They prefer to be out in the open, not close to house walls where the nighttime temperatures can cool off more.

Gardenias need acid soil, good drainage, adequate moisture, full sun in cooler areas and part shade in warmer areas. They also need regular fertilizing for growth and flowers, with an acid-type product that contains trace elements to prevent chlorosis.

Gardenias come in all types of shapes and sizes, making them versatile for many garden locations. If you are tight on space, consider the miniature 'Radicans' (6"-12" H, 2'-3' W) or 'White Gem' (1'-2' H, 2'-3' W). If you have more space, 'Veitchii' makes a great selection, growing 3'-4' high and wide. For screening, you can use 'August Beauty,' 'First Love' and 'Mystery,' which grow 4'-5' high and 3'-4' wide.

There are also two great cold-hardy selections for more difficult climates. Both 'Klein's Hardy' (2'-3' high and wide) and 'Chuck Hayes' (3'-4' high and wide) can tolerate occasional winter temperatures of 0-10 degrees.

We stock a great selection of gardenias that will make a perfect addition to your garden, and our staff of nursery professionals will be happy to help you. So what are you waiting for? Come in and add some fragrance to your garden today!

1. Plant groundcovers.
2. Plant a basket of narcissus for holiday bloom.
3. Finish filling flower beds with cool-season flowers for winter and spring bloom.
4. Plant nasturtiums and continue to plant wildflowers from seeds.
5. Plant flowering kale.
6. Continue to plant winter vegetables, including garlic.
7. Prune pine trees and other conifers now through February.
8. Divide and plant agapanthus.
9. Divide matilija poppy.
10. Open up spaces in dense trees to allow wind to pass through.
11. Prune acacias.
12. Prune cane berries other than low-chill raspberries.
13. Cut back chrysanthemums after bloom; clean up the ground.
14. Fertilize cool-season bedding flowers.
15. Continue to fertilize cineraria for growth.
16. Once rains arrive, stop watering succulents growing in the ground.
17. Water bulbs, especially potted ones.
18. Water roses until mid-month--but only if rains aren't adequate.
19. Don't let citrus go dry in cold or frosty weather.
20. Bait flower beds for cutworms, slugs and snails.
21. Stake young trees loosely so they can develop strong trunks.
22. Pre-chill tulips, hyacinths, and crocuses.
23. Wrap the trunks of young citrus and avocado trees with an insulating material to protect them from cold.
24. Mulch, mulch, and mulch some more.

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The mandarin has many names, some of which actually refer to crosses between the mandarin and another citrus fruit. Varieties with reddish-orange fruit marketed as tangerines, and tangelos (a cross between a grapefruit and a tangerine) are all part of the same family.

Smaller than oranges, mandarins are easily peeled with the fingers, starting at the thin rind covering the depression at the top of the fruit, and can be easily split into even segments without spilling juice. This makes it more convenient to eat than many other types of citrus, as one doesn't require utensils to peel or cut the fruit.

Mandarins make a wonderful addition to various kinds of dishes. The freshly grated peel lends an exotic flavor to other foods. Whole segments can be used in salads, desserts and other dishes such as coleslaw or tuna salad for an unexpected, delicious and colorful treat!

Most mandarin varieties are self-fertile (needing a bee only to move pollen within the same flower) or parthenocarpic (not needing pollination and therefore seedless). They prefer warm sunny locations with good drainage and benefit from the addition of a planting mix like Kellogg Amend at planting time. Make sure to feed your mandarin every two months year-round with Whitney Farms Citrus & Fruit Tree Fertilizer to ensure strong growth and great tasting fruit.

We encourage you to find a spot in your garden for one of these great tasting fruit trees. Once you taste a fresh one, you'll never go back to store-bought!

Please click here to see some of our favorite varieties.

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By Tamara Galbraith

As your fall garden clean-up gets underway, don't sabotage your efforts by using dirty tools.

One of the best ways to prevent the spread of fungus and other plant diseases is to prune out infected parts. However, seemingly healthy wood can also be infected, so disinfecting your pruning tools between cuts becomes very important as you trim.

In 1992, scientists at Kearney Agricultural Center in California's Central Valley tested various readily available and commonly recommended disinfectants. The disinfectants tested were chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide, Listerine, Lysol concentrated disinfectant, Pine-Sol, and rubbing alcohol.

The scientists found that soaking or spraying pruning blades for a minute or longer in either full-strength or 1-to-5 solution of chlorine bleach, Lysol, or Pine-Sol brought the most consistent protection. Interestingly, just dipping the blade quickly often did not disinfect properly. Chlorine bleach generally did a better job for quick dips, although none of the disinfectants proved completely effective.

Although chlorine bleach is the least expensive and generally most effective disinfectant, bleach corrodes tools quickly and, as many of us know from clumsy experience, can splash up and ruin clothes. Lysol caused the least damage to clothes and tools; keeping a small can of Lysol and an old rag in your gardening bucket is a good idea as you work your way through fall pruning.

