How you can help your garden grow, now and ... later

From March 6, 2006:

Today, let’s put on our floppy hats and sensible shoes and slip some gloves over our elegantly manicured fingers and head out to the yard, where I will pretend I know something about gardening stuff.

We have a well-established saguaro in our yard. Since there has not been any rain for months, I wonder if I should give it some water. My husband says they survive in the desert and therefore it is not necessary to water them. But I also see some dead ones in the desert and I don’t want mine to die. Who is right?

You are, dear lady. Although you have to admit your husband has a point. Cactuses have existed for ages without our help, but if there is one in your yard and it’s suffering from the drought, you’re kind of obligated to help.

Anyway, I know you’re right only because I called the Desert Botanical Garden

and put this matter to a very nice lady whose name I forgot to write down.

She said that, at least until it rains, you should give your saguaro a long, slow soak once a month. Set the hose to a trickle and let it trickle on all day.

I accumulate lots of fine ashes from my charcoal smoker. Are they good for fertilizer? If so, what would my cremated ashes be good for: vegetables, flowers, citrus, grass or trash can?

First the charcoal ashes, then yours. Ashes from commercially produced charcoal briquettes contain bonding agents and other added stuff. So it really is not a good idea to use them as fertilizer or put them in the compost heap.

As for your ashes, if your family doesn’t want them when the time comes, have them sent over. I’ll put them on the tomatoes.

Human ashes make great fertilizer. They contain a lot of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other good stuff.

In Scotland, scientists recently said so many people were scattering their loved ones’ ashes along mountain trails that it is throwing the ecology out of whack by promoting overly rich and luxuriant plant growth.