Since then, the Montecito Heights-based organization has grown to serve more than 2,000 clients across Los Angeles County. In May, Fruitstitute encountered an unprecedented challenge. All over the region, its clients started emailing with a simple but serious question: \u201cWhat happened to my trees?\u201d<\/p>\n
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Joanna Glovinsky of the Fruitstitute cuts fruit at a Farm Party event at Solano Canyon Community Garden.<\/p>\n
(Jason Armond \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n
Local plum, apricot and pluot trees have not produced near their norms this year. In many cases, trees that in years past have been filled with fruit are this year barren.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the eight years that we\u2019ve had Fruitstitute, this has definitely never happened before,\u201d Glovinsky said.<\/p>\n
On average, the messages have come in at least five times a day, every day, for weeks, Glovinsky said, frequently enough that Fruitstitute decided to devise a standard reply. After enough emails, they penned a newsletter on the subject and sent it to all their subscribers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not you,\u201d Glovinsky said in summary. \u201cIt\u2019s not us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Who, then, is responsible? Blame the heat that climate change has brought us. More specifically, blame our indecisive weather over the last nine months.<\/p>\n
Many parts of Los Angeles received more than 7 inches of rain last October and November, which is more than the region had received in those months since 1967.<\/p>\n
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Greengage plums from Andy\u2019s Orchard and other stone fruit for sale at the Santa Monica Farmers Market in 2019.<\/p>\n
(Mariah Tauger \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n
\u201cIt looked like it was going to be a great year,\u201d Glovinsky said.<\/p>\n
Then we heated up, registering the hottest December through February on record. Sensing that winter was over, fruit trees started flowering. But much of March and April were rather moist and cool, causing concern. No one knew exactly what to expect<\/a>. It turned out that in many cases, trees simply dropped their flowers, leaving nowhere for fruit to set.<\/p>\n \u201cWinter came back, and all the flowers died,\u201d Glovinsky said.<\/p>\n Some Redditors have reported the same problem<\/a> in sullen language. One person wrote their plum tree \u201cdecided to not produce this year\u201d and wondered if others had made the same choice.<\/p>\n You\u2019re reading the L.A. Times Plants newsletter <\/p>\n Pedro Moura gives you a roundup of upcoming plant-related activities and events in Southern California, along with our latest plant stories.<\/p>\n By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service<\/a>, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy<\/a> such as personalizing your experience and ads. <\/p>\n Generally, the issue has not affected local peach trees. Most did not break their dormancy during the winter heat wave and thus did not have flowers to lose during the so-called second winter.<\/p>\n But you can spot the effects of the weird winter weather at local farmers\u2019 markets. Most farmers who sell stone fruit at L.A. farmers\u2019 markets grow in the Central Valley, where the climate\u2019s typical chill hours are better suited for stone fruits. There, too, they had a wet-then-hot winter, although in less extreme fashion than Los Angeles.<\/p>\n At the Atwater Village Farmers\u2019 Market<\/a> on July 12, farmers reported that most of their fruit was fine, but notably ahead of schedule. G Farms in Exeter harvested plenty of plums and apricots to sell. Among their offerings were ripe August Yummy plums. As you might have guessed, the plums are so named because they typically ripen in August.<\/p>\n Ken\u2019s Top Notch, a prolific grower based in Reedley, Calif., reported that its fruit is also softening sooner than usual. The grower has been recommending customers eat or refrigerate fruit within two days.<\/p>\n Farmers and many seasoned backyard gardeners know that every year is different. No tree or orchard is a guarantee to produce at its peak in any given year. But no one expects a reliable, perfectly pruned tree with pollinators all around to be barren throughout a growing season.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s hoping next year\u2019s harvest will bounce back after our likely El Ni\u00f1o this fall.<\/p>\n Through Aug. 23, longtime Orange County plant nursery Roger\u2019s Gardens is hosting what it\u2019s calling Hummingbird Summer<\/a>. Hummingbirds will be feeding in the display garden, and a curated selection of drought-tolerant and native plants will also be available for perusal. The nursery is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.<\/p>\n The Hummingbird Summer event also functions as a fundraiser. Through round-up donations from customers and matches from Roger\u2019s Gardens, more than $20,000 has already been raised for Sea and Sage Audubon Society<\/a>, the organization\u2019s O.C. chapter.