After reading these glowing reviews, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. However, I found a lot of information sorely lacking or incomplete. The month-by-month planting guide format is nice, but, in the attempt to guide us through planting almost every single type of flower/vegetable/herb/fruit possible, we get a little information on a lot of plants, but almost nothing is thoroughly covered. For instance, if you plan to grow tomatoes, this book will tell you which month to plant them, give an incomplete explanation as to the causes and remedies of blossom end rot, and give you outdated advice on the advantages of pruning tomato plants. That's it. The other major problem with this book is that organic gardening tips are almost non-existant and the use of synthetic fertilizers is assumed.

Bottom line is this is a great "quick-reference" for hundreds, if not thousands of plants, but if you have any minor problems beyond when to plant and when to water, this book will be no help.

I have just returned to San Diego after years in Texas. Before I left, I had little to no gardening experience here. This book has been a wonderful tool to get me on my way in a new gardening environment. The information is clear, concise, and has already saved me from making what would have been several "newbie" mistakes! I am so glad I found this great resource!

This book is really a superb resource for Mediterranean climate gardeners wherever they are. Although it is specific to Southern
California, and the northern hemisphere, there is nothing else like it as a seasonal guide. If you garden in South Australia or the Western Cape in South Africa you just need to reverse the seasons. This, and the use of non-metric measurements is the only reason I don't give it 5 stars.

This is a superbly organized book that truly is a SoCal gardening "bible". All the basics and more are covered, month-by-month, (from planting, pruning, and pest control, to "How to Plant a Water Lily"), including some fun ideas with a Martha Stewart flavor to them ("How to Grow a Cantaloupe in a Tire"). The end of the month checklists are concise, useful summaries of each chapter.

I especially appreciate how the author gives background information in addition to detailing the methods you should use, basically, so the gardener doesn't just know HOW to do something, s/he knows WHY (e.g., the effects of Santa Ana winds, "What is an Epiphyte?"). Also, Ms. Welsh is thorough (and thankfully includes organic methods); for example, under Control of Snails and Slugs, she explains not two, but nine ways to deal with those slimy pests.

My single complaint is one of omission: composting is given little attention in this book; vermiculture (using worms for composting) is not even mentioned. I have found composting with a worm bin perfect for "Suburban and Small Space(s)"; if properly maintained, these bins can be used indoors. However, for most gardeners, an expanded composting section for this book is not needed as composting is already an established part of their routine. For beginners, there may be enough information here to get them started. The additional book I recommend below provides sufficient composting and mulching information.

For your Southern California garden, I recommend this book and Weedless Gardening (by Lee Reich), plus a healthy application of compost.