March Tips
Spring preening
[Times file photo: ]
|
By OPAL W. SCHALLMO and NANCY R. VOLMAR
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 1, 2003
March is the perfect time to give foliage a facelift, but before you buy new shrubs or trees check out what kind of care they require.
|
 |
March is an excellent month to plant shrubs, trees, vines and perennials. Replace problem-prone plants with low-maintenance native or non-native species. When planting from a container or transplanting from another location, do not place the plant deeper than it was originally growing, although there are a few exceptions to this rule.
Some palms can be planted deeper, but it is best to plant at the same level or a bit higher to allow for settlement. Water thoroughly after planting and during the period the plant is establishing itself. Generally, small trees and shrubs that are transplanted into sandy soils should be watered daily for the first week, then every other day for the next four to six weeks.
Most plants will get along on once a week watering after planting. Water should be adjusted for rain and soil varieties. Wait about six weeks, then use the fertilizer formulated for your particular plant. You may be surprised at how long it takes a plant to become established: a few months for a gallon-size shrub, but several years for a tree.
Some drought-tolerant plants may get by with longer intervals between waterings once they are established. Some water-loving plants may require water two or three times a week. Learn about a plant and its water needs before you buy it.
Pinch those mums
Chrysanthemums make fine bedding plants, but they become leggy if not properly pruned. Small flowered varieties should be pinched when they are 6 to 8 inches high. Unless the growing tips are pinched, plants may develop tall, weak stems that produce only a few flowers. After pinching, new branches will develop along the stem. Pinch all shoots every two weeks until June 10th for early varieties and July 1st for later varieties. Flowers will not form if they are pinched later than this.
Annuals that delight
Summer annuals can be started from seed directly in the garden or in seed flats. Marigold, impatiens, celosia and zinnia are easy to start from seeds. Cover the seeds with a very fine layer of milled peat moss or sifted soil, and keep the area moist by misting it several times a day until the second set of leaves appear.
Portulaca, which can be an annual or perennial depending on the species, makes an excellent edging plant. It can also be used in a rock garden or planter boxes and will bloom all summer. Some common names are purslane, moss rose or rose moss. This extremely salt-tolerant plant, whose flowers come in many colors, can take the heat and does not require lots of water.
Turn to Florida bulbs
Many bulbs can be grown in Florida. Amaryllis, canna, crinum, daylily and spider lily are common in our area. Some are true bulbs, others are rhizomes, tubers and corms. You may wish to try some different ones this year.
Blood lilies are planted in the spring with the tip of the bulb just above the soil surface. They produce a large, round cluster of red blooms in the summer.
Reasons to be glad
Gladiolus are planted during spring in our area. Amend the planting bed with organic matter at planting time. The corms can be planted 3 inches deep and about 6 inches apart. If you plant at two-week intervals you will have a longer blooming season. "Glads" make great cut flowers.
Heave-ho hibiscus
Heavy hibiscus pruning is best done in the early spring (February or March). New growth should produce flowers in five to six weeks. Light maintenance pruning can be done any time of year to keep plants at desired heights.
Cuttings taken during pruning can be used to propagate new plants, but softwood or new growth cuttings root more easily. Place the cuttings in a well-drained medium, such as equal parts of peat and coarse builders' sand. These cuttings should be 4 to 6 inches long and will usually root in about six weeks. New plants should begin to flower in about nine months.
Veggies on every front
Vegetable gardening should be in full swing this month. Watch for insects and diseases and be prepared to treat at the first sign of invasion. Vegetables are annual plants and will needs lots of fertilizer while growing. Keep side-dressing every five to six weeks.
There is still time to plant pole beans, lima beans, cantaloupes, collards, okra, sweet potatoes and summer squash.
Citrus in the air
Most citrus trees purchased as dooryard fruit trees for home landscapes are grown in containers and can be planted any time of the year. The preferred time is late winter or early spring. All grasses and weeds should be removed from an area 4 feet in diameter where the tree is to be planted. Thoroughly spade the planting area to a depth of 2 to 3 feet. Remove the tree from the container and, if it is pot-bound (with tightly woven roots), make several vertical cuts in the root ball to stimulate formation of new roots.
Set the tree in the ground about one half to 1 inch higher than it was in the container. Refill the hole around the plant with about one-third of the soil, then water to remove any air pockets. Allow the water to settle, fill the hole two-thirds full of soil and water again. Finish filling the hole and firm the soil around the tree.
Build a water basin around the tree at least 3 inches high and 30 inches in diameter. Water daily for the first week, every other day the second and third week, twice during week four through six, then drop off gradually to once every seven to 10 days during periods of little or no rain.
The young citrus tree will need some attention if it is to thrive. Water is crucial. Too much water can damage the roots causing rot, too little water will cause wilting, which is very hard on a young tree. Citrus trees (especially young ones) should have about one inch of water every seven to 10 days.
Yellow with age
Most Florida soils are low in magnesium. The deficiency symptoms occur in older leaves because magnesium is able to move from older to newer growth.
Magnesium deficiencies are common on many ornamental and food plants. The older leaves of the Canary Island Date Palm will become prematurely yellow from this deficiency. Grapefruit leaves adjacent to the fruit may be the first to become chlorotic. Using magnesium sulfate corrects this problem.
Give suckers the boot
Always remove suckers below the bud or graft union on roses, gardenias, citrus, avocados, mangos, or any grafted plant.
These shoots grow quickly and may take over the plant. It is important to remove them, because they are part of the rootstock, not the desirable portion of the plant.
Not so ordinary houseplants
Do you want a change from ordinary houseplants?
If you do, try bromeliads. They adapt to conditions in the home, require little care and, therefore, make excellent houseplants.
Bromeliads, members of the pineapple family, are native to the American tropics. Another common member of this family is Spanish moss. Most bromeliads are air plants or epiphytes. In nature they grow on trees, attaching themselves by special roots; unlike mistletoe, however, they are not parasites.
The nearly 2,000 species of bromeliads provide plant lovers with a huge selection of form, color, size and blooming characteristics. Bromeliads will thrive in homes with or without air condition.
Keep mildew at bay
Roses, gerbera daisies, crape myrtles and other plants may become infested with powdery mildew as soon as new leaves appear. The fungal disease disfigures the leaves and damages the flowers. Spray the plants with an approved fungicide. Apply according to label directions.
- Compiled by Opal W. Schallmo and Nancy R. Volmar of The Pinellas County Cooperative Extension Service. If you have questions, call them at (727) 582-2100.
Related stories
Homes
Top secret chic
Get a feel for island life
Home Front
Owners end up paying for lax enforcement
Manufactured Housing: Handymen must learn new tricks
Homes News: Remodelers honored for design work
House Values
Garden
March Tips: Spring preening
Back to Homes
