Blood oranges have become the foodie’s citrus tree, loved for their rich orange flavor with raspberry overtones and deep color. Blood oranges grow best in areas with warm to hot summers and mild winters. Those who live in citrus growing county will be rewarded by growing this attractive plant with tasty fruit. As with citrus […]

Pruning Citrus Trees is important to encourage fruiting, to maintain tree health and to control size and accessibility for harvest. GardenZeus recommends pruning young citrus trees somewhat differently than pruning mature citrus trees. To Improve and Maintain Structure and Form of Young Trees. Prune young trees for structure and form over the first 1 to […]

GardenZeus receives commissions for purchases made through links in this post. There is no additional cost to you. Lavender makes an excellent companion plant for other Mediterranean herbs with similar cultural needs, such as rosemary, sage and thyme. And of course lavender makes an excellent companion for perennial flowering plants that provide complimentary or contrasting […]

Unlike many other edibles we grow in our yards, sunflowers are native to North America; Native Americans domesticated the wild sunflower into a single headed plant in a variety of seed colors.  European colonizers then brought sunflowers to Europe. Sunflowers are an ideal element in a sustainable, edible garden: they attract beneficial insects and enrich […]

Zucchini is easy to start from seed. Zucchini seeds germinate quickly and without excessive warmth. As a cucurbit, zucchini is sensitive to any root disturbance, such as from transplanting. Surface cultivation, digging, harvesting root crops, thinning, or weeding near established plants may also cause root disturbance to cucurbits. For both these reasons, GardenZeus recommends growing zucchini from seed, […]

With the hundreds of wonderful and reliable tomato varieties that are known to do well in California and other Mediterranean climates, in an astonishing diversity of colors, sizes, shapes and uses, it may take time and research to select varieties that best meet your needs. For help with making your selections, GardenZeus expert Darren Butler […]

Tomato seeds are easy to germinate. Gardeners often start tomatoes from seed in seed trays or peat pots for later transplanting, but starting tomato seeds in a glass dish or bowl can be an excellent alternative.   Use an existing dish or bowl, so there is no need to purchase seed trays or peat pots–and […]

Picture a large, magenta bougainvillea draping over the red tile roof of a Spanish style home on a cloudless, sunny day—the essence of Southern California. But it might surprise many to know that bougainvillea is native not to California or even North America, but to South America, specifically Brazil to Peru and a portion of […]

For avid California gardeners, January marks the beginning of planning spring or summer  gardens and ordering seeds. Seed availability and turnaround time for orders is usually best early in the year, in January through early February, before the national seed-ordering rush begins from about February through April when most of the United States begins to […]