Ask the Garden Guru
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Fog-tolerant herbs, fruits, veggies, and flowers that attract bees & hummingbirds
Dear Garden Guru,
Can you recommend a list of fog/Mediterranean climate tolerant herbs, fruits, veggies, and flowers (which attracts bees and hummingbirds)? Any guidance will be much appreciated.
Wayne in San Francisco
Hi Wayne,
The first tip is to take care of the soil. Don’t skip on the amendments that will help retain moisture and offer nutrition. Water regularly, especially the flowers and vegetables. Choose organic fertilizers that will not harm the beneficial soil organisms that help your plants’ root systems by improving nutrient uptake and guarding against disease. Actinovate is a wonderful supplement for any new garden plant.
Vegetables: peas, lettuces, chard, beets, cabbages, broccoli, mustard, spinach, carrots, radishes, kohlrabi, arugula (actually all your greens), in the summer- cherry tomatoes too. Herbs- parsley, cilantro, rosemary, chervil, savory, sage, thyme, oregano, marjoram
Fruits: raspberries, southern highbush blueberries, apples, pears, strawberries, loquat, pineapple guava, lemon, kumquat, Trovita orange
Flowers that attract beneficials and pollinators- white alyssum, cosmos, achillea, agastache, tulbaghia, Oenothera, Eriogonum (Buckwheat), Erigeron, Dianthus
Hummingbirds:– Abutilon, Fuchsia, Agastache, Salvia greggii, Salvia clevelandii, Nasturtium, Delphinium
There is so much more, but this will get you started.
Low maintenance trees to plant in foggy areas
Dear Garden Guru,
We live in the Balboa Terrace area in SF where it can get cold and foggy. We are wondering what type of trees would be suitable to plant in our back yard that would not require much maintenance. Flowering Cherry Bloosom? We are open to suggestions.
Frances in San Francisco
Hi Frances,
The trees most often recommended are the Arbutus ‘Marina, Ficus nitida, Magnolia grandiflora, Melaleuca quinquenervia and Dodonaea. Flowering cherry and plum will survive, but may show signs of leaf burn later in the season.
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