Sometimes, even the best gardener gets carried away.
We have a Sanchezia shrub, loved by hummingbirds and colorful even when it isn’t in flower (it usually is). The Sanchezia is a vigorous grower in fact I wrote an article about ‘the Sanchezia that ate the yard.’ As much as I love it, it had gotten a bit large and tall – about 2.5 meters tall. The jasmine, planted closer to the house, had almost disappeared. A good pruning was in order so I asked my gardener, a fine young man, to trim it back. He got carried away.
Ah the enthusiasm of the young. The branch to the left in the picture is over a meter long. That makes my bare spot about 3 by 5 meters. The little bunch of upright branched to the upper center is what’s left of the Sanchezia. No matter, it is already coming back. This time we will make sure it doesn’t get away from us. At the bottom of the picture is the jasmine. In just a week with no Sanchezia, it has erupted with flowers and new growth; smells good too. Now we have to fill in the bald spot before the weeds take over.
Filling in a bald spot is good now that the rains have arrived. I am thinking some kind of grass, maybe centipede grass, now that the rains have started. However – and it’s a big ‘however’ – I keep hearing about Bermuda grass which is used on golf courses and stands up to the hot sun. At least that’s what we’ve been told. We’ve also been told that it grows faster than centipede and stand up to wear better as well.
Then there is Acapulco grass which they use for putting greens. And Panama carpet grass, Manila grass, Serangoon grass, way too many types of grass.
Then there is the other decision – seed or sod. At 15 square meters, it’s not a huge area although I would like to extend it for another eight or ten square meters just to make sure I cover the entire area. The bald spot is close to the house so I can water if necessary when the rains stop, but they won’t be stopping for a while.
So, a question to you readers out there if you are at about 600-700 meters. Do you have a lawn? What kind of grass is it? Is it growing well? Did you seed or sod? Would you suggest seed or sod?
Oh, and if you are in the Tilarán area, where did you manage to fine the seed/sod?
Plant for the Week
Peppers. They find their way into almost every dish in the country. Some are mild, some are tasty, some are hellacious. Las Delicious, one of our favorite breakfast spots in Nuevo Arenal, grows and pickles their own. Love those pickles on my gallo pinto but I stay away from the hellacious ones. No pepper is worth 45 minutes of pain.
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Editor's note: For more information on this article
of request for information about gardening, Ms
Victoria Torley, gardener columnist, can be reached
at victoriatorley1@gmail.com
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