Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
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The projected temperature for the first week of November 2024 is near the historical average of mid-70s. If November temperatures turn hot again, Chilli thrips may continue to be a problem. Continue to investigate these pests and treat them if found. They attack new growth, buds, and blooms. Left untreated plants are stressed, often shriveling the end buds, or preventing bud formation. The life cycle of Chilli Thrips is short and includes falling to ground and becoming a grub...
I always enjoy looking back to last year's care column for the month. According to https://weathercurrents.com/, the "normal" (multi-year average) for October in Temecula is 82o/54o, but we've all seen some real scorchers every now and then, even this late in the year. So, the watchword is "vigilance" – watch the forecast and make sure to adjust your watering program to be neither stingy nor wasteful. (Your roses will reward you for it!) On that same note, mid-season p...
According to AccuWeather the predicted temperatures in the Temecula Valley for the first week of September are for the mid-high eighties, and the "Real Feel" will be several degrees warmer. Overall, temperatures have been trending higher in the last six years. Stay alert to the water status of your roses as the month progresses and continue to do so until cooler weather. If you're using drip irrigation, run your system in the early evening to give your roses the opportunity...
Summer is certainly upon us. This year has seen record-breaking weather all over the globe; in fact, meteorologists reported that Sunday, July 21, saw the Earth's hottest average temperature ever recorded. Closer to home, experience tells us that it's only going to get hotter before it gets cooler. I didn't need to tell you that at the beginning of August, did I? Since high summer temperatures and less-than-ideal conditions for roses are inevitable for the next couple of...
When it feels as though Mother Nature is out to get gardeners living in the Temecula Valley and other regions that predictably experience hot summers, and the wind parches our skin, we have the luxury of going indoors. Meanwhile, our roses have to just stay put. Roses don't like intense heat any more than most of us do. Their priority is to live. The plant will conserve its resources for roots, canes, leaves and blooms – in that order. When it's hot, roses want lots of w...
It was a wetter than "normal" winter, influenced by the El Niño (warmer waters in the western Pacific). That extra rainfall recharged the soil, aquifers, and reservoirs, setting us up for great growing conditions this year. The long range expectation is for El Niño to weaken and to transition to La Niña conditions, increasing the likelihood of drier conditions for us this coming winter. But June is upon us and we must still be watchful to efficiently manage the amount of water...
This year continued the signs of climate change with above-average rain as well as chaotic weather patterns nationwide along with repeated "atmospheric rivers" throughout California. Rose growth and development are dependent on weather, and flower production is particularly impacted by inconsistent temperatures, sun and water. All of this has made it more difficult for me to predict what to do and when to do it. Typically the first flush of blooms is expected after eight to 10...
March greeted southwest Riverside County with an abundance of fresh new foliage and hopes for beautiful blooms to come. Maybe that's got you wondering: "How can I get better results this year?" Has doing the same thing year after year lived up to your expectations of good roses? Gardening is a partnership between you and your plants: How about letting your garden and your roses "speak" to you? Take a daily walk around your garden and get to know all that lives there. For...
Depending on your location – or more specifically, that of your garden – you may have experienced frost damage to your roses and tender young plants. The thing is, even gardens in the same general vicinity may have different effects due to their prevailing micro-climates. According to AccuWeather, for the first half of March the coldest nighttime temp will be 36 degrees Monday, March 4. The average date for the last frost date is Friday, March 15. Overall, temperatures predict...
Winter in Southern California is usually short and sometimes confusing. For roses and many other plant types, winter is a time of dormancy, resetting the clock and readying resources for a burst of growth in spring. There are a few things you can do to help this process along and get them ready for a great year of rose blooms. Pruning is the most significant of these. If you haven't begun or finished pruning by now, don't fear. There is still plenty of time to have blooms for...
Happy New Year – let's hope for ideal rose growing weather for 2024. We finally got a December with the needed winter chill to help roses have a dormancy period. This month I'm going to help you get ready for the major late-winter pruning you should do in late January to late February. (I'll provide details on pruning in my February column.) To get you started before that, plan to attend a pruning demonstration. Check the newspaper and nursery websites for one in your area. Th...
All projections I have read indicate that we may be entering another period of drought. As gardeners we must be watchful and learn how to efficiently manage the amount of water we apply in our gardens. With summer and the warmer temperatures to come, this will help diminish heat damage (stress) to the plants. I will discuss three strategies here. 1. Deliver water efficiently Installing the most efficient delivery system is one method to save (conserve) water. Learning your...
There were signs of climate change again this year. Temperatures and rainfall patterns differed greatly from last year, with temps lower for longer, and much less rain and spread out over a longer period. Rose growth and development are dependent on weather, and flower production is particularly impacted by inconsistent temperatures, sun and water. All of this has made it more difficult for me to predict what to do and when to do it! The longer time frame for rain and more...
