Question: My peach tree is starting to bloom and usually produces fruit, but due to insects and rot, only a few, if any, are edible. What should we do to bear good fruit?
Answer: One of the benefits of the winter freeze is that it reduces many of the pests on peach trees. Peaches, especially those that ripen early, may be free of insects because the insects that lay their eggs on the fruit are delayed. Corruption issues can still arise. If you have a late start on pest control but want to produce pest-free fruit, start applying fruit tree sprays as soon as young peaches form. Get a home fruit tree or orchard spray from your local garden center and follow the directions on the label. Note the time to stop spraying before harvesting. In the future, fruit tree spraying will begin during the winter before flowering. To protect pollinators, stop spraying during flowering.
Q: Both my mango and avocado tropical fruit trees were severely damaged by the recent freeze. Do you think some of the trees will survive?
A: My crystal ball is a little foggy about the future of tropical trees after such a hard freeze. Obviously, there is very serious damage to these trees. Allow at least a month of warm weather to determine the full extent of damage. The tree has probably died close to or to the ground. Most often this is located under the graft to which the desired variety is added. Make incisions in the limbs and torso to assess the extent of freeze damage. If it’s still green after a month or so, the tree may recover. Once the limbs and body parts turn brown, they can be removed. If the damage is close to the ground, the tree may grow from buds at or below the soil line, but it may not be the desired variety. In these cases, it is best to replace the tree.
Botanist: Now is the time for major pruning of roses.
Q: There is a delay in starting tomato transplant cultivation from seeds. Do you still have time to produce plants for your garden or should you buy plants that are already started?
A: In warm spring weather, tomato transplants can be completed in four weeks. It’s never too late to grow your own, but hurry! It’s best to transplant tomatoes into the ground by the end of March so they can flower and set fruit before the hot weather of late spring. Start planting tomato seeds one at a time in a small container filled with germination mix or potting soil. If kept moist and warm, the seeds will grow in 5 to 7 days. Grow in full sun and water as needed to keep the soil moist. Feed with half-concentration liquid fertilizer once a week, starting about a week after germination. With careful management, transplants should be ready for your garden by late March or early April.
Q: My citrus tree still looks healthy. When should you feed your tree?
A: Keep your citrus trees healthy by applying citrus fertilizer once in March, May, August, and early October according to label instructions. Also, apply a small amount of nutrient spray each time the tree produces new growth. It can be used for both general products and products exclusively for citrus fruits. Apply insecticides as new leaves develop and pay close attention to the tree to prevent citrus greening from spreading. Use products labeled to control bull lice and follow directions for citrus fruits.
Q: My pear tree is about to bloom. When is the best time to fertilize trees?
A: Feed your pear tree a lean diet to prevent excessive growth, which is often affected by a disease known as fire blight. For the first three years, feed your new tree every other month from February through September with a light application of 6-6-6 or a similar fertilizer. Then, fertilize in February and June with 0.5 pound of slow-release 6-6-6 fertilizer for each age of the tree (up to 5 pounds per application). Spread from the bottom of the branch and beyond the drip line.
Q: The Phalaenopsis orchid I received as a gift has stopped blooming. Will I be able to grow it until it blooms again? What kind of care does it require?
A: Phalaenopsis orchids, also known as moth orchids, make great gifts as they bloom for over a month. We can expect more flowers, but not soon. The plant must go through a growing period before producing new flower stalks. Once warm spring weather arrives, move the orchid outdoors to a shady or sunny location. The plants seem to prefer a bit of scattered sun throughout the day. Perhaps your plant is in a container inside a decorative container. Remove it from the decorative container and repot it in a new orchid pot. When repotting, use a medium suitable for orchids. Cut off any dead or weakened parts. During warm to hot weather, water several times a week to keep the medium moist. Fertilize orchid products according to label instructions. It will take several months of growth for the plant to bloom again.
Q: I save all my vegetable peels and bury them in the soil instead of composting them. I was told this was bad and would take nitrogen away from the soil. Is this correct?
A: Your method of recycling kitchen waste may be called trench composting. Whether you add scrap to a pile or bury it in the ground, the disassembly process is similar. It involves the use of nutrients required by microorganisms to reduce exfoliation to earth-like substances. The amount of nutrients required for this process is minimal and is not likely to cause serious nutrient deficiencies. If you are concerned about the next crop in these areas, simply add a small amount of fertilizer to the area at planting time.
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.