By Tamara Galbraith

As I've added chopped leaves and compost to my garden beds this fall, it is such a pleasure to turn over some soil and see it literally crawling with earthworms.

Of all the creatures in your garden, earthworms are probably the most important. They are the digesters of organic material and the makers of fluffy, healthy soil. Much as we love them, however, they do have their enemies...in the form of predators. So how can we better protect our valuable little wiggly friends?

At 70% protein, earthworms make a nice meaty snack for birds, reptiles and mammals, especially moles. Because we certainly don't want to go around wiping out birds, reptiles and mammals, we'll let them have their share. But there are some sinister characters lurking in the soil.

In certain conditions, red mites can attack earthworms. If you see red dots on earthworms in your yard, you should cut down on the moisture in that area--it may be too wet. Also, put out pieces of watermelon or potato to draw and trap the mites. Dispose of the pieces and repeat the process to cut down the mite population over time.

Flatworms, otherwise known as land planarians, are probably an earthworm's most hated rival. These long, slimy, longitudinal-striped worms with a flattened head--natives of Indo-China that hitched a ride on greenhouse plants--will actually melt earthworms with an enzyme before slurping them up. And they do it a lot. Blech.

The best control if you see a flatworm is to spray it with citrus oil or vinegar. Whatever you do, don't smash it, because each piece has the ability to regenerate into a new flatworm. Double blech.

Most home gardeners lament the coming of winter since it usually spells the end of the outdoor growing season. But it doesn't have to be that way. Many herbs can be grown indoors quite successfully in the winter months and then be transplanted into the garden the following spring. There's something about the taste of fresh, home-grown herbs in cooking that is hard to beat. The flavors are so much more flavorful and aromatic than using something dry out of a shaker bottle.

With the right location and care, many herbs can be fooled into thinking that summer is still here. If you're a little nervous or skeptical about growing herbs indoors, use some tried and tested varieties such as chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, rosemary, parsley, and thyme. Most of these can be started by seed, while mint and rosemary can be started by seed or cutting.

Most herbs are sun lovers and will require a southern facing window that gets at least six hours of sunlight per day. For less sunny locations, mint, parsley and rosemary will get by with less sunlight. You might also consider hanging a grow light 6-9 inches above your plants to provide light on cloudy days. Make sure to also rotate your containers at least once per week in order to help your plants grow evenly.

Start your plants in seed trays and then transplant them to window boxes or larger containers once the plants become rooted. Use a good quality potting soil and make sure the containers you use have drainage holes. If you use water trays under your pots, make sure that you check them after watering and drain any standing water in them.

The herbs mentioned above will do fine provided temperatures are maintained between 55 and 70 degrees. Feed with a water soluble plant food every 2-4 weeks just as you would any other indoor plant, and don't water until the soil surface becomes dry. The use of a small fan will also help herbs survive the stuffy air conditions that can occur indoors in winter.

Plant pests are usually less prevalent during the winter months. Nevertheless, visually check your plants at least once per week, and treat your plants with an insecticidal soap before pests actually become a problem.

So don't let the winter doldrums get you down. Spice up your life and your winter meals with the addition of fresh, homegrown indoor herbs!

The prickly pear cacti range from the Plains, Hedgehog and Tuberous varieties which spread along the desert floor reaching only a foot in height, to the Texas, Santa Rita, and Pancake varieties which reach a height of 6 or 7 feet. Both the pads and the fruit offer a long list of potential medical benefits; they are rich in nutrients, minerals and vitamins. The juice of the fruit is used in jellies, candies, syrups, and even in margaritas or wine coolers! Or you can boil down the fruit juice with a bit of orange and lemon juice to make a sauce for fruit salads and cheesecakes. What a delightfully diverse plant! And it’s plentiful in California and the Southwest.

Once ripe, the fruits of most prickly pears are edible, and sold as “tuna.” The pads are also cooked and eaten as a vegetable, and sold in stores under the name “Nopalito.” Take great care when you harvest and prepare prickly pear cactus for ingestion. Always wear heavy leather gloves when handling them to avoid the glochids from lodging in the skin. Cut off both ends and discard them, then make a long vertical slice down the body of the prickly pear, slip your finger into the slice, grabbing hold of the thick fleshy skin and peeling it away from the fruit. Then discard the skin. This leaves you with the prickly pear itself. An option to wearing the leather gloves is to hold the fruit with metal salad tongs so you’re sure to have a good grip. Gently run a butane torch up and down the sides of the fruit. You’ll see and hear the glochids sizzle away.

If you like the little edible seeds, simply chop up the pear and eat, seeds and all, or extract the juice by placing the husked pears into a blender or food processor and pulse until liquefied. Place the juice into a fine mesh sieve and push out the juice into a bowl. Discard the pulp.

And to reward yourself for your endeavors, mix equal parts pear juice to lemonade and enjoy!