Be attentive to your garden

Steve Kawaratani

“What happens depends on our way of observing it or on the fact that

we observe it.”

-- Werner Heisenberg

“Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend’s

forehead.”

-- Chinese proverb

Left to our own devices, our gardens become largely neglected

during the summer. Whether this occurs due to vacation, warmer

temperatures or divorce proceedings is immaterial -- garden success

is directly attributable to time spent gardening.

Frequent plant inspections and knowing what to look for, can often

catch garden problems before they get out of control. Instead of

wishing you were in Greece, visit your roses and tomatoes. Check the

undersides of leaves for worms and follow the ant trails up your

ficus. And about that ficus, trim and lace it -- it’s not fair that

the tree is blocking the view for an entire neighborhood. Get real;

you’re not even sitting under the tree anymore.

“What is the icky white stuff on my bamboo?” Catharine asked

recently. I knew the answer before I even reached our plants:

mealybugs. Closely related to scale, mealybugs have a white, cottony

covering and move slower than a snail. They suck the sap out of

plants, which causes stunting and even death. Ants are their friends,

drinking the sugary, honeydew excretion. In return, ants fight off

the mealybugs’ natural predators -- ladybugs and lacewings.

Generally, ants are annoying, but not serious pests in the garden.

Their presence, however, are often a clue that a real pest is

secretly wreaking havoc in the garden. Eliminating ants often allows

natural controls to reduce pest levels. The use of the sticky ant

barrier, Tanglefoot pest barrier, and/or Diatomaceous earth can be

useful as deterrents. Ant stakes and bait can also be effective in

minimizing ant intrusions.

Ultra Fine Oil is a horticultural oil used to help control

insects. The oil smothers insects and their eggs. It is my spray of

choice to control the honeydew-type insects: mealybugs, scale and

aphids. When applied properly, it will not harm your pets, wild birds

and beneficial insects.

The ubiquitous morning glory is beautiful to many, but is a pest

to others. It makes its way over the ground and twines and suffocates

anything in its path. The herbicide, Roundup, is the most effective

control. Repeat applications will be necessary. Painting the

herbicide onto morning glory leaves will prevent the chemical from

drifting into the garden

Are you over or under watering your lawn? Two or three times a

week should be adequate with the overcast weather we’re experiencing.

Step on the grass, if the blades don’t spring back from your

footprint, it’s time to water. The secret to a healthy lawn is to

water deeply and infrequently. This will help reduce your water bill

as a monetary benefit.

I always espouse restraint when dealing with garden pests, whether

they are insects, mites or diseases. The goal is to control but not

pollute the garden. But what about ants that invade the pantry,

mosquitoes that may be carrying a virus or flies that are buzzing

around the cat food? My advice is simple kill the suckers.

* STEVE KAWARATANI is the owner of Landscapes by Laguna Nursery,

1278 Glenneyre St., in Laguna Beach. He is married to local artist,

Catharine Cooper and has two cats. He can be reached at (949)

497-2438, or e-mail to [email protected].