Japanese maples (Acer palmatum and cultivars) are extraordinarily beautiful garden trees. Grow them for the wonderful foliage color and winter branching structure. These trees are a wonderful smaller scale answer to our limited sized Southern California gardens.

Japanese maples can be grown almost anywhere in the West, except in the deserts. They thrive in the Pacific Northwest and coastal Northern California. In warmer areas of inland Northern California and in Southern California, a sheltered location--such as in a courtyard or on the north side of the house--is crucial for success. Any combination of strong sunlight, alkaline or salty soil, and dry winds can result in scorched leaf edges by midsummer--and that scorching usually ruins the fall color.

There are hundreds and hundreds of cultivars of Japanese maples. Of course, you won't find all of them here at our garden center, but you will find those varieties that will do well here. Still, you will have many to choose from. So how do you make your final selection(s)? Consider tree form, foliage shape and color, cultivar needs and the desired effect or look that you are trying to achieve.

Japanese maples will be most happy planted in front of north and east walls, in entryways and as small lawn trees. Exceptions to the rule would be if you have a shady area of your yard that is not north or east, but it is protected by larger plants or a towering building (that offers shade much of the day). They are attractive in groves (like birches) or singly in woodland plantings including ferns, azaleas, columbine, and hosta.

There are upright forms and weeping forms, coral-colored bark that just "pops" in winter. All leaf shapes are palmate or the classic maple shape, like the palm of your hand. Some are classically cut, others are deeply cut-leaves, giving the tree a lacy look. Spring color in most varieties is reddish-pink to pink. Summer colors range from burgundy to green to variegations of green, pink and white or cream. Fall colors can be yellow to orange to deep red-orange to red; again, depending on variety.

But fall color is only one of the only reasons to plant a Japanese maple. Few other trees are so well behaved. Their roots are noninvasive; their fallen leaves break down quickly or blow away in the wind, making autumn cleanup easy; and even the taller varieties can usually be pruned from a stepladder. The Japanese maple is an excellent choice for the smaller garden or used as a patio tree.

Japanese maples also deliver four seasons of garden interest. In winter, their bare branches (they are deciduous) have a rare structural beauty--some highly colorful, others with graceful weeping silhouettes. The branch pattern can be strongly upright on trees over 20 feet tall, or weeping and dome-shaped on shrub-like trees less than 4 feet. Some varieties have green, red, or variegated bark.

Unfortunately, many homeowners purchase a beautiful Japanese maple in spring only to watch the leaves get burned in summer. We get panicked calls from customers fearing that they have killed their beautiful young tree. The tree isn't dying--it's just suffering from heat stress, incorrect watering, or maybe even incorrect placement in the yard. Ideal conditions include filtered or partial shade, well-drained soil slightly on the acidic side, and consistent moisture. A 3- to 4-inch layer of organic mulch helps maintain soil moisture.

This condition can also be caused by salt burn from the use or overuse of strong chemical fertilizers containing high amounts of nitrogen. Even if the soil is moist around the trees, the tree can burn because the moist soil actually activates the fertilizer, and the tree cannot control the amount of fertilizer it draws up. So take care to not over-fertilize.

"So," you ask, "What do we do to minimize the leaf burn?" Japanese maples do need a consistently moist, well-drained environment and, preferably, the use of an organic fertilizer such as Dr.Earth Organic 4 Azalea & Camellia Fertilizer. Use this fertilizer before the new growth appears in the spring. When planting your new Japanese maple, make sure that you mix Gardner & Bloome acid planting mix with the native soil of your garden before planting. And always be sure to top off your soil with mulch to keep the soil cool and moist. Remember: never plant a Japanese maple in a low spot or near an area that may have standing water, or your new tree will succumb to root rot.

Japanese maples are the spotlight of any garden as they pose with complete elegance any time of year. Surrounded by woodland plants such as ferns or azaleas, or under-planted with Chinese fringe (Loropetalum), Pittosporum 'Crème de Mint' and day lilies, this tree will bring beauty to your garden forever. Welcome one into your garden; you'll see just what we truly mean.

