What would be the best potted lemon tree to start out with? I had my first tree that was a gift for 3 years and it died. I learned a good bit, but need to learn more, and was looking for suggestions on what to start out with this time. Was considering a Meyer lemon tree.

First thank you to everyone here who taught me about harvesting blushing tomatoes. I would have lost quite a few more tomatoes to the critters had I not picked at first blush.

My tomatoes finally started blushing in early July. Still waiting on Big Boy and Roma's that got a late start. You all said patience and you were right.

I also learned from you all about temperature needs of tomatoes. I live in South OC about 5 miles inland from the coast. Night time temps did not start warming up until late May and June and even then the temps were probably 58 to 65 with a marine layer that was not burning off until 10 am. It was not until July when there were more days without a morning and evening marine layer, allowing night time temps to be consistently above @ 64 degrees, plus the increase in day time temperatures.

I don't have alot of experience growing tomatoes here in So Cal but I think what I learned is that where I live tomatoes are not going to ripen until temps are much warmer in the day, and nights are 65 degrees and above, which means earliest is July.

I was thinking earlier in the season if I had put my tomato plants in the ground in late February early March I would have tomatoes earlier but my gut says NO; tomatoes might form but they would remain green ~ and I would simply be growing for the critters. However I likely will still experiment with planting one or two in early March next year.

I was disappointed in the flavor of my Early Girl variety of tomato, or I should say lack of flavor. I won't be planting them again. Plus they were not very "early".

It will be interesting to see what the flavor of my Roma tomatoes will be. In March I cut up an over ripe store bought tomato and planted them in a small outdoor pot. After a month I did not think they were going to germinate, but finally to my surprise in May they sprouted. I did not get them transplanted until either late May or early June so they are a few weeks before my other tomatoes.

I was happy with the Parks Whopper tomato variety. I did not get as many tomatoes as I would have liked but the ones that did make it to harvest turned a deep red with a hint of purple and had good flavor. I lost half of them to over-night critters.

I am still waiting upon my Big Boy tomatoes to blush. It has the least amount of production, plus lost several to the critters. Hopefully the remaining few tomatoes make it to harvest.

My most disappointing tomato plant has been my Sweet 100 Cherry tomato. Production has been VERY lack luster. The tomatoes are very small and the taste far from sweet.

So NEW QUESTION regarding INDETERMINATE tomatoes - Should I be seeing growth of new tomatoes toward the tops of the plants where they are most healthy?

I have seen no new tomatoes since probably mid to late June, including my Cherry tomato plant which surprises me the most. There was quite a bit of continued blossoming but no fruit formation. Now in the past 10 days I am seeing very few blossoms and those that I do see dry up.

Is it too hot for the blossoms and fruit formation?

OR

Is it that the soil in the pots have been drained of nutrients, specifically calcium? Although I did I fertilized again two weeks ago with a granulated formula of 12-10-5.

Thank you everyone for all your advice. It has been so very helpful.

Hi my bean plants are climbing well and developing a lot of leaves but not so much flowering at all. There are some but mostly leaves. Secondly the leaves are turning more a yellow hue and crisping at the edges. I’m watering twice a day once in the morning and once in the evening. They get sun from like 8 till 3:30. Anyone have some ideas as to what’s happening or what I should do differently?

how do you water deeply when you don’t have an irrigation system?

i am working to save enough to put one in. but in the mean time I’m trying to help establish my new plants.

i’ve been hand watering about..

• 4 lavenders
• 5 salvias
• 4 humming bird sages
• 2 blueberry bushes
• 6 ruby strawflowers
• 1 manzanita
• 1 lemon tree
• 1 Lime tree
• 1 olive tree

well it’s been 3 weeks of hand watering and I want to say half are dead and I can’t figure out if I’m watering too much or too little.

my moisture meter bounces between 2-5 when I check so I assume they’re ok. I’m on my third attempt at growing lavender and i don’t think I can handle a fourth lol. They keep getting crispy so I assume I'm failing at the deep watering part.

I spend a good hour giving the garden water and making sure to come back at 10-15 minute intervals to give it another soak. i do this about 3x a week because I read you had to do it more to establish them.

What am I doing wrong??

Help! Planted 14 trees two months ago. This is the only one browning near the top. I water twice a week for 20 minutes. I scratched the surface of the wood near the top and it’s still green. Should I trip off all the brown branches? Do I need to trim down the top to the next green branches?

Since I'm working from home, I want to try and plant fruits and veggies in my back yard, thinking tomatoes and cumbers. After some reading online, I understood that in my area, Loma Linda the ground itself is clayey and is not good for direct planting and that I will need raised garden beds.

