Anawalt Gardening & Tool Tips
LA’s typically mild climate affords the luxury of year-round gardening, but unpredictable dips in temperature can ruin a garden or landscape unless you take precautions.
That exotic-looking plant in your neighbor’s yard is actually a banana export from South Africa, a country known for bizarrely beautiful flora and large carnivorous animals.
Bird of paradise showcases a gaudy blossom that resembles a bird in flight, hence its name. Southern California’s mild climate is perfect for cultivating this tropical beauty.
Staining protects wood’s natural beauty. It highlights the grain, adds depth, and shields the material from sunlight, moisture, and wear. Your choice of wood stain and the quality of your application can dramatically alter the look and feel of the finished piece.
A poorly executed stain job can be blotchy, uneven, or worse — it can ruin your project altogether.
Does life have you tied in knots? Try Zen. No, you don’t have to withdraw to a mountaintop retreat when you can build a Zen garden instead.
A Zen garden won’t solve your troubles but can help you find tranquility in a hectic and demanding world.
You haven’t even started painting, and already you’re paralyzed with indecision.
It’s the paradox of choice — too many options shut down your brain, and you walk away buying nothing.
But selecting house paint — apart from the potential landmine of color — is much easier if you understand a few basics.
Flowering trees do more than beautify.
They lower ambient temperatures and reduce cooling costs, and attract pollinating insects like bees and butterflies. Some species are drought-resistant and flourish with minimal care.Â
What’s the showiest flower of them all?
It might be the dahlia, with its extravagant and intricate blossoms, extraordinary color variety, and long blooming season.
Dahlias are native to Mexico and Central America, where the Aztecs cultivated them for their edible tubers.
Marigolds come from Central America, particularly Mexico, where they’ve been cultivated for centuries. They hold cultural significance in festivals like Mexico’s DÃa de los Muertos and India’s Diwali.
They’re incredibly versatile, growing in a wide range of climates and conditions. Â
Originally from the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, pothos grows wild in Southeast Asia and Australia. It prefers shady, forested areas where it can climb trees and cover the forest floor. Understanding its natural habitat can help you replicate these conditions at home.
The hammer, one of the first tools in human history and descended from a lowly rock, is now highly specialized and employed in various tasks from construction to crafting to animal care.
Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region. Its name comes from the Latin words ros (dew) and marinus (sea), meaning “dew of the sea.” Ancient Greeks and Romans considered rosemary a symbol of remembrance, love, and fidelity.
In the kitchen, it’s an essential seasoning for stuffing, roasted potatoes, focaccia, braised vegetables, and more.
Painting plastic opens a world of creative possibilities. As you unleash your inner Michelangelo, you’re also doing a good deed — like keeping that old, faded plastic lawn furniture out of the landfill.
Fresh paint can revive old patio furniture, upgrade home decor, or add a personality to the models on your shelf.
Native to China, persimmons have been cultivated for over 2,000 years. The trees were introduced to the United States in the mid-1800s and have since become common in gardens nationwide.
Southern California presents the right blend of sunlight, mild temperatures, and soil fertility.
A bit of epoxy paint can transform your dingy garage floor into a durable, beautiful, and functional foundation for your future man cave.
You’ll have a high-gloss stain-resistant finish that adds value to your home and expands your living space.
Carrots were introduced to Europe by the 12th century but were not widely consumed until the Middle Ages. Other root vegetables, like parsnips, were more popular at the time.
Today, the humble carrot is a key ingredient in almost every salad, veggie platter, and stew. And, of course, it has a starring role in every Bugs Bunny cartoon.
The tulip hails from the cool mountain slopes of Kazakhstan.
It was introduced to the Netherlands in the early 1600s and quickly became a wealth and social status symbol. Tulip Mania followed, involving the speculative buying and selling of tulip bulbs.
As demand grew, so did the prices. People invested heavily in rare tulip varieties.