Making good garden choices

“A bargain is in its very essence a hostile transaction ...”

— Lord Byron

Although I freely dispense advice weekly in this column, I also have the pleasure to visit gardens and dispense advice professionally. As a businessman, I hope that Laguna gardeners will support the local nurseries and businesses. As a pragmatist I am aware that many shoppers are influenced by cost and believe that bigger (either a city or building) will offer a better price.

I don’t believe that is necessarily true.

During a recent visit with a client, I was asked to place plants in the garden, using the material recently bought at a warehouse outlet.

The plants were attractive and priced competitively, the major influences in the purchase. There was only one problem.

Few of the plants were appropriate for use in Laguna. I believe that savvy advice derived from knowledge will always save money over price in the long run.

With predictions of showers this week, it appears that we are back in the rain cycle yet again. This is the last call to plant bare root roses, even in stormy weather.

Moist soil and our mild winter will have those roses blooming before March.

Your favorite nursery is still offering their largest selection and best values of the year.

This is also the last weekend to prune our existing roses within the Plant Man’s calendar.

Don’t remove more than one-third of a rose and just strip the leaves off existing climbing roses, otherwise you will be pruning off this season’s flowers.

Pest alert: Gardeners are already complaining of aphids and rose rust due to the unseasonably warm weather. Use water and ultra fine oil to wash them off.

Snails and slugs are becoming more active, particularly after stormy weather. I highly recommend That’s It snail granules, which provide excellent control without endangering your pets.

Winter annuals are still providing beautiful color. Primroses, viola, calendula and snapdragons are at their peak! Do prepare the soil properly to ensure success, and mulch thoroughly to conserve water and to keep weeds away.

It is always curious to track what novelties retailers have to offer.

With Valentine’s Day past, the chocolate hearts have now given way to chocolate, foil-wrapped bunnies. I was a bit disappointed that they had missed the chocolate presidents. See you next time.

STEVE KAWARATANI is married to writer Catharine Cooper. He can be reached at (949) 497-8168, or e-mail to plantman2@mac.com .