If you haven't yet, start planting summer vegetables now. The sooner you plant, the sooner you'll have a harvest.

A wide range of crops can be put in now. It's not yet too late to put in early vegetables like artichokes, corn, green beans, New Zealand spinach, and early tomatoes. Cucumbers and both summer and winter squash can still be planted. And of course you can plant the crops that go year-round, such as carrots, radishes, beets, chard, and turnips. You can even start putting in the real heat lovers this month, such as peppers, lima beans, melons, pumpkins, eggplant, and okra.

Provide adequate light; plant vegetables in full sun. Without it they'll succumb to disease and fail to flower, and you won't get a crop. Lay out your vegetable garden to make the best use of sunlight. A good rule of thumb is: plant tall crops to the north and short crops to the south, and arrange your rows from north to south so the sun goes from side to side across them. If you really want to grow vegetables but do not get full sun, try lettuce, potatoes, asparagus, and herbs. Tomatoes will bear a crop with just four or five hours of midday sun in a warm, sheltered location, especially if it also provides reflected heat.

Provide good soil and drainage; vegetables need deep fertile soil with adequate drainage. Sandy or decomposed granite loam is best. If you have red clay, adobe, or almost pure sand, don't despair...there are soil amendments that will allow you to enjoy great veggies as well. If your soil is rock hard or drainage is nil, plant in raised beds that are filled with top soil mixed with a good soil amendment like Master Nursery's Bumper Crop. If roots are a problem, plant in large containers with paving stones underneath.

Finally, decide on a watering system. The furrow method is good, especially with heavy soils, but it wastes water. Overhead sprinkling can work early in the day, but it can be bad along the coast, where excess moisture on leaves, cool temperatures, and a moist atmosphere may encourage fungus growth. The best way for modern gardeners to water vegetables is with a drip system. Most vegetables need the equivalent of an inch of rain per week for healthy growth. Drip systems use 40-60 percent less water by putting it where roots are. It can seem like a lot of work, but the bounty of the harvest is well worth the effort!

If your soil is tired, hard and compacted from all of the winter rains, it's probably time to energize your soil with Bumper Crop. This unique soil amendment is composed of composted fir bark and forest hummus that is strongly fortified with 15% chicken manure, bat guano, kelp meal and worm castings. It is a must for bedding plants and vegetables in addition to making roses and fruit trees very happy.

Bumper Crop provides a rich, balanced mixture of organic ingredients at planting time in new and existing garden soil. It improves soil drainage, while at the same time increasing moisture retention in all types of soil. The organic material in Bumper Crop also makes it last a long time.

We believe it is the best soil amendment product on the market. So if it's time to work that soil again, come to Almaden Valley Nursery and pick up your supply of Bumper Crop today.

We are pleased to offer you the new Patio Clematis Collection from Raymond Evison.

These dwarf clematis are bred for superior performance in patio containers and small gardens. They are heavy blooming new varieties with a long bloom season that will perk up that deck, patio or entryway all season long.

There are 3 varieties of this unique clematis: Cezanne, with light lavender flowers, Picardy, which has dusky red flowers with a brighter red bar, and Versailles, which will knock you out with its maroon-red flowers.

Now you don't need to have extra space for a clematis anymore. These patio varieties are the perfect solution for that extra decorative touch to your container garden!

The battle against weeds in your lawn can be a gardener's greatest problem on the road to having your own piece of green acres. Instead of your "field of dreams", you end up with a lawn not even the neighbor's dog wants to go on. But it doesn't have to be that way. A healthy, dark green, weed-free lawn is a lot easier to achieve than one might imagine.

First and foremost, if a lawn is irrigated properly (every 3 days) and fertilized regularly (every two months), it will produce more blades, thus leaving less room for weeds to get established. It also helps cut down on pests and disease. We recommend Dr. Earth Supernatural Lawn Food. It is important to mow regularly in order to keep weeds and weed-grasses from producing seeds which will be broadcast by the wind and future mowings.

Lawn weeds are usually broken down into two categories, broadleaf (leafy) and grass (bladed) weeds. Both can be prevented by applying a fertilizer with a pre-emergent such as Scotts Super Turf Builder plus Halts before weeds germinate. The product basically creates an invisible layer in the soil that kills the seed after it germinates and penetrates the invisible chemical layer. Most pre-emergents last around 4 months. The timing and application will depend on what types of weeds you are trying to prevent.

Once you have weeds, the using of a post-emergent weed control will provide good results. For broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, oxalis and spurge or grassy weeds like crabgrass we recommend Trimec Plus. Before applying, read the entire label and follow it precisely. The following tips will help you achieve optimum control in the spring or fall when air temperatures are between 65 and 85 degrees F. In hotter temperatures, turf damage is more likely.

At the time of treatment, soil moisture should be adequate. When drought stressed, weed control is poor and turf damage is more likely. Apply in the middle of a mowing cycle. Make sure to water at least a day prior to application and allow 24-48 hours before any rain is expected or re-watering. If it is windy, wait to apply herbicides of any kind. They can and will injure ornamental plants. Best results occur when weeds are young. For acceptable control, repeat applications, 10-14 days apart, may be required.

Once you get on a regular maintenance schedule, you'll have more time to enjoy your lawn and make your neighbors "green with envy."

Erica Margarito

Erica was born and raised in San Jose. She developed her love of plants at age 10 when she once fell into five rose bushes playing tag with her brother.

In high school Erica was an honor roll student and a skilled soccer player. She is now an honor student at San Jose State where she is studying to become an emergency room nurse so she can "fix people."

Her craziest adventure was driving through Hurricane Charlie without windshield wipers on a trip to North Carolina.

Not one to shy away from needles, pain or the sight of blood, Erica can easily become unraveled at the sound of two pieces of Styrofoam being rubbed together.

When designing a garden, focal points are an important concept. A focal point is a feature that draws the eye. This can be anything from a tall tree to a colorful grouping of plants, to a strategically placed statue. Having a focal point (or several) in your landscape or garden gives the whole area a more orderly look.

You can create an eye-catcher by something as simple as planting a tall, colorful plant in the midst of smaller plants in a flower bed. If you already have a naturally imposing feature, such as a large tree, consider placing colorful perennials around it.

Another way to draw the eye is to use bold contrasts. A grouping of bright red or white flowers in the midst of an expanse of green lawn will draw attention. Even a bright color amidst pastels will work.

One of the most popular methods is to use statues and other garden decor, such as fountains, birdbaths or bird feeders. Used as a centerpiece of a design, these are a great way to create a focal point. A driveway or path with brightly colored borders is another popular way to draw attention. Both solid colors and mixed colors can work well here.

A driveway or path with brightly colored borders is another popular way to draw attention. Both solid colors and mixed colors can work well here.

If you are lucky enough to have a naturally good view, use it as a backdrop for a grouping. If you have the sort of yard that lends itself to paths, consider a flower-covered arch trellis as an entry way. Come in and look around; you'll find plenty of good ideas!