Real Estate & Open Houses
Forcing dormant deciduous stems from dormancy to bloom a bit early is simpler and less wasteful than forcing bulbs or potted plants to bloom.
Weeding becomes more of a concern as weeds begin to grow, bloom and disperse seed for more of the same, through late winter and early spring.
Will March be rainy, frosty, windy, sunny, snowy, or all of the above? That would be normal. Spring is in the air, but we could have reminders…
Crop rotation allows soil to recover from depletion by particular vegetable plants, while such plants exploit undepleted resources elsewhere.
While late winter warms into early spring, it is time to begin replacement of cool season vegetable plants with warm season vegetable plants.
Although it is still a bit too early for warm season bedding plants to go outside into the garden, it about time for some to start from seed.
Freeze damage should remain in place long enough to shelter lower growth from late frost, but not long enough to interfere with newer growth.
Now that spring bulbs that got buried last autumn are blooming, it is about time to add summer bulbs and bulb like perennials to bloom later.
Dormant pruning during winter is generally best, but spring pruning allows some plants that bloom earlier in spring to bloom most abundantly.
Winter bloom might get scarce while most plants are dormant and not trying to get any attention from pollinators who are also mostly dormant.
Coppice pruning to remove shabby, disfigured or overgrown thicket growth promotes vigorous new growth to renovate deteriorated old shrubbery.
Many flowering potted plants are forced to bloom, so may be slow to recover and adapt to home or garden situations after their primary bloom.
Citrus trees provide citrus fruit for winter, which is the season for dormant pruning of deciduous fruit trees that provide fruit for summer.
Defoliation of deciduous plant species decreases vulnerability to windy winter weather while foliage would typically not be efficient anyway.
In a game featuring some of the best basketball players in the area, Pioneer Valley senior Jace Gomez really distinguished himself.
The Lompoc softball team edged Righetti 3-2 in 11 innings on Thursday.
Ozzie Smith Plaza, formerly dedicated in 2003, will be rededicated on Saturday, March 25, with the namesake on hand for the ceremony.
While they are dormant through winter, most deciduous fruit and nut trees require some sort of specialized dormant pruning or winter pruning.
Winter is bare-root season when dormant deciduous fruit trees and roses are available for sale without the cumbersome soil that they grew in.
For a climate of such mild weather and gentle transition of the four familiar seasons, the first rain starts the rainy season quite abruptly.
The potential for frost damage is regional. Some plants in some regions may benefit from frost protection or corrective pruning after winter.
Live Christmas trees are not as practical as their reputation implies. Nor are cut Christmas trees as environmentally detrimental as reputed.
Winter berries are for the birds. Nonetheless, they can be delightfully colorful
Fireplaces and wood stoves are not yet completely obsolete. Wood burning fire pits and chimineas have actually become a fad. All use firewood.
Foliar debris, mostly from defoliation of deciduous vegetation, accumulates at the worst possible time, immediately prior to the rainy season.
Maintenance of chimney clearance prevents encroachment of combustible vegetation that can compromise the safety of fireplaces and woodstoves.
Contrary to common belief, some autumn foliage develops exemplary foliar color in response to seemingly inadequate chill of regional climate.
Spring bulbs and perhaps a few summer bulbs go into the garden about now, to slowly disperse roots through winter, and then bloom for spring.
Juniper cultivars might still be unpopular because of past excessiveness, but are remarkably resilient and appropriate to local home gardens.
Botanical nomenclature is designed for simplicity, even if it seems confusing.
Plenty of seed might be ready to collect from the many flowers that finish bloom through the end of summer, but some may not be true to type.