Query: Our gardenia has grown somewhat taller then we want and has completed flowering. Is now a superb time to do the pruning?
Reply: Usually gardenias produce sporadic blooms through the summer season months but when main flowering is over, now’s the time to do the trimming. Normally solely minor pruning is required to shorten out-of-bounds shoots and management development. Use a hand pruner to chop every shoot again to some inches past the specified size. Attempt to go away shoots with some foliage as a result of it helps the gardenia resume development. Preserve the shrub moist, keep a mulch and the place permitted make a summer season fertilizer software.
Q. We have now a mango tree that blooms in late February to March then develops small marble-sized fruit that inside a few weeks disappear. The tree is roughly 15 years previous and was grown from seed of a really productive tree. We have now fertilized based on the instructions to no avail. Any concepts?
A. Regretfully, you’re most likely going to want a brand new tree of a named selection. Seedling timber could be very variable as to manufacturing. It appears like you might have supplied good cultural care and the tree after 15 years has not responded as anticipated. It’s uncertain critters are harvesting the crop earlier than it will get someplace close to maturity. There’s the likelihood a illness is affecting the flower stalks and younger fruits. If so, software of a copper fungicide throughout flowering and fruiting following label directions could assist.
Q. My desert rose is displaying grey blotches on the stems. Is that this a fungus?
A. Sure, there’s a fungus plus algae dwelling collectively on the stems of your desert rose as pictured in an e-mail picture. However the excellent news is that they trigger no hurt. The organisms stay symbiotically on moisture and vitamins deposited on the stems. You do not want to do something for what are often known as lichens. Generally these mixtures construct up when vegetation are usually not rising as vigorously as they need to. Be sure the desert rose has a moist soil and is fertilized month-to-month through the heat rising months. If wanted, a copper fungicide may very well be sprayed on the stems to retard the lichen development following label directions for foliage vegetation.
Plant Physician: Go away loads of rising room for the good poinciana tree
Q. My tomato vegetation are usually not fruiting however look good. What ought to I do for the vegetation? Do I go away them or take away them?
A. It’s resolution time in terms of lingering tomato vegetation. Likelihood is the vegetation are going to say no as summer season rains and warmth encourages pest issues. In my backyard I take away all of the previous tomato vegetation, wholesome or not, and begin with contemporary transplants in mid- to late August. Some gardeners do get fortunate and proceed their vegetation by summer season and into the autumn for a superb harvest. Regretfully, you don’t know what virus or related illness could also be transmitted to the vegetation by summer-feeding bugs. Higher hold a couple of transplants out there as replacements if wanted.
Q. Our dwelling contractors recommend protecting the tallest branches of our crape myrtle away from gutters and eaves to stop roof rats, which have been an issue, from moving into our crawl area. My garden service is now doing the trimming however it’s too far again for my spouse and daughter. What’s the minimal trimming advisable?
A. No trimming is the minimal urged by many horticulturists. Pruning just isn’t needed for good crape myrtle development except you might have a particular drawback, as in your case. Since rats, squirrels and related critters can soar it’s seemingly essential to trim the crape myrtle limbs again a number of toes from the house. You didn’t point out ants and different bugs additionally use the limbs as a bridge into buildings. Probably you will want to do some trimming earlier than development within the spring and no less than as soon as throughout summer season. Be as sort as you may and never trim the crape myrtles again to nubbins every year.
Q. One thing is chewing the blades of our St. Augustinegrass and I believe it’s sod webworms. How can I be certain?
A. Only some larva levels of moths such because the sod webworm feed on St. Augustinegrass blades. Chewing injury is your first trace night-feeding larva are current however hiding beneath through the daytime. Half the grass blades and appears close to the soil line among the many runners. You might be prone to see some inexperienced frass and with it the gray-green small curled up sod webworms. As soon as you’re sure these are the critters feasting at night time, you may apply an insecticide discovered at native backyard facilities for garden bugs following label directions.
Q. This morning our bushes are filled with small moths — tons of of them. Any thought why and what must be completed?
A. Higher return to studying your good gardening e book as there are usually not good or straightforward controls for moths. Oh, I assume you might use a flyswatter or butterfly internet to cut back the inhabitants, however they’re often too many. At the moment of the 12 months these are seemingly the grownup levels of the sod webworm. However there is no such thing as a want to aim a management for this garden insect till the larvae are discovered feeding within the turf. Additionally, pure controls typically have an effect on the eggs laid and younger sod webworms earlier than the feeding is seen. So, in the event you can, ignore the moths as they are going to solely be current for a couple of weeks.
Tom MacCubbin is an city horticulturist emeritus with the College of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write him: Orlando Sentinel, P.O. Field 2833, Orlando, FL. 32802. E-mail: TomMac1996@aol.com.