Vegetable gardens are so satisfying and rewarding. Consider what your very favorite vegetables, fruits or herbs are, and then imagine how exciting it would be to just step out the door of your home to harvest them fresh for your meals of the day! Not only is this instant satisfaction, but you'll enjoy the very best flavors--nothing bought in the supermarket can compare. As an added plus, you can proudly announce to guests, "Oh yes, these were from my garden."

Follow these steps. It's simple.

1. Pick a sunny location, free of grass (or "free it" from the grass!):
Some veggies can tolerate shade. Try garlic, onions, chives, basil, and broccoli in shady areas.

2. In-Ground or Raised Bed:
Decide whether you will be planting in the ground or in a raised bed. Obviously, if you pick the raised bed, there will be additional preparation if the boxes haven't been made yet.

3. Soil preparation:
Determine whether your soil is predominantly sand or clay. If you are lucky, it will be a nice loam, but don't count on that. Chances are, your soil isn't a loam. You will want to supplement the native soil with a composting product, such as Gardner & Bloome Worm-Gro, together with a good planting mix, like Kellogg Amend. Roto-till or good old-fashioned shovel in these amendments and level out the soil.

4. Design for Access and Convenience:
Depending on the size of your vegetable garden, you will need to consider how to access it for feeding, weeding, and harvesting. Perhaps it is narrow (up to 3 feet), in which case you can reach from the garden bed edge without a problem for these chores. If your garden is wider than this, plan a way to access your plants without trampling them and compacting your soil around the plants. This may mean a stepping stone path through the middle, or small paths to otherwise unreachable plants.

5. Plant selection:
Plant selection ties into #6 below. Presumably you've already got an idea of what you want to grow. Think about your vegetable garden's ultimate size, shape and support needs when designing plant placement. Tomatoes and pole green beans need support structures. They should be placed more toward the back of your garden, so they don't shade your smaller/shorter vegetables and herbs. Carefully consider the ultimate plant size for space considerations. They are little when planting, but some veggies get very large. They'll need the space and airflow.

6. Companion Planting--the technique of combining two plants for a particular purpose:
Books have been written on this very topic, and we cannot begin to cover all the issues in this one article. But we think that you’re getting the idea. There are many things to consider when starting your vegetable garden this season. Companion planting is an important one.

7. Fertilize:
You have choices here: regular chemical fertilizer (liquid or slow-release) or organic fertilizerlike Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer. Remember when choosing fertilizers that you are ultimately planning to eat these vegetables.

8. Pest Management--get your pinching fingers ready, or your garden hose:
Again, remember that you plan to eat these vegetables, so your choices on pest control are limited. Also, you need insect pollinators for fruit/vegetable production, so bees and other pollinators are important for your vegetable garden. If you must spray the pest insects, Monterey Safe T Side a year-round spray oil is a safe remedy. You should pick a time of day with minimal bee activity and carefully follow the product instructions.

9. Mulch, Mulch, Mulch--for weed control and good moisture retention:
Throughout the growing season, water and periodically fertilize; keep weeds down to eliminate plant space competition. Have fun watching your vegetables and herbs grow. If you do grow any vegetables from the legume family, such as green beans, these plants add nitrogen back to the soil. What a plus! At the end of the season, instead of ripping the plants up, roots and all, leave the roots behind. It's good for your soil!

If you are a gardener and love to grow vegetables, what type of garden do you have? Now is a good time to consider this topic. We're coming off the quiet, dormant months. Of course, some gardeners are really on top of everything and already have their whole year plan done in January...but you may still be considering your vegetable garden. So, perhaps just in time, we will give you a few more things to consider, before you read on about what to be planting this part of time of year.

Companion planting is the technique of combining two plants for a particular purpose. That purpose is often pest control. Some companion plants work to hide, repel, or even trap pests. Garlic and onions release odors that deter some insects from visiting their companion vegetables, such as tomatoes or strawberries. Mint keeps cabbage loopers off cabbage; basil discourages tomato hornworms from tomatoes - plus it tastes good on your tomatoes or in the tomato sauce that you will be making later!

