Hort Committee Visits Silver Lake Farms
On March 10, 2009, Committee chair Rosie Juda led a small contingent to visit urban farmer Tara Kolla. It was an amazing trip. Kolla creates exquisite flower bouquets from her organically grown, fresh cut flowers at the Silver Lake farmers market. HPGC members toured her home and her secondary site atop Silver Lake filled with ranunculas and sweet peas. A seasoned member of the club remarked this was the best field trip she has ever attended!

Click here to see the slides. 

Rare But Garden Worthy Plants for Los Angeles Gardens. 

Judy Horton, garden designer & HPGC member, advises that while she does not have a source for any of these plants they are worth looking for and will add interest to any garden in the Los Angeles area:

1. Helleborus foetidus STINKING HELLEBORE
2. Polypodium aureum ‘Glauca’  BLUE FERN
3. Vitis californica ‘Roger’s Red’ RED CALIFORNIA
4. GRAPEEupatorium sordidum NCN (No Common Name)
5. Haemanthus albiflos   NCN
   
   
   September 2008 Horticulture Notes From Judy Horton:
   
   Gardening for the Health of Your Trees -- In the case of trees, what not to do in the garden is more important than what to do.
   
   Here are the basics:
   • If the tree is healthy, leave it alone. Trees hate change.
   • Always use a certified arborist for any tree care
   • Mature trees do not need supplemental water except in times of drought or fertilizer unless to correct a deficiency and administered by a certified arborist.
   • Know the tree's growing season.
   • Check with a soil probe* during times of drought, if the soil is bone dry, irrigate with a soaker hose to the depth of at least 12" doing the tree's growing season.
   • The root crown (base of trunk) is a vulnerable area. Never leave dirt, debris or mulch piled against the trunk and do not allow water to collect on the or near the root crown.
   • Do not till soil or plant anything other than ground cover under the drip line.
   • Keep lawn and groundcover well away from the trunk.
   • Tree roots are in the top 12-24" of soil and extend well beyond the drip line (the outermost area of the tree canopy (foliage).
   • Protect your trees during construction following the advice of a certified arborist. Construction anywhere in the root area can cause harm. The harm comes from soil compaction due to heavy equipment; mechanical injury of roots, trunks or branches; change of grade either exposing roots or suffocating them by raising soil level.

If a tree shows stress such as change in color or the dying of some branches call a certified arborist for diagnosis. Unfortunately by the time that stress is visible it is often too late. Damage during construction or during drought may not show up for 2-3 years and by then it may be impossible to reverse.