1Fruit trees: If you see shoot terminals on your apple tree, including stems, leaves and flowers, that appear as if they have been torched, it is a sign of fire blight. This is a disease that results from bacteria entering flowers through their nectaries. It is likely to occur if rain falls when flowers are in bloom, but overhead irrigation or even dew settling on flowers can invite the offending pathogenic bacteria (Erwinia amylovora) to do their mischief. Pollinating bees can also spread the disease. As soon as you see affected areas, pruning is advised. Cut 12-18 inches below the affected area. Make sure to disinfect pruning shears by dipping them in rubbing alcohol or 10% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) after each cut. Without doing this, you will spread the disease, since the bacteria in the sap where you cut will be spread into the sap where you make the following cut. To prevent this disease, spray a copper fungicide such as Kocide or Liqui-Cop during dormancy or during bloom at five- to 7-day intervals before leaves emerge. Fire blight is a disease of plants in the rose family, including pear, quince, loquat, pyracantha, photinia and California native toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia).

2Vegetables: Okra (Hibiscus esculentus) is a warm-weather crop whose seeds should be planted now. You might be expecting attractive flowers, since this is a member of the Hibiscus genus, and you will not be disappointed with its large yellow blooms. Okra is a perennial that can last for several years in the garden, growing as tall as 6 feet. Should it reach this height, cut it back for more vigorous growth. Okra loves the heat and is more drought-tolerant than most vegetables; it will not need to be watered more often than once a week after it is well-rooted. Okra progresses in only four days from flower to harvestable pod. This vegetable is called ladyfinger since that is the size of the pods when they should be picked. If allowed to grow more than 3 inches long, pods will become tough and less edible. Some of this okra information was found at mysocalgarden.com. This is an excellent website that focuses on permaculture and native plants but includes details on growing a variety of vegetables, and discusses other horticultural subjects in depth as well.

3Herbs: I have seen horehound (Marrubium vulgare) sprout as a volunteer in places where no water reaches except for winter rain, so its ability to withstand drought is not in question. This ability has much to do with its hoary or frosty appearance, thanks to its white leaf hairs. This explains its common name, since “hore” is the Old English equivalent of “hoary”; “hound” is derived from an Old English word for plant. Herbalist John Gerard, writing 400 years ago about horehound, extolled its “syrup, made of the fresh leaves and sugar, is the most singular remedy against the cough and wheezing of the lungs.” Horehound’s leaves emit a strong menthol fragrance when crushed. Horehound seeds are widely available through Internet vendors.

4Perennials: My favorite succulent leaves are those of painted echeveria (Echeveria nodulosa). The olive foliage does indeed appear as if it has been handpainted with bold red stripes on the margins and in the center of the leaves as well. Although slow-growing, this is a stunning garden accent when it reaches its mature height of 2 feet with a girth of 3 feet. Summer flowers are coral and yellow and appear on 2-foot-tall inflorescences. Native to Mexico, it can grow in full sun near the coast but will do best in filtered sun or light shade in our interior valleys. I found my painted echeveria specimen at a big-box home improvement center and I should note that it is not unusual to find exotic plant selections in the garden departments of these giant stores. There are 180 echeveria species, whose genus name honors Atanasio Echeverria, a Mexican artist who drew hundreds of pictures of plants in the Mexican highlands while on a botanical expedition in 1824.

5Free mulch: This is available throughout Southern California. To find free mulch in Los Angeles, go to sanitation.lacity.gov. When you get there, click “What We Do.” In the drop-down menu, click “Green Waste.” You will then see a drop-down menu that includes “Free Mulch.” Click there to be taken to the nine locations in the city where mulch is found, including days and times when you can pick it up. Orange County has free mulch and compost available at three locations, where pickup is by appointment. To schedule a pickup, go to oclandfills.com/compost. Riverside County offers two locations where free compost is available. Find out where they are and when they are open at rcwaste.org/community-outreach/free-compost. In Ventura, free mulch is available every day from sunrise to sunset at Cornucopia Community Garden. When you go to pick up mulch or compost, be sure to have identification that shows you are a resident of the city or county that is hosting the recycled green waste giveaway.

— Joshua Siskin