What should local residents do if one day they find what appears to be a green lantern-looking plastic device hanging from a silver pole on their property? Perhaps it is a new Homeland Security defense mechanism that detects harmful biochemical agents in the air. Or is it something much less intriguing?
Signal Hill resident Dolly Langan was picking up her mail when she encountered such an unknown object. “One day, it was on my property,” she said. “It looks like a lantern on a silver pole.” Except the pole was knocked down and the plastic lantern-esque object was on the ground.
Curious what it was for, and who put it on her property, Langan conducted further investigations. “Well, I know they have them to find out if there are any bad bugs in the area,” she said. After phone calls to the various Los Angeles, Long Beach and Signal Hill government agencies, Langan was not able to gather any more information. So she called Signal Tribune publisher Neena Strichart.
After taking photographic evidence of the unknown device on Langan’s property, Strichart realized that its purpose is to capture and hold insects– a sticker on the green container specifies that it is specifically aimed at gathering Japanese beetles. Furthermore, Strichart found another bug-collection box, of a different variety, hanging on a tree near the newsroom, but that box is triangular with writing that identifies it as government property. The box reads: “for information contact your county or state or federal plant protection program’s office.” The Signal Tribune was unsuccessful in gaining more information, after contacting representatives from all three levels of government.
According to a study conducted by the University of Kentucky (UK) called, “Japanese Beetles in the Urban Landscape,” the insect is not a threat in Japan where its population is mediated by natural predators. However, in the U.S., the beetle has no natural predator and causes immense damage by skeletizing the plants on which it feeds. Japanese beetles typically feed in groups and prefer the green tissue between a leaf’s veins. Their feeding patterns leave behind the skeletal structure of whichever plant they are eating, which could be any of about 300 plant species.
Two types of bait are typically used to attract the half-inch-long beetles. Some traps imitate the scent of virgin female beetles, which only attracts male beetles. The second type employs a food scent that attracts both sexes. The UK study reports that the combination of ingredients “is such a powerful attractant that traps can draw in thousands of beetles a day.” It is not known what type of trap is used on Langan’s property or, for that matter, who is placing them in other locations around town.
Kathy Alford, owner of Alford’s English Gardens, a local landscaping business, said the bug catchers are probably there to monitor and control certain species of insects that could potentially be destructive if their numbers are left unmonitored or uncontrolled. Alford, who wrote a thesis on the glassy-winged sharpshooter (which had been destroying grape vines in northern California), said that the program is probably state run but implemented county by county.
She added that recent efforts to control harmful insect populations do not use spraying tactics, which could devastate a species. “They’re doing monitoring,” Alford said. “It’s not about spraying– it’s about monitoring and controlling.” In the past, people have felt free to use any pesticide there is. According to Alford, a different philosophy of bug control is emerging. “It is kind of like the Rodney King thing. Can’t we all just get along?”

Ever get something stuck in your head? In my case, it’s a lemon cucumber.
It all started with the cuke photo in my latest book, “Edible Gardening for California” (shameless self promotion– let’s get it out of the way). It’s a cute cuke– oval, pale yellow with stripes, about three inches long. An heirloom variety dating back to 1894, lemon cukes don’t taste like citrus, but they do look a lot like lemons. Renee’s Garden (reneesgarden.com) describes them like this: “They have a mild, sweet flavor, crisp texture and non-bitter, thin skins. Cool and refreshing, very young lemon cukes are delicious eaten right from the garden like a fresh, crispy apple.” You can see why I want the plant.
But then there was the problem of a trellis. Cukes and other vining plants like beans, melons, gourds and squash give better yields raised up off the dirt. They stay cleaner, healthier, avoid some insect problems and are easier to pick. Vertical growing also saves precious gardening space.
All good! But my carpentry skills and budget are limited, and I’m reluctant to invest a lot of time or money. I searched the Internet for vegetable trellises and found some at Territorial Seed Company (territorialseed.com; two 48-inchers for about $40 without shipping) that looked surprising like…stepladders.
For me, this is a good thing. We have six stepladders in our backyard. Really. Several years ago, contractors working on an investment property came and went, leaving their ladders behind.
One will soon be reborn as a cuke trellis. I’ll dig four holes 6 inches deep and position the ladder’s legs for stability. Then I’ll drape a net or coated wire mesh over the rungs and secure with zip ties. Cucumber tendrils wrap around narrow supports with a little encouragement.
Look around for other “found” objects to make a trellis. In her excellent daily blog, Dirt du jour (dirtdujour.com), Cindy McNutt shows a castoff patio umbrella repurposed as a support for beans. Attached at the joints with eyehooks, string runs down to the ground, where it’s secured by garden stakes. Beans (or other plants) will climb up the string.
Stay tuned for more about drought-tolerant landscapes in my next column. I’ll introduce you to some designers who understand this special type of landscape and also talk about some outstanding native gardens at schools.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

