The Garden Fanatic -- Steve Kawaratani

Steve Kawaratani

“I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a

father’s protection.”

-- Sigmund Freud

“O suns and skies and clouds . . . and flowers of June”

-- Helen Hunt Jackson

Being a father to son and garden is a very permanent relationship.

Both are dependent on involved, loving interaction (although Austin and

Cooper are probably relieved to have slightly distanced the interaction

by virtue of their maturity).

A garden’s continued success is based on nurturing care. The joy of

watching plants grow, inspire the beginner to become a confident gardener

and its complexities sustain the interest of the even the most

experienced.

This first month of summer in Laguna brings sun and blue skies, as

well as unexpected showers and gloomy skies. The weather challenges a

gardener to maintain the beauty of June flowers. Sunday the 16th is

Father’s Day. Make it a special one, as dad enjoys flowers too! Happy

gardening from the Plant Man.

Q: My gift cyclamen has finished blooming. Now what?

A: Cyclamen are best grown outdoors. Keep it in a cool, filtered sun

area. If it becomes too warm, the leaves will turn yellow. During the

fall, gradually withhold water until the plant becomes dormant. Store the

pot in the garage and bring it back out in the spring. With warmer

weather and water, it will return to flower.

Q: My rose leaves look like my grandmother’s old doilies, just like

lacework. What’s up!

A: Lacework holes in rose leaves are classic caterpillar damage. Spray

infested plants with either Orthene or Orthonex for immediate control.

Catharine prefers to control caterpillars with BT (Bacillus

thuringiensis), which is a biological control and most effective while

the caterpillars are small.

Q: Why are my tomato leaves curling inward?

A: Leaf roll on tomatoes is a physiological result of excessively wet

soil, most commonly seen during wet springs. It is a temporary disorder

and generally only staked tomatoes and the larger tomatoes like Big Boy

and Beefsteak are affected. Within a few days, as the soil dries, the

plant leaves should return to normal.

Q: Hi Plant Man. I’m tired of the mildew on everything. What can I do?

A: June gloom contributes to the mildew found on roses, vegetables,

and zinnias. You can’t control the weather, so your options are to spray

fungicides for control, ignore the problem or move further inland. Good

cultural practices such as avoiding excessive moisture on leaves during

watering, removing badly diseased leaves and not stressing plants will go

a long way in keeping the problem to a minimum.

Q: Why are birds suddenly attracted to my lawn?

A: If you’re not leaving birdseed on your lawn, it is probably being

attacked by sod webworm. It’s a little early for this lawn pest, but if

you notice irregular brown patches in your lawn, which appear to be

expanding, look for final confirmation in small beige moths which fly at

sunset. Don’t wait for this problem to worsen, the insect larvae is

eating the roots of your lawn! The best control is Diazinon, applied as

soon as you suspect a problem.

Q: Plant Man, what should I plant now in the shade?

A: Fuchsia, tuberous and bedding begonias and impatiens are at their

best during early summer. Provide plenty of moisture and light shade.

Water plants in containers or pots carefully.

Q: My tomato plants look great, but all of the flowers keep dropping

off.

A: Tomatoes may fail to set fruit for a number of reasons. Mainly,

tomatoes will not set fruit if the soil is too dry. Also, if night

temperatures fall below 55F or rise above 90F (not usually a problem in

Laguna) the blossoms may not set. Too much nitrogen in the soil can also

inhibit blossom production. Try applying a tomato blossom set and adding

superphosphate (0-20-0) to your soil.

***

My father’s hands guided me through my first faltering steps and later

propelled me forward on my first solo flight without trainer wheels.

They assisted me in tying Cub Scout knots and taught me how to dribble

a basketball and grip a bat.

My father taught me all I needed to know about family and hard work by

the eloquence of his example.

This will be the first Father’s Day without him, but I cherish all of

the wonderful times we shared.

See you next time.

* STEVE KAWARATANI is the owner of Landscapes by Laguna Nursery, 1540

South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. He is married to local artist,

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

497-2438, or E-mail to plantm@lagunanursery.com.