Still time for a more colorful garden

“Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade.”

One of the joys of being Buster’s doggy daddy is meeting fellow dog walkers in town. From Main Beach to the village streets, our conversations invariably move directly from how cute our dogs are to the quantity and quality of tomatoes harvested. It’s not that we’re struck solely by the lure of gardening, but the lore is equally important.

After the rush of June blossoms, it is often difficult to maintain color from shrubs, which often become quite drab by late July. Enter the bedding plant, the savior for those of us who enjoy the “idea” of flowers and enjoy a splash of color in the garden. From a practical point, bedding plants are easy to buy, easy to grow, and are the easiest way to an instant, colorful garden.

By designing with flowers of colors that please you, your garden will be appealing and renewed. There is still plenty of time to include marigolds, zinnias and cosmos into your garden. Keep flower beds and containers well filled and neat by removing spent or dead flowers and foliage, and your entire garden will appear trim and well tended.

As summer guests continue to visit (invade?) our homesteads, it is imperative to fertilize, mulch and weed to promote garden beauty. Don’t forget to water lawns and trees deeply for the recently arrived warmer weather. Your reward will be a greener garden.

Giant whiteflies have been particularly difficult to eradicate on hibiscus this month. Humid, overcast skies offer favorable conditions for this unwelcome pest. Twice weekly washings with water may reduce their population. If not, consider the use of a horticultural oil to keep the infestation in check.

Warmer days will also unleash worms on herbaceous plantings and rose slugs on, well, roses. The holes that appear in the foliage in your garden can generally be controlled through the use of B.T., a naturally occurring pesticide, which is deadly to caterpillars. However, the holes in rose leaves are caused by rose slugs, which can only be controlled by using a systemic pesticide. Consult with your local nursery for specific product recommendations and spray thoughtfully.

Catharine, my little surfer girl, has also embraced the continuing wonder and glee of being a puppy mommy. I can barely recall the last time that Buster hasn’t been at her side. There is truly magic in caring for a pet (and a garden) in Laguna. See you next time.

 STEVE KAWARATANI is observing his 40th high school reunion this weekend, while his wife, Catharine, is looking for the endless summer. Their dog, Buster, just wants to go for another walk.