Most planting is done around the spring (March & April) and the fall (September & October). Any extra time that you spend attending to your gardens during these periods means a healthier garden year-round which requires less overhauls in maintenance. With the exception of tropicals, which prefer to be planted in warmer months, March is a great month to plant: summer perennials and annuals, warm-season veggies and almost all 'regular' garden plantings like trees, shrubs, ground covers and vines. There are areas of the county in the foothills (Poway) and low-lying areas (any interior valley in Rancho Santa Fe) that will still be subject to the possibility of frosts, but in general, March is the best time to replace plants and trees that over the course of the past year haven't added to the overall aesthetics, that are diseased or that aren't suited in function for your garden. For example we recently replaced a tree that was shedding leaves which the wind would whip into the pool and whose berries were staining the flagstone patios and walkways. The owners wanted shade minus the mess.
It is also the time to focus on maintenance. Dethatch warm season lawns. Aerate and mulch cool season lawns. Deadhead cool season flowers (like Iceland Poppies, Calendulas and Snap dragons). Plant Petunias. Fertilize perennials. (FYI Annuals complete their life cylce in one year. Biennials in 2 years and Perennials live for more than 2 years) Cut back woody and over grown perrenials. Prune camellis. Cut back blue hibiscus and clumps of Festuca Glauca. Fertilize citrus, avocado, ornamental trees, bushes and ground covers, roses, fuchias and feed lawns. Supplement irrigation if needed for new plantings and do a water-audit of your entire system. Control slugs, snails, other pests & diseases. There's a lot to do! Spring is the busiest time for our maintenance crews but the rewards are well worth the effort.
It is also the time to focus on maintenance. Dethatch warm season lawns. Aerate and mulch cool season lawns. Deadhead cool season flowers (like Iceland Poppies, Calendulas and Snap dragons). Plant Petunias. Fertilize perennials. (FYI Annuals complete their life cylce in one year. Biennials in 2 years and Perennials live for more than 2 years) Cut back woody and over grown perrenials. Prune camellis. Cut back blue hibiscus and clumps of Festuca Glauca. Fertilize citrus, avocado, ornamental trees, bushes and ground covers, roses, fuchias and feed lawns. Supplement irrigation if needed for new plantings and do a water-audit of your entire system. Control slugs, snails, other pests & diseases. There's a lot to do! Spring is the busiest time for our maintenance crews but the rewards are well worth the effort.
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