Crape myrtle is a beautiful drought-resistant tree for small-space gardens in interior valleys. (It will get mildew along the coast.) It blooms in white and bright shades of pink and red from July through August. Its lovely gray-brown bark peels off yearly to soft pink. Look for the plants while they're in bloom.

Among the cassias that can be grown here the gold medallion tree (Cassia leptophylla) is the most dramatic. It's best in a warm, sheltered spot and when watered deeply and infrequently, but it will grow in lawns if it has excellent drainage.

Along the coast flame eucalyptus (Eucalyptus ficifolia) can grow in tough wind and still bloom magnificently. Pick out what color you would like now, if possible. The orangy red is gorgeous viewed against the sea. Grow it with a single trunk, or, if desired, cut it back to make a huge multibranched shrub. It blooms on and off all year. The eucalyptus beetle prefers gum eucalypts and usually doesn't attack this unless it's under stress from drought.

Come on in and check with us for the best suitability for your own garden.  We'd love to help!

Some varieties of banana ripen on the plant. For these, when the fruit begins to turn yellow, reach up with a long-handled fruit picker or pruning hook, and pick one banana. If it's creamy yellow inside, and is soft textured and sweet, it's ready. To harvest, cut off individual hands of fruit as they ripen, or if they're too far out of reach, cut the whole trunk down as described below.

Most varieties don't ripen on the plant. Pick their fruit when they've lost their sharp edges and indented sides; wait until they lose their angularity. When the fruit is still green but has become rounded, filled out, and fat looking, it's ready to pick. (You will know if you have this type of plant because the fruit will not turn yellow on the plant.)

Once ready, cut the whole plant down by nicking the underside of the trunk with a sharp knife or giving it a single whack with a machete. It will fall of its own weight. Ask someone to stand below and catch the fruit as it falls. Cut off the entire fruit scape and hang it in a shady place to ripen, such as your front porch or patio overhang. When individual bananas go yellow, they're ready to eat.

Chop up the remains of the stalk that's borne fruit; use it to mulch the rest of your bananas or bury it and let it rot. Plant your next banana in that spot.

By Tamara Galbraith

The giant whitefly, also known as Aleurodicus dugesii, packed its bags in its native Mexico and has been advancing like a tireless army into the western and southern U.S. First discovered in San Diego County in 1992, the giant whitefly is now found in Southern California, plus parts of Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, and Florida. It has also been a problem for Hawaiian residents in the recent past.

As you might guess, the giant whitefly gets its name from being a somewhat larger version of the common whitefly. Adults have highly patterned wings that are positioned in a tent-like fashion over the body. Its calling card, however, is the sticky, white, cotton candy-like mess it deposits on leaves, giving the leaves an almost bearded look. Eggs are often laid amongst these waxy deposits.

Unfortunately, giant whiteflies can also make a mess of the health of your plants. Just as with regular whiteflies, they can literally suck the life out of your plants. Giant whiteflies are especially attracted to hisbiscus, banana, mulberry, certain varieties of citrus and avocado trees and even vegetables.

Ladybugs love to munch on whitefly eggs, so releasing them will help, as will treatments of insecticidal soap like Jungle Rain Clean Leaf. Good blasts of water are especially good.

Scientists continue to make progress with parasitic wasp studies for commercial growers in affected regions. These studies involve the use of tiny wasps that actually lay their eggs right in the whitefly. As the wasp larvae hatch, they feed on the whitefly, killing it...which is pretty much of a fitting end for these nasty pests!

By Tamara Galbraith

When shopping for plants, sometimes the planting and care instructions provided on the tag are either too brief, not all that helpful, or both.

For instance, let's take a look at sun exposure recommendations. "Full sun" is pretty self-explanatory, but what exactly does "part shade" or "partial shade" mean? And how does "deep shade" differ from "full shade," if there is a difference?

"Partial shade" is generally defined as an area that gets around 4-6 hours of sun, mainly during the morning or evening, with the rest of the time in shade.

"Full shade" is usually reserved for areas that get almost no sun - maybe 3 hours at most. "Deep shade" is reserved for those areas, generally under thick trees, that get no sun at all.

There is also "dappled shade," whereby sunlight filters through the moving branches of trees onto plants for most of the day. This is considered the lightest type of shade.

Of course, all of this should be taken down a notch if you live in some of the really hot, dry places in the U.S. Plants that are recommended for partial shade, like coral bells, hostas, and ferns, in other parts of the country do better in full shade in the desert regions. If you see a plant getting scorched (browning leaves and general crispiness) in partial shade, it'd be best to move it to a shadier spot when fall comes around.

By Tamara Galbraith

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), is a beautiful tall plant with dual personalities: it has the willowy visual effect of ornamental grass in the landscape, and boasts a wide variety of culinary uses as an herb in the kitchen.

A native of India, lemongrass is widely used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. The grass blade can be sliced very fine and added to soups for a lemony twist. Also, the bulb can be bruised and minced for use in a variety of recipes. Medicinal herb teas can also be brewed from lemongrass.

To replicate lemongrass's native Indian climate, give it full sun, sandy soil, such as Kellogg Cactus Mix, and average water - do not overwater. In the milder areas of the country, lemongrass will act as a perennial. If your winters are on the harsh side, it's better to pot up the plant and bring it in to the garage.

Before you do that, however, see if it needs to be divided. Lemongrass is a clumping type of grass, which means you can eventually divide and get several plants out of it...or, of course, you can plant some and eat the rest!