Be a California Gardening Hero
Californians love their gardens.
And while you may not be able to make water run uphill or raise 700-pound tomatoes, you can still be a California Gardening Hero. At Apply Responsibly, we believe that there are many facets to becoming an accomplished gardener.
True heroes in the garden know how to grow beautiful flowers, lawns and healthy vegetables. But that's not all. They also know how to conserve water and employ responsible and creative gardening practices in their yards.
To help you become a backyard Gardening Hero, we have scoured the Internet to create a consolidated library of videos and other online resources. We have just scratched the surface and plan to add more resources on a regular basis. So check back often. We hope these tips and best practices will help you become a more skilled, responsible and proud gardener.
Gardening Channel
Flowers
Flowers light up California gardens with an array of aromas and splashes of beautiful color. Our state’s mild climate makes it possible to grow flowers year round. But flowers can possess more than aesthetic value – smart planting of them can attract such helpful insects as butterflies and bees, which pollinate and eat bad bugs. Here are some videos and online resources to help you beautify your garden and promote habitat for some of a garden’s most important visitors.
Video
Web Page
How to Plant a Flower Garden (2:39)
Tips for Mixing Spring and Summer Blooming Flowers (1:18)
How to Plant Sunflower Seeds (3:35)
Attracting Butterflies & Bees
Gardening Channel
Garden IQ
Before grabbing a trowel and putting in your plants, gardeners should develop some basic knowledge to help ensure success. This includes understanding where you live – the bioregion, the climate, the season and what plants will naturally thrive in your garden (After all, you wouldn’t’ want to plant cactus in Alaska). If you are new to gardening, this is a good place to get started listening to your environment so you can be a Green Thumb throughout the year wherever you live.
Video
Web Page
Know Your Climate Zone
Gardening Channel
Lawn Care
Proper lawn care practices not only provide a beautiful yard, but also help the environment. Here are some excellent videos on lawn care, including a series from the Environmental Protection Agency aimed at encouraging homeowners and communities to adopt healthy lawn care practices as a way to reduce pesticide risks, limit erosion, prevent stream sedimentation and limit flooding and runoff of pollutants into local waterways
Video
Web Page
Healthy Lawn Care Practices (3:53)
Testing Your Soil (1:13)
Mowing (1:30)
Watering (1:21)
Weed and Pest Control (1:30)
Fertilizing (2:45)
Aerate Your Soil (0:39)
Controlling Run-off (1:50)
Gardening Channel
Pests
Pests and weeds are a frustrating reality in any garden. While there are many philosophies about how best to deal with these problems, a popular approach is known as integrated pest management (IPM). This strategy seeks to combine natural approaches such as habitat prevention and the limited use of pesticides to defend a garden from pests. Here are some videos that demonstrate effective and responsible ways to protect both your garden and the environment.
Video
Web Page
Gardening Channel
Pruning
Proper pruning is essential to healthy plants and trees. Pruning the correct way will ensure that your plants grow the right way and can even help cut down on disease. Pruning is also a great way to control growth and create more sunlight in your yard.
Video
Web Page
How to Prune a Rose Bush (1:23)
Pruning Shrubs (2:05)
How to Trim a Hedge (1:03)
Gardening Channel
Soil Care
Poor soil conditions can hamper the best intentions. To make sure you maximize the health and growth of your plants and vegetables, it is essential that their soil food is balanced and nutritious. From testing your soil to making your own compost, the following resources will help you get down and dirty with your garden.
Video
Web Page
Testing Your Soil (3:53)
Composting (1:13)
How to Build a Compost Bin (1:30)
Composting Tips (1:21)
Preparing Soil for Seed Planting (1:30)
How to Enrich Your Garden With Compost (2:45)
Gardening Channel
Tools, Tricks and Tips
Knowledge of basic tools and simple tips can help you work more effectively and efficiently in your garden. The following offer some ways you can work smarter in your garden.
Video
Web Page
How to Build a Garden Shed (1:38)
Garden Maintenance & Tools (7:06)
DougGreensGardens.com Describes his 2 Favorite Tools (1:18)
How to Sharpen and Clean Your Tools (1:21)
Best Planting Locations (2:27)
Gardening Channel
Vegetables
Eating fresh herbs and vegetables from your garden is one of the most gratifying and enjoyable aspects of home gardening. But knowing what, how and when to plant is essential. Here are some videos and online resources to help you get started in your own “Back 40.”
Video
Web Page
How to Plant a Tomato (1:01)
How to Build a Raised Garden Bed
Veggie Cage Demonstration (4:19)
How to Plant Pea Seeds (1:16)
7 Steps for Upside Down Tomatoes (1:34)
Gardening Channel
Watering
In California, water is like gold. The state’s large population, important aquatic environment and its tendency for periodic droughts have made water a precious commodity in the state. That’s why California Gardening Heroes should conserve water. Here are some ways to learn to be more water wise in your garden.
Video
Web Page
Learn About Drip Irrigation (4:10)
6 Steps to a Water-Wise Garden
Grade Your Yard for Drainage (2:22)
Small Garden Irrigation Ideas and Tips (3:07)
Tips for Watering Vegetables (3:15)
How to Build a Self Watering Container (2:17)