Cherry Tree Care in a Warm Climate

Young George Washington never chopped down a cherry tree. An early biographer fabricated the story — a lie to illustrate Washington’s love of the truth. Washington was a Virginian, and Virginia was a prime area for cherry cultivation at the time. But the trees...

Peach Tree Care in SoCal: Clear Guidelines for the Fuzzy Fruit 

Georgia is the Peach Tree State. Everywhere you turn, there’s a Peachtree avenue, shopping center, medical building, school, and so on. Meanwhile, the Golden State contributes about 80% of the US peach harvest. Southern California’s mild winters and warm,...

How to Prepare Your Soil for Planting in SoCal: Tips & Techniques

Gardening in Southern California is a year-round activity, thanks to mild winters, hot summers, and varied microclimates. However, in some areas, the soil may work against you. The Los Angeles Basin features soils like the Chino Association, a gray, calcareous silt...

Guava Tree Care in a Mediterranean Climate

Guavas are like gold at the supermarket, if your local market even carries them. They’re small, tasteless, and so costly, you may think you wandered into Harrods by mistake. Anyone who has sampled a ripe guava fresh off the tree will forever be on a quest for...

A Guide to Fig Tree Care in Metro LA

Figs are among the earliest domesticated crops in human history, dating back 9,000 years in regions like modern-day Jordan and the Levant. The Egyptians dried figs for year-round consumption, while the Greeks and Romans associated the fruit with fertility and...