How's it going?

March/April 2008

Digging up some dirt

By David Ross

"I get tired of people who only want to know dirt!" Obviously that is not a quote from me. I'm an avid gardener, so I love people who want to get to know dirt – and who want to keep their dirt-related New Year's resolutions (as mentioned in the January/February 2008 issue of California Country). I will let you know at the end who actually said the quote above, but first, back to those pesky resolutions.

How are you doing with the resolution to eat something you have grown? No, I don't mean a little mold on your bread. That doesn't count. Have you grown something to eat yet? If not, now is a great time to plant strawberries. Whether in a container or on a mound in the ground, they don't take much space. Best of all, you can begin enjoying fresh, sweet berries in as little as six weeks. So if you haven't started, get started now!

And to get all your plants producing well, have you been fertilizing them or just thinking about it? The regular rains we've been receiving are just what the Garden Doctor has ordered when it comes to fertilizing ease. Just prior to or during the next rain, sprinkle an all-purpose fertilizer such as Gro-Power around all the plants you want to see grow better this spring. Just like people, plants do better when they are well-fed.

How about your resolution to water smarter? How's that coming along? If you are like me, you have shut off the sprinklers on all your established trees, shrubs and even lawns. The regular rains have been adequate even in dry Southern California where I live and the water savings have been tremendous.

Now, if you haven't done any of the above yet, it is still not too late to get started. Good luck and just so you know, the above quote is from exercise guru Richard Simmons. I am not sure why, but when I thought of scolding you for not keeping up with your resolutions, I thought of what he told CNN when asked if he ever got tired:

"Never, never! I get tired of negativity in our country. I get tired of people who only want to know dirt. I get tired of people who don't believe in themselves. That's why I'm here."

So, lift that pot, water that plant, keep those resolutions!

David Ross is a horticulturalist and manager for Walter Andersen Nursery in San Diego and Poway.