End of Summer Blooms

End of summer in the Southern California garden doesn’t mean everything is brown and tired. Some flowering plants continue to bloom. Roses are one of them. If roses are  deadheaded properly and watered enough they will continue to give out blooms although not as big as blooms in the spring.

I pruned my Bonica rose middle of summer and it is full of blooms although not as many and big as the blooms in the spring. The number of petals are also not as many as the spring bloom.

The Mexican sage is also in full bloom a few weeks after I cut it down in early summer. I cut it back to at least a foot and it came back beautifully.

End of summer is also the time to plant mums, asters pansy and petunia. I bought these flowering annuals at the local big box home center as they are all discounted. This is the best time to buy bargain perennials. They may not be looking at their best but that's because they are getting ready for fall and winter. They would come back beautifully in spring.

End of Summer

When we get to the end of summer everything looks tired and old but there are things to be done in the Southern California garden. Plants need to be continued to be watered, it is essential that plants needs abundant water in order to extend the gardening season. Keeping plants watered helps them keep growing and looking good. Plants need deep watering, sprinkling should be avoided.

Some plants need rejuvenation by cutting them back. Many plants will respond and grow back if they are cut back. They don’t only grow back but will bloom some more. Again, watering is needed in order for plants to grow back.

Deadheading also will help prolong the gardening season. Deadheading will also help keep the garden tidy and neat.

The basil I planted early spring has produced flowers. This is my first time to plant a basil and I am not sure if cutting it back would produce more basil leaves.

Thanks to the mild climate gardening in Southern California is a whole year; plants can be planted year round.

End of summer is also the time to harvest what you have planted. A month after I harvested the first bunch of grapes, I continue to harvest more grapes. More grapes need to be harvested in the coming weeks.

Fig Jam

Fall is the season to harvest what we have planted. If you have a bumper harvest of fruits from your tree, they can be cooked and preserved such as jams or jelly.

My neighbor Marie has a fig tree and turns the fruit she harvests into a jam. This year she gave me a jar of her fig jam. She used a mason jar to make the jam which makes it look very professional.

Her fig jam is really good, it is not overly sweet and you can taste a hint of lemon juice.

Fig trees produce more figs than most people know what to do with them. Making jam out of the ripe figs is a simple solution to this. The procedure is simple and you only need a few ingredients to prepare the jam.

            Ingredients: Makes about 7 jars (8 ounces per jar)

1)      Ripe figs (about 3 to 5 lbs)

2)      Sugar (amount should be equal to the amount of fig)

3)      Lemon juice (1/4 cup)

4)      Pectin (use 1 box, available in most supermarkets)

Procedure:

1)      Trim any stems from the fig.

2)      Chop the figs for faster cooking

3)      Simmer the figs; stir occasionally to avoid sticking to the saucepan. Simmer until tender.

4)      Add sugar (use equal amount of sugar to fruit ratio) and bring back to boil.

5)      Add lemon juice and pectin. The lemon juice would add tartness and makes the jam last longer. The pectin would improve the consistency of the jam.

6)      Bottle the jam in sterilized mason jars.

Bulb 2

The best time to plant bulbs is spring and fall. It is September and it is time to get ready to plant bulbs. It is best to plant in the fall; bulbs planted in the fall will bloom the following spring. Bulbs planted in spring will bloom in the summer.

Most bulbs thrive in either full or partial sun. In mild climates like Southern California it is best to plant bulbs in partial shade. Bulbs require good drainage and you must avoid planting in base of slopes or under drainpipes or wherever water collects; this will make the bulb rot.

I planted some gladiolas several years ago and they have thrived beautifully. I planted thee corms in a hole and they have multiplied and they need to be taken out and divided to avoid overcrowding. This process is necessary if you want large bloom. I will do this as soon as the weather turns a little bit cooler.

Gladiolas are corms and are known by several names: gladiolus, gladiola, glads, and sword lily. They are called sword lily because of their long and sword-like leaves. Although they are sometimes called sword lily they are not lilies but corms.

Gladiolas planted in fall or early spring will bloom in July to August and they come in a hue of colors including bi-colors. They prefer rich, soft soil and plenty of water. A little fertilizer will help if the soil is poor.

To propagate glads, dig up the corms in fall. Separate the corms, wash and dry and store them in a cool and dry location in a paper bag. Never use plastic bag; plastic bags will trap the moisture and this will rot the corms.

Bulbs

Bulbs come in endless variety which makes them perfect for any type of garden. Varieties include corms, rhizomes and tubers.

Corms are sometimes confused with true bulbs, they are similar in appearance externally but the inside of corms is structured differently.

Examples of rhizomes are irises, Lily of the Valley and cannas. Tubers are begonias and dahlias. Tulips and daffodils are considered true bulbs.

A bulb is a self-contained flower factory.  It contains nearly everything the flower needs to come to life. If you split a bulb open you will see the baby flower bud, leaves, roots, stem and food supply. All it needs is to be placed in the ground at the appropriate season of the year, some water then left to work their magic.

I planted a dahlia a few years ago and it keeps coming back every spring. The one I planted is the cactus type. It has fully double flowers with pointed florets. The flower is pinkish to white in color and around 5” to 10” in diameter. The first year blooms were really big but becoming smaller every year which means the bulb needs to be dug up and divided.  This needs to be done before spring.

Dahlias came from Central America and Mexico. The Aztecs cultivated dahlias for food and decorative purposes. They are also used for ceremonial purposes. The dahlia is named after Swedish botanist Anders Dahl an 18^th century botanist. It is also the national flower of Mexico.

Grape Vine 2

Almost 2 months after the first post about my grapes, some of the fruit of my grape vine is already ripe. The grape is red in color and very sweet but it has some seeds in it. Other than having seeds, I am happy with the grape vine. It is sweet, juicy and has a very fruity taste.

I harvested at least 5 bunches and after removing the unripe and disfigured grapes, washed and chilled them in the refrigerator. Grapes is a very good and healthy snack.

Most nutritionist and health experts would recommend to consume more of red grapes than green grapes. Red grapes has high content of antioxidants called flavonoids. It is also low on calories and contains nutrients and vitamins like vitamin C and B, copper, manganese an potassium and also high on dietary fiber.

   

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the most common garden fruits in the United States and have the reputation of out-producing the needs of the gardener. Most commercial tomatoes in California are grown under irrigation for use in canning and processing and also for the fresh fruit market.

Basically tomatoes are considered fruit. However since it contains very low sugar compared to most fruits, tomatoes is classified as vegetables.

Tomatoes originated in South America and spread worldwide after the Spanish colonization of the Americas. It is now grown worldwide often in green houses in cooler climates.

The fruit can be harvested ripe or green. Fully ripe tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator but they tend to lose flavor. It is best to store ripe tomatoes at ambient temperature.

With the good climate California, tomatoes are grown extensively. California grown tomatoes accounts for 90% of US production and 30% of world production.

Tomato varieties are divided mostly according to shape and size. Last April I planted 2 cherry tomatoes in pots. I bought the seedlings from a local nursery and they are thriving very well in the pot. Cherry tomatoes are small and round and are generally added in salads and eaten whole.