Garden Checklist

From The Fresno Bee, June 25 (edited)

"Creative Use of Groundcovers Can Save Water"--Elinor Teague

Forty percent of household water use is concentrated on the landscape, with the lawn being the major user. To help reduce some of our water use, we can replace of part of our lawns by increasing our walkways and patios. This can be done by using flagstones or water-permeable pavers that can be laid around plantings, instead of just pouring concrete. Planting beds can be increased, also, and can be planted with more shrubs and plants. Groundcovers help fill in the open spaces, especially between pavers.

Woolly thyme is a good groundcover where there is heavy foot-traffic. It is low growing and drought-tolerant. It needs to be sheared to be kept neat, and it will get woody in a year or two.

"Chamomile, Corsican mint, several varieties of sedum are not as hardy as woolly thyme but can be used to fill in less-traveled areas in full sun."

Blue star creeper, and baby's tears, are not drought-tolerant, but grow well in shady areas. Elinor likes periwinkle (vinca minor), although it is considered invasive. Periwinkle grows well under trees, unless the trees drop a lot of twigs and leaves, smothering the plants.

Verbena is another plant that likes the sun, and it has intensely colored flowers which bloom nine months of the year. Be aware that some types are "'self-pegging,' meaning that they spread as the stems develop roots where they touch the ground."

"Most groundcovers are pest- and disease-resistant, and most can tolerate a little chlorine, making them good choices for edging the pool deck."


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Garden Checklist:
Gather everything red, white and blue in the garden to decorate for Independence Day.

Tasks: Avoid overwatering lawns to help prevent warm-weather diseases.

Pruning: Cut spent canes to the ground after harvesting berries. Attach new canes to the trellis for next year's crop.

Fertilizing: Apply fertilizer regularly for bloom and fruit production.

Planting: In foothill area, continue planting warm-weather season flowers and vegetables. Others plant: autumn crocus; from seed: basil, beans, cabbage.

Things to ponder: Adjust lawn mower setting to cut lawn higher. Set mower to 2 1/2 to 3 inches for tall fescue, 3/4 inches to 1 inch for common bermuda, and 1/2 to 3/4 inches for hybrid bermuda.