1. Consider growing the three sisters – corn, beans and squash – in your section of the garden. Build a mound about one meter wide and about one meter high, leveling it at the top. Plant four to seven corn kernels in a circle on the hill, 6 inches apart. When the corn reaches 15 to 30 cm in height, plant a pea seed 15 cm from each corn plant and two winter squash seeds at the opposite end of the hill, 90 cm from the bean. It is best to grow winter squash like spaghetti, as their spiny leaves repel pests. Beans supply all three plants with nitrogen, while pumpkins grow horizontally and completely cover the soil. Therefore, pumpkin leaves act as a living mulch that holds moisture in the soil, extending the time between watering and suppressing weed growth.
2. Daytime sun exposure is best for most Southern California houseplants. Those living in a temperate coastal environment will be an exception and can grow most houseplants even in full sun. We often hear that plants brought from other Mediterranean climates are suitable for growing here, because our climate is Mediterranean: it rains only in winter and the rest of the year is hot and dry. However, Southern California's heat generally outperforms other areas of the world with similar winter and summer weather patterns. Therefore, plants grown in full sun in Mediterranean countries, as well as in the Mediterranean climates of Southwest Australia, South Africa and Chile, may require a break from full sun when grown here.
3. If you plant the seeds directly in the soil, water them at least once a day until three pairs of true leaves appear (without cotyledons and cotyledons). At this point you may be able to water every other day, but keep an eye on the seedlings as sudden heat can dry them out quickly. It is also best to water early in the morning to conserve moisture in the soil which the roots will absorb on very hot days.
4. It is important to plant seeds, as well as annual flower and vegetable seedlings, collected in six-packed bags or plastic cells, in good soil with available minerals necessary for growth. It makes sense to invest in soil improvement and organic fertilizers applied to the soil prior to planting, because without proper preparation your seeds may germinate and the transplanted flower and vegetable cell cultures will grow a little, but will not produce the right amount and quality of flowers and desired plant. Of course, if you've tilled and mulched the soil regularly for years, or planted legumes last fall that were dug into the soil a month before planting, no additional soil preparation is required.
5. Some succulents go dormant in early May. So if you don't see new growth in the next few months, don't be discouraged. However, you shouldn't give them too much water, as this can cause the roots to rot. Succulents that are now dormant include Kalanchoe, Sedum, Senetia, Dudley, Eonia, and Aloe. Once the summer is over, you will see them starting to grow back.
Send questions, comments and photos to joshua@perfectplants.com.
