February Tips

February tips for Southern California from Better Homes and Gardens

Source page: http://www.bhg.com/gardening/gardening-by-region/southern-california/february-tips-southern-california/ Question 2: What on earth does this have to do with heating and air conditioning? Hmm. probably nothing, but it has to do with saving energy. The shrubbery around your home can insulate the home against outdoor weather and provide shade or wind breaks. So gardening the outside of your home, can really make a difference in the indoor temperature. Gardening is also a pretty good source of exercise. According to a "healthy all life long" mandatory college class it burns about as much calories as walking if you do it for long enough.

• First, they suggest planting box-grown trees and shrubs. These are perfect for placing in front of windows or on the side of the house that gets the most sun. The idea here is to block direct sunlight so that it doesn't go right into your home and warm it during the summer. If you plant deciduous trees, that's even better, because they will loose their leaves during the winter and allow that same sunlight to go into the room and warm the house.

The entry continues cautioning the ways that certain grasses etc. should be cut, as well as what to add mulch to. This stuff is more for the hardcore gardeners...and there aren't any basic energy savings to glean here, so if your thumb is green, take their advice and read the rest of the article. For the rest of us, just know that it is important to plant after the frost, but before the heat of summer. AND if you're planting strawberries - now's the time. MmMm.