Question: I’m confused about pruning my palms. Some are cut to leave one or two leaves, while the other palms remain most of their leaves. Which is correct?
Answer: Obviously, it’s common to find devastated palms in your local neighborhood, so there are plenty of confused gardeners and yardmen. There is no need to prun the palms, but for their neat appearance, most residents like to see their palms trimmed once or twice a year. Use the clock face as a guide to form a 9-to-3 look, leaving clusters of palm leaves. If you like richer palms, you can leave more leaves. It’s disappointing to create something called a “rocket cut” that leaves one or two leaves. These parts produce the nutrients needed to grow and stay healthy, so removing leaves can also reduce palm vitality. In recent years, the palms have become so susceptible to disease that more leaves are better. Pruning also sterilizes the pruning device between the palms to prevent the spread of dairy products.
Q: I know we can still get frost and freezing, but my TI plants are too expensive. Need to pruning now?
A: It is best to wait about a month to perform the necessary trimming of colorful Ti plants. It’s a temptation to prune off plants, but the cold climate is lying to me and can cause considerable damage to these tropical groups. When a consistently warm climate arrives in mid-March, cut plants as needed to remove cold damage or leaf fading.
Q: Broccoli is beginning to form an edible head in the center. When should I harvest it?
A: Perhaps the best place to find a ready-to-eat head of broccoli is at a grocery store or a vegetable stand. Broccoli, which is harvested quickly, is formed from clusters of buds that are not ready to open yellow flowers. In fact, bud heads are always ready to eat, but it is best to fill them with plump buds before the cluster is cut. Of course, this is not the end of your harvest. Once the broccoli main head is removed, the side chutes, which have small clusters formed, gather until the hot spring weather arrives.
Q: About a month later, I used to form a container garden from a small pot of plants obtained in the centre of the garden. What causes their decline?
Plant Doctor: Help! Many of my crinums have red scars on their leaves
A: The plant survived a month before it began to fade, so it’s pretty safe to say it was healthy when planted. Let’s take a look at other factors that your petunias may be causing decline in soil and other things. When planting, it is always best to have a clean container and fresh potted soil. Add plants and make sure the top of the root ball is above or slightly above the soil line. Water intake can reduce petunia. Make sure the root balls are moist when planting. After planting, water thoroughly only if the soil on the surface begins to dry out. There can be rot problems, especially if there is too much water at the base of petunia. Apply fertilizer about two weeks after planting. Next, use a fertilizer solution every 3-4 weeks or use a slow product. Follow the instructions on the label for mixing or use. The problem of rot is possible, but it is less likely to occur if the plants are given extreme caution.
Q: I’m starting tomato plants with seeds, and they’re growing tall and creepy. How do I get a sturdy plant?
February in the gardens in Central Florida
A: Lots of suns produce sturdy tomato transplants. If you are starting to seed indoors under lights or under windows, move outside by touching the sun exposure whenever possible. Next, moisten the soil and apply fertilizer once a week with liquid product at half strength. The fertilizer strength is gradually increased to the total speed in about 4 weeks. If the weather is cool, keep the plants inside at below 70 degrees and the best possible light.
Q: I would like to add some crepe meeter to our landscape. Can I plant it now or do I need to wait a little longer?
A: Crepe myrtles are very strong shrubs on small trees, so you don’t have to wait any more unless you want to ensure the colour. Some gardeners delay selection and planting until the flowering period when tags switch at nursery or garden centers. Otherwise, now is the perfect opportunity to add plants to the landscape, get a little root growth and be ready to produce shoots and leaves for spring.
Q: Our caradium died back to the ground, but we know where the light bulb is. Is it time to dig and split old chunks?
A: Caladium insulated underground from the cold may remain there for a few more weeks. The tubers we call are gum-like when they are too cold to stay warm as they are when they don’t grow. The end of February or early March is a good time to dig, split and replant the caradium as the weather gets more consistently warmer.
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.
