SoCal Garden Clinic archive: Advice from the pros

For a drought-resistant lawn substitute, look into yarrow, hummingbird sage or breath of heaven. Here’s why.

Question: I have a plant with five round watermelons growing from it. They are all dark green.

Question: I live in San Diego and am trying to grow horsetail reed as a hedge in front of my fence.

You might recall that when a reader wrote about twin rows of Italian cypress — one established and healthy, the other newer and dying — the SoCal Garden Clinic asked a Pasadena nurseryman to tackle the question of why the plants might be struggling for survival.

This week our SoCal Garden Clinic turns to problematic avocado trees: Question from reader Steven Klein of Malibu: In November 2011, I planted a 3-gallon Lamb Hass avocado tree on a slope with full sun about 90% of the day.

Pat Morgan of Westlake Village wrote to the SoCal Garden Clinic to ask: My fig tree was started from a cutting three years ago and was recently transplanted to our atrium.

Question from reader Vince Capati of Torrance: I love the color and variety of gazanias, and they seem to work well in our climate as long as they’re not over-watered.

Dear SoCal Garden Clinic, My garden, as well as many of my neighbors’, is overrun by nutgrass.

I have two orange trees that were planted 12 years ago.

Do you have any suggestions for drought-tolerant, kid-friendly ground cover?

Ever had raccoon dig up your lawn? Melanie Polinger of Manhattan Beach is feeling your pain.

Italian cypress trees can be a reliable choice for gardeners looking to create a visual screen between properties.

Mistletoe may symbolize love and prompt a kiss this time of year, but what if it’s killing your trees?

Yoshie Tachiki of Los Angeles wrote to the SoCal Garden Clinic to ask: We have a Fuji apple tree that has a white, cotton-like substance on the limbs.

How can you keep squirrels and rats from raiding your citrus trees?

San Diego reader Don Skolnik wrote to our SoCal Garden Clinic to ask if eggplant can be grown as a perennial.

Los Angeles reader Millicent Stoller wrote to our SoCal Garden Clinic saying she was trying to plant for monarch butterflies.

“When is the best time to buy and plant freesia bulbs?”

What causes Japanese maple tree leaves to turn brown?

Is there a lilac that can flourish in Southern California and still have the scent of East Coast lilacs?

“We are growing asparagus for the first time, and the plants rose to about 3 feet,” Culver city reader Jesus Pantoja wrote to the SoCal Garden Clinic.

It’s a common problem: Brenda Rees of Eagle Rock writes that her pomegranate tree, about 5 years old, delivers loads of fruit, but much of it has been splitting open this year.

How do you revive Elijah Blue fescue, the popular blue tufted ornamental grass, if it’s is looking dry and dead?