THE COASTAL GARDENER:

By now we are right in the middle of our fall and early winter planting season — the best planting time of the year for coastal gardeners.

Since there is so much gardening activity at this time of year, I thought it might be a good time to remind the regular readers of some all too common gardening mistakes. These are widespread errors of the season that I see all too often. To provide some encouragement, I paired up each of these gardening errors with an opposing opportunity.

Basil and Cilantro

Basil should not be planted in the fall or winter. Basil is a summer-growing annual everywhere in the United States. Regardless of one’s best intentions, a basil plant bought and planted in November will be dead shortly. Wait until March at the soonest; April is even better.

Cilantro, on the other hand, is a perfect winter herb. Cilantro thrives during the cool months of the year. Unfortunately, far more gardeners plant cilantro in the spring or summer, only to watch it quickly set seed and then perish. Remember, cilantro in the winter and basil in the summer.

Impatiens and Cyclamen

Since we’re talking about winter-growing plants and summer-growing plants, we have to mention this very common mistake: planting impatiens in winter. This is one of the most common gardening errors and is repeated a thousand times over in local gardens. Impatiens are warm weather plants. Planted now, at the onset of our cool season, is pointless. Unlike basil, impatiens might survive the winter, but will be miserable and unhappy. Wait until spring.

Conversely, cyclamen are ideal winter flowers. In fact, the cooler the temperatures, the happier cyclamen are. In all those pots and spaces where impatiens are being planted right now, cyclamen would be a much smarter choice.

Hydrangeas and fuchsias

Hydrangeas should definitely not be pruned now, or any time during the next six or seven months. Hydrangeas are beginning to look very sad right about now. Their leaves are discoloring, and they may even have a dusty covering of powdery mildew.

Unfortunately, a gardener’s response to this unhealthy appearance might be to cut the plant back for the winter. Very bad idea. Almost all hydrangeas, if trimmed, will not bloom again next year. Hydrangeas are unique; they set their flowers on the tips of their year-old stems. Any cuts on these stems, no matter how light, will ensure a flowerless hydrangea the next summer.

In the meantime, fuchsias should be cut back this month but seldom are. Unlike hydrangeas, fuchsias bloom exclusively on new growth. A fuchsia grower’s goal is to create as much new growth as possible between now and next spring.

A simple process of cutting the plant back to the edge of the pot now, feeding with high nitrogen organic fish fertilizer and pinching every few weeks will ensure more flowers than you could imagine next year.

Most fuchsias, unfortunately, will go unpruned this fall and by the next season are a bare, woody plant with only a few flowers.

Iron and mulch

Gardenias, citrus, hibiscus and a few other plants frequently show symptoms of iron deficiency at this time of the year. Pale, yellow new leaves at the tips of the branches, usually with green veins, are an easy diagnosis.

The usual response is to apply iron, either in a liquid or granular form. Unfortunately, the leaves don’t green up.

Another application, even two or three more, doesn’t seem to help. The reason is that iron is not absorbed by plants when soil temperatures are low; no matter how much is applied. You’ll just have to wait until spring.

Conversely, the addition of an organic mulch applied over the surface of the soil throughout the garden is a very good idea. Keeping the soil covered with a two- to three-inch layer of a quality organic mulch may be the best Christmas gift you can give your garden.

These are just a few of the seasonal errors I’ve observed. We can all learn from each other. If you have learned from your fall gardening mistakes and would like to share, write to me at stumpthegardener@rogersgardens.com.

Question: The geranium buds in my window boxes have tiny holes and small worms. Several times, I have removed all the buds and sprayed the plants with various products to no avail. Is there a solution?

Shirley

Balboa Island

Answer: The pest you have is known as Geranium Budworm or Tobacco Budworm (Helicoverpa virescens or Helicoverpa zea). Both worms are the larvae of a dull gray night flying moth. It lays one egg per bud. After hatching the larvae feed inside the developing flower. The small larvae take on the color of the plant it is eating. Spray weekly with Bacillus thuringiensis (ask for BT), a biological control, until no more damage is noticed. Because BT is broken down by heat and light, it is best to apply it in the evening and when the larvae are young. At a more mature stage, they can go without food for several days and the treatment will be less effective. By the way, Ivy geraniums are not affected by budworms and the cooler, shorter days ahead will also reduce your problem, at least until late spring when it begins again.

ASK RON your toughest gardening questions, and the expert nursery staff at Roger’s Gardens will come up with an answer. Please include your name, phone number and city, and limit queries to 30 words or fewer. E-mail stumpthegardener@rogersgardens.com, or write to Plant Talk at Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, Corona del Mar, CA 92625.

RON VANDERHOFF is the Nursery Manager at Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar.