What's Happening In Southern California - Garden Edition June 2012

So I missed the boat a little, I should have posted this last week, but I was so intent on gardening chores that I wrote and posted my What to Do In Your Southern California Garden I n June and moved on to other tasks before I realized it was a little out of order. Oh, well – we’ll all survive!

As always, I want to remind you to shop local, and get the freshest produce around by heading out to the local Farmer’s Markets in Santa Clarita: Sundays 8:00am – noon College of The Canyons Parking Lot Don’t forget to visit my friend Sara Scissorhands from Worldwide Exotics Nursery

There is also another great Farmer’s Market: Thursdays in Old Town Newhall from 3-7pm. May has a lot of fun gardening events, and if you ignore the 90 degree anomaly of April being outside is wonderful!

Saturday June 9, 2012 – 9am – 12 noon Santa Clarita Valley Gardening Class - Shrubs and Natives for the SCV Landscape. Location: Castaic Lake Water Agency 27234 Bouquet Canyon Rd. Santa Clarita, California 91350 Located on the hill above Central Park. The cost is free but RSVP please! For more information please email us at mail@clwa.org

Saturday June 9, 2012 – 4:30 – 7:00 pm College of the Canyons Twilight Garden Party Progressive Wine and  Food Pairing - $35 per person/$60 per couple at each campus location guests will be served delightful food and tasty wine paired to compliment the ambiance of the garden. Chair of the Friends of the Gardens and Master gardener, Diane Benjamin and garden enthusiast, Barbara Schulman will convey interesting pointers about sustainability and planting in the Santa Clarita Valley.

College of the Canyons Biology Professor and Scientist, accompanied by our resident nutritionist will explain some of the gardens and their purpose, student interaction with the gardens on both campuses, and information that will enlighten you on easy fitness  and healthful alternatives to secure our environment for the future. Peruse the whimsical handmade birdhouse exhibition in the Art Gallery and learn about the Oak Tree Savannah.

Conclude the garden tour with a wonderful red wine food pairing in the Library Rose Garden hosted by wine enthusiast, Dr. Skip Newhall. Get a sneak peak at our new Library/TLC facility that will be opening for Fall 2012 For tickets or more information contact Cindy Biehahn 362-3737 or cindy.biehahn@canyons.edu

Saturday June 16, 2012 8 am – 12 noon June Birds Take Flight – Towsley Canyon - Bird Walk Ed Davis Park in Towsley Canyon 24335 The Old Road Santa Clarita, California 91321

Time to start the great northern migration, which makes June a great bird-watching month. Beginning birders are welcome. Binoculars optional. Meet at Towsley Canyon’s front parking lot.

Wednesday June 20, 2012 – 6:00 – 8:00 pm Southern California Edison Solar Connection Event Santa Clarita Sports Complex Activities Center A&B Room 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway Santa Clarita, California 91350 Learn about how going solar can help you save energy, money and the environment. Meet SCE representatives and licensed solar contractors. Space is limited, so register today! check the link or call 1-866-970-9221

Descanso Gardens: 
There is going to be a Bonsai Show July 16-17, 2012 and just touring the gardens is always fun.

LA Arboretum:
Lili Singer’s has classes on Thursdays so plan to make it to some of them she’s very informative. There are quite a few shows this month at the Arboretum, tomorrow the 2nd there is a Day Lily plant sale and the weekend of the 9th and 10th is the Fern and Exotics Show if you go please say, “Hi!” to Shelley from Worldwide Exotics for me. There’s lots more going on, so check out the Arboretum’s site for more info.

If you would like help beautifying your life, think about creating a garden with me. You can call me at 661-917-3521, contact me via email at julie@thegrassisalwaysgreener.net or visit my website.

Wordless Wednesday - Seattle

Raindrops on Maple Leaves 

Coral Bells & Bleeding Heart 

Flower Market Tulips

 If you would like help beautifying your life, think about creating a garden with me. You can call me at 661-917-3521, contact me via email at julie@thegrassisalwaysgreener.net or visit my website.

What To Do In Your Southern California Garden In June

I hope you are enjoying a lovely long weekend, fire up the grill and enjoy the company of family and friends, you can grab your to-do list here today and save it for later in the month. May was quite warm in this year in Southern California, so the plants are starting to pop, maybe a bit early. Make sure that you are out in the garden with proper sun protection, and keep hydrated! Gardening is a great way to encourage a healthy body and mind, but it is important that you don’t over extend yourself in the heat. (Maybe you should plant an aloe somewhere if you don’t already have one).

1. Check The Water - Since it has been hot, check that the water in your container and potted designs are adequate. If you have your drippers turned down, you might need to turn them up a little.

2. Feed your roses!  You should be back on a fertilization schedule by now.

3. Spruce up the Crape Myrtles - Trimming of the old bloom ends from you Crape Myrtle trees will encourage lots of new flower formation.

4. Good Grooming - Pinching off the faded leaves and flowers of your caladium and coleus plants will keep them looking their best. Be sure to water consistently, and use an organic all-purpose fertilizer on these beauties. A little birdie told me that she’s growing a bunch of new fabulous coleus varieties, so as soon as I see them… I’ll share my secret.

5. Earwig problems?  Here is a tip I learned last year at a seminar, diatomaceous earth can be used to control earwigs. Spread it around where they live.

6. Give your perennials some love - Penstemon, Salvia, and Pentas will bloom more if you trim off their old blooms and bloomed out spikes. You’ll have them blooming longer, so dead head those babies!

7. Vegetable Patrol - Checking your vegetable crops regularly is a great idea. You can look for pests and remove them (or treat the plant) and you can harvest the crops at their optimal size. (No one really loves a 5’ zucchini except for a photo op).

8. More good grooming -  As your spring blooming shrubs (like Ceanothus) have finished their flower show, you can give them a light pruning. This will keep them neat and encourage new growth for next year.

9. Show Stoppers - Gladiolas are a great summer blooming bulb, if you want to create a continuously blooming show, plant a few bulbs every few weeks starting now.

10. Palm Tree Panacea - I suggest that you fertilize palm trees with organic slow-release fertilizer three times during the year, this is one of those times. Early summer (now), late fall, and then again early spring. Select a fertilizer that has equal numbers (balanced) and contains micro-nutrients.

If you would like help beautifying your life, think about creating a garden with me. You can call me at 661-917-3521, contact me via email at julie@thegrassisalwaysgreener.net or visit my website.