The recent fires remind homeowners they can start fire protection in the garden.
By Pam Linn/Staff Writer
Fall color in Southern California can be bland compared to New England maples, but the rust and gold of liquidamber and birch trees can be almost as striking. California sycamore leaves are bigger, duller and sometimes a nuisance, particularly when the Santa Ana winds blow. And large dead leaves can become a fire hazard in November.
The most ecologically sound way to manage the mess is to compost, which need not be daunting. Pick an inconspicuous corner of the yard, preferably in the sun, and let leaves collect there. A small square wire fence or poultry netting keeps the leaves corralled. Young kids love to rake, however inexpertly, if they are allowed to jump on the pile. A half hour of such play, particularly if the dog joins in, reduces the pile to fine mulch. Add layers of grass clippings, green leaves pruned from evergreen shrubs or leftover summer vegetables, alternating with thin layers of wood shavings (maybe mixed with a bit of horse manure from a neighbor’s stable). Water each layer and sprinkle with compost starter (available at most nurseries) as you build the pile to at least three feet, then cover with a tarp and let nature do the rest. Leaves that subsequently fall on the lawn can be mowed with the grass and added to the pile anytime.
Fall colored chrysanthemums in 4- or 6-inch pots can be stuck in the ground anywhere you take out spent annuals. If planted when buds are just ready to open, they’ll look great until mid December. Cut them back and buy red and white ones for holiday color. Nurseries stock camellias that are programmed to bloom at Christmas time. Most reliable is Yuletide, a bright red Sasanqua with a yellow center. Like most camellias, Yuletide prefers acidic soil (peat moss in the planting hole, bark mulch on top) and some shade, which may be hard to find with all the leaves gone. A white variety, alba plena, also blooms in December. Both can live in containers on a shady patio. In this climate, some geraniums may stay in bloom until the holidays if you pinch off flowers as soon as they begin to fade and clip browning leaves.
While moving things around in the flowerbeds, it’s easy to plant some bulbs for spring color. Daffodils and grape hyacinth require little and look great together. Use a bulb planter to set them (6 inches for daffs, 2 inches deep for grape hyacinth). Add a little bulb fertilizer to the hole, pack a little of that leaf mulch on top and water well. Then you can pretty much forget about them until they start popping up in February. Crocus and Dutch iris are almost as easy but need a few weeks of chilling before going into the ground. Store in the refrigerator in a marked paper bag then try to get them in the ground before the second week of January.
Although well-watered gardens are the best fire protection, drought-tolerant native plants are surprisingly resilient. Ceanothus, salvias and many herbs-such as rosemary, lavender and thyme-can survive serious scorching with just a little pruning and watering. But this is the time to remove dried leaves and blossoms. Many dense vines, like clematis, harbor dead leaves that don’t necessarily fall to the ground. Gently push back the green leaves and clip away the brown.
And fall is probably the best time to consider replacing poisonous plants such as oleander. Most people are aware that just a few oleander leaves or dried blossoms can kill a horse. But they are equally dangerous if they catch fire, and dead leaves do tend to pile up beneath the foliage. When these ignite, the smoke is highly toxic. While pruning, remember to cut back any tree branches that hang over the roof and the lower branches (what firefighters call ladder fuel) from evergreens, particularly pines. And while you’re in the mood, clear the rain gutters of dry stuff. Then sit back and enjoy the fall color with a clear conscience.