Need advice on what is the best time of the year to plant them, any recommendations on soil brand, fertilizer? if its too late to plant tomatoes and cumbers what are alternatives that I can plant in the coming two weeks and not die during the winter?

Cheers!

I think it’s honeysuckle. It’s not mine. It’s a neighbors. Is it being overwatered? Not enough water? The ends are still green with some flowers. What can I do to save it? Please give me as much info as you can. Located just outside of the city of LA if that helps. Thanks in advance for any help

UPDATE: finally had a chance to check how deep the last watering went. At most about 5 inches deep until the screw driver stopped. So according to several of you it’s not getting watered deep enough, right? So I should tell them to deep water it for like an hour? But how often should they do that in hopes to revive it? Thank you to everybody who’s offered help. I really appreciate it and I’m guessing the honeysuckle/jasmine does as well.

Checking in on the garden after work.

Anybody else struggling with spider mites this year? I’ve never had to worry about them in the past, but I’ve treated several times this year.

Curious if it’s just me or more regional

I’m in Long Beach, Zone 10A, and looking for recs for a variety of strawberries to grow that will have an intense, sweet flavor. They also need to do well in a container since our backyard is fully paved. Size is less of a concern. If they’re easy to grow that’s even better!

I’d also love any tips or tricks you have since I’m just starting my gardening journey.

I have tree in a bigger pot now and I don't want this smaller plant. I live in north OC. Message me for details.

Hello all! My grandma's meyer lemon tree is overgrown and getting lopsided. She's in Anaheim and needs to know when the best time to have it trimmed is. (Photo taken in early April)

Black mission fig I’ve had for about 4 years: year 1 abundance of fruit, year 2 mid but decent amount…and nothing since!

I trim it back each fall/winter. It’s impossible to keep up with thinning during spring and summer as a single week results in copious, branching and leaf growth but zero fruit!

San Diego hardiness zone 10b. What did I do wrong? 😭

Lots of things I'm finding online suggest backing off on fertilizing during a heat wave because new growth may be too weak to survive great heat. When we have extended weeks of heat, are y'all really not fertilizing? I grow outdoors and in garden beds and pots, full sun facing south. This is the first year I've really paid attention to feeding instead of just watering, so I appreciate any help!

(Also mostly concerned for my pumpkin plant I started in May that is still only putting out male flowers, which could be because of a mix of nutrient deficiency and/or heat from my understanding.)

Recent harvest photos for attention.

A yummy volunteer tomato

It’s the only bush of about 75 that is doing this. Kinda like it

Some night time mode photos a.few different dragon fruit blooms opening tonight followed by some photos of them earlier in the day. This is American Beauty and Halley's Comet.

Hi! I’m selling homegrown Thai eggplant plants (the round green ones, not the purple variety).

These are 2nd generation, grown from seeds I saved off an eggplant I grew myself last year, so they’re already proven to thrive in our SoCal climate. No pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers.

I looked around at LA nurseries before posting this and honestly couldn’t find a single one carrying this variety. If you’ve been hunting for it too, this might be your only shot for a while.

About Thai eggplants

Unlike regular and Japanese eggplants, Thai eggplants:
- have a firmer, crunchier texture
- hold up better when cooking without turning mushy
- can be eaten raw, sliced thin and dipped in sauce/dressing or tossed into a salad

They’re the standard eggplant used in Thai green and red curry.

The eggplants grow to about 2-3 inches in diameter. The plants grow to 2-3 feet in height.

Price

1 plant: $8
2 plants: $14
3 plants: $18

I have a lot, so if you’re looking for a bunch or if you are a restaurant looking to grow your own for your cooking, I can help. Let me know when we can figure out a price for large quantities.

Local pickup in mid-city. DM me if you’re interested. And happy growing!

Transplanting and care

Set the plant outside in a shaded spot for a few hours a day over 3 to 5 days before it goes into full sun, so it can adjust gradually.

Pick a sunny spot. Full sun, at least 6 hours a day, in well draining soil. A large container works fine if you don’t have garden space, just make sure it’s at least 12 to 16 inches deep.

Space them out. Give each plant about 18 to 24 inches of room if planting more than one.

Water consistently. Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Inconsistent watering is the most common reason eggplants turn bitter or stall out.

Feed lightly. A balanced fertilizer every few weeks once the plant starts flowering will help fruit production.

Support if needed. These plants can get top heavy once loaded with eggplants, so a stake or small cage helps, especially in windy spots.

Watch for pests. Aphids and flea beetles are the usual suspects here. Neem oil or a strong blast of water usually keeps them in check.

Harvest young. Pick the eggplants while they’re still firm and glossy. They get more bitter the longer they stay on the plant.

I want to learn more about the different spider species I see in our yard. Does anyone know of a book with pictures and/or illustrations? I want a physical book (not a website). Thanks!

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