Why Hydrangeas Are Pink in California, and How to Turn Them Blue
Pink hydrangeas are what most California gardens produce on their own, because the soil and the irrigation water lean neutral to alkaline.
California
Home and garden guidance specific to California: climate, seasons, local rules and rebates.
Gardening in California
Everything we have worked out for California: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Los Angeles, the last spring freeze falls around no freeze occurs in an average year and the first fall freeze falls around no freeze occurs in an average year, USDA zones 5a-11a, 4,719 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic is the awkward one: only 0 weeks below 40 °F, where it needs six to split into cloves. Chill the cloves before planting, or grow a softneck type.
Elsewhere on the property in California: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
When to Prune Hydrangeas in California
Prune California hydrangeas by type, not by the calendar. Bigleaf, mountain and oakleaf hydrangeas get cut right after their flowers fade, usually in…
When Sweet Corn Is Ready in California, and How Fast It Fades
Sweet corn is ready 60 to 90 days after planting, and the planting day is set by the soil, not the frost calendar.
When to Plant Grass Seed in California
In frost-free coastal and Southern California, sow warm-season grass seed when the soil two inches down reaches 65°F and keeps climbing.
How High to Mow a Lawn in California
The right height depends on the grass, and the gap between species is wide. Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, Seashore Paspalum and Carpetgrass want 1 to 2…
When to Dethatch a Lawn in California
Most California lawns never need dethatching. Cut a wedge out of the turf with a spade and measure the brown, spongy layer between the green blades and…
When to Dig Up Dahlias, Cannas and Gladiolus in California
Dig dahlias, cannas and gladiolus after the first frost has blackened the foliage, and only where frost actually arrives.
When to Prune Fruit Trees in California
Prune most fruit trees in California in late winter, after the worst cold has passed and before the buds break.
When to Start Seeds Indoors in California: A Crop-by-Crop Calendar
California has no single indoor sowing date. Count backward from your last spring frost: tomatoes go in 5 to 6 weeks before planting out, peppers and…
How Late Can You Plant Trees and Shrubs in Fall in California?
Along the Los Angeles coast, trees and shrubs can go in the ground through fall and well into winter, because the ground never freezes there.