Ceanothus

Too often, drought-tolerant gardens feature Dr. Seuss-on-steroids shapes popping up randomly. Many are huge plants that look great in the wild but out of place on a lawn. After a full-court press in spring, they go grey and dormant the rest of the year. My challenge– create a plan for a beautiful, low-water four-season landscape in 45 days so I can move on to the next stage of the city program.
Which is how I find myself in the Dana Branch Library sniffing a bunch of grey-green leaves. “That was the scent of southern California,” explains native plant enthusiast John Royce of the spicy-sweet odor of Artemisia (sagebrush), a once common plant that covered our region. President of the California Heights Association, Royce landscaped his home with natives. His pictures make me cautiously optimistic that an attractive low-water landscape is possible.
Royce explains the differences between natives and other drought-tolerant plants. As the name suggests, natives are indigenous. They need no water following winter rain and go dormant during the dry season. In fact, too much water will shorten their lifespan. Non-native drought-tolerant plants include those from the Mediterranean, Africa and Australia. Non-natives look better with summer water.
We come to a picture of the poster child for native plants: Ceanothus. Any day, I expect Stephen King to write a novel about a ceanothus that creeps into the house and smothers its occupants. This huge, brooding plant could easily take over my yard and keep on going. Royce, like many others, feels differently and admires its blue flowers and the way the leaves glisten in the sun. Fortunately for me, Sunset has introduced a smaller, less threatening variety.
Outside, as cars whiz by on Atlantic, we stroll through the library’s native plant garden. Royce tends the space and laments the loss of several plants due to an overactive drip watering system. He points out a dwarf coyote bush, which stays green year round; red-berried toyon, also known as Hollywood; spiky, swaying deer grass; and many others.
Please drop by gardenink.com, my soon-to-be-launched blog, as I visit nurseries, talk to designers, and search for the ultimate low-water landscape.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

If ever there was a year for homemade presents from the garden, kitchen or craft table, this is it. My giftable plants go in pots this week, and the baking is underway. With peppermint chocolate bars and oatmeal scotchies lining the pantry and dozens of snickerdoodles, peanut blossoms and almond bars to go, I’m loading up on pretty tins from Dollar Tree.
Such overly sweet “Hallmark” moments are not what stay with me about holidays past, however. I remember the Christmas my older sister Judy got divorced. She had no money and had come home to live with my parents, bringing my two nephews with her. We went from a family of four to a family of seven overnight. I was ten.
Low on funds but full of creativity, Judy made our Christmas presents. I kept the pink flowered desk set– meticulously covered metal cans and probably a toilet paper roll or two– for many years, until the glue on the pencil holder separated from the vinyl backing.
So here I am with my family intact but limited funds, channeling my inner Judy with the help of Sunset Magazine (sunset.com). I’m filling garden pots with bulbs that will bloom in early spring and on into summer. The project is particularly appealing because it is easy, beautiful and low cost, cleverly combining my existing stash of 12- to 14-inch plastic pots with half-priced bulbs from Home Depot.
If I feel particularly Martha-Stewart-ish, I may spray paint everyone’s pot their favorite color– purple for Suzi, green for Patty, and so on. Then I’ll partially fill the container with potting soil and stagger the bulbs at different levels: narcissus at eight inches, daffodils at six and freesia at five. All go in pointy side up. After filling the rest of the pot with soil, I’ll place alyssum and pansy plants on top. These will provide decoration until the bulbs pop up. I’ll tell my friends to place the pots in sun and keep them watered. According to the University of California Cooperative Extension, if I plant the bulbs before December 25, they should grow well. After that, growth conditions become less favorable, and the flowers will be smaller.
One last seasonal planting thought: If someone gives you a poinsettia this Christmas, rip off that foil. It promotes root rot. Then place the plant where it will get indirect sun and let it dry out slightly between waterings.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

With Christmas right around the corner, you may be wondering what to give the gardener in your life. Choose the right book, and the lucky recipient will thank you all year long. Or grab one for yourself.
The following reflect my personal preference for gardening books that have practical value. Many are specific to California. That’s important because our unique climate presents opportunities and challenges that one-size-fits-all books do not address.
All are available at Borders, Barnes & Noble and Amazon. You can also find used books in excellent condition at N’Used Books (4141 Norse Way) and Once Read Books (5422 E. Village Rd.), both in Long Beach.

• Western Garden Book, Sunset Books. Beautiful pictures, alphabetized plant listings and smart, targeted advice for our region. Every gardener needs one.
• Western Landscaping Book, Sunset Books. This companion volume to the Western Garden Book is a godsend to design-challenged gardeners.
• Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses, Sunset Books. Read this and you’ll find yourself sticking easy-care grasses in every pot and bed.
• California Home Landscaping, Roger Holmes and Lance Walheim. Realistic advice, a friendly tone and easy-to-follow plant diagrams make this a winner.
• California Native Plants for the Garden, Carol Bornstein, David Fross, Bart O’Brien. Many California natives are fine choices for drought-tolerant landscapes. This book offers opinionated (in a good way) advice and beautiful illustrations.
• Southern California Organic Gardening: Month to Month, Pat Walsh. Now in its third edition, this classic’s month-by-month format is useful. Walsh has a straightforward style.
• Container Gardening for California, Jennifer Beaver and Don Williamson. Yes, it’s my book. Of course, I’m biased– but fellow gardeners tell me it’s helpful. The compact size, detailed alphabetized plant listings and fantastic photos make it just the right book to tote to the garden center when you’re trying to figure out what plants to put in a container.
• Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits and Edible Flowers, Rose Marie Nichols McGee and Maggie Stuckey. I love this book and refer to it constantly for great container combinations like “The Salsa Bowl” and “A Chinatown Greengrocer.”
• All New Square Foot Gardening, Mel Bartholomew. This updated version includes specific information about planting in raised beds, which are a useful alternative to our less-than-perfect soil.
• Making the Most of Shade, Larry Hodgson. After reading this engaging book, I approach shade with more understanding and less dread.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

