The greener side of Christmas

THE GARDEN FANATIC

“From a commercial point of view, if Christmas did not exist it

would be necessary to invent it.”

-- KATHARINE WHITEHORN

“So stick up ivy and the bays,

And then restore the heathen ways.”

-- HENRY VAUGHAN

The Thanksgiving turkey had barely begun to digest for most of us,

but the opening salvo of our truest commercial holiday had already

been proclaimed through various media venues: SALE BEGINS at 6 A.M.

TOMORROW! And can you believe it; shoppers were actually queuing up

early, to be at the front of the line. I even saw a few of you,

hiding behind your Maui Jim sunglasses.

One can’t really blame the retailers if they view this season with

dollar signs tied to the Yuletide spirit. So much is at stake for

everyone, including us -- no one wants to give an unwanted gift to a

friend or loved one. That’s why I like to give plants as presents.

You know, “the gift that keeps on living,” Or something like that.

Since you are planning for the holidays, your questions for the

Plant Man included:

Q: What kind of plants will produce berries for Christmas?

A: Holly, especially the Chinese and English kinds, can be used as

decorations as small plants and then planted in the garden. In

succeeding years, they may be carefully pruned to provide branches

covered with berries. Firethorn (Pyracantha) and Toyon (Heteromeles

arbutifolia) are also useful as plants with berried branches.

Q: What’s the cottony-black stuff on the bottom of my citrus

leaves?

A: The cottony masses that cluster on the undersides of citrus

leaves during October to December are woolly white fly. The insects

are covered with a white waxy powder and often are accompanied with

shiny, sticky goo and black sooty mold. The insects feed by sucking

the plant juices from leaves, however, they cannot fully digest all

the sugars in the sap and the excess is excreted. This fluid is

called honeydew, which supports the development of the sooty mold

fungus. Application of a combination of Diazinon with horticultural

oil should knock down this problem.

Q: I want to make spraying “remedies” easier for my wife. What

garden sprayer do you recommend?

A: The professional quality Gilmour sprayer mixes chemicals

automatically while you spray. It’s the easiest way to spray and the

end to wasted chemicals. It’s so foolproof, you might even assist

your wife with some of the work.

Q: I know roses should be pruned soon. What kind of clippers

should I buy for myself?

A: I highly recommend the Felco family of hand pruners. They are

“simply the best pruners in the world.” The original design of the

Felco 2 has remained unchanged for 40 years. For smaller hands, I

recommend the Felco 6.

Q: Dear plant man. When will the new roses arrive in nurseries?

A: Bare-root roses will be arriving at your favorite nursery this

week and through January. Look for the largest selection and best

prices by purchasing bare root roses early.

Q: When is the best time to transplant my camellia?

A: The only time you may transplant camellias (Camellia japonica)

is now, while they are in bud and prior to flowering.

Q: Can I plant vegetables now?

A: Yes you can. Catharine prefers broccoli, but carrots, cabbage,

kale, lettuce, parsley and turnips can also be planted either by seed

or from starts.

Christmas lights, noble fir wreaths and plastic snowmen ... the

race is on to see who has the flashiest holiday decorations in our

neighborhood. So stick up the ivy and the bays, it’s a secular

holiday, anyway. Savor the holiday spirit. See you next time.

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

1540 S. Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. He is married to local artist

Catharine Cooper and has three cats. He can be reached at 497 2438 or

by e-mail at plantm@lagunanursery.com.