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Why are there so many lizards in the garden this year, a reader asks

October 25, 2024

Q. Why are there so many lizards this year? I’ve never seen so many before!

It’s possible that you are seeing more lizards because their normal hiding places have been disturbed. For instance, whenever the open field across the street from us is mowed, our neighbors end up with mice in their garages. (We took care of that problem by keeping our cats in the garage at night.) If any nearby land has been recently cleared, you could see a local lizard migration.

Another factor could be an unusual increase in food supply. Lizards eat mostly insects, so if there was anything affecting the local bug population such as increased rainfall or uncontrolled weeds, the lizards will thrive with the increased food supply.

Lizards can be beneficial because they eat insects and leave plants alone. Unless they get into your house, they should not be a problem.

Q. Now that the weather isn’t so terribly hot, what tasks can I do in the garden this time of year? Is it too early to plant winter vegetables?

I would wait until early November to plant winter vegetables. We can still get some hot, dry days in October. We also get some pretty strong winds, usually right after I put out my Halloween decorations.

Garden clean-up should be your priority. Remove dead leaves, fruit mummies, and any other dry material. Cut back any perennials that have stopped flowering and prune trees, especially those close to the house. Clean gutters and remove any dead leaves that have fallen on the roof. Move any flammable material away from the house. All these things will reduce your risk during fire season.

Check your irrigation system and take care of those repairs while the weather is pleasant. You’ve been putting it off because it’s been 100 degrees outside (which is reasonable). Don’t wait until the rainy season. Just do it.

Remove weeds, then replenish mulch if needed. A thick layer of mulch will discourage weed growth by blocking sunlight from any emerging seedlings.

Q. Is there any easy way to get rid of nutgrass? I keep pulling it out as it emerges, but it keeps coming back.

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to get rid of nutgrass. Hand pulling, herbicides, or flame-throwers aren’t effective because the root structure is massive and deep. Not even goats will eat it. Theoretically you can exhaust the plant by relentlessly removing everything that emerges, but since the root structure can be bigger than a pickup truck and up to 10 feet deep, eliminating it would be a lifelong quest. Sorry.

Los Angeles County

[email protected]; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/

Orange County

[email protected]; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/

Riverside County

[email protected]; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/

San Bernardino County

[email protected]; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu

Orange County Register

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Why are there so many lizards in the garden this year, a reader asks

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