THE COASTAL GARDENER
09.08.06
Digging up some
myths
By Ron Vanderhoff
In
most ways gardening is a local topic. Hence the
reason for the Coastal Gardener column. Unknowingly,
gardeners receive a great deal of information in a
generalized format. When gardening information is
heard or read and then reprinted, restated,
redistributed and reread or reheard, over time it
becomes fact. Without really noticing, I suspect
most gardeners have absorbed a great deal of their
gardening know-how from national magazines,
television shows, websites, nationally syndicated
newspaper articles and gardening books.
This knowledge is reinforced by the information
written onto the labels of the plants and garden
products sold at garden centers.
Take,
for example, the addition of pea gravel, rocks, sand
or clay chips to the bottom of a container before
planting as a way to improve drainage and prevent
soggy roots. Sounds logical: Water drains quickly
through gravel or sand. Standard information, right?
It's been written and rewritten in gardening books
for decades, and you'll find hundreds of references
to this practice on myriad websites. Unfortunately,
it's bad information. A gardening myth.
A layer of sand, gravel or rock in the bottom of a
pot will slow down water. It will make the pot more
soggy, and it's very easy to prove. But the practice
still persists. Rocks in the bottoms of pots is a
myth. Nonetheless, there is a contingent of
gardeners that will stubbornly argue the
rocks-in-pots theory. It's been written, read, said
and done so often it must be true.
As we enter the month of September, I thought I'd
share a few other gardening myths, at least in our
neighborhood. Some of these have year-round status,
and others are strictly September myths. If any of
these conflict with what you "know" is correct,
beware of where you got your information.
During September, don't:
Prune hydrangeas. Except for a very unique variety
named Endless Summer, hydrangeas should not be
pruned again until after next summer's bloom.
Pruning now means no flowers next year.
Fertilize camellias. Camellias are entering their
dormant period and will not grow again until after
next year's flowering is complete. Over-fertilizing
in the fall and winter is a primary cause of
camellia bud drop.
Plant pansies, violas, snapdragons, cyclamen,
primrose and other cool-season flowers. Yes, garden
centers and mass merchants have begun stocking
cool-season flowers, but it's too early. Wait
another month.
Plant most bulbs. Nurseries and home stores will
have a full selection of daffodils, tulips,
ranunculus, freesias, anemones and other bulbs on
display. Yes, make your purchases right away, while
the selection is at its best, but wait until
November or even December to set most of these into
the garden.
Plant California-native plants. November or December
would be much better.
Plant basil. This popular herb is a summer annual.
In another month or two it's done.
Prune pines or eucalyptus. Pines and eucalyptus,
when pruned during the summer months, are an easy
target for wood-boring beetles. Once these
troublesome pests attack these trees, it is nearly
impossible to control them.
Plant warm-season vegetables. It's too late for
peppers, squash, cucumbers, melons, corn and
eggplant. Exceptions are a fall crop of bush beans
and tomatoes, if you plant right away.
Plant cool season vegetables. Unfortunately, it's
also too early for most of these. Next month would
be a better time for transplants like lettuce,
cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots,
cauliflower, celery, kale, peas and spinach.
Apply fertilizers with systemic insecticides
included. These insecticides are bad for soil life,
bad for the plant and bad for the environment.
Regardless, soil-applied insecticides are an
inefficient way to control a leaf-feeding pest.
Cultivate the surface of the soil. This will cause
lots of hate mail, but there is no point to this
outdated activity.
Dig in fertilizers. Unless you garden on a 30-degree
incline, there is no reason to dig in fertilizers
after applying them, regardless of what the label
tells you.
During September, do:
Hose off the foliage of roses frequently. Don't be
duped by the myth that wet rose foliage causes
powdery mildew. The truth is just the opposite, and
rinsing the foliage also reduces the likelihood of
spider mites and other pests.
Plant Bearded Iris. It's also time to divide
established clumps if you haven't done so in the
last three or four years.
Plant young transplants of most foxglove (Digitalis),
delphiniums, hollyhock (Alcea), Canterbury
bells (Campanula medium) and Queen Anne's
lace (Ammi majus). In other climates, these
are planted in spring, but not here.
Plant sweet peas from seed. September is the
beginning of the planting season in mild Southern
California.
Begin a compost pile or start a compost bin. Lots of
fall leaves will be available shortly to get you off
to a good start.
Keep reading. Over the weeks and months to come,
this column will attempt to keep bringing you
accurate, local gardening information that will help
you have a successful and enjoyable garden, and
we'll probably uncover a few more myths along the
way.
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