Anawalt Gardening & Tool Tips
Hollyhocks are typically biennials, meaning they grow foliage in their first year and bloom in their second. However, in favorable conditions, many hollyhocks act more like perennials, returning year after year.
Their tall spikes can rise to 6–8 feet and are adorned with large, funnel-shaped flowers in colors ranging from soft pastels to bright jewel tones.
Air temperatures can drop by 5°F to 15°F under the canopy of a mature shade tree.
Shade also benefits plants in your garden and can significantly lower AC bills. So stop complaining about the heat and start planting trees!
Balcony gardening dates back to Ancient Rome, where affluent citizens adorned their villas with hanging and potted plants on upper floors.
The trend re-emerged during the Industrial Revolution as cities grew more congested, prompting residents to reclaim small outdoor spaces for personal greenery.
Plants release water vapor from stomata in their leaves, and this natural cooling moderates urban heat island effects, especially in densely built areas.
If plants lack water during extreme heatwaves, their canopy temperatures can rise above ambient air temperatures due to transpiration inefficiency.
Annual heat waves in LA have nearly tripled since the 1980s. They also last longer.
Inadequate nighttime cooling stresses vulnerable populations and limits the body’s ability to recover. It also wreaks havoc on outdoor plants.
Is there a perfect fruit?
It might be the dragon fruit, a Central American native that tastes like a cross between a kiwi and a pear or melon.
White-fleshed varieties are milder and refreshing. Red and purple-fleshed varieties are sweeter and sometimes have hints of berry or grape.
Pansies trace to 19th-century Europe. Bred from wild violets (Viola tricolor), these garden staples were developed for their unique “faces” and bold color patterns.
Over time, hybridization produced the wide variety of sizes and hues we see today.
Chalkboard paint is specially formulated to produce a writable and erasable surface.
Once the paint has cured, you can write or draw on it with chalk or special markers and wipe it clean when ready to start fresh. Kids love it because they can be “naughty” with permission.
Prolonged exposure to temperatures above 95°F can cause leaf scorch, wilting, and sunburn in sensitive plants like lettuce, ferns, hydrangeas, and impatiens.
Once leaf tissue is scorched or sunburned, it doesn’t recover, even when temperatures cool.
Mitigating wildfire danger starts with your property.
While nothing can protect a home from a raging inferno, fire-resistant landscape design can delay a fire’s spread and shield against smaller threats.
California seems an unlikely candidate for growing traditional pear trees, which need long, cold winters to thrive. But newer low-chill varieties are well-suited to warmer climates, and, in fact, California is the third-largest pear-producing state in the USA.
So what’s stopping you, pear lover?
The name “snapdragon” derives from the flower’s resemblance to a dragon’s mouth, which opens and closes when you gently squeeze the sides.
The flower boasts a wide array of colors, including rare shades like green and bronze. Some varieties display bicolor combinations, adding to their appeal in gardens and floral arrangements.
Some apricot tree can grow to 30 feet and bear up to 300 pounds of fruit per season for 20 to 30 years.
The “Armenian Apple” also produces valuable fine-grained wood to craft musical instruments like recorders, flutes, and clarinets. And the fruit is a rich source of vitamin A, potassium, and antioxidants.
The color of your bedroom has a surprising impact on the quality of your sleep.
Color psychology plays a role in your choice of bedroom paint, whether deliberate or subconscious. This blog explains how to align your color selection with your goals.
California accounts for 75% of the nation’s total fruit output. Most of that fruit grows in the Central Valley, but your SoCal yard has a similar favorable climate, fertile soil, and a long growing season.
What’s stopping you from planting limes, lemons, or even apples?
Embrace the turnip in your garden and kitchen.
Turnips may not be as flashy as tomatoes or as sexy as Romanesco. Still, these humble root vegetables are nutritious and fast-growing, and they offer a dual harvest of tender greens and flavorful roots.
While historically popular in temperate areas, modern plum varieties thrive in Southern California’s Mediterranean climate.
Plums also need a certain number of chill hours (between 32°F and 45°F) to set fruit, but many varieties are well-suited to low chill conditions.
Do you love flowers but hate weeding, watering, and replanting every spring?
Native California flowers may be the answer. These drought-tolerant, resilient blooms are perfectly adapted to Southern California’s climate, meaning less water, less effort, and a big payoff of vibrant colors and flourishing greenery