Summer is in full swing in San Diego gardens, and it’s the perfect time to keep both you and your plants hydrated and comfortable. If the heat lingers, why not take a moment to step back and think ahead? Planning for winter color or considering some design updates could be just what your garden needs to stay vibrant year-round.
Add Winter and Spring Color to Your San Diego Garden
This is a good time to start sweet pea seeds for winter color. If you get the seeds in the ground this month, they may start blooming as early as December. For quicker germination, soak the seeds overnight before planting.
Feathery cassia, feathery senna, Baja fairy duster, aloe, manzanita and ceanothus are a few more plants that flower in winter and have the added bonus of being drought resistant.
Look for bearded iris rhizomes and paperwhites in nurseries along with South African bulbs, like freesias and sparaxis. They naturalize easily and will bring winter and spring bloom to your yard. Other winter bloomers that do well in my yard are rosemary, grevillea, Mexican bush marigold and bird of paradise.
Water Usage
I heard water rates might be going up again, so it’s a good time to make sure you’re not using more than you need. Here are some easy ways to keep your garden looking great in the summer heat without running up your water bill:
- Dump the Lawn — lawns are lovely and fun to run around on, but if you don’t really need your lawn, it might be time to remove it. And please don’t replace it with synthetic grass or artificial turf. It’s hot and just adds to a warming environment. The plastic, nylon and other synthetic materials it’s made up of may contain toxins and be a source of microplastics. Plus, it doesn’t support habitat for birds, pollinators or soil microbes.
- Switch to Efficient Irrigation Systems — If you’re still using sprinklers, there are new, rotating heads that deliver water more effectively. Better yet, swap out your sprinkler system with a water-saving, drip system. Drip irrigation saves even more water by delivering it slowly and directly to the root zone with far less waste.
- Check for Leaks — check for leaking pipes, broken sprinkler heads or leaks in a drip system.
- Mulch — this will help retain water in the soil that your plants can use. It will also reduce weed growth and improve your soil. If you’re using drip irrigation, place your irrigation line on the soil but below the mulch.
- Add Rain Barrels — Rain barrels catch the rain that falls on your roof via your gutters and store it so you can use it later during our dry season.
- Update Your Irrigation Controller — get a smart controller that will automatically adjust irrigation as needs change.
- Use More Low-Water and Native Plants — native plants, other than riparian natives, need less supplemental water especially during the summer because they are adapted to our wet-winter, dry-summer climate. Plants from similar climates can also thrive with less water. And you don’t have to just plant succulents. There are plenty of lush, flowering plants and trees that look great in San Diego gardens.
Landscape Design Help
Dreaming of a beautiful, water-smart yard but not sure where to begin? These helpful resources, many of them free or low-cost, can get you started.
- San Diego County Water Authority Landscape Makeover Classes and Videos
- San Diego County Water Authority Residential Rebates & Programs
- San Diego County Water Authority Residential Watersmart Resources including a guide to water-smart landscape, Nifty 50 Plants for WaterSmart Landscapes, and guidelines for sustainable landscapes
- Tree of Life Nursery online resources including design and planning
- Calscape, a project of the California Native Plant Society, has design ideas, landscape professional information and more
- Calscape virtual garden guide
- California Native Plant Society design basics
- The Water Conservation Garden low-cost design sessions
- Association of Professional Landscape Designers Find a Designer
- American Society of Landscape Architects San Diego
- California Landscape Contractors Association San Diego Chapter
- San Diego Horticultural Society
- Master Gardener Association of San Diego County has programs, resources, problem solving and a blog
- Some local nurseries also have landscape designers you can work with
San Diego Gardens Tips Source
A lot of information for San Diego Gardens comes from the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County. They are a great resource for all of your gardening needs including planting, pests, vegetables, and water use. They even have a free hotline where you can get your home gardening and pest control problems answered.