What to Do in the Garden in February

This month can be such a mix of winter weather and false spring, it can make a gardener crazy. Just when a few days of spring-like blue skies and warm temperatures get our hearts beating faster, rainstorms can come crashing back in on us. But let's be thankful for every drop of rain we're getting this year--it's been a long time coming! And let's not let the rains keep us from our gardens! Here's what to focus on this month:

Plan

• Make a list of winter chores that you've yet to accomplish and make a plan of action for getting them done. Prioritize the tasks that must be done when plants are dormant: bare-root planting, transplanting, pruning or spraying.
• Order summer-blooming bulbs from catalogs.
• Make note of areas in the garden that are lacking winter color and consider filling in with winter-blooming natives like ceanothus and manzanita.

What to Do in the Garden in January

I always feel like January is like a reboot of the garden. Time to wipe away whatever didn't work last year or what you may be tired of this year and start fresh. El Nino rains are helping to ease the effects of the drought but they may also be presenting challenges of their own. Let's get busy planning, planting, pruning and more to make this our best garden year!

Plan

• This it the time to think about what you want to accomplish in your garden this year. What problem do you want to solve? What new feature would you like to add? What new plant would you like to try growing? Then take stock of how your garden looks right now--winter is a great time to really see the bones of your garden--and make a plan for how you're going to move closer to having the garden of your dreams.
• If you're going to be growing from seed, you should be reviewing seed catalogs and putting in your orders. But before you order, maybe you better sort through the stock of seeds you already have. Toss out the seed packs that are too old and test the viability of those that are of a questionable age.
• If you still have a lawn, this is a good time to clean and tune-up your lawn mower.
• Shop your local nurseries or mail-order nurseries for bare-root roses and trees.
• Are you seeing areas of soil erosion? Make a note to address these spots by planting groundcovers or taking other action in the spring.

California Month-by-Month Gardening Wins Award!

Great news to share! California Month-by-Month Gardening has received a Silver Award in the Garden Writers Association Media Awards Program! Judges said "If I lived in California I'd want this book. I'm not generally a fan of month by month guides, but this one has tons of great information and very useful, and clear, photography" and "Friendly tone. Consistent and easy-to-follow sections." Have you ordered your copy yet?

Goodreads Members: Enter to Win a Free Copy of California Month-by-Month Gardening

If you're a member of Goodreads, you can enter now to win a free copy of my new book, California Month-by-Month Gardening: What to Do Each Month to Have a Beautiful Garden All Year! You have until December 29th to enter. Two copies will be given away. Don't wait--enter now!

While you're at it, you can follow my Goodreads Author page to keep up on any events I'll be speaking at or radio shows I'll be on. (Hint: The first radio show is coming up this weekend!)

New Release Date for California Month by Month Gardening!

Good news! My publisher has moved up the release date on my next book, California Month by Month Gardening, to December 1st! That means there's plenty of time to get your copies in time for holiday giving.

I'm really excited about this new book! It addresses the concerns of gardeners throughout the state regarding what to plant, when to plant it, and how to grow it. The book helps you plan your garden, plant it, care for it, water it, feed it, and, when problems arise, trouble-shoot it. With hundreds of photos and plenty of step-by-step instructions, it's ideal for new and intermediate gardeners, but even experienced gardeners will find it useful as a means of managing their gardening time and tasks throughout the year.

You can pre-order copies from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other online booksellers, or you can order a signed copy directly from me (and save $2 off the regular price).

To pre-order copies of California Month by Month Gardening (to be released December 1, 2014), click the Buy Now button:

Requested author inscription:

You can also order signed copies of my first book, California Fruit and Vegetable Gardening, directly from me (also at a discounted price). To order California Fruit and Vegetable Gardening, click the Buy Now button below:

Requested author inscription:

Independence Day Sale on California Gardening Books and a Giveaway!

My publisher, Cool Springs Press (owned by Quarto Publishing Group USA), is having a sale! All books ordered from Quarto's QBookShop website are 35% off when you enter the promo code STARS4. That brings the price of California Fruit and Vegetable Gardening down to $14.94! You can also pre-order my next book, California Month-by-Month Gardening (to be released at the end of the year), at the discounted price of $16.24! You can apply that discount to any items on the site, which in addition to all of CSP's gardening books include many other publishing imprints and a wide assortment of topics. This sale is on until Sunday, July 13.


I'm planning on spending some of my holiday gardening and in honor of our national holiday, I'm going to give away one copy of California Fruit and Vegetable Gardening along with some other gardening goodies: a pair of Corona ComfortGEL Veggie & Fruit Shears, Pre de Provence Bergamot Tea Gardener Hand Soap, L'Occitane Creme Mains Hand Cream, and a few packs of veggie and herb seeds, all in a canvas tote that you can use to carry your harvest in from the garden (total value: more than $75). To enter, leave a comment below with your email address by Sunday, July 13 at midnight. (Note: You must leave your email address to be eligible to win!) I'll draw one name at random and announce the winner on Monday, July 14.

Good luck!

Updated 7/14/14: This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Zach.

Pre-Order "California Month-by-Month Gardening"

Here's some good news I can share: My second book, California Month-by-Month Gardening, is available for pre-ordering at Amazon.com!

I slaved over worked on this book most of last year and the early part of this year and I'm happy to see it moving toward its release in December (just in time for Christmas gifting--hint, hint!).

This book devotes a full month to each chapter, guiding you along  with the tasks you should be doing in your garden including planning, planting, caring, watering, fertilizing, and problem-solving. It covers the major plant and garden categories of annuals, bulbs, edibles, houseplants, lawn,  perennials, roses, shrubs, trees, vines and groundcovers, and water gardens and is heavily illustrated with full-color photos. This book is great for new and intermediate gardeners or any gardener who has relocated to or within California.

And here's a question for you: What do you think of the cover? I'd love your feedback!