03-21-14 Finally, It’s Spring

In this issue:

1. March in the Garden
2. Garden Tours
   
3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month: Planting Tomatoes
   
4. Gardenerd Product of the Month: Gardening for Geeks
   

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1. March in the Garden

Vernal Equinox: the arrival of spring, a time of “equal night” when day and night are the same length. To gardeners it means planting season is officially underway (though some of us got started in February). There’s something in the energy of the earth that shifts. Can you smell the change in the air? As we come out of hibernation, we move into action. Our soil, our seeds, our gardens come to life. It is an exciting time to be alive!

This month, we’re planting more warm weather crops here in Los Angeles. Peppers, tomatoes, beans and basil are going in the ground. We’re harvesting root veggies and planting radishes and lettuces in their place. Our squash seeds have sprouted in the ground, and just today the cucumbers poked their heads out of the soil.

As you move forward this spring, let us know if you need help. We’ve got one more Spring Garden Planning Workshop coming up on March 29th. If you live out of the area, we can also do Skype and phone consultations. We’re here to help you get growing!

Happy Gardening,

Christy

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2. Garden Tours

It’s garden tour time, so mark your calendars! Whether you’re an experienced gardener, or someone who is looking for ideas for your first home, garden tours are the best way to get ideas. You’ll see plants in action and get a chance to talk to the designer or homeowner in many cases. Here are some great picks:

In Los Angeles:

Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour – April 5-6, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour is a unique adventure: a two-day self-guided journey through 35 or more of the Los Angeles region’s most beautiful and inspiring home landscapes. At each location, you’ll meet garden owners, designers, knowledgeable docents and fellow gardeners.

Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase – April 26, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Christy is co-chair of this year’s FREE event. It’s a smaller tour than in years past, so you can see most or all of the gardens on the tour. Since our terrible drought, this year’s focus is on natives and drought tolerant landscapes, xeriscape, water catchment, edible gardens and other energy-saving elements.

Los Angeles Garden Tour & Party – April 27 – The ninth annual Los Angeles Garden Tour & Party is presented by the Windsor Square~Hancock Park Historical Society. Their primary focus this year is directed towards the plight of the vanishing honeybee and the onset of the global bee-hive collapse.  Along with seeking local solutions in public spaces, they will explore planting and maintaining private “bee friendly” gardens.

Venice Garden Tour – May 3, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 30 gardens and homes in the secluded, charming Walk Streets east of Abbot Kinney Boulevard and the beach Walk Street neighborhood adjacent to the colorfully chaotic Venice boardwalk. Fantasy is alive and well in Venice, and Abbot Kinney’s 1904 vision of a Venice-of-America, a Coney Island at the Pacific Ocean resonates today.

Elsewhere:

Garden Native Tour – March 29-30, San Diego, CA

Cape Fear Azalea Garden Tour – Apr. 11-13, Cape Fear, NC

Virginia Historic Garden Week – April 26-May 3, All over Virginia

Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour – May 3-4, Chapel Hill, NC

Bainbridge in Bloom – July 11-12 Bainbridge Island, WA

Hip Hoppin Public Garden Tour – July 28-29 Kansas City, MO

There are so many others, too! Find more garden tours on the web. Just search “garden tour” and your city or state. It’s time to “fill the well” and get ideas to make your garden more sustainable and enjoyable. Set aside time now to go!

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3. Gardenerd Tip of the Month – Planting Tomatoes

Whether you’re just starting them from seed now, or making space to put them in the ground, it’s time to think about tomatoes. Here are some great tips for how to plant them for success:

Planting Tomatoes

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4. Gardenerd Product of the Month – Gardening for Geeks

Spring is here, and Gardening for Geeks can help guide you toward a successful season. We just found out that Adams Media (our publisher) ran out of copies. Fear not, reprints are on the way! Get yours today before your local vendor runs out.

Gardening for Geeks