At 54, Margaret has mastered winter plant care in her Irvine garden. She describes winter this way: “Winter is when my garden whispers instead of shouts.”
Margaret reduces irrigation from twice-weekly summer waterings to once weekly or less, always checking soil moisture two inches down. She cautioned: “People kill more drought-tolerant plants with winter kindness than summer neglect.”
Winter brings strategic pruning—removing one-third of lavender growth, light rosemary trimming, and cutting Russian sage to six inches. She avoids fertilizing most plants, making exceptions for winter bloomers with organic, slow-release applications.
Margaret emphasized: “Organic fertilizers are like a good meal. Chemical ones are just a quick jolt.”
She summarized her philosophy: “Good gardening isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things at the right time. My plants don’t need constant fussing. They need me to understand their rhythms and work with the seasons.”
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