Plants
Best Heirloom Zucchini for Zone 9 Vegetable Gardens
I grew three heirloom zucchini varieties and rated them based on space, productivity, and flavor to find the best combo for our zone 9 vegetable garden
The 5 Best Tomatoes for Zone 9
I tested 40+ varieties to find the 5 best tomatoes for Zone 9. Discover the high-yield, heat-resistant winners I grow every year in my garden.
The Painted Abutilon (Abutilon pictum)
Discover the 'Tropical Cheat Code' for So Cal gardens. Learn how to grow Painted Abutilon for stunning gold-mottled foliage and year-round hummingbird blooms.
The Great Gopher Spurge Scam
Think gopher spurge is a natural way to repel pests? Think again. Here's the truth about Euphorbia lathyrus, why it fails as a repellent, and how it can become an invasive weed in your Southern California garden. Learn the real way to control gophers without poisons.
Italian Frying Pepper Review: Flavor, Yield, and Growing Tips
The Italian frying pepper (Friggitello) is a Zone 9 standout! Get 5/5 stars for high yield, long production season, and a delicious, savory-sweet flavor.
Growing Cherimoya Trees & Fruit
An easy to grow sub-tropical tree great for USDA zones 9 and up. Grow the tree for shade and a tasty fruit that's a cross between pineapple, strawberry & banana
Limelight Mexican Sage – Salvia Mexicana ‘Limelight’
A sun-loving, low-water sage that grows 7 feet or taller and blooms with 12-inch tall lime green calyxes and deep blue-violet flowers in late summer and autumn
The 5 Best Sweet Peppers to Grow in Zone 9
Looking for sweet peppers that are easy to grow, have high productivity and tastes delicious? Here are 5 varieties for zone 9 to put at the top of your list
How to Collect and Save Lettuce Seed
Don’t toss that lettuce that bolted! Collect the seed and give yourself and endless supply of fresh lettuce! It's easy. All you need is scissors & a paper bag.
Garden Trial: French Gold Filet Pole Bean
Looking for a pole bean that grows quickly, is highly productive, heat & cold tolerant, and actually tastes good? Look no further than French Gold Filet beans!