Garden Gossip Blog has a new location

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Until next time, Fill your garden with joy! Lisa

Echium aka Pride of Madeira

Dan Bifano-On growing Roses organically in Santa Barbara

What a treat to have Master Rosarian, Dan Bifano on the show today! He told us about developing the roses for Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Streisand and Julia Child. Dan also talked about creating a rose garden, organically, of course. Up until this fall, Dan was the only Master Rosarian in the Santa Barbara area. He will be giving rose pruning demonstrations Saturday, January 11 at the AC Postel Memorial Rose Garden from 8am-noon and at La Sumida Nursery at 2pm. Then again at All Around Irrigation on upper State St. Thursday, Jan 16 at 5pm. Listen to Garden Gossip Fridays on AM1290 11am & 9pm and Saturday mornings at 11am. click here to listen

Duke McPherson on Garden Gossip

L to R: Chris Cullen, Lisa Cullen, Duke McPherson, Leana Finley & Denise Ritchie (of Malibu Compost)

Consulting arborist, Duke McPherson, was our guest on Garden Gossip this week (sorry, Duke you closed your eyes in the photo!). And we talked about trees, specifically deciduous trees. Normally, this is the time of year for pruning deciduous fruit trees, but after a wet and cold December, we have had a very warm and dry 6 weeks, which is causing early bud break. The trees are confused and that can effect fruit set. Only time will tell what the end result will be. If your trees have leaf break it's too late to spray for Peach Leaf Curl, but if they are flowering, go ahead and spray.

Two Ways to Live Life

"There are two ways to live your life. 

One is as though nothing is a miracle. 

The other is though everything is a miracle."

Albert Einstein

Garden Paths

Read our most recent article on Garden Paths in the most recent Food and Home Magazine. Link will take you there. Food and Home Magazine-Garden Paths

Garden Gossip in the latest Food and Home Magazine

Find out about how to get ready for autumn in my latest story in Food and Home Magazine
See the latest issue of Food and Home

Summer on the Central Coast of California

Okay, I know we live in paradise and it's really unfair for me to complain about the weather but this may be the year that we nickname "The Bummer Summer". Since the first of June it has been pretty drippy and cool (see morning dew on Dahlia in August as evidence). It's not that I mind the cool ocean breezes that make sweaters requisite attire most days and most definitely in the evenings, it's that I planted Tomatoes, Cucumbers and other warm weather loving crops and this weather is dampening (literally) my plans.
So, while I contemplate whether my Tomatoes will ever ripen or my beans will grow, I guess I should consider all the good things that result from this weather. Less stress on the plants, no need for air-conditioning, I am growing things with success that normally bolt in days like Cilantro, Dill, Celery and lettuces. Thankfully, with this cool weather, the hills are relatively safe from wildfires and considering the last few years, that's a really good thing. The moist air is so much better on our complexions, isn't it? See, there are plenty of reasons to be thankful for living on the central coast of California. Yep, guess so..besides Leana just sent me a text message telling me that the sun is out downtown. 70 degrees and sunny, not bad, not bad at all.