Tips from The Plant Dr. of Southern California

Santa Ana Winds will hit Malibu hard and your potted plants.

Dom — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:13:28 +0000

Soon the winds will be coming through the canyons of Malibu and are your plants prepared? Any plants that are over four feet tall in pots are in danger of falling over and breaking the pot. Save yourself time and money by either adding rocks to the bottom of the pot, or by tying it up against something.

Outdoor plants still need water when it’s raining.

Dom — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:58:32 +0000

Heavy rains makes it easy to think the plants are watered, but are they ?

A five to seven gallon potted plant needs at least a quart water, and if your plant has a lot of foliage not much rain gets into the soil.

What if your plants are under an overhang ?

So, even on those days when boulders are on the road in Malibu Canyon due to the heavy rains, make sure to water your plants.

How Santa Ana winds effect potted plants.

Dom — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 04:48:03 +0000

It’s natural that potted plants dry out faster than plants in the ground. This is compounded by the hot, dry, Southern California Santa Ana wind dehydrating the foliage to the point where the plant can’t drink as fast as the leaves are dying out. If possible, you should move the plant out of the wind, water at least twice a day, and wet down the foliage as much as possible. If the plant is too heavy to be moved, try lying it down to protect it from drying and probably save the pot or plant from breaking should those nasty winds knock it over.

What’s bugging my beach house plants?

Dom — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:07:28 +0000

Beach house plants are more prone to disease because of lack of vegetation on the beach. Therefore, inspect plants weekly for critters, and spray when necessary.

Insecticide recommendations from the Doc

Dom — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:43:34 +0000

Malathion is a good broad-spectrum insecticide for critters on outdoor plants. If using for indoor plants, take them outside in the shade to spray and let them dry. To kill the life cycle spray every 7-10 days, for 3 weeks.

Which Geraniums for my beach house?

Dom — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:55:14 +0000

If exact appearance of your geraniums does not matter, use the cascading! The upright (Zonal) geraniums are much more prone to catipillars and fungus, especially rust which appears on the underside of the leaves.

At the places in Malibu that I have put in geraniums, the cascading look great, tend to need less care, and, because they are healthier, help your other plants stay healthy as well.

June 2008

Dom — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:35:43 +0000

Systemic insecticides are effective against pests if you catch the problem early.

The doc’s tip about why leaves get brown tips.

Dom — Sat, 03 May 2008 19:57:29 +0000

The most commom cause for brown tips is usually from lack of water. Chemicals in the tap water can also contribute to the problem.

April 2008

Dom — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 16:41:12 +0000

If you take your interior plants outdoors to spray for insects, place in the shade to prevent sun damage.

March 2008

Dom — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:15:55 +0000

If possible, it’s a good idea to sometimes leach the soil to prevent chemical build up in the soil.