Tips for the warm autumn

Steve Kawaratani

“October is ... a wider horizon more clearly seen.”

-- HAL BORLAND

“When men and women agree, it is only in their conclusions; their

reasons are always different.”

-- GEORGE SANTAYANA

Heavy morning dews and sycamores turning leaf color have reminded

me that summer has passed. It has been surprisingly warm during this

persistent period of overcast weather -- my salvias appeared bluer

and the echinacea brighter than autumns past. October is such a

splendid month.

I find myself focused on the unusual, jacarandas blooming in the

canyon, neighbors supportive of architectural proposals and agreement

with my betters; the women in my life. An important instinct has

guided me to rarely disagree with Catharine. This is a particularly

good notion during construction. More difficult is consensus with my

Design Review colleagues; but I can clearly see they have made good

decisions for Laguna.

Your questions for the Plant Man included:

Q: How can I tell the difference between a male and female

asparagus plant?

A: With much difficulty, however, the male plants yield a greater

bounty of spears.

Q: Besides ruining my view, my neighbor’s eucalyptus tree has

spoiled my soil with debris. What can I do?

A: First, rake out all leaves, bark, and pods and then turn the

soil as deeply as possible. Allow the anticipated rains and

supplemental heavy watering to leach out the toxic oils. After lying

fallow during the winter, the soil should be in fair condition.

Constant raking must be continued.

Q: When should I plant a new lawn?

A: Although a lawn may be started at any time in Laguna, the best

time is during the fall, particularly in October. This will establish

the lawn before the winter rains and before the summer’s heat.

As October began I noticed a lightness in my steps. I could see

where I wanted to be. See you next time.

* STEVE KAWARATANI is the owner of Landscapes by Laguna Nursery,

1540 S. Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. A “local” guy, he makes his

home with wife, Catharine Cooper, an artist and writer, and their

three cats. He can be reached at (949) 497-2438, or by e-mail at

[email protected].