Why leave town when there’s gardening to be done?

THE GARDEN FANATIC

“Working in the garden ... gives me a profound feeling of inner

peace.”

-- RUTH STOUT

“Good questions outrank easy answers.”

-- PAUL A. SAMUELSON

Stuck in traffic this morning, I finally realized why Horst fled

to France. And Walter to Cabo, Vic to Paso Robles, and Suzanne to

London. It’s not for the obvious reason of summertime crowds in

Laguna. My friends all left on the pretext of vacation, but the real

reason was to avoid summer garden chores.

From sprinkler repairs to fighting off whitefly, the garden

requires your attention. Besides, where else can you find that

peaceful, easy feeling while working under the sun? Your good

questions to the Plant Man for August included:

Question: My firewood is riddled with holes, and there is sawdust

everywhere. Should I do anything?

Answer: A number of insects develop within cut firewood. If

infested wood is stored against the house, there is a chance insects

will attack the wooden portions of your house. If practical, move the

firewood at 10 feet away from your home. If you choose to spray the

firewood, consult your local nursery for their pesticide

recommendation.

Q: I have a weedy patch that I would like to plant as a perennial

bed. Any tips?

A: Get to the weeds first, before any planting. They’re tougher to

control once your flowers are in. Knock the weeds out with Roundup

herbicide, and mulch liberally after planting.

Q: I still have snails in the garden. What should I do?

A: Snails require moisture to thrive, so they are most troublesome

in wet environs. I handpick the ones I see and apply copper pellets

to reduce the population. If your shelled friends are a major

problem, That’s It from Metro is the most effective control.

Q: Mr. Plant Man, I have holes in my flower garden. What should I

plant?

A: A list of hardy summer annuals begins with petunia, vinca, and

marigold. Warmer weather would allow you to plant zinnia, verbena,

and gloriosa daisy. Coreopsis, ageratum, nicotiana, and dahlia also

deserve consideration.

Q: I think some skunks have setup home under our house. At least I

can smell them. What can I do?

A: If you’re a do-it-your-selfer, placing mothballs, open pans of

household ammonia, or floodlights under your house should discourage

your house guests. For myself, I would call a service to humanely

remove them.

Q: The neighborhood crows are driving me crazy. How can I

discourage them from sitting on the fence and cawing?

A: Catharine recommends applying Tanglefoot (a bird repellent

adhesive) where the crows sit. It discourages birds from resting on

your fence. Cleanup possible food or nest-building materials in your

garden as well. Caw.

Q: Every time I barbecue, moths start bugging me. How do I rid

myself of them?

A: Burning a citronella candle will temporary eliminate moths and

other flying insects while you’re enjoying the outdoors. You might

consider replacing white lightbulbs with yellow ones (yellow light is

less visible to insects) and use lightbulbs of lower wattage.

To leave Laguna for vacation destinations means enduring hot and

humid weather, crowds, and unfamiliar restaurants. Not to mention

airports, rental cars and the daunting possibility of fathoming

foreign currency. No way. For me, leaving Laguna is as farfetched as

climbing a mountain with a pack strapped to my back. 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 writer,

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

497-2438, or e-mail to landscapes@ln.coxatwork.com.