The Savvy Sage

Every spring, I wish for some bumble bees to come to my garden and hang out around it. This year, finally, my wish came true. I've been seeing some little fuzzy guys hanging out by this Bulbine bulbosa succulent plant that produces yellow flowers.

As March unfolds in Zone 9b, gardeners eagerly embrace the warming temperatures and lengthening days, signaling the start of the growing season.

A couple summers ago, some of my tomatoes produced little or nothing. At the end of the season, I discovered evidence of root-knot nematodes (RKN): galls on the roots that impair the plant's ability to take up water and nutrients.

While the current stretch of warm weather in Woodland is welcomed by many, it's also a warning that the likely 100-degree summer days are not too far off.

This post is dedicated to one of my favorite perennials in the garden, Mystic Spires Blue Salvia, Salvia longispicata x farinacea. Why do I love this plant so? Let me count the ways: First, Mystic Spires is easy to grow, fairly disease and pest free and blooms constantly from early summer to frost.