Other companion plants have a different role - to attract, feed, and provide shelter to beneficial insects. Beneficial insects will consume the pest insects that we want to rid gardens of (vegetable or flower gardens). Or they may lure pests away. Nasturtiums lure aphids away from vegetables (and roses for that matter) and they have the added benefit of having an edible, peppery flower.

Some plants are complementary to each other and thereby are great companions; they like being close together in small space. For example, you may plant deep-rooting squash close to shallow-rooting onions. Their roots occupy different soil levels and don't compete.

Some plants need many soil nutrients (cabbage, corn, eggplant, and squash). These can be combined with light feeders such as garlic and beans.

Books have been written on this very topic, and we cannot begin to cover all the issues in this one article. But we think that you're getting the idea. There are many things to consider when starting your vegetable garden this season. Companion planting is a very important one, and has more benefits than just allowing you to plant more in your garden.

In January, perhaps you planted perennial vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus, and rhubarb. In warmer sandy soil, potatoes could have been planted too.

It's now February. If you haven't already composted and tilled in Gardner & Bloome Planting Mix to last years vegetable garden, do so now. If your onion sets and garlic aren't in, get them in. Also plant cabbage, broccoli, chard, and leaf lettuces this month.

Not everyone is a seed-starter. But for those of you who take on the challenge - or at least want to this season - sow the seeds of beets, carrots, parsley, turnips, Swiss chard, and radishes. Try sowing these seeds in little pots, flats or 6-packs using Kellogg Potting Soil. Throw in extra seeds. For example, if you are using a small 4-inch plastic pot, sow 4-6 seeds; if you are using an old 6-pack container, sow 2-3 in each slot; if you are using a 16- inch flat, sow lots of seeds. As the small seedlings begin to grow, you can thin out the less hardy plants.

Toward the end of the month, you may even be able to find cool season tomatoes to plant, such as Early Girl.

Strawberries are an excellent crop for home gardeners. Like most fruits and vegetables, they taste much better if homegrown and picked when just ripe.

You can plant strawberries three ways: in the ground, in strawberry pots, or in hanging baskets. Plant certain varieties now and you can be enjoying your fresh strawberries into autumn.

Strawberry Types:

• June-bearing strawberries produce a large, concentrated crop in late spring. You'll get more berries per season from June-bearing strawberries, but the entire crop will ripen over a short period.
• Ever-bearing strawberries produce one crop in spring and another in fall.
• Day-neutral plants are capable of producing fruit throughout most of the growing season.

We recommend planting more than one type, so you'll get a better spread in your harvest.

Growing Strawberries:
Strawberries need full sun to produce the best crop - give them at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. More sunlight will give you more, and better quality, berries.

Strawberries do best in a sandy loam with high humus content. They don't like either drought or wet feet (they will suffer root-rot in poorly-draining soil).

Water when the top inch of soil dries out - this may be daily in hot weather.

Planting Depth:
Try to plant strawberries on a cloudy day or during the late afternoon. Set the strawberry plant in the soil so that the soil is just covering the tops of the roots. Do not cover the crown. After a month or so, the plants will begin producing runners and new plants. Feed monthly with a good organic liquid fertilizer.

In a Strawberry Pot or Basket:
We recommend using the larger pots and baskets, as the smaller ones dry out too quickly. Use an organic potting mix that provides nutrients, or fortify the potting mix with slow-release fertilizer.

In the Ground:
Strawberries don't like either drought or wet feet. We recommend amending with if your site doesn't drain well (or drains too quickly).

Beds should be placed beyond the root zone of large trees so the tree won't compete with the strawberries for nutrients and water. Choose a location that will be easy to water during dry spells.

The site selected should be free from weeds, grubs and soil-borne diseases. Strawberries are susceptible to verticillium wilt, and should not be planted where tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and potatoes have grown in the past three years, since these vegetables often carry the disease. If you don't have a 'clean' area to plant them, we recommend using strawberry pots or baskets.

Plant strawberries in the spring, as soon as the ground is workable. Don't work the soil if it's soggy. Wait a few days until it dries.