Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Garden

Timely tending: July

By PAMELA BROWN and NANCY R. VOLMAR
Published July 1, 2006

Summer is a time for camping and other outdoor activities. It is also a time when many people are accidentally poisoned by contact with harmful plants. Poison ivy and poison oak are neither ivy nor oak species: They actually belong to the cashew family. They usually grow as woody vines attached to trees and trailing on the ground. Leaves, even on the same plant, may vary; however, they almost always consist of three leaflets. Poisoning is most often caused by contact with some part of the bruised plants. A very small amount of the poisonous substance can produce severe skin inflammation. Smoke from burning plants also can cause severe cases of poisoning. Many skin ointments and lotions are sold to prevent poisoning by ivies. Check your pharmacy before your outing.

Everything grows like Jack's beanstalk this month, so pruning may be a top priority to keep your landscape in bounds.

* Pinch off faded blossoms of annual flowers to keep the plants compact and prolong blooming. Fertilize monthly with any of the slow-release mixtures for flowering plants.

* This is your last chance to prune azaleas. They can be cut back one-third to one-half. Put down a layer of organic mulch 2 to 3 inches deep around the plants to help conserve moisture and reduce weeds.

* There is still plenty of time to plant summer annuals such as celosia, marigolds, portulaca, vinca and zinnias.

* The new growth on poinsettias should be about ready to prune now. Cut new stems back when they reach 12 inches. Prune only the new growth back to four leaves.

* Many people incorrectly believe that plants are pruned only once a year and that no matter what condition the limbs are in, they are not to be removed. Prune dead parts from shrubs, trees and herbaceous plants any time they appear. Dead wood and stems are the perfect entryway for disease and wood-eating insects.

* Are rabbits, armadillos or raccoons enjoying your garden more than you do? The only permanent solution is fencing. Poultry wire or woven wire fences are movable and modestly priced. Chain-link or wooden fencing is more expensive. Whatever you choose, it must come all the way to the ground so animals can't dig under it.

Elbow room for daylilies

Once your daylilies finish blooming, they can be divided. Overcrowding often cuts down on blooming. When dividing daylilies, you can either remove parts of the clump or you can rejuvenate the entire bed. To do this, remove all of the daylilies and place them in a shaded area. It's a good time to add organic matter to the bed to enrich the soil. Peat, compost or composted animal manure (from cow, horse or goat - not from pets) are all good sources of organic material. Along with 25 pounds of organic matter, use 2¹/₂ pounds of 6-6-6 or similar slow-release fertilizer for every 100 square feet of bed.

Divide the large clump of daylilies into one or two fan clumps. Replant, spacing so the roots are not crowded. Make sure the crown is level with the soil line. Keep the bed moist for the first week by watering every other day unless there is rain. During the second week, water twice, then once a week after that, or as needed.

The fruits of your labors

You may see a late bloom on your citrus trees. Many trees that failed to fruit in early spring may be heavy with flowers, especially the navel orange tree. The new fruit will not interfere with earlier fruit. Late-bloom fruits are often dry and pithy, but there is a chance they will be good, so most people let them mature.

Leave mangoes on the tree to mature; otherwise, they won't ripen properly. To check for maturity, pick a large mango growing in the sun and cut it through lengthwise. The flesh around the seed should be turning yellow. The other mangoes that are the same size or larger are probably also mature and can be picked to ripen indoors. It will take several days for them to sweeten. Trees can be pruned after the fruit is harvested.

Avocado varieties ripen at different times of the year, but the main season is July through February. Avocado fruit does not ripen on the tree: A mature fruit ripens within three to eight days after it is picked. Florida avocados ripen best at temperatures of 60 to 75 degrees. At higher temperatures fruit ripen unevenly and may develop an off flavor. Storing avocados in the refrigerator delays ripening and allows you to keep fruit longer. If you want to keep your trees at a manageable height, prune soon after harvest. Severe pruning does not injure the tree if proper pruning cuts are made, but it will reduce production for one or more seasons.

Check fig leaves for rust. Fig rust disease can cause your tree to lose all its leaves. Infected leaves develop small, yellowish spots that later enlarge and turn brown. Remove infected leaves before spores are produced, since the spread of spores will cause future infection. Rake fallen leaves and destroy them. Spraying with Neem oil when rust is first found can offer some control.

No spots for roses

Black spot on roses can cause rapid defoliation during hot, humid weather. This disease, which is common in our area, can be controlled by spraying with a suitable fungicide and by destroying all infected leaves, including those on the ground.

Handle with extreme care

Avoid applying pesticides in the heat of the day; the heat can combine with many pesticides and burn the plants. It is best to apply pesticides in the late afternoon to early evening, on an overcast day when no rain is forecast. Avoid using pesticides on windy days. In breezy weather, chemicals can blow around on the plants and the person applying them. Most pesticides are absorbed readily through the skin, and symptoms may be delayed for several hours. Always read and follow label instructions for the safety of your plants and yourself.

We occasionally get calls from homeowners who accidentally spill a pesticide in the garage or on the driveway. Pesticides, when used as the label directs are relatively safe; but concentrated chemical spills can pose a threat to people, animals and the environment. Always read the label for correct disposal procedures. The following items can be used to help clean up spills and should be kept near areas where pesticides are mixed: builders sand, sawdust, or cat-box filler; shovel, sprinkler can or bucket. Contain the spill with a dike of soil to keep it from spreading. NEVER hose down spills. This will only spread the chemical. To absorb the chemical, cover with cat-box filler or sawdust. If the spilled material is highly toxic, the contaminated materials should be placed in a leak-proof container and disposed of as the label directs.

Nobody loves a lubber

Those innocent-looking little grasshoppers seen earlier this year have now turned into the large, multicolor grasshopper called lubbers. They prefer plants of the lily family but will also feed on other plants in the landscape. The adults are yellowish with dark markings and have a red area on their wings. They may be more than 3 inches long when fully grown. Once they reach this size, chemical controls are of little value. Try mechanical control: i.e., your shoe.

Uninvited termite guests

At certain times of the year during daylight hours, king and queen drywood termites emerge from colonies and swarm to establish new colonies. Seeing winged termites in the home is an indication of probable infestation. The wings break off shortly after the termites swarm and are usually found near a light source, especially on windowsills. Carefully inspect all woodwork in the building, especially the ceiling, baseboards, windowsills, floor joists and furniture. When drywood termites are present, they excrete small piles of pellets that look like grains of sand. They may be light tan to dark brown, depending on the wood the insects are feeding on. It is usually best to get professional help.

Mower, spare those blades

Raise mower blades to 3½ to 4 inches for the summer months if you are cutting Bahia grass and St. Augustine grass. No more than one-third of the leaf blade should be removed at one cutting. Increasing the grass leaf surface increases photosynthesis and results in more carbohydrate production for plant growth. Cutting your grass higher will promote a deeper and more extensive root system.

Don't bag those grass clippings: Let them fall where they may. When maintained regularly, grass clippings return valuable nutrients to the soil. Each bag of grass clippings you throw away contains up to one-fourth of a pound of organic nitrogen that your lawn could use.

Chinch bugs, go away

Chinch bugs make St. Augustine lawns look like straw. Use Bifenthrin or Orthene according to label directions to combat them. Neem oil is a less toxic alternative shown by research to be effective against chinch bugs.

Compiled by Pamela Brown and Nancy R. Volmar of the Pinellas County Extension Center/Florida Botanical Gardens. Questions? Call them at (727) 582-2100.

[Last modified June 30, 2006, 12:44:10]