Q. I have what I call iceplant since I don’t know what it actually is, which blooms beautifully in March and April. But it keeps growing in higher and higher mounds. When cutting it back on the edge, I see a lot of dead material. Will it continue to keep growing higher each year? Is there anything I should do?
Iceplant could be seen everywhere in Southern California when we moved here in 1988. Native to South Africa, it is a fast-spreading succulent that tolerates poor soil and drought conditions and was used widely to stabilize slopes and hillsides. We planted iceplant on a slope at the back of our property because we were concerned about erosion and didn’t know any better.
Once established, it kept growing over itself and created great mounds of green with dead material underneath. When we started to remove it, we discovered thousands of snails hidden in it. It also provided cover for rats and mice. Luckily, it had formed a singular cohesive mat that we were able to roll up and remove (much to the delight of the local owls, crows, and hawks).
After removing the iceplant, we planted an assortment of native grasses, sages, and shrubs. With a little extra attention in the first year, these new plants filled in quite nicely. For a list of recommended iceplant replacements, see www.calscape.org.
Q. I have a two-year-old plum tree and this year it had many delicious plums. The problem is, if I don’t pick them before they are ripe, the birds will eat them all. Do you have any suggestions for next year’s crop?
If your tree is relatively small, you could try draping bird netting over it when the fruit is still ripening. This only really works for small trees that can be covered completely. If the tree is only partially covered, the birds may be able to get under the net and into the canopy but may become trapped under the netting. Flash tape (a lightweight metallic-looking tape that is silver on one side and red on the other) draped around the outside branches looks like fire to birds and they won’t land on a tree that looks like it’s on fire. A plastic owl will work for only a short time, and then the crows wise up and ignore it. Draping a large realistic-looking rubber snake in the branches is very effective, but make sure that everyone knows that there’s a fake snake in the tree so you don’t give an unsuspecting gardener a heart attack.
Los Angeles County
mglosangeleshelpline@ucdavis.edu; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/
Orange County
ucceocmghotline@ucanr.edu; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/
Riverside County
anrmgriverside@ucanr.edu; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/
San Bernardino County
mgsanbern@ucanr.edu; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu
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