<\/p>\n Consider subscribing to the Los Angeles Times<\/p>\n Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Become a subscriber.<\/a><\/p>\n Third annual Lavender Festival blooms up the coast<\/p>\n On the next two Saturdays, July 18 and 25, Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm in Lompoc will open to the public from 12-5 p.m. for a free festival celebrating the famed plant. The 8\u00bd-acre farm will offer free parking, a local vendor market, live music, classes and demonstrations.<\/p>\n The farm<\/a> is a mother-son operation established six years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. They grow more than 3,000 lavender plants, and this year they have introduced more than 500 dahlias, among other plants. After the festival, the farm will remain open to the public every day but Tuesday through Labor Day weekend.<\/p>\n July 16<\/p>\n Twilight in the Garden at Mathias Botanical Garden, 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Westwood. Enjoy a wine bar and live music at UCLA\u2019s expansive on-campus garden. Tickets are $10. Picnics, organizers say, are encouraged. botgard.ucla.edu<\/a> <\/p>\n July 17<\/p>\n Workday at Elysian Park, 3:30-5:30 p.m. in Los Angeles. Join Terremoto\u2019s nonprofit arm Test Plot for a volunteer workday at Elysian Park near the West Loop trail peak. instagram.com<\/a> <\/p>\n July 17<\/p>\n Evening Stroll at the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton, 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Fullerton. Enjoy free fruit tastings, beverages, sweets and live music as you stroll through the school\u2019s garden. Tickets are $10, or free for members and children under 12. arboretum.fullerton.edu<\/a> <\/p>\n July 17<\/p>\n \u201cLA\u2019s Garden\u201d opening reception at Descanso Gardens, 5-7 p.m. in La Ca\u00f1ada Flintridge. A new exhibition opens at the famed garden, tracking its transformation from a native oak woodland to what the garden calls a living museum. Admission is free during the opening reception. descansogardens.org<\/a> <\/p>\n July 17 and 18<\/p>\n Plumeria Festival at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, 4-8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in Arcadia. The arboretum will host its 12th annual Plumeria Festival over two days. Several talks on growing plumerias will be held, and the festival will also host live music, merch, plant vendors, and food and drinks. Access is included with garden admission, which costs $18 for adults, $14 for students and seniors, and $8 for children ages 3 to 12. arboretum.org<\/a> <\/p>\n July 25<\/p>\n Seedy Saturday at Arlington Garden, 9-11 a.m. in Pasadena. Antonio Sanchez, a longtime native plant nursery manager, will lead a free class on native plant propagation, which will be held at Arlington Garden in Pasadena and hosted by Artemisia Nursery of El Sereno. The class is offered in English, but Spanish translation is available. eventbrite.com<\/a> <\/p>\n July 26<\/p>\n Herb Walk at California Botanic Garden, 8:30-10:30 a.m. in Claremont. Herbalist William Broen will lead an interactive garden walk with a focus on medicinal and edible plants native to California. The traditional and modern uses of 15 to 25 species will be discussed. Tickets are $30 or $25 for members. calbg.org<\/a> <\/p>\n July 30<\/p>\n Landscaping for Wildfire Resilience, 6-7:30 p.m. online. Theodore Payne Foundation horticultural educator Erik Blank will suggest strategies for the home garden to enhance wildfire resilience. Blank will also address our region\u2019s native habitats and fire history. theodorepayne.org<\/a> <\/p>\n July 31<\/p>\n Golden Hour: Music in the Garden at the Norton Simon Museum, 4:30-5:30 p.m. in Pasadena. The museum\u2019s newly renovated sculpture garden hosts a North Indian Ensemble, playing the violin, cello and tabla. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and free for children and students, and museum access is included. nortonsimon.org<\/a> <\/p>\n Alonzo Madera picks nectarines to be given away at the farm of Cesar Mora in the Central Valley.<\/p>\n (Gary Kazanjian \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n In The Times, summer intern Kori McNair looks<\/a> at how one Central Valley farmer chose to give away 182,000 pounds of nectarines during a legal dispute with a large Los Angeles produce supplier.<\/p>\n The Los Angeles River has become a popular stage for performances of all kinds in recent years. In a Times story, former reporting fellow Jireh Deng examines the river revitalization efforts<\/a>.<\/p>\n The latest information indicates there is a 97% chance of a \u201cstrong\u201d or \u201cvery strong\u201d El Ni\u00f1o, the global climate phenomenon, this fall. Times staff writer Rong-Gong Lin II reports on the possible effects<\/a> here in Southern California.<\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767334160_555_.png\")
Corona Del Mar nursery to host Hummingbird Summer<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767334160_323_.png\")
Upcoming events (July 25 to 31)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1770887536_956_.png\")
What we\u2019re reading ![\"Alonzo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784182296_633_.jpeg\")
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