What Is the Most Efficient Way to Water Yard?
QUESTION: I have automatic sprinklers with several stations and run them for 12 minutes per station every other day (summer) or every third or fourth day (winter) with shut-offs for rain. My friend says I should set them for four minutes per station and run them every day. Which method is more efficient? I might add that I have grass, shrubs and roses even in the winter, but a nice garden of tomatoes, beans and zucchini in summer. Everything is covered by the sprinklers.
ANSWER: My first recommendation is the old “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” cliche. In other words, if you’ve been doing something that works for you, there’s probably no need to change your procedure. But as a rule, a regimen of frequent, short waterings usually results in shallow-rooted plants that suffer more stress when the wind blows or the weather heats up. On the other hand, if you choose to use a traditional sprinkler system, your plants will become stronger and more productive by watering less frequently for longer periods during the growing season. Most literature on the subject (and my own personal experience) recommends doing your way.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. July 9, 1995 GARDENING Q&A;
Los Angeles Times Sunday July 9, 1995 Home Edition Real Estate Part K Page 8 Real Estate Desk 5 inches; 147 words Type of Material: Correction; Column
Correction: In last week’s column, I answered a question about control of dandelions in the lawn. Barbara Alvarez wrote to say that the active ingredient in Ortho’s “Weed-B-Gon” is actually a chemical called “2, 4-d,” and not glyphosphate as I had written. It’s true, and I goofed. Thanks Barbara.
Anyway, products that contain “2, 4-d” are actually better to use than glyphosphate for control of dandelions in turfgrass lawns. The reason is that “2, 4-d” kills only broad-leaf weeds and plants; it has no adverse effect on the lawn itself. Glyphosphate, on the other hand, dispatches any kind of plant it hits and will kill the lawn area around the dandelion as well as the dandelion itself. This serves as a reminder for all of us to thoroughly read the labels on all pesticides and herbicides each time we go to use them--and follow the directions carefully.
It’s also wise to spray in the morning or evening when the air is relatively calm, since even drifting mists from either of these two products could also kill certain other desirable plants as well.
Dandelions Are Ruining Good-Looking Lawn
Q: My lawn has lots of different kinds of grasses in it, and when it is mowed, it looks pretty good--except for the dandelions, which sprout up quickly and always look messy. What can I do to get rid of the dandelions?
A: Dandelions grow deep tap roots, which make it hard to dig them out successfully because any part of the root that remains in the soil soon grows into more dandelion plants. The leaves often hug the ground and escape mowing, while the yellow daisy-like flowers continue to pop up every few days.
When I was young, my family used to periodically spend an evening out in the yard pulling weeds and digging out the dandelions with a dandelion knife. It was a good family activity, and the yard looked great when we had finished. But there were always more weeds sooner or later, and we had to get out there again.
Another recommendation is to spot-spray the center of each dandelion plant with glyphosphate (otherwise known as Round-up; it is also the active ingredient in the ready-to-use product called Weed-Be-Gone). Applied correctly, glyphosphate takes a little time to do its job. It is gradually absorbed by the plant and works its way into the roots. After several days the plant begins to look sick, and in about two weeks--voila!--the plant dies. Watch out how you use it, however, any mist that drifts to other plants could kill them too.
What Crop Grows Well in Shady Area?
Q: We have an area on the north side of our house where we would like to grow some vegetables, but it doesn’t get much direct sunlight. Can you recommend any edible crop that we might grow there?
A: As a rule, fruits and vegetables require a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight each day in order to produce satisfactory results. There are very few crops that will be worth your trouble in such a shady location.
However, I have seen asparagus grow acceptably in such a location. It too normally requires full sunlight; but if you put asparagus plants in with plenty of compost and feed them twice each spring, you’ll get an adequate amount of usable asparagus each spring. It will make a good use of that location, and the plants resemble ferns during the summer and fall. Be sure to cut the tops off completely in the winter. You also might want to consider planting fruit trees or an avocado tree there, if they can grow high enough to get full sun later on.
What Is a Determinate Type of Tomato?
Q: Regarding tomatoes, I am confused that some are determinate and others are indeterminate. What do these words mean, and should it matter much to me?
A: Simply stated, determinate tomato plants grow to a certain height, then set all their fruit and stop growing. The tomatoes all tend to ripen within a week to 10 days of each other--which could be good if you want to can them. Because of their restrained size, these plants often need no staking.
Indeterminate types continue to grow and set fruit throughout the season. They usually need support but provide a harvest over an extended period. Here’s a clue to help you remember the difference: the shorter word (determinate) means shorter plants and a shorter harvest time, while the longer word (indeterminate) means longer growth and a longer harvest period. I hope this helps.
How to ‘Clean Up’ Birds of Paradise
Q: I’m not much of a gardener, but I do have big clumps of Birds of Paradise that I like a lot. They have just finished flowering. My problem is the dead stems, both leaf stems and flower stems. I cut them off when they look bad. But the old stubs make the plants look sort of trashy. Sometimes I see Birds of Paradise in other people’s yards that look much prettier. They don’t seem to have these stubs. I can’t figure out how to fix mine. Can you tell me?
A: I’m glad you’ve noticed the difference. Well-groomed Birds of Paradise are truly gorgeous, but, as you say, when the old leaves and flower stems remain (even as cut stubs), the plants can look trashy.
The procedure for removing these old stems is actually fairly simple. Using both hands, pull the old stems one by one with a strong sideways tug or stand to the side of where the stem grew, and yank it toward you. Most of the stems will pop off at the base with surprising ease. Some will require a little more work. They’re nearly impossible to pull away with a straight motion, but this angular tug works great. Right now it may take a little time to get the job done; but once started, it just takes a few minutes here and there during the year to keep them looking great.
