Expect just as much interest in plants during 2021, with some refinements
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Strawberries as trendy? That's one prediction for this growing year. (Photo: Kathy
Morrison)
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Hey, we're trendy! But that's no surprise, is it? We've all been in the thick of it, trying to find the seeds we want or the fruit trees we envision, jumping onto new online sites for our favorite plant sales -- with curbside pickup! -- and sharing soil and amendment sources.
Most of us are still at home more than we were in 2019, thanks to the coronavirus, and we want to build on what we tried last year.
Mostly out of curiosity, I took a spin through several online sites that featured "garden trends for 2021." Not too many surprises for anyone who's been paying attention, but in general, they include:
Houseplants will be more popular. (Yes, they're great backgrounds for Zoom meetings.) Succulents remain hot, with tropicals right behind. Urban gardening continues to grow, as folks with only balconies or patios find ways to add plants. This goes along with more container gardening in general, and raised beds, too. And of course, vegetables and other edibles are big, big, big.
More interesting notes:
Better Homes and Gardens cites real numbers for last year's gardening explosion. Gardeners in the United States went from 42 million people to 63 million in 2020 -- a 50 percent increase. Suppliers just weren't ready for that boom, which is why seeds and transplants and fertilizers were so hard to find last spring. But companies will be better prepared this year. BHG quotes Bonnie Plants CEO Mike Sutterer as expecting at least 80 percent of those 21 million newbies to continue this year.
Another intriguing stat from that story: A majority of the new gardeners were men 35 and younger. Since home gardening tends to be dominated by women, especially among younger people -- it evens out among retirees, I've noticed -- that could mean the trend away from growing merely ornamental annual flowers will speed up.
For BobVila.com , writer Mark Wolfe talked trends with Katie Dubow, president of Garden Media Group. Among her observations: Gardening space is a hot selling point for homebuyers. (Sacramento says, "No kidding!") Creating a habitat, rather than merely a collection of plants, is getting more attention. And experienced gardeners, with more time available, are taking on more ambitious projects.
Of course California gardeners, because we can grow for so much of the year, and grow so many things, have been ahead of many trends going national. These include planting for pollinators, sustainable gardening, removing lawns in favor of edibles or low-water plants, and using environmentally safe products in our gardens. SummerWinds Nursery , which has outlets in the South Bay, notes these trends, and also predicts that newbie gardeners who jumped into vegetables last year will add fruiting plants this year: Strawberries and patio-size fruit trees are likely to get snapped up quickly.
If you've wanted to try growing strawberries, check out this guide on choosing a variety in the California GardenWeb (I'd add the Albion variety to that list) and this planting and pest-management guide from UC Integrated Pest Management. Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply (groworganic.com) also offers a video on growing strawberries .
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Flowers in My Back Yard Series
April 28: Majestic Matilija poppy is worth a look
April 21: Celebrate roses, America's favorite flower
April 14: Small flowers with outsized impact
April 7: Calendulas do double duty
April 3: Make Easter lilies last for years to come
March 31: In praise of a pollinator magnet (small-leaf salvias)
March 24: Azaleas brighten shady spots
March 17: The perfect flower for beginners? Try zonal geraniums
March 10: Keep camellias happy for years to come
March 3: Fruit tree blossoms are a fleeting joy
Feb. 27: Are your roses looking rusty?
Feb. 24: Treasure spring daffodils now and for years to come
Feb. 17: How and why to grow wildflowers
Feb. 10: Let's talk Valentine's Day roses
Feb. 3: Why grow flowers?
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Garden checklist for week of April 19
After this midweek storm, start getting serious about spring gardening. Flowers are blooming about three weeks ahead of schedule. That includes weeds!
* Get ready to swing into action in the vegetable garden – if you haven’t already. As nights warm up over 50 degrees, set out tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash; wait on pumpkins until May. Plant onion sets.
* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias. Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.
* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom. Late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.
* Transplant lettuce and cabbage seedlings.
* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.
* Smell orange blossoms? Give citrus trees a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants. If leaves look yellow, your tree may need an iron boost -- apply some chelated iron fertilizer.
* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.
* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.
* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden needs nutrition. Give shrubs and trees a slow-release fertilizer. Mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost, which helps the soil, but keep it a few inches away from trunks and stems.
* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.
* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.
* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.
* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.
Contact Us
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Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series
Lessons learned during a year of edible gardening
WINTER
Is edible gardening possible indoors?
Hints for choosing tomato seeds
Why winter is the perfect time to plant fruit trees
When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
How to squeeze more food into less space
Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Win the weed war by tackling them in winter
Tips for planting bare-root trees, shrubs and vegetables
Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space
Ways to win the fight against weeds
FALL
Dec. 16: Add asparagus to your edible garden
Dec. 9: Soggy soil and what to do about it
Dec. 2: Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come
Nov. 25: It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying
Nov. 18: What to do with all those fallen leaves?
Nov. 11: Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden
Nov. 4: Plant a pea patch for you and your garden
Oct. 27: As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers
Oct. 20: Change is in the autumn air
Oct. 13: We don't talk (enough) about beets
Oct. 6: Fava beans do double duty
Sept. 30: Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?
Sept. 23: How to prolong the fall tomato harvest
SUMMER
Sept. 16: Time to shut it down?
Sept. 9: How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch
Sept. 2: Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning
Aug. 26: To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?
Aug. 19: Put worms to work for you
Aug. 12: Grow food while saving water
Aug. 5: Enhance your food with edible flowers
July 29: Why won't my tomatoes turn red?
July 22: A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty
July 15: Does this plant need water?
July 8: Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions
July 1: How to grow summer salad greens
June 24: Weird stuff that's perfectly normal
SPRING
June 17: Help pollinators help your garden
June 10: Battling early-season tomato pests
June 3: Make your own compost
May 27: Where are the bees when you need them?
May 20: How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days
May 13: Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can
May 6: Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success
April 29: What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?
April 22: Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)
April 15: Grow culinary herbs in containers
April 8: When to plant summer vegetables
April 1: Don't be fooled by these garden myths
March 25: Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth
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