In mid-October, nature sends the signal: Time to swap the front-step pot of summer geraniums for something seasonal in shades of orange, yellow or brown. Those with no front steps wire festive Indian corn to the door. Those with no imagination–and this will surely earn a rebuke from the National Mum Council– put out a stately pot of yellow or copper chrysanthemums. Perhaps we’re hard-wired to make our homes look welcoming as the days get shorter and the nights get long.
In New Jersey, where weather behaved as proper fall weather should and there was no chance of moisture-sucking Santa Ana winds, we put our pumpkins out well before Halloween. Until the year my brother had the great idea, we spent a lot of time looking for the perfect squash– not too big, not too small, smooth and squat with a stem still attached. Then came the epiphany: In decorating for a holiday that celebrated the grotesque, why search for beauty? And so the hunt was on for an odd-shaped pumpkin with scars, warts and nature’s gnarliest imperfections.
Since fresh pumpkins turn quickly to mush in our routinely hot late Octobers, we must turn elsewhere for inspiration. And here it is: provenwinners.com. Proven Winners is the one of the largest plant propagators in the world. Their website serves up gorgeous, easy-to-achieve instructions for all sorts of container plantings. Click on the green tab labeled Container Recipes and chose Fall from the drop-down menu. See how they combine tall, feathery grasses, petunia-like Superbells and coleus with multi-colored leaves. Mixed in with fragrant nemesia, variegated sage and a lime-green sweet potato vine, even the all-too-common mum (in this case, an osteospemum hybrid) looks unusual and outstanding. Proven Winners offers instructions for all pot sizes and all light conditions. Even if you’ve never planted a container in your life, with these designs you’ll do it easily.
With fall decorating in mind, my friend Shoshanah and I went to Ricardo’s Nursery (ricardosnursery.com) several Saturdays ago. Located in north Long Beach at 6850 Atlantic Ave., Ricardo’s is an extremely friendly, knowledgeable and helpful wholesale nursery that also sells to the public. On weekends, you’ll find many one-gallon plants for only $3. I walked away with several unusual grasses and a snowbush, which at $4 was quite a deal. Ricardo’s will even load the plants into the car for you. Looking for something specific? Check out their convenient online availability list.
Time to decorate the front steps for fall. Make it something different.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

Fall is planting season in southern California. Since I grew up on the opposite side of the country, I find this unsettling. Oh, sure, I understand that everything from sweet peas to broccoli flourishes in the still-warm California soil and thrives with winter rain. I appreciate the Mediterranean climate of my adopted region and the privilege of year-round gardening. And when my New Jersey relatives come for Thanksgiving, I’ll take great joy in sprinkling fresh-grown herbs on my garden-plucked veggies.
Or so my head tells me. But the autumn of my heart whispers that fall is time to rake leaves, climb trees, crunch apples, start school and discuss the latest crop of boys with my best friend. Fall is warm clothes and preparation for the long, cold days of winter.
Yet, while I sprinkle seeds of fast-growing mesclun and other lettuces in my raised bed garden, I remember that fall lettuce in New Jersey is store-bought, and iceberg. That tomatoes there stop producing at summer’s end. And that any flowers left in beds soon become fodder for wandering deer.

Time to get growing!
• Plant seeds of low-growing sweet peas now in containers, and by the holidays you’ll have a delightful pot of fragrance. Make several and give them as gifts. Friends will think you’re brilliant; you’ll know you were thrifty.
• All lettuce thrives in cooler weather; it’s time to re-think salad. Look for mesclun, a seed mix containing mustard, arugula, cress, radicchio and more, that grows fast and happy in containers or beds. Just keep soil moist and trim off outer leaves whenever you want salad greens.
• Look for transplants of broccoli, cabbage, kale, and cauliflower. You can start them from seed too. All are cool-season vegetables.
• Put trees and shrubs in the ground now. They’ll get a head start and establish strong root systems before blooming next spring.
• Try a new type of beet. Golden beets, for example, won’t discolor the rest of your meal like traditional red varieties. Try them roasted with a little olive oil and salt.
• Chard, a beautiful plant with long, ruffled leaves, looks and tastes like spinach but is easier to grow. Look for “bright lights” or other varieties with wild-colored stalks in gold, crimson and orange. Stick a few in with the flowers.
• Poppies and nasturtiums are among the simplest flowers to grow. Sprinkle them in your beds or containers, sit back and enjoy the show.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.