Many gardeners are having – or are about to have – their first flush of blooms. Climate change is influencing the weather and effecting the accustomed pruning schedule. The erratic temperatures also have a bearing on the growth of the plants. Roses didn't stop growing this past winter. I was one of those gardeners who pruned later than I had hoped. Even so, I have buds opening on the bushes that were pruned on schedule. Now the conditions for fungi are present, and rust and/or mildew which will need control with fun...
Location, location, location! Depending on your location – or more specifically, that of your garden – you may have experienced frost damage to your roses and tender young plants recently. Even gardens in the same general vicinity may have different effects due to their prevailing micro-climates. Lately the temperatures have risen in the Temecula Valley which encourages roses to jump into life. They enjoy this weather. A regular schedule for irrigating should already have beg...
In Southern California, winter is usually short and sometimes confusing. Winter for some plant life is a time of withdrawal that precedes renewal. For roses, it is necessary to help them in that process. Now is the time to perform a few procedures to help reset the hormonal clock and get them ready for a great year of rose blooms. That's the main purpose for pruning. According to all accounts and experienced rosarians, the proper time is "late winter." This designation has...
Happy New Year – let's hope this one is an improvement over 2020! This month I'm going to help you get ready for the major late-winter pruning. (I'll provide details on pruning in my February column.) Check Temeculavalleyrosesociety.com to see if there will be a rose care workshop at Rose Haven Heritage Garden (30592 Jedediah Smith Road in Temecula, just a few blocks north off of Temecula Parkway) in January. In our area – the corridor from Riverside to San Diego – this major...
Depending on which side of the canyon you live, the weather has been relatively good for our fall roses. Most areas still haven't had temperatures anywhere near frost. Roses could still be seen actively growing and blooming in many Temecula Valley gardens during the Thanksgiving holiday. The cooling nights will soon cool the soil and reset the roses' biological clock to slow down and go into some kind of dormancy. Roses need a four- to six-week dormancy period during the...
Experiencing a summer of high temperatures, fires, smoke, ash and Santa Ana winds, residents look forward to having some relief. The weather has moderated slightly, and along with the change comes cooler nights with more moisture collecting on leaves. This moisture with the daily accumulation of ash and small dust particles provides a great environment for mildew, rust and black spot on roses. Black spot is the most common and important disease of roses found everywhere roses...
The latest weather report verifies what gardeners suspected: August 2020 was the hottest August on record. We also experienced many 90+ degree days in September. Many areas recorded consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures. These temperatures are way out of the average and made it difficult to adhere to the "normal" schedule of garden activities. October promises to be unsettled too. Beginning with prediction of triple-digit temperatures accompanied by Santa Ana winds,...
I checked the weather projections and learned that temperatures for the next 7-10 days in Southern California are for mid-90s to 115. Add to that higher than normal humidity due to warmer ocean water temperatures. All in all, temperatures are trending higher in the last five years. I advise you to thoroughly hydrate your roses over the next few days to prepare them for the high temps coming and continue to do so until cooler weather. If you are using drip irrigation, run your...
Summer is certainly upon us and, based on past experience, it's only going to get hotter before it gets cooler. I didn't need to tell you that at the beginning of August, did I? Since high summer temperatures and less-than-ideal conditions for roses are inevitable for the next couple of months, let's get ready. Stroll through your gardens in the morning and look for leaf wilt, drying or discoloring of leaves and the general leaf reflectance or surface luster. If it appears...
When it feels as though Mother Nature is out to get gardeners living in the Temecula Valley and other regions that predictably experience hot summers and the wind parches our skin, people have the luxury of going indoors. Meanwhile, their roses have to just stay put. Roses don't like intense heat any more than most people do. Their priority is to live. The plant will conserve its resources for roots, canes, leaves and bloom – in that order. When it's hot, roses want lots of wa...
The past few years of drought experience has made gardeners aware that they must be watchful and learn how to efficiently manage the amount of water they apply in their gardens. Here are a few strategies for delivering water efficiently, keeping water in the soil using mulch and allowing your roses a summer dormancy period. Delivering water efficiently Gardeners must learn to use water efficiently. Installing the most efficient delivery system is one method to save and conserv...
There were signs of climate change again this year. The area had above average rainfall and fluctuations in temps, which was good and bad. It is more difficult to predict what to do and when as I have in past years. The timing and development of growth is dependent on weather, especially a more consistent predictable weather pattern. This year, temperatures and rain fluctuated more than I remember it doing in the past decade. Flower production is impacted greatly by...
