Take the time to prune this month

THE GARDEN FANATIC

“Each age has deemed the new-born year

The fittest time for festal cheer.”

-- SIR WALTER SCOTT

“On the road again ... “

-- WILLIE NELSON

The days moved so quickly ... the holidays have yielded to a new

year. Admittedly a little worn, Catharine and I are defrosting from

the demands of the holidays in Baja. Old commitments will be

reaffirmed and new challenges invented.

Your questions for the Plant Man, for this first month of the year

included:

Q: What is the most important garden job this month?

A: January is the month for pruning. Prune carefully to encourage

the type of plant growth you desire. Early-flowering shrubs and trees

may be pruned after they have flowered.

Q: My tuberous begonias are going down now. What do I do with them

in Laguna Canyon?

A: When the stems have fallen off, remove the tuber and shake off

the soil. Dry them for a few days, place tubers in a paper bag, and

store in a cool, dry place. You can set the begonias out again in

early spring.

Q: Dear Plant Man, my azalea plant was in blossom when I bought it

about two weeks ago, but most of the flowers have turned brown and

many leaves are dropping. What can I do?

A: Azaleas have a difficult time growing indoors. Rapid leaf drop

is an indication of too much heat (perhaps it’s next to a heater),

lack of water or possibly the plant is sitting in saucer water. Plant

it outdoors soon.

Q: My ficus benjamina is unhappy and keeps dropping its leaves.

Some branches have also died. It is almost 5 feet tall, and I don’t

want to lose it. It gets a lot of indirect light, and I do let the

soil get dry before watering. I don’t let it stand in excess water. I

don’t know if I’m under-watering or over-watering or if something

else is wrong. The leaves that are dropped look good -- not withered.

Please help!

A: Your ficus is as finicky a houseplant as I’ve ever met and

really prefers to be outdoors (see azalea answer above). I might

guess that the container may be too small for your plant or that you

may be under-watering the plant.

But as most horticulturists will explain, ficus will drop green

leaves just out of principle. Light, temperature and humidity changes

are usually responsible for such behavior. Move the plant outdoors!

Q: I have planted bougainvilleas in pots, which are about 20

inches in diameter and about 22 inches tall. A few branches are about

4 feet long now. I would like the plants to grow longer and fuller

and then have lots of flowers. How often should I water and how much?

A: To keep your bougainvillea full, you must keep the ends tipped

back. Gradually, you can allow the branches to grow longer, but only

to a point. The soil should be kept evenly moist.

Q: My roses have been so beautiful this past year. But now, they

are losing leaves. Is it too early to prune for the winter?

A: Insects and cold winds have stripped many rose leaves. If you

are impatient, it would be OK to prune your roses now.

Q: Is this a good time to plant roses?

A: The best! Your local nurseries will have their largest

selection of roses at the best prices because it is bare root season

through February.

* 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 (949)

497-2438, or by e-mail at plantm@lagunanursery.com.