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hit above: morning glory, rest of the day nightmare

list what not to plant I know it’s painful but we got to draw the line somewhere. These plants are problems and I’ll tell you why. There are so many better choices available that I don’t have room to list them here, but once you can break the habit of using big box stores as nurseries, you’re well on your way to upgrading and up-greening your garden. Groundcovers Carpobrotus edulis iceplant Yes, it’s everywhere at Ocean Beach, and that’s the problem. It forms dense mats of itself that smothers anything else, small mammals can drop seeds out of your garden and into habitat that is already endangered. Hedera species ivy Sure, it’s green and quick spreading and sticks to anything, but it destroys habitat, damages buildings, chokes trees and destabilizes banks. Vinca major periwinkle An easy solution for shady areas, which easily escapes into stream sides, crowding out native species Perennials Cortaderia selloana pampas grass Pretty fluffy plumes, pretty nasty invasive, plus the leaves will slice you up. It crushes everything in its path and is a fire hazard. Pennisetum species fountain grass A common staple in California gardens that has become a common pest. We have such a range of lovely native grasses, how about trying those instead? Shrubs Bamboo I can hear the outcries but believe me, this stuff gets out of hand and is difficult to remove. I will admit there are bunching bamboo species that are better behaved, but most of them travel far and wide underground, pushing up other plants, as well as brick, and widening the slightest crack in cement or asphalt. Cotoneaster cotoneaster Its bright red berries turn into little green seedlings that grow gnarly and pushy root systems and bully other plants wherever they sprout, including natural areas. Cytisus scoparis, Genista monspessulana, Genista hispanica scotch, french and spanish brooms When these invasives ‘sweep’ in, they are extremely hard to extricate. Seeds persist for many years. A few years ago I saw a pen of goats on O’Shaughnessy Blvd. put there to eat them and they weren’t too thrilled either. Roses OK, before you start throwing your clippers at me, let me clarify. Don’t plant the wrong rose for your garden. Most roses I come across either barely hold on in this climate (fancy hybrid roses that don’t even smell) or are clawing their way into every inch of available airspace (Cecil Brunner I am calling you out). When choosing a rose take into account how much sun and fog you get, how pest and disease resistant it is, and how much space you are willing to provide. Also how much stabbing you’re comfortable subjecting your gardener to. Trees Maytenus boaria Maytens tree I admit it’s a lovely tree, with swaying branches reminiscent of a Vegas showgirl, but its unruly habit of rocketing up sprouts from its tough orange roots is a deal breaker for me. Installing this tree is asking for trouble. Vines Convolvulus morning glory While I can’t quite put into words my feeling about this plant, this blogger wrote quite a screed. It chokes everything and harbors whitefly. Instead, try the California native convolvulus that is light shell pink in color, more refined in scale, and much better behaved.