California Gardener's March Checklist
Give natives and tropicals a well-deserved spotlight — plus, discover an easy herb that keeps on giving
March won't be the same around my garden this year. After somewhere between 10 and 20 years, our Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman' went out in blaze of blue glory. Every spring you could count on two or three weeks of a mass of the brightest, deepest blue, as big as two or three SUVs. Native bees and birds came out of nowhere to feast on it. Ceanothus grow quickly and don't live long — mine was a centenarian in ceanothus years. I think of it as one of those gardening trade-offs: quick and beautiful versus slow and steady.
March is a great time to admire and plant ceanothus or other California natives — or just about anything else, for that matter. Cool spring weather gets plants off to a gentle start. With warm weather not far off, you can start planting for summer — even including tomatoes in climates that heat up early. After a recent trip to Hawaii, I'm already dreaming of summer and thinking about island inspirations to create a colorful, relaxing outdoor space, as you'll see below.
March is a great time to admire and plant ceanothus or other California natives — or just about anything else, for that matter. Cool spring weather gets plants off to a gentle start. With warm weather not far off, you can start planting for summer — even including tomatoes in climates that heat up early. After a recent trip to Hawaii, I'm already dreaming of summer and thinking about island inspirations to create a colorful, relaxing outdoor space, as you'll see below.
Everything looks better in black. Before the world-class resorts and golf courses, much of the west coast of the Big Island of Hawaii consisted of moonscape lava fields and no surface water — you think your garden has bad soil! Imported topsoil, an abundant underground water supply and tropical plants from around the world have created lush tropical gardens and amazing displays of foliage and flowers — all the more striking when set off by the black and dark brown backdrop of the remaining lava fields and the stonework used in the landscaping.
Many of the same plants are easy to grow in California, although they always seem to look more vivid on the islands. These include such basic plants as oleander, plumbago and bird-of-paradise. Plumeria, the favorite lei flower shown here, can be grown on the mainland — if you're an experimentally minded, painstaking gardener (not me).
Bougainvillea and hibiscus, shown farther below, are best bets for that Hawaii feeling in your summer garden. Remember as you choose pots, walls and backgrounds for them how good they look with black.
Many of the same plants are easy to grow in California, although they always seem to look more vivid on the islands. These include such basic plants as oleander, plumbago and bird-of-paradise. Plumeria, the favorite lei flower shown here, can be grown on the mainland — if you're an experimentally minded, painstaking gardener (not me).
Bougainvillea and hibiscus, shown farther below, are best bets for that Hawaii feeling in your summer garden. Remember as you choose pots, walls and backgrounds for them how good they look with black.
A deck with a view. You don't need a see-all-the-way-to-Japan vista for a view deck to make sense in your garden. This remarkably simple deck, with room for a couple chairs and a small table, is on a beach in Hawaii, but it would work almost anywhere as a retreat or getaway in a garden corner with or without a view. It is just a square, two-level platform built of 2-by-6s and 2-by-8s.
Hawaii in a pot. On the Big Island, you see bougainvillea, orginally from South America, everywhere — climbing through trees, as a hedge or ground cover, as a scraggly survivor fluttering purple flashes in a lava field. In California bougainvillea is easy to grow, usually as a vine, but it's sensitive to hard frosts. A great spot is in a container, where you can provide plenty of sun and winter shelter (under an eave may be enough).
Plant bougainvillea in a pot now and you can have a showy display by midsummer. It's best to choose one of the compact varieties such, as 'Singapore Pink', 'Temple Fire' or 'Purple Queen'. When planting, take special care not to break up the root ball — plants are sensitive about this.
Botanical name: Bougainvillea, many varieties
USDA zones: 9 to 11
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: Vining types can reach 30 feet; compact types, 2 to 6 feet tall
Growing tips: Vines need support to climb; tie branches to a trellis or wall. Prune in spring after the frost. Keep plants bushy by cutting back stringy stems during growing season. For top bloom, keep container soil on the dry side.
Plant bougainvillea in a pot now and you can have a showy display by midsummer. It's best to choose one of the compact varieties such, as 'Singapore Pink', 'Temple Fire' or 'Purple Queen'. When planting, take special care not to break up the root ball — plants are sensitive about this.
Botanical name: Bougainvillea, many varieties
USDA zones: 9 to 11
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: Vining types can reach 30 feet; compact types, 2 to 6 feet tall
Growing tips: Vines need support to climb; tie branches to a trellis or wall. Prune in spring after the frost. Keep plants bushy by cutting back stringy stems during growing season. For top bloom, keep container soil on the dry side.
Another Hawaiian icon in a pot. Originally from tropical Asia, hibiscus is irresistible in Hawaii. In California's milder climates, it makes a fine medium-size evergreen shrub. It's also a perfect summer container plant. Start now with nursery plants in bud or already blooming and you should have flowers from spring through fall.
