Question: I’m looking for some good summer colors. What do you choose to add to your flower bed?
Answer: Many colorful plants are available in summer, but the two seem to survive the best and exist in autumn. Pentas form bushy bedding plants that open white, pink, red or purple flowers depending on the type. They grow best in bright shades to bright shades. Coleus offers many coloured leaves that produce plants that are about 3 feet tall and wide, depending on their diversity. Everything grows well in the shade, but there are several choices developed that grow well in sunny locations as well. Ask the Garden Center what’s best for your location. If you only have shaded sites, Coleus is still a good choice, but you can also choose from Impatien and Begonia. Many colors are available to develop attractive low-growth displays in the summer and fall.
Q: There are two outdoor Hawaiian TI plants that are about 5 feet tall. Do I need to trim?
A: You may not need to remove some of the plants, but they may look better. After a cool winter, the plant may have lots of brown leaves. Sometimes some of the leaves turn brown, while the others are completely straw-colored. Individual leaves can be removed, but this usually results in bare stems. Perhaps now is a good time to bring the plants back to where they want to develop for new shoots. As summer weather progresses, the plants regenerate rapidly and produce complete plants with fresh, colorful leaves.
Q: The top of my camellia leaves is brown, but the bottom is green. What is causing the damage and is there any control?
A: Describing small mites for damage to Camelia leaves. The mites suck juice from the leaves, causing brown discoloration. In many cases, the injury only follows the main vein, but can affect the entire surface of the leaf. Mite damage is most common during this dry season, as seasonal rains can disrupt feeding and possibly wash them off. The mites can be controlled by gardening oil sprays found at local garden centres. Follow the instructions on the label. Repeat sprays may be required during the growing season.
Q: We absorbed the new St. Augustine lawn in February. What can I use to green up?
A: Now is the time to exchange spring feeding with lawn fertilizer. High-quality turf fertilizers offered at local garden centres contain the right nitrogen to regenerate your lawn, and often contain iron that helps to form green chlorophyll within the blades. May is the last month until October to fertilize lawns in many Florida cities and counties. Choose products with slow release properties and gradually supply your lawn for more than three months.
Plant Doctor: Mother Nature Determines When Easter Lilies in your garden will bloom
Q: I fertilized St. Augustine’s lawn a few weeks ago, and it’s now turning yellow. How can I make it green again?
A: During spring, iron may be available more slowly, or iron may be lacking more slowly in local soil. A simple fix for spring-fed yellow grass is iron alone or trace nutrient spraying. Most garden centers have one or both of these products in liquid or granular form, and you can regenerate your lawn in a few days by following the instructions on the label.
Q: Our azalea plants grow in soil with too high pH. Does a good azalea fertilizer correct soil acidity?
A: Gardeners cannot rely on fertilizer to adjust the acidity of the soil to the appropriate pH of Azaleas. These products have acidifying effects, but are usually not sufficient to cause major changes to the soil. Products sold as azalea fertilizer provide the nutrients that plants need, which help to offset the effects of inappropriate pH. The use of soil oxidation products such as soil sulfur treatment and pine bark fine mulch can also be useful if the soil is not suitable for acid-loving azaleas.
Maybe you’re in a garden in Central Florida
Q: I recently purchased some baskets of flowers that I need to water several times a day. Water drains the bottom without wetting the soil. What should I do?
A: Hanging a basket full of plants with large root systems is a big water user. It is not uncommon to have to water at least once a day. Also, if you notice that the soil remains dry, the soil in the root ball can repel moisture when running around the sides. Soaking a pot with root bowls in a large water container really wets the soil. It only takes a few minutes to saturate the root system. Next, give the plants a normal place. Also make sure the soil is attached to the sides of the container. You may need to contact the soil with the sides of the basket or add more soil. After that, resume normal watering.
Tom Maccubbin is an honorary urban gardener at the University of Florida Cooperative Expansion Services. Write him: Orlando Sentinel, PO Box 2833, Orlando, Florida. 32802. email: tomac1996@aol.com.
