How to Find the Best Day Lily and Iris Plants in Southern California

It’s late fall, almost winter and living in Southern California means that I can still install landscape designs for my fabulous clients. Thanksgiving has gone and although there are plenty of things to spend money frivolously on people’s budgets today beg for a good value for the hard earned money we have. So this week I am spending time with a wonderful client, Jeannie as we spruce up her already beautiful home by clearing away the weeds and putting in a beautiful, colorful, medium maintenance garden design. We have spent a good deal of time together and she knows that she is going to have to ask for help occasionally and that I am here for her questions.

Monday was the main nursery selection day, and although it was windy – it was beautiful weather and my cart driver and plant puller Freddie was a great help at the growing grounds. I am so lucky to have great people to work with at all the nurseries that I visit.



Yesterday was however my favorite plant pick up day. I have the good fortune of having found Greenwood Day Lily Gardens in Somis, CA. and use them whenever possible. They have the best day lily, iris, canna, and pelargoniums (to name a few) plants around and the drive out to Somis is awesome! Cruising out the 126 with KCRW on the radio, I am in heaven.



It is a stress free beautiful trip and I arrive at my destination relaxed and happy. I am glad to note that John (owner of Greenwood) has his fall piles of mulch ready to be spread around his fields. He is a big proponent of twice yearly mulching and his plants certainly are happier for it.



After a visit with Javier and his pal Bon Bon, I’m headed back home.



But as I pull out of the driveway I spy some beautiful horses walking down a ridge, so I decided to visit. Some of them are quite friendly and I am happy to see that although they may flatten their ears at one another, they are inquisitive enough to see if I might have some food.



After a few minutes petting them and visiting, I am back on the road with my beautiful load of Day Lily, Iris, Geraniums, and a few Pelargoniums that I can use as gifts.

I am SO lucky to be able to spend two hours in the car and actually enjoy every minute of it!

How to Pick Trees for Fall Color (and other things to do in November)

November is a great time to add trees to your landscape. Especially deciduous trees with fall color. You can pick trees now, because as you shop for them you will see what they look like in full fall color. Each tree has a slight variation in color and now is the best time to see what the colors of a specific tree are! A planting tip to think about...Remember to support trees in windy areas.



A few other things to do

Use a bloom-booster fertilizer on cool-season flowering annuals to keep them blooming, and if you have Plumeria or other May - July flowering plants you can add some to them too.

If you have a fall/winter crop of vegetables treat them weekly with water-soluble fertilizer only if you did not add slow-release fertilizer at planting time.

Remember... organic is better for our environment! Plants won't know the difference, but the planet will!

What to do in the Garden in October/November

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting cooler, so you need to make the most of your gardening time. Here is a list of some things that you should be doing in your garden now.

Plant cool-season herbs - chives & parsley & pot up summer herbs & bring into the kitchen.
Plant seeds for cool weather veggies - send me an email if you want a list. Make sure to treat vegetables with slow-release fertilizer at planting.

Dig & divide flowering perennials & ground cover - lily turf, irises, agapanthus,and day lily

Trim evergreen shrubs - remove & replace overgrown shrubs if necessary

Clean up around fruit trees and discard split fruit check those berries and remove raspbery and blackberry plant canes.

Mulch over tender bulbs (cannas, caladiums, dahlias, tuberous begonias & gladioli)

WATERING NOTE: Up to 80 percent of residential water use goes to maintaining our yards. Is your irrigation system running every day? That’s too much! Try taking a day off the timer, preferably the same day the lawn is mowed, and watch the health of your yard improve. If that day is off already… take another one off.

Plant annuals - ageratum, begonia, petunia, sweet alyssum, pansies for winter color

Now is time for the last fertilizer application of the year--including your lawn! Be sure to take this opportunity to fertilize. Make sure to feed citrus trees with a citrus fertilizer at a rate of 1 pound per food of tree spread

Fertilizer Note for Palm Trees, shrubs, and ornamentals:

Slow-release fertilizers provide a steady supply of nutrients for the plants over a long period of time. The primary advantage of a slow release fertilizer is the convenience. In general, slow release fertilizers do not need to be applied as often as water-soluble fertilizers. The optimum fertilizer regimen is three applications per year: once in early spring, once in early summer, and once in late fall. Use a balanced fertilizer (equal numbers) with micro-nutrients.

Add a thin layer of compost to just about everything - your houseplants & lawn included!



"If you are not killing plants, you are not really stretching yourself as a gardener."
~ J. C. Raulston