic Gardening

Month by Month

In loving memory of my late husband, Lou, who foresaw that this book would have a long life in print, including many future editions.

What You Need to Know First:
CLIMATE, PLANT CHOICE, SOILS, FERTILIZER, WATER, PLANTING, PRUNING, PESTS, AND WEEDS

January:
THE BARE-ROOT MONTH

February:
A MONTH FOR WAITING

March:
THE FIRST SPRING-PLANTING MONTH

April:
THE HEIGHT-OF-BLOOM MONTH

May:
THE FAST-GROWTH MONTH

June:
THE EASYGOING MONTH

July:
THE FIRST REAL SUMMER MONTH

August:
THE HEIGHT-OF-SUMMER MONTH

September:
THE FIRST FALL-PLANTING MONTH

October:
THE YEARS BEST PLANTING MONTH

November:
THE FIRST MONTH OF THE RAINY SEASON

December:
THE HOLIDAY MONTH

Without the help of many people, this book never could have been written. To everyone who has helped with this revised edition, and with the original book upon which it was based, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Among those who especially encouraged me during the last few months are my family, who cheered me on and were understanding of my deadlines. This includes my daughters and son-in-law, Francesca Filanc and Wendy and Larry Woolf, as well as my five grandchildren, their spouses, and my three great-grandchildren, Yvette, Ivan, and Anushka Urbietta; Erica and Jared Tanamachi; Rebecca, Hal, Archer, and Fable Isaacson; David Woolf; and Rachel Woolf. My brother, avid organic gardener John Fisher-Smith, gave me excellent input on soil and fertilizers. I am grateful also to my nephews, Jordan, Jeremy, and Jotham Fisher-Smith, and their wives and my cousin Harriet Bemus for their understanding.

Chief among my helpers has been Master Gardener Volunteer, the faithful, eagle-eyed, and ever-encouraging Denise Holcombe, who gave up every Wednesday plus countless hours at home to reread all copy, catch typos, and check every botanical name; many of them have changed since the first edition. Denise also prepared the list of sources, typed additions to the bibliography, helped sort photos, carried cameras, got me to scheduled talks and slide shows on time, and contributed many good ideas. Additionally, longtime friend, computer expert, and plant lover Lee Gardner Dewey came to my aid at the last minute unraveling problems with track changes, smoothing out computer glitches, and helping me meet a tight deadline. Im also deeply grateful for the help of two organic gardening authorities, Connie Beck and Jack Shoultz. As soon as I finished the revision of each section or chapter, I sent the copy to both Connie and Jack, who read every bit of this book and were generous with their time and attention. Professional organic rosarian Jack Shoultz (www.organicrosecare.org) made many suggestions. The Rose-Pro Method mentioned throughout the book, and the rose chart in the back of the book, are based on Jacks system. Jack and his wife, Bonnie, visited my home, and we discussed in detail the practices and results of growing roses according to the organic system. Connie Beck, landscape designer and organic gardening instructor, for many years ran an organic garden and taught vocational landscape gardening at the San Diego County Womens Jail. Connie often sent her comments back to me the following day, with detailed suggestions based on her long experience. This quote from Connie tells all: Compost is the answer to everything that ails your garden. If any errors remain in this book, they are mine, not those of Denise, Connie, Jack, or anyone else who helped me during its writing.

My sincere thanks also for the encouragement and help of many other friends, including graphic designer Natalie Yarnall and her sister, Rebecca Dembitsky. Natalie made the computer forms to fit my handwritten fertilizer and rose charts, and Becky typed in the information. Dwynn Robbie, organic rosarian, gave me helpful rose advice, introduced me to Jack and Bonnie Shoultz, and left bags and bottles of organic products in my potting shed for me to test. University of California Cooperative Extension, San Diego home gardening advisor Vince Lazaneo answered several questions and suggested additional UC experts for me to consult. David Diehl, product consultant with Gro-Power, spent a morning with me in my studio discussing organic sources of nitrogen and other nutrients. Avid gardener and Quail Gardens volunteer Mary Friestadt contributed a new and helpful tip about gophers. Aenne Carver made several good suggestions and helped free up my time to work. Danielle Earnest of Proven Winners checked a snippet of text and got back to me pronto with corrections. Richard Frost, of Plants That Produce, gave me input on soils and organic soil amendments. From the company Gardens Alive!, Karen in customer service came up with the tip on earwigs. Mike and Carol Brewer contributed the method of making large divisions of Matilija poppies after rain. Evelyn Weidner, owner of Weidners Gardens in Leucadia, gave me input on new varieties and several new organic products.

Many people helped me unravel the complexities of lawn grasses and deal with recent changes in their management and nomenclature. James (Jim) H. Baird, Ph.D., turf-grass extension specialist at Botany and Plant Sciences, UC Riverside, fielded my endless questions and straightened me out on recent lawn varieties and other advances. Janet S. Hartin, Ph.D., environmental horticulture advisor and lawn expert at UC Davis and author of many books and publications on lawns, gave me input on mowing heights and additional information about characteristics of lawn grass varieties. Jeff Barber of Pacific Sod Farms explained the variously named mixes created by sod companies and the differences among them.

I also thank the following people who helped me with earlier editions of this book. The distillation of their years of knowledge and experience is still included in the current edition: Steve Gunther, for his photos; Vince Lazaneo, farm advisor, Home Horticulture; the late Chuck Kline, horticulturist emeritus and landscape advisor, Sea World; Jerry Stewart of New Leaf Geranium Nursery; Evelyn Weidner and Mary Weidner of Weidners Begonia Gardens; Bob Smaus, garden editor emeritus of the Los Angeles Times; Bill Teague, agriculturist and flower grower; Virginia McKenzie, horticulturist, Hydroscape Products; Phil Lubars, sales manager, Drip-In Irrigation; Marnie Mahoney, founder of the Del Mar Garden Club; Becky Dembitsky, member of the Del Mar Garden Club; Linda Chisari, garden designer; Carol Carden, owner of Solo; Jack Engberg, sales representative, Grow More; Ed Rose, propagation manager, Ball Seeds; Sharon Drusch, rosarian, Sharon Splane Drusch Design; Dick Streeper, rosarian and rose columnist of the San Diego Union-Tribune; Dr. Vic Gibeau, lawn scientist, UC Riverside; Hugh Wilkerson, ornamental grass gardener; John Greenlee, nurseryman and author of the Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses; Tim Galardi, owner, Rivera Gardens; Scott Daigre of Hortus Nursery, Pasadena; Janis Blackschleger, Perennial Productions; Tom Carruth of Weeks Roses; David Sakeroff, Hollywood art director; Loretta Foreman, plant lover and observant reader; Libby Doheny, avid gardener; Ruth Boron, avid gardener; Cathy Young, garden designer of In the Garden, Calabasas; Judy M. Horton, garden designer; Patrick Anderson, horticulturist and Huntington Gardens volunteer; Shirley Kerrins, garden designer, Huntington Gardens; Chris Rosmini, garden designer; Agatha Youngblood, gardener extraordinaire, with a vast knowledge of perennials; and Judy Wiegand, owner of Judys Perennials in San Marcos.