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How to grow guava, rhubarb and more

May 15, 2026

5 things to do in the garden this week:

Fruit. The topical guava (Psidium guajava) is an evergreen plant with dark, glossy leaves that can be grown easily enough from fermented seeds. Scoop guava seeds out of a fruit and remove as much of their sticky covering as possible. Then soak the seeds in water for two days, during which the remainder of the covering should rise to the surface. Rub off any remnants still clinging to the seeds on a paper towel and plant the seeds immediately in well-drained soil in a four or six-inch pot. After watering, cover with plastic wrap, and germination should occur within two weeks. It will take three years for the plant to produce its fragrant flowers, followed by its first yellow fruit.

Vegetables. Yes, you can grow rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) in Southern California. The seeds and rhizomes you see online are invariably the Victoria variety, which can be grown here but requires a shady spot to survive our summer heat. There are other varieties, however, that are successful with morning sun exposure, such as Tina Noble, Ruby Red, Red Surprise, and Crimson Sunrise. For information on how to obtain seeds of these varieties, contact the California Rare Fruit Growers at crfg.org or order 100 seeds for $15 from fencharvest.com.au.

Herbs. Borage (Borago officinalis) is a delightful addition to the herb garden. It displays myriad star-shaped blue flowers throughout the summer. The flowers nod with indisputable charm and are edible with a cucumber taste, suitable for use as a garnish or to flavor soups and salads. Many herbs have both culinary and medicinal value, and borage is one of them, as its seed oil has been found to promote healthier skin. Chop up borage leaves to brew a tea known to soothe a cough and reduce stress. Borage plants grow three feet tall and two feet wide and self-sow with ease, so that you will enjoy their garden presence for years to come.

Flowers. Aeoniums, native to the Canary Islands, an archipelago located not far off the coast of northwest Africa, are magnificent monocarpic plants. Monocarps are perennials that flower once and die. In the case of Aeoniums and other monocarpic succulents such as Agaves, however, clonal pups or offsets have invariably formed around the mother plants before their demise. The gaudy and conical floral scepters of Aeonium arboretum, often more than a foot long and consisting of tightly clustered golden florets, bring gasps of disbelief when first encountered. They do have shallow roots, so make sure they get some occasional water when grown in all-day sun, or their leaves may shrivel.

“Teamoss” is a new product coming from Suntory, the giant Japanese brewing company. Teamoss is being marketed as an alternative to peat moss, the decaying residue of Sphagnum moss. Peat moss is used primarily for acidifying soil mixes. However, peat moss takes thousands of years to form, and its depletion from cold climate regions is an ecological concern. Suntory developed tea moss from tea leaves and wood chips. Where teamoss has been substituted for peat moss in horticultural projects, plants grown in teamoss outperformed those grown in peat moss. Suntory is involved in other horticultural endeavors, including teaming up with a bioengineering company with the goal of creating the world’s first blue rose.

Orange County Register

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How to grow guava, rhubarb and more

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