Gardening: Some plants are harder to grow

00000169-0cc0-dbbe-a16f-4ee06e4b0000 — Justin – stock.adobe.com

UPDATED: August 23, 2018 at 4:47 PM PDT

I’ve learned so much from my mistakes that I’m thinking of making a few more.

In our last episode, we successfully turned our tree stump into a perennial paradise. Now we are ready to move on to greater challenges … as if that one wasn’t bad enough. Next time (there really won’t be a next time) we will choose a much smaller stump.

One thing I have learned is that you can get everything you want in life if you lower your expectations.

Last month I wrote about some vegetables that were easy to grow and some that needed a little extra care. We all aced that.

Today, we move on to some other plants that some people may consider to be higher maintenance and may require more time than you are willing to spend on them. In the world of horticulture, we call these plants pains in the patootie.

But, our mantra, “Go for it.” Live with no regrets. Conquer your fears.

Those of you who take care of grass know how much work it takes to maintain a PGA sanctioned golf-course-like lawn. It requires thatching, frequent mowing, fertilizing, regular watering within local regulations, sprinkler system maintenance, insecticide spraying treatment for brown spots, a boatload of luck and, of course, fervent prayer.

Roses also require a lot of care and attention. Because my family and I enjoy roses so much, I gladly spend a lot of time inspecting, deadheading, treating for diseases and pests, pruning and mulching.

Besides grass and roses, here are a few other plants that will require just a little extra attention:

Acacia are beautiful but they have pods and sap. Its flower clusters spread all over your yard.

Bamboo grows quickly. If Jack’s beanstalk ever broke, bamboo would be an excellent replacement.

Bottlebrush, with its red bottlebrush-looking flowers, scatter into many pieces. If it’s near your pool, the wind will blow it you-know-where … into the deep end.

Jacaranda is, in my opinion, a beautiful tree when in bloom with its long-lasting blue flowers. However, many nurseries and catalogs usually don’t mention that when the flowers drop, they must be raked up before they decompose into gunk. Solution: cancel your golf tee time and grab a rake.

Dahlia. The flower heads get so large and heavy that they droop. The stems can’t them and so they need staking. Then you have to deadhead. Then you have to declare war on the earwigs that munch on the flowers.

Delphiniums get tall, floppy, are easily damaged, and are loved by slugs, snails and aphids. Prone to powdery mildew. Must be staked and tied up.

Ivy gets everywhere if left untamed. Once a shoot touches the ground it re-roots and then sends out underground roots to pop up elsewhere. If the plant is stuck to a fence or wall, pulling it off may damage it. Simply cut the ivy at the base and wait for it to die; then you can pull it off more easily.

Mimosa trees are insect- and disease-prone and have large, unattractive brown seed pods. Seedlings from your tree will sprout in everyone’s yard within a quarter-mile of your place.

Mulberry trees are messy, insect-prone and have aggressive surface roots that crack pavement. Its pollens may cause your allergies to act up. Birds love its purple staining berries and reminders will appear on your car’s windshield, but only on the driver’s side.

Phalaris is a scraggy and invasive “ornamental” grass.

Privet is an invasive, fast-growing plant often used in screens and hedges. It needs trimming about every two hours or it will swallow your house and dog.

Raspberry plants need s, proper pruning and bird protection. Their new shoots can be tricky to dig out. Working around their thorns isn’t that much fun. However, there are some thornless varieties.

Silver maple is a good shade tree, but its roots can crack pavement, invade water lines and uproot your living room. It can grow up to three feet a year, eventually reaching 70 feet tall.

If you want an easy-care garden, opt for robust, hardy plants that perform year after year such as herbs and succulents. Many hardy perennials such as buddleia, Christmas rose, coneflower, coreopsis, daylilies and hosta are also easy.

Before you plant, do a little homework to learn what you are willing to handle. If the work is too consuming or perhaps a little outside of your skill level, you might not enjoy them as much. Half of being smart is knowing what you are dumb about.

Schmidt is a Poway resident with over 40 years of gardening experience.

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