Imperfect Gardener

by Adina Sara

Be Careful What You Plant

I have had a love/hate relationship with a bamboo hedge since I first took possession of my home, nearly 30 years ago. It is not so much a landscape feature as a force to reckon with. Though the massive wall of 25-foot stalks gives my garden a South Seas Island feel, picking up dead fronds, cutting back dead stalks, and monitoring new shoots have cost me countless sweat, hours, and dollars in constant upkeep.'

Judging by its girth, I would estimate someone planted the bamboo screen a good hundred years ago or more. Someone must once have thought that this giant variety of bamboo was a great landscaping idea.

A decade or so ago I began the grueling process of minimizing the dense growth. Little by little, parts of the property have opened up to fall and winter sunsets and a magnificent redwood view. Shapeless and stubborn in its growth habits, what remains of the bamboo wall continues to overwhelm the southwestern perimeter.

As of this writing I am close to deciding to hire a crew to dig it all out—a decision as radical and irrevocable as tearing down a wall in my home. Yes, I'll be rid of all that maintenance, but what will happen to the bird sounds in the dusk and dawn hours? And the illusion that I live in Tahiti?

When we make plant selections, it is important to think of the long-term effects, both positive and negative, on the overall landscape. If someone offers you a darling little redwood sprout, think about what it will look like in 50 years. Will it be in a position to threaten the house's foundation or the neighbor's roof? Before you fall in love with a vine (like wisteria or passiflora), read up on its potential for enveloping electrical wires or destroying fences. Before you select a flowering perennial (like the lovely melianthus), find out how it goes about dividing itself. Where do the roots go? And if you happen to see your neighbor planting bamboo at the property line, make a pest of yourself and ask them what variety it is.'

Your landscape belongs to you right now—but it also belongs to future generations. Be mindful of what you plant.

Pruning Fruit Trees

I hope by now you have pruned your fruit trees. You can prune into late summer, but that will control only the overall size of the tree. When fruit trees are dormant, pruning helps determine the quantity and quality of next year's fruit production. Some trees (like cherries) are particular about their pruning time, whereas citrus can be pruned just about anytime.'

Once a tree is grown, if it has not been properly pruned, it can be difficult to untangle the misshapen branches. Whatever the variety, it is most important to prune a tree when it is small, giving it the shape it will have for the rest of its life.