It’s time for garden questions and answers. You may e-mail
questions to ga*******@*ps.net or mail them in care of this
newspaper. For a faster, personal response, please include a
self-addressed, stamped envelope.
It’s time for garden questions and answers. You may e-mail questions to ga*******@*ps.net or mail them in care of this newspaper. For a faster, personal response, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Q:
I live in San Luis Obispo, but read your column online. I want to plant a Meyer lemon in my backyard, but when I tested the planting hole that I had dug, the water drained straight out into invisible cracks in the heavy clay. How can I solve this problem?
– D.K., San Luis Obispo, via e-mail
A:
First of all, it’s best to hold off on planting any citrus this time of year, including Meyer lemons. By the time you read this, we might already have had our first frosts of the winter. If this winter is anything like last, frost-tender specimens like citrus, hibiscus, bougainvillea and fuchsia – to name a few – may be severely damaged or even killed. It’s best to plant in early spring as soon as all danger of heavy frost is past. This way, your Meyer lemon will have all spring, summer and fall to get established. When you do plant, add a half-and-half mixture of planting mix/organic compost with your garden soil. This will improve your soil to prevent water from simply draining away.
Q:
I planted a Japanese cucumber this past summer and never was able to eat them. They were too bitter. I was watering the plant every other day and someone told me that maybe it needed more water, so I started watering it every day. I still couldn’t eat them because of the bitterness. Any ideas as to why this would happen?
– G.S., Gilroy, via e-mail
A:
Bitterness in cucumbers is related to water stress. Cucumbers grow quickly once pollinated. If there is any water stress during this period of rapid growth, they will taste bitter. To avoid stress, water two or three times a week, but water deeply, letting the water soak at least six inches deep into the soil. Drip irrigation or a soaker hose is best. You’ll also have to form a nice basin with soil around the drip line of the plant in order to prevent water from running away. Mulch with soil conditioners or organic compost at least two or three inches deep around the plant to conserve moisture, too. Good luck next year.
Q:
Last winter’s cold weather killed the top of my avocado tree. Since the top died, I have strong suckers on the trunk. Will these amount to anything or is it time wasted to keep it growing this way?
– K.M., Morgan Hill
A:
Unfortunately, those suckers growing out of the base of the trunk will not amount to anything. In fact, they are sucking the energy away from the rest of your avocado tree. Cut them off, and keep your fingers crossed that this winter will not be as cold as last!