Botanical name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
USDA zones: 10 to 11
Water requirement: Moderate or more; don't let the soil dry out
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 8 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide in California gardens
Growing tips: Good choices for pots include 'Erin Rachel' as well as members of the Breeze series or Luau series, generally reaching 2 to 3 feet.
Botanical name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
USDA zones: 10 to 11
Water requirement: Moderate or more; don't let the soil dry out
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 8 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide in California gardens
Growing tips: Good choices for pots include 'Erin Rachel' as well as members of the Breeze series or Luau series, generally reaching 2 to 3 feet.
Quick privacy screen? Back in California my daughter-in-law asked me for ideas for a quick privacy screen for her front yard and answered her own question. She likes redwoods. Yes, they're fast, easy to grow, evocative (they smell like the forest) and story making (tell kids that redwoods are the world's tallest trees).
She said, "We don't plan to live here that long. What happens when the trees get full size?" That's really a question for The Ethicist in the New York Times Sunday magazine. But I say, go ahead with redwoods if suited for your area. For a screen, plant the trees 8 feet apart. Make sure they won't impinge on the neighbors' views, steal moisture from their lawns or otherwise interfere with their landscapes.
You'll need an irrigation system to keep the soil moist year-round. Expect 3 to 5 feet of growth per year at first, then a slower pace. The trees shown here, about 15 years old, are about 35 feet tall. Underneath them a row of English laurel provides additional screening.
Botanical name: Sequoia sempervirens
USDA zones: 8 to 9
Water requirement: Moderate or more
Light requirement: Full sun (light shade is OK)
Mature size: 70 feet tall or more and up to 30 feet wide
Growing tips: Start with 15-gallon or larger nursery plants if you're in a big hurry. Dig a huge planting hole, at least 6 inches wider and deeper than the root ball, and incorporate plenty of soil amendments.
She said, "We don't plan to live here that long. What happens when the trees get full size?" That's really a question for The Ethicist in the New York Times Sunday magazine. But I say, go ahead with redwoods if suited for your area. For a screen, plant the trees 8 feet apart. Make sure they won't impinge on the neighbors' views, steal moisture from their lawns or otherwise interfere with their landscapes.
You'll need an irrigation system to keep the soil moist year-round. Expect 3 to 5 feet of growth per year at first, then a slower pace. The trees shown here, about 15 years old, are about 35 feet tall. Underneath them a row of English laurel provides additional screening.
Botanical name: Sequoia sempervirens
USDA zones: 8 to 9
Water requirement: Moderate or more
Light requirement: Full sun (light shade is OK)
Mature size: 70 feet tall or more and up to 30 feet wide
Growing tips: Start with 15-gallon or larger nursery plants if you're in a big hurry. Dig a huge planting hole, at least 6 inches wider and deeper than the root ball, and incorporate plenty of soil amendments.
If you can grow only one herb. Common sage, also called garden sage, is easy to grow, lasts for several years and can provide you with all the fresh leaves you'll need for chicken, turkey, veal and pasta dishes. Squeeze a sage plant into a flower border or a vegetable garden, or try one or two small plants in a pot. You can grow it as an annual, like basil, or let it keep going through winter for several years. Cutting fresh leaves as needed is the best way to keep the plant bushy and compact.
Botanical name: Salvia officinalis
USDA zones: 5 to 8
Water requirement: Light
Light requirement: Full sun, or partial shade in hot climates
Mature size: 1 foot to 3 feet tall and 12 to 18 inches wide
Growing tips: Control size and enourage bushiness with regular pinching back of tips during the growing season. Don't try to cut the plant back to the ground; it may not come back.
Botanical name: Salvia officinalis
USDA zones: 5 to 8
Water requirement: Light
Light requirement: Full sun, or partial shade in hot climates
Mature size: 1 foot to 3 feet tall and 12 to 18 inches wide
Growing tips: Control size and enourage bushiness with regular pinching back of tips during the growing season. Don't try to cut the plant back to the ground; it may not come back.
Made for California. Today you can choose from hundreds of sage relatives, including dozens of native Salvias and tons of new varieties, annuals and perennials, in white, yellow, red, deepest blue and purple. My favorite, Mexican bush sage, has been around a long time — you see it often in California mission gardens. It is easy to grow, needs little water or care, and seems to bloom every day of the year (actually, more like from Presidents Day to Thanksgiving). Grow Mexican sage for a blast of purple in borders, in a row as a loose sort of low hedge, in an herb garden, at the edge of a vegetable garden or in other casual, dryish places. It's kind of sprawly and not a plant for formal situations.
