Question: I purchased a pot with blooming hyacinth bulbs. Flowers have started to decrease. What should I do with my plants?
Answer: This is probably the most difficult thing for gardeners to do: toss the plants and keep the pots. Alternatively, you can send the bulbs to a friend up north and plant them in the ground. Hyacinths, with their attractive pink, purple or white flowers and sweet scent, require colder temperatures than Florida can provide to bloom again. The plants you purchase will produce wonderful blooms in late winter or early spring, and you can enjoy them in your home for about a week before they die.
Q. The tops of several of my plants, including impatiens, coleus, and penta, have been damaged by the cold. When should I prune damaged stems?
A. Give the plant a few weeks of warm weather to check the extent of damage. Many specimens like coleus are far more damaged than they appear. They continue to decline over several weeks. You can prune now and continue if you want, but that could be a waste of time that could be used to work on other areas of your landscape. Unfortunately, some of these plants may die and require repotting during the warm spring.
Q. A few years ago, I planted a Hawaiian tea plant in a pot, and it grew into a large, beautiful plant. I’m thinking of transplanting it near the front of my house. Is it dangerous?
Plant Doctor: Blooming Tabebuia trees turn the neighborhood pink
A. Your Ti plant is colorful and appears to be about 5 feet tall in the attached email photo. Since the container for the plant is small, it is time to transplant it. There should be little or no risk of transplanting it into the ground near your home. Place the plant at least 3 feet away from the house and prepare the ground with compost, peat moss, or manure. Since the plant is in a small container, the roots may be tightly bound. When planting, loosen the roots a little. Keep it moist and fertilize every 2-3 weeks. If you want to keep your plant 5 feet tall, you’ll probably need a stake. Otherwise, pruning to a lower height can reduce the risk of it being blown away.
Q. Early in the new year, a fire broke out in my backyard. Apparently the fireworks that were set off on New Year’s Eve caused some of the bamboo they planted to catch fire. Apparently the fire had been smoldering under the bamboo all night, consuming the root system. Is there anything I can do at this point?
A. Fortunately, bamboo is a hardy plant. Your photo showed some greenery in the remaining plants, but there was a lot of fire damage at the base of other plants. There were several cavities in the ground that could be filled with earth. The roots with bamboo shoots are often below the ground and may have survived fire damage. Feed your plants in mid-to-late spring to encourage some recovery. That way you can better determine what’s alive, what’s dead, and what needs to be replaced.
Q. I want to control weeds in my St. Augustine lawn myself, but I’m afraid of damaging the lawn. Could a professional service do a better job?
A. Weeds are difficult to manage, and using a little too much herbicide can have devastating consequences. You can control weeds like an expert, but you need to do your homework before applying any treatments to avoid damaging your lawn. Many gardeners prefer to do weed control work themselves because they can quickly control unwanted greenery when they first notice it and treat only problem areas. If you want to try weed control, garden centers have products you can use on your St. Augustine lawn. Many of the herbicides are the same as those used by lawn spraying services. Start your weed control program by knowing the types of weeds growing in your garden. Typically, you don’t need to know their names, just the categories such as broadleaf weeds, grass weeds, and sedge weeds. Next, learn about the products that control each of these types and how they should be applied for safe and effective weed control. Get free information on lawn weed control from your local University of Florida Extension office.
Q. My banana seedlings have been severely damaged due to the recent cold weather and are looking bad. Will it recover in time to bear fruit?
A. Even a little bit of cold weather will put banana plants in the worst condition. Recently, freezing or near-freezing temperatures in some areas have caused severe damage. If only the outer leaves are damaged, the banana can recover. Unfortunately, the full extent of the damage will not be known for several weeks. Look at the top of the plant to see how much of the shoots and stems have been affected. If it starts to turn brown, the entire stem may be in decline. The good news is that banana plants have buds above and below ground that can regrow new plants. Leave the plant for about a month to check the extent of cold damage and remove the affected areas. If the top of the trunk appears dead, the entire trunk should be removed to the ground.
February in Central Florida Gardens
Q. My fig tree has grown so much that I need to take care of it. What should we do during this period?
A. Late winter is a good time to do a little tree maintenance to remove criss-crossed and crowded areas. Try to keep the center slightly open to allow sunlight to enter and air between the branches. Some gardeners prefer to reduce the height and width of overgrown trees. Up to a third of the branches may be removed to make the tree more accessible. Start fertilizing lightly but frequently now. Many use fertilizers applied to the soil surface every two months until early fall. Some people use common garden fertilizers or slow-release products, following label directions. Maintain a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch and keep the soil moist to grow quality trees with a bountiful harvest throughout the spring and summer.
Tom McCubbin is an emeritus urban horticulturist for the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write to Orlando Sentinel, PO Box 2833, Orlando, FL. 32802. Email: TomMac1996@aol.com.
