Our GARDEN GURU is taking a much needed gardening
vacation from Thursday, July 2nd through Monday, July 13th (whew, even gurus need a break sometimes!) Check back
with us after July 13th and you'll find our Guru question submission form here. Thanks!
The Garden Guru answers the following gardening questions for JULY
1. Should I rip out the lawn???
2. What is eating my container plants?
3. Gnat troubles on indoor plants
4. Replacing or amending existing garden soil
5. Mulch alternatives to Gorilla hair
6. Aloe is brownish red
7. Cracks on jade plant
8. Plants for an office cubicle
9. Best time to transplant Camellia
10. Wisteria troubleshooting
11. Worm compost
12. Greenhouse tomatoes
QUESTION 1
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
My front lawn is about dead. It happens every summer, unless I water it a lot (and I don't want to for obvious reasons). It is a small plot, maybe 20 feet by 5 feet and has redwood trees that provide limited shade. In addition, it is a "mound" of sorts causing the water to run-off.
My question is, what sort of grass can I put there that won't die every year? I am very willing to get away from traditional grasses and would like to explore more native, wild grasses that would look good without much mowing. I like the look of the blue fescue, but live in a fairly manicured home and neighborhood so have that issue to deal with as well. This area is southeast facing with intense sun all day. You can tell me to take it all out and put in rocks and succulents!! Help...
- Margy in Alamo
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A: Dear Margy,
I vote for removing the lawn, especially since you have a mound to contend with. The Blue Fescue or any other evergreen, clumping grass would not look messy if enough were planted. Other grass candidates would be Carex glauca, Carex Frosted Curls, Carex testacea and Festuca idahoensis. There are plenty of groundcovers that will tolerate that exposure and are drought tolerant too. Gazania, creeping thyme, trailing lantana, Myoporum parvifolium Putah Creek, Oregano, Duchesnia (Mock Strawberry) and Iceplants. And, it may look quite nice (and take up some space) if some large rocks were incorporated. Our store in Danville has a good stock of groundcovers and a very knowledgeable consultant, Dustin Stroebel.
QUESTION 2
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
Dear Garden Guru, something is eating our very lovely bay laurel container plant - only the new growth leaves at the top. Same goes for the spearmint nearby. Do you know what this is and is there anything to do?
- RR in San Francisco
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A: Dear RR,
Chewing insects are not known for bothering Bay Laurel. I suspect it is probably snails and slugs bothering both the aromatic herbs. You can apply Sluggo or Sluggo Plus (this one includes Spinosad that gets chewing insects, just in case) to the containers. The baits are non toxic to pets, birds, amphibians, etc. I would check the laurel for small baby snails hiding under the leaves or at the base of the mint.
Thanks for choosing to garden with us.
QUESTION 3
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
I have been getting gnats in many inside plants. I had them this winter and I changed soil and cleaned plants time and again and thought I finally was Ok, but they keep returning. I have had indoor plants for 40 yrs and never a problem till this winter. Please help me thanks.
- Joan in San Rafael
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A: Dear Joan,
The soil or fungus gnats become a problem when the soil is kept too moist and not allowed to dry out much between waterings. The larvae of the gnats feed on the small fungi that are decomposing the organic portion of the potting soil, primarily peat moss and mushroom compost. Too many larvae in a pot and they can begin to feed on the plant roots as well. To control them, keep your plants on the dry side. You have already gone through the changing of the soil. Sloat carries beneficial nematodes (aptly named fungus gnat destroyers) that can be applied to the problematic containers. The nematodes eat the larvae thus breaking the cycle. Small yellow sticky traps called Gnat Stix can be attached to the rims of the pots to catch the annoying adults.
QUESTION 4
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
Can I use Sloat Organic Potting Mix in my garden to replace or add to existing soil? I haven't amended my garden soil since the garden was established 5 yrs ago.
- Lourdes in San Francisco
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A: Dear Lourdes,
I would advise against using the potting soil as a soil amendment. The sand content is too high and the organic matter content is too low. The best product, in my humble opinion, is Sloat Forest Mulch Plus. This is a blend of organic material (wood and forest mulch) with 15% aged chicken manure. Great to mix into the existing soil and also to use as a top dressing.
QUESTION 5
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
I am looking for a ground cover/mulch alternative to gorilla hair. Part of my yard is on a hill which I understand will limit my options.
-
Margaret in Walnut Creek
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A: Dear Margaret,
The best alternative to the shredded bark or gorilla hair would be what we call Microbark. It is a fine enough grade that it will stay in place and not roll down the slope. That said, if it is a steep slope or there are heavy rains, the Microbark may not be the best choice. If you are using the mulch as a weed suppressant, I recommend that you use a weed block cloth under your mulch, especially on the slope. Other mulches that may work for you are Forest Mulch Plus or Redwood Compost. These are more like fine soils and designed to breakdown to improve the soil. They will suppress weeds for the season but will need to be reapplied annually. The shredding bark is the most commonly used for steep slopes for a reason. It tends to grab hold better than any other mulch.
