Q. My house has no backyard landscaping but the front is planted. Can you give me some ideas on where to start and is this the time to plant or should I wait until next spring?
A. Fall Planting Season starts with the Labor Day Weekend. It’s an excellent time to plan and plant, although it’s a short season that ends with the conclusion of daylight saving time, on the first Sunday in November. This is also is when the growing season typically ends, with the short days and long nights. Depending on when the new plants are installed, you may not see much new growth but their roots will get established over the winter months so with spring the plants will take off. The first thing to consider is not the plants but the hardscape; that’s walkways, patios, decks, retaining walls, location of a storage shed , etc. Next decide, if you want any special areas, such as a vegetable garden, flower and/or rose garden, children play area, etc. In addition, the tree placement is important consideration for shading on the southwest side of the house on hot summer days. Next comes, the landscape plan that incorporates all those ideas and adds a plant list to it. EBMUD’s Plants and Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climate book is an excellent reference book for plants that are water wise. All too often the term “drought tolerant plants” is used without realizing that those plants are not very attractive during the hot summer months. The term water-wise is better suited as you get plants that are attractive and use less water. Armed with this information and pictures of the area, you then consult your local nursery professional at your favorite garden center or landscape designer to develop the plant pallet. And finally, the last item is the irrigation plan. This project requires that you spend some time sorting through all the options. Most of them are judgment calls on your part. A backyard design is in many ways more important than the front as this is where most of your time is spent. It also provides the greatest return on your investment in the enjoyment factor. A front yard is for friends, family and drive byes.
Note: EBMUD’s Plants and Landscapes For Summer-Dry Climate book is available at many garden center, bookstores and on line at https://www.ebmud.com/resource-center/district-store/plants-and-landscapes-for-summer-dry-climates/. It contains over five hundred color photos, along with a description of the each species that grow in our deserved climate.
Q. My purple Salvia is being eaten alive by something but I don’t see any bugs. What can I safely use to solve this problem?
A. When plants are being devoured by an invisible bug(s) the primary suspects are snails, slugs and earwigs. You don’t see them because they feed at night and retreat to a cool, damp, shady location during the day. Instead I would use Sluggo Plus or Bonide Bug and Slug Killer. There both safe bait for use on edibles and non-edible plants.
Buzz Bertolero is Executive Vice President of Navlet’s Garden Centers and a California Certified Nursery Professional. His web address is www.dirtgardener.com and you can send questions by email at dirtgarden@aol.com or to 360 Civic Drive Ste. ‘D’, Pleasant Hill, Calif. 94523 and on Facebook at Facebook.com/Buzz.Bertolero
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