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Our Garden Guru answers the following gardening questions:

1. Curled leaves on my peach tree. What to do?
2. Fog-tolerant herbs, fruits, veggies, and flowers that attract bees & hummingbirds
3. Low maintenance trees to plant in foggy areas
4. Vegetables to plant for areas with unpredictable weather

QUESTION 1

Q: Dear Garden Guru,

Hello. I have a young peach tree in a large pot on my deck that just started to bloom for the first time. Now, some of the leaves are dimpled. The dimpled parts are red. Could this be a bug inside or a disease? What to do? Thanks.

-- Andrea in South San Francisco

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A: Dear Andrea,

Unfortunately, your peach tree has what is called peach leaf curl, which is a fungal disease. As the disease progresses, the leaf twists and distorts, eventually falling. With fewer leaves, the trees then start shedding fruit. Both peaches and nectarines are susceptible to it. It is controlled by spraying in the fall, winter, and early spring with a copper or sulfur spray. When you see or hear the words "dormant spraying" this is referring to preventative measures of suppressing or preventing an infection. We recommend Bonide Copper Spray. It is used after leaf drop, January, February, and at petal fall. You can still spray your tree this spring to protect the foliage and future fruits.

QUESTION 2

Q: Dear Garden Guru,

Can you recommend a list of fog/Mediterranean climate tolerant herbs, fruits, veggies, and flowers (which attracts bees and hummingbirds)? Any guidance will be much appreciated.

- Wayne in San Francisco

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A: Dear Wayne,

First tip is to take care of the soil. Don't skip on the amendments that will help retain moisture and offer nutrition. Water regularly, especially the flowers and vegetables. Choose organic fertilizers that will not harm the beneficial soil organisms that help your plants' root systems by improving nutrient uptake and guarding against disease. Actinovate is a wonderful supplement for any new garden plant.

Vegetables: peas, lettuces, chard, beets, cabbages, broccoli, mustard, spinach, carrots, radishes, kohlrabi, arugula (actually all your greens), in the summer- cherry tomatoes too. Herbs- parsley, cilantro, rosemary, chervil, savory, sage, thyme, oregano, marjoram

Fruits- raspberries, southern highbush blueberries, apples, pears, strawberries, loquat, pineapple guava, lemon, kumquat, Trovita orange

Flowers that attract beneficials and pollinators- white alyssum, cosmos, achillea, agastache, tulbaghia, Oenothera, Eriogonum (Buckwheat), Erigeron, Dianthus

Hummingbirds- Abutilon, Fuchsia, Agastache, Salvia greggii, Salvia clevelandii, Nasturtium, Delphinium

There is so much more, but this will get you started.

QUESTION 3

Q: Dear Garden Guru,

We live in the Balboa Terrace area in SF where it can get cold and foggy. We are wondering what type of trees would be suitable to plant in our back yard that would not require much maintenance. Flowering Cherry Bloosom? We are open to suggestions.

- Frances in San Francisco

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A: Dear Frances,

The trees most often recommended are the Arbutus 'Marina, Ficus nitida, Magnolia grandiflora, Melaleuca quinquenervia and Dodonaea. Flowering cherry and plum will survive, but may show signs of leaf burn later in the season.

QUESTION 4

Q: Dear Garden Guru,

We'd like to start our first garden here in SF. We live near Stern Grove so our area can be very foggy. What do you recommend we plant that can thrive in this unpredictable weather? My son would love to eat from our garden.

- Jody in San Francisco

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A: Dear Jody,

You are lucky enough, with your cool weather, to grow lettuces year round. Peas can be grown successfully as you seldom have consistent temperatures higher than 75 which prevents peas from flowering (and fruiting). Carrots, beets, radishes,leeks, and onions can be sown in mid August for fall harvest. Cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli can be started now too. For something sweet, plant strawberries early next spring.

NOTES: Each month we select gardening questions that will help all Bay Area gardeners. Please allow 3-7 working days for a response. IMPORTANT: Please make sure your email address is correct so that our Guru can reply to your question.

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