All the Dirt on Gardening

Debra Lee Baldwin , the acknowledged leader in the popularity of succulents, has a new book out - "Succulents Simplified: Growing, Designing, and Crafting with 100 Easy-Care Varieties"  published by Timber Press . Like her other books, this one is filled with gorgeous photographs of succulents. Baldwin gardens on half an acre in southern CA foothills so her ability to grow succulents and cacti is part and parcel of the perfect weather they have there for them (temps range from 32 to 110). The chapter on replacing a lawn with succulents makes complete sense in warm climates. From the beginning of the book, Baldwin explains why she loves succulents: Low maintenance, easy to propagate, and non-invasive. She recommends growing them in containers so they can easily be moved with changes in the weather. "Low Water Plants for Lazy Gardeners" is a chapter I can relate to and the resilient Jade Plant is one of the examples of these. You can expect to learn a...

Debra Lee Baldwin wrote a step-by-step article for the Los Angeles Times this week. Baldwin's book, Designing with Succulents is world class. click on the link to read the entire column Creating Cactus Garden Dioramas in Containers Highlights Choose a small accessory first - a doll, a car, a toy robot, etc. Then, select a garden container that suits your theme. Put gravel on the bottom and then fill with cactus planting mix. Try out a few arrangements while the cacti are still in their pots. Make holes in the soil and use tongs to handle the plants safely. Top off with stones, rocks, glass beads, sand. Dribble with water and put in bright light.

YOUR HOUSEPLANTS IN THE WINTER Check in with your houseplants now that dry, furnace air is all they get to breathe. Even though most houseplants need less fertilizer and water during winter months, the dry air inside homes and offices can make them need a winter tonic. If the leaves are yellowing, try a little houseplant food in tepid water. (Houseplants want water that is within 10-degrees of air temperature so do not shock them with cold water from the faucet.) If the leaves are browning on the tips, they may be over-fertilized. Plants with drooping leaves need to be put into a sink full of tepid water until the top of the soil is wet. Drain the pot and then put it back where it was. How is the light level during the winter rain? Can you move the plants to a location where they can receive brighter light? Even near a reading light can help when it is dark out for a couple of days. Softened water is great for your hair and laundry but the salt is very hard on plants so use something e...

We all want low-cost as well as pet and child friendly solutions to gardening dilemmas. Chemical-free pesticides are also the territory of all gardeners who are trying to be good stewards of the earth. In "Designing with Succulents", Debra Baldwin recommends using a spray of diluted rubbing alcohol to cure plants of sucking insects such as aphids and mites. On the Aroid-L discussion there have been several suggestions for dealing with fungi this weekend. Ground cinnamon is recommended as a natural fungicide for use on tubers and roots that have been cut or dug up for winter storage. In addition, orchids, aroids, agave and other plant roots benefit from a thick cinnamon coating while damp. Used on succulent cuttings, it is said to speed up the callus production which is important. And, if the root of a plant has begun to rot, remove the affected portion and cover the cleaned root with cinnamon to use it as a fungicide. The injured roots have to be dampened to make the cinnamo...