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Good book for California Gardening

19 years ago

I know we have the wonderful worldwide web but I still like the idea of looking things up in a book. Having moved here from England it dawned on me all my plant books are somewhat irrelevant now. I would love a book(s) that is relevant to houseplant care in California, and also for outdoor plants. 'Full light' from my houseplant book in England does not equate to 'burn the leaves on your plant because you placed it in full July Californian sunlight'!

If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them. I just need growing indoor and outdoor plants in California covered.

Clio

Comments (7)

  • 19 years ago

    There's a good list in the FAQ for this forum. The Pat Welsh book is really excellent to give you an idea about the difference between temperate (UK) and mediterranean (here) gardening.

    I put all my houseplants out on the patio for the summer.

    Here is a link that might be useful: FAQ on CA gardening books.

  • 19 years ago

    Welcome to California! If you're looking for trees to grow outdoors, I suggest "Ornamental Trees for Mediterranean Climates," published by the San Diego Horticultural Society.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ornamental Trees for Mediterranean Climates

  • 19 years ago

    Thanks for the suggestions. I guess I should clarify, I just need books for houseplants and container plants since I live on the 3rd floor and have a balcony only (west facing, scorching hot during the summer).

    Clio

  • 19 years ago

    A few recent books are not on the FAQ (but not about container or indoor gardening):

    California Native Plants for the Garden by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien, 2005, Cachuma Press

    Native Treasures, M. Nevin Smith, 2006, UC Press

    and these books on natives are forthcoming this year or next:

    WIlken and Fross, revision of classic book on ceanothus, Timber Press

    Lester Rowntree, Hardy Californians, UC Press (reprint of a classic)

    Judith Larner Lowry, new book on natural inspirations for landscaping, UC Press

    Glenn Keator and Alrie Middlebrook, book on using plant communities in garden design, UC Press

    Proceedings of the Rancho Santa Ana horticultural symposia no. 4 and 5

  • 19 years ago

    And don't forget the "bible" of CA gardening, the Sunset Western Garden Book.

  • 19 years ago

    Clio,

    I don't know if I've ever seen a climate specific book on growing houseplants, but I'm not sure it's critical either. Indoor relative humidity isn't much different here in summer than anywhere else. Winter humidity levels tend to be higher here because relatively warm air (generally well above freezing) holds more moisture but that's going to be a bonus. You may wish to invest in a light meter. Because our eyes are so efficient at dealing with different light levels, it is impossible for us to judge how bright it is without one.

    I can say that full light here means a south facing window, out of direct sunlight. Some plants will tolerate an east facing window, only a few desert plants can handle full sun through a window here (air doesn't circulate as much indoors as outdoors, even on a still day so plant tissues can heat up dramatically, especially with the higher levels of insolation here).

    Ryan

  • 19 years ago

    Thanks everyone for your input. The light level here is SO different to the UK because we pretty much have overcast grey days every day there, and in London you're in a concrete jungle with buildings all around so most buildings are surrounded by other buildings, blocking out the grey skies. Here we have crystal clear blue skies 95% of the time, plus I'm on the top floor of a complex with no other equally high building so all the light there is comes straight into the apartment. I know what a struggle it was to keep plants alive in London that flourish easily here. So although they are indoor plants there is a great difference to what grows well and what care it needs, depending where you are.

    I'll look into these books - thank you everyone!

    Clio