DRAIN SYSTEMS:
The most important task in fall per Esteban Casimiro (Garden View Landscape Maintenance Supervisor) is to prepare for the rainy season; check swales on hills, clean obstructions, and check drains. Protect hillsides and use common sense to check for issues that may create slope erosion. Check all sump pumps, gutters, and drains.

SPLIT PLANTS (left):
It is a good time to dig up and split overgrown perennials that grow in clumps such as Clivia, Iris, Agapanthus, Gingers, Daylilies, Bird of Paradise, etc.

DECIDUOUS TYPE DAYLILIES (right):
Cut to 4", fertilize and put in snail bait.

BIRD OF PARADISE - Strelitzia reginae (left):
remove stems after flowers have faded. With some care you can split and plant new clumps.

IVY GERANIUM (right) responds well to some trimming this month. Feed with a balanced fertilizer. Continue to progressively prune on all types of Geranium. Cut back Geranium sanguin if you have not done it yet.

PLANT WINTER ANNUALS-SPRING COLORS (left):
Set out soon, calendulas, pansies, Iceland poppies, and primroses could be blooming for the holidays. Also look for these in cell-packs or 4 inch pots; bedding begonias, candytuft, Chrysanthemum multicaule, C. paludosum, delphinium, dianthus, foxglove, lobelia, penstemon, phlox, snapdragon, stock, pansy and viola. Along the coast, include calceolaria, cineraria, nemesia, and schizanthus.

SANTA BARBARA DAISY - Erigeron karvinskianus (right):
Cut back and fertilize it after it finishes blooming. Garden View Crews usually do this twice a year. This is a great low growing creeping ground cover that is water wise.

TRIM IMPATIENS (left):
Impatiens are generally treated as warm season annuals in Southern California. Trimming Impatiens down to 3"-4" above the ground while the weather is still warm may help impatiens survive or look better during winter months. Impatiens will often survive through the winter in protected areas but even if they survive they usually become leggy and unattractive, showing a lot of stem and very little leaf and flower. The cold weather usually kills the layer of leaf on top of the already leggy plant, this exposes just bare stems. By trimming the impatiens before the cold winter hits the plant sends out a new flush of leaves that are more resistant to the cold and have more layers, so if one layer of leaves gets damaged from frost the next layer still looks acceptable. The trimming may make the impatiens unattractive for a short time but the longer life of the plant should make this short inconvenience worthwhile.

RHAPHIOLEPIS (right):
Do not trim until after their spring blooms. Most varieties of these low water need, disease and pest resistant plants are compact growers needing little pruning.

JERUSALEM SAGE -Phlomis fruticosa (left):
about half in fall to keep them compact. This plant will produce waves of color in spring and summer if cut back lightly after each flowering.

CUT BACK CHRYSANTHEMUMS (right):
When plants have finished blooming, cut them back to within 6 or 8 inches of the ground. If plants are overcrowded, this would be a good time to divide them. Lift clumps, cut roots into pieces, and discard old or woody centers. Replant remaining pieces.

FERTILIZING ANNUAL COLOR (left):
The best time to fertilize your annual flowers is when planting them. Garden View Crews sprinkle some fertilizer underneath the plant when planting. The reason is that Phosphorus and Potassium which contribute most to flower production do not leach through the soil so putting the fertilizer on the top of the soil doesn't feed the plant near as well as putting the fertilizer in the hole next to the roots. Click Here to Read Our Article on Fertilizer!

TRIM GRASSES LIKE PENISETUM SETACEUM 'RUBRUM' (right) when they are starting to go brown. Cut down the whole plant (which is all leaves). Garden View crews cut to approximately 4" above the soil. If you do no do this the plant will be extremely unattractive all winter and will be much too large next spring and summer.

NIGHT BLOOMING JESSAMINE -Cestrum nocturnum (left):
This fast growing, arching plant responds well to frequent pruning and a severe pruning in fall. This plants summer flowers are powerfully fragrant at night--too much for some people.

DO NOT PRUNE CALIFORNIA LIVE OAK TREES until next summer; the tip mildew or "witches broom" disease of the California Live Oak trees is increased by early spring pruning and fertilization.

PINE TREES (right):
Prune Pine trees and other conifers now through February.

DON'T PANIC IF EVERGREENS (Pine trees and other conifers) continue to show some browning or yellowing of needles this month and next. The oldest, innermost ones typically shed after a few years on the tree.

Pine needles can be used as mulch for acid loving plants like Azalea, Camellia, and Blueberries or to cover informal woodland or vegetable garden paths.

SUCCULENTS (left):
stop watering once rain arrives; many varieties need protection from frost.

BERRIES (right):
Prune cane berries other than low-chill raspberries.

Give one last deep watering to grapevines and deciduous trees but discontinue feeding. This will begin hardening them off for cold weather. You want to discourage new growth that will be tender and susceptible to damage.

PRUNE ACACIAS:
Cut back top heavy shrubs open up small trees. This is a fast growing, low water need plant. Most varieties have origins in Australia and southern Africa and most have yellow to gold flowers which bloom in late winter or early spring. These plants that are often listed as brittle and short lived (15 years) may have there life extended considerably by not overwatering and proper pruning.   

Click Here to Read the Rest of this Article! 

Click Here to Read/Print this Article in Spanish! 

Reality television shows are so popular now. "All the Drama." You should take a break and look out your window. You will see nature's most beautiful season. The colors are bright, bold, and diverse. You can create your own drama with landscaping!

For contrast combine light and dark colors to create a dramatic visual effect. Most of the trees and shrubs that change color for fall are deciduous. For consistency you will also need the evergreens.

Here are a few suggestions, and they are all in stock at Garden View Nursery. Perhaps you have a drab corner of your house. Depending on space and light there are many good choices. Acer palmatum "Sango Kaku" has beautiful fall colors of red and yellow. We have great plantings for under your trees such as Loropetalum "Razzleberri" which has a rich plum color. You can also try red and green textures, such as mixing Japanese Blood Grass and Phormium. Festuca glauca brings in a neutral gray color. Once you have your color pallet just repeat the plants effectively.

Other plants with great fall color are:  

It is the time of year to start planting California Native Plants. Most California Natives should be planted in fall and winter. Planting at other times is made complicated by the fact that native plants, like most plants, needs a fair amount of water to get established. Watering in the warmer months is not healthy for most native plants.

Most of us choose native plants because they conserve on water. Though most native plants do conserve water some are thirsty. So pick and place the right plants wisely. Native plants should be planted together and segregated from plants that need more water or summer water. Grouping plants of similar water needs together and providing isolated irrigation to them is one of the essentials of "Water Wise 101."

Did you know that most leafy evergreens lose as many leaves (or more) in a year as deciduous trees? Evergreen trees are losing their leaves all year round; deciduous trees lose most of their leaves all at once. Most local pine trees shed their needles over the course of two or more years.