QUESTION 6
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
Hi - we bought an aloe plant from Sloat a few months ago to leave outdoors in our Noe Valley garden, but the leaves are now brownish and lacking turgor. There are a few new flower stalks, though. I can't tell if it needs more or less watering-how does one tell?
- Rajni in San Francisco
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A: Dear Rajni,
It sounds like the Aloe may be receiving too much sun. Hot sun makes the leaves brownish red. Aloes usually prefer a partial sun exposure. The lack of turgidity indicates that more water is needed. Water as soon as the soil looks dry.
QUESTION 7
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
I bought a Jade plant about 2 months ago and had originally placed it in the window sill where it would receive alot of direct sunlight. However the stem of the plant seemed to have almost "cracked and developed brown lines running throughout them. The leaves look fine. I then moved the plant to a spot that gets a lot of indirect/ filtered light hoping this would repair or heal the plant. However i have had no luck. any thoughts?
- Maria in San Francisco
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A: Dear Maria,
I think that the cracking you describe may be a symptom of over watering. Jade plants, like other succulents will accumulate excess water as they depend on these water stores during long dry spells. Your Jade does not know that it is going to be supplied with endless irrigation and has literally busted its gut. I would withhold the water for awhile, maybe just water every other week.
QUESTION 8
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
I wanted to get some plants for my husbands cubicle at work. What are the best indoor plants for a desk that doesn't get any natural light? Mahalo, Marlene
- Marlene in San Francisco
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A: Dear Marlene,
Foliage plants will last longer than floral items. In 4" or 6" pots you can find Pothos, Dracaena marginata, Nephytis and Spathiphyllum. These have relatively no problems with insects or fungus and will be happy with fluorescent lighting. Should you want some color, Bromeliads are long lasting choices.
QUESTION 9
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
I have two camellia plants that are planted two close together. I would like to separate them. Can they be easily transplanted without too much distress? When is the best time -- after blooming?
- Judy in Daly City
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A: Dear Judy,
The best time to transplant the Camellia would be in the fall. The ground is still warm to encourage new root growth but the heat of summer is past. You may have to prune back the plant to help reduce the stress of losing some of its roots. This may reduce the amount of flower you get next spring as the buds are starting to form now for next year.
QUESTION 10
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
Please can you tell me if you can cut off the new shoots or runner on a wisteria plant? Also why hasn't it flowered after four years?
- Pat
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A: Dear Pat,
Yes, you can remove the long, stringy runners and looping new growth. It is the older wood of the Wisteria that forms flowering spurs. It is not unusual for young Wisteria to be vegetative only. It can sometimes take up to ten years for a small, 1 liter size plant to reach maturity and bloom. This is why nurseries often sell larger, though more costly plants, grafted with flowering wood.
QUESTION 11
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
I have had a compost bin for years and regularly put kitchen scraps, yard waste, etc. into it. However, it seems this bin has turned into a worm farm. The whole bin is full of worms! I know their castings are great fertilizer, but when I put any of this on my plants, they die. I think it's too strong. Can you suggest how I might be able to use the contents of my bin on my plants without killing them? Thanks!
- B.E. in San Francisco
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A: Dear B.E,
I would use the compost that is below the working worms. The compost here is less hot and has also had the benefit of further decomposition by soil fungi and microbes. You may want to add more "brown"/carbon to the bin. Excessive green/nitrogen tends to be hotter. It may help to water the plants you apply the compost to first and then water again after application. You can also make compost tea. Fill a 5g bucket 1/2 full of the worm compost. Add water and stir. Strain the mixture in an old pillow case or decant. Use immediately. A better tea can be created if you can aerate it. This can easily be done with an aquarium pump and some plastic tubing. Allow the concoction to Bubble for 2 or 3 days and stir morning and night. Some people add 1/4 cup of molasses to feed the beneficial bacteria and fungi in the solution. After straining or decanting, use immediately.
QUESTION 12
Q: Dear Garden Guru,
We've just installed a green house on our roof in the Mission district. We're particularly interested in raising delicious fragrant tomatoes, like I remember from my childhood, and haven't tasted in decades. What varieties do you recommend for our green house environment? Can you explain a little more about shaking plants in a green house to facilitate pollination?
Thanks,
Tricia in San Francisco
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A: Dear Tricia,
I would recommend the same varieties that do best out of doors in San Francisco. It is a good place to start. Any of the cherry types will do well. Medium sized fruits do best, Oregon Spring, Siletz, Black Krim, Early Girl, San Francisco Fog, Celebrity, Green Zebra, Nepal, Jetsetter and Carmelo.
Because pollinators do not have ready access to the greenhouse and the plants are not exposed to wind, you will have to gently shake the tomato plants. Shaking the plants dislodges the pollen from the flowers which then lands on other flowers. Shaking the plants in the morning and again in the afternoon will increase fruit set.
NOTES: Each month we select gardening questions that will help all Bay Area gardeners. Please allow 3-7 working days for a response. If your question is the first answer chosen and the first to be listed above, you will receive a $25 gift card! IMPORTANT: Please make sure your email address is correct
so that our Guru can reply to your question.
Please note: When you send us your gardening question, we reserve the right to print the question and our answer for the benefit of other gardeners.
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