13 Tips for Low-Maintenance Landscaping

We all know a putterer when we see one. Putterers putter in the yard — digging, planting, pruning, and mowing. It’s a form of therapy. But when temperatures soar into the 90s, with humidity to match, yard work feels less like therapy than torment. Even putterers...

How to Grow Zinnias from Seed: A Beginner’s Guide

The Aztecs gave us words like “chocolate,” “tomato,” and “avocado.” They developed chinampas, or floating gardens, to feed their large population. And they were the first to cultivate zinnias, a flower they called...

Growing Avocados from Seeds or Cuttings: Tips for Gardeners

Avocados are delicious and nutritious (said Captain Obvious). They’re also remarkably easy to grow in Southern California yards. The tree hails from Mexico, which also gave us the poinsettia, zinnia, and mariachi music. Persea americana dates back thousands of...

Plumeria Plant Care in Southern California

Plumeria, also known as frangipani or temple tree, are tropical American shrubs or small trees with sweet, fragrant blooms. Despite their close association with Hawaii (aloha!), Plumeria plants are native to the Caribbean Basin. They thrive in Southern...