Botanical name: Salvia leucantha
USDA zones: 7 to 9
Water requirement: Light
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide
Growing tips: To control size and shape, cut back stems almost to the ground in early spring.
Botanical name: Salvia leucantha
USDA zones: 7 to 9
Water requirement: Light
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide
Growing tips: To control size and shape, cut back stems almost to the ground in early spring.
What Else to Do in March in Your California Garden
This is a great time to get out in the garden. There's much to plant — from a grand finale of cool-season flowers and vegetables (such as escarole, shown) to an early show from summer heat lovers.
Get ready to plant. Prepare flower and vegetable beds by adding at least 2 or 3 inches of organic matter, along with a complete fertilizer, and dig it all in to a depth of 10 inches or so. For big shrubs and trees, take the time to dig a substantial planting hole — at least several inches wider and deeper than the plant's root ball. Do advance work to make sure the soil is moist enough. For hard, dryish soil that's tough to work, start by digging as deep as you can and fill the hole with water, let it soak in and then refill it; repeat this over a couple of days until you can push your spade to the desired depth.
Last chance for cool-season performers. In cooler coastal climates, there's still time to put in winter-spring performers: annual flowers such as pansies, Iceland poppies, stock and violas; and vegetables such as lettuce (quick-maturing varieties), spinach and other cool-season crops.
Finish bare-root planting. Early in the month, you can still plant bare-root roses, fruit trees, berries and such.
Start planting warm-weather flowers and vegetables. In inland climates where the weather heats up early, especially in Southern California, plant marigolds, petunias, lobelia and other warm-weather annuals. Also set out or sow seeds of beans, squash and other summer crops; you can plant tomatoes if the danger of frost has passed. Closer to the coast or the San Francisco Bay, wait until warmer weather in April for most heat lovers.
Start drought-resistant perennials. While the weather is still relatively cool, it's a good time to set out penstemon, artemisia, catmint (nepeta), sage, coreopsis and other perennials that need little water; they can establish themselves before hot weather.
Feeding time. Scatter, sprinkle or spray all-purpose food for shrubs, trees and ground covers — ideally before the main surge of spring growth. Feed roses after pruning. Feed camellias after bloom.
Watch for pests. Aphids are fond of succulent new growth. Start with gentle methods such as washing them off with a blast of water from the hose. As a next step, move on to organically based sprays.
More regional garden guides
This is a great time to get out in the garden. There's much to plant — from a grand finale of cool-season flowers and vegetables (such as escarole, shown) to an early show from summer heat lovers.
Get ready to plant. Prepare flower and vegetable beds by adding at least 2 or 3 inches of organic matter, along with a complete fertilizer, and dig it all in to a depth of 10 inches or so. For big shrubs and trees, take the time to dig a substantial planting hole — at least several inches wider and deeper than the plant's root ball. Do advance work to make sure the soil is moist enough. For hard, dryish soil that's tough to work, start by digging as deep as you can and fill the hole with water, let it soak in and then refill it; repeat this over a couple of days until you can push your spade to the desired depth.
Last chance for cool-season performers. In cooler coastal climates, there's still time to put in winter-spring performers: annual flowers such as pansies, Iceland poppies, stock and violas; and vegetables such as lettuce (quick-maturing varieties), spinach and other cool-season crops.
Finish bare-root planting. Early in the month, you can still plant bare-root roses, fruit trees, berries and such.
Start planting warm-weather flowers and vegetables. In inland climates where the weather heats up early, especially in Southern California, plant marigolds, petunias, lobelia and other warm-weather annuals. Also set out or sow seeds of beans, squash and other summer crops; you can plant tomatoes if the danger of frost has passed. Closer to the coast or the San Francisco Bay, wait until warmer weather in April for most heat lovers.
Start drought-resistant perennials. While the weather is still relatively cool, it's a good time to set out penstemon, artemisia, catmint (nepeta), sage, coreopsis and other perennials that need little water; they can establish themselves before hot weather.
Feeding time. Scatter, sprinkle or spray all-purpose food for shrubs, trees and ground covers — ideally before the main surge of spring growth. Feed roses after pruning. Feed camellias after bloom.
Watch for pests. Aphids are fond of succulent new growth. Start with gentle methods such as washing them off with a blast of water from the hose. As a next step, move on to organically based sprays.
More regional garden guides
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Botanical name: Ceanothus 'Ray Hartman'
USDA zones: 9 to 11
Water requirement: Light; no irrigation needed for mature plants
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 10 to 20 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide
Growing tips: Make sure the soil is well drained. Water new plants regularly for the first growing season, then taper off; mature plants usally need no additional irrigation. Train it into a small tree by pruning the lower branches off the main trunk — starting with a young nursery plant. Don't expect a long life.