Question: I would like to plant some containers with colorful flowers in the summer. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer: Why not try red, white or blue for your patriotic holiday that arrives in just a few weeks? We recommend a mixture of dwarf red pentas, low-growth white flower Zinia, and blue diffused torenia. If you start it, everything should be in full bloom by July 4th now. Fill the container with fresh soil and add slow release fertilizer after planting. Store in a moist, sunny place for displays that are supposed to last until summer.
Q. A small white fly is hovering around my blue scary plant. Are they doing harm?
Plant Doctor: Wax Begonia thrives in the humid summer heat, but don’t water too much
A. What you’re looking at might be a pretty good intrusion of a white fly. This is the common name for these insects associated with aphids, scales, and meelivegs. Whitefly populations don’t even contain sucking juices from the leaves and stems of the blue-flaky plant. If it is uncontrolled, the plant will likely fade. Now you may also notice a soot-fungal fungus that grow in whitefly excretion and produce a black coating on some plants. Controls include the application of natural pesticides such as horticultural oils and insecticide soaps. To be effective, it must hit the underside of the leaves and stems. Also, whole body pesticides when incorporated into plants provide better control and can affect whitefries when feeding. None of these insecticides control the winged and flying adults. You may try to lock yourself in a yellow adhesive board. When applying insecticides, follow the instructions on all labels.
Q. Companies are stopping by and wanting to get my palms set up. Can I trim my palms at this time of year?
A. You can trim your palm anytime all year round, but it’s not too strict. Many wait for many dead and decaying leaves to accumulate, and only remove them. Leave as many green leaves as possible to produce the palm of the nutrients used for growth and to maintain vitality. The general rule is to prun the palms to resemble a 9-to-3 face on a clock. Leave all leaves in a 9-to-3 space. Residents can leave all the green leaves they want. Don’t leave just a few leaves, which many people call rocket cuts.
Q. I’m a little late to planting my spring garden. Is it too late to plant okra seeds?
A. Spring to summer is the time to plant okra. This crop appears to love heat, and can occur in about 60 days at this time of year from seeds to harvest. The only problem with planting okra is: They are food for nematodes. These microscopic round worms often found in garden sites cause root damage and have no reliable control. Find a new okra planting location where root knot nematodes have not affected previous crops. Next, add a lot of organic matter that you think will help reduce nematode activity. Other crops that don’t bother you with the heat and humidity of summer include cherry tomatoes, Southern peas, chayote squash, calabazaz squash and sweet potatoes.
June in the gardens in Central Florida
Q. I have Azaleas a few feet and a few feet wide. Do you need to prune the plants?
A. After 3-4 years of good growth, the azaleas become larger than desired and are filled with older stems. In many cases, these stems begin to decrease, which can lead to rot and death of the plant’s crown. It’s a good time to give plants renewed pruning right after flowering and by early June. Rejuvenate the azaleas by first reverting the desired height and width 1-2 feet below. Sometimes this is a few feet off the ground. It also returns very old or decaying stems to healthy trunks and ground. After the permitted fertilizer application, proper moisture will begin to grow well and become attractive by autumn. The more serious the pruning, the longer it takes for the worm to bloom. Therefore, expect some plants to need more than a year to get in full bloom during winter or spring.
Q. A cluster of small insects is formed in the trunk of my crepe muscle. Do they hurt the tall shrubs that are beginning to bloom?
A. While they may seem threatening, the insects grazing on the trunk of your crepe are posture-free bark lice, also known as tree cows. In fact, insects beneficially clean their trunks and limbs by eating moss, lichens, algae and similar growth. Sometimes they create a web that feels like protection from predators. There is no need to interfere or remove these insects. If you cause too much trouble, you can wash it off with a strong flow of water.
Q. Many colorful pentas are growing in my landscape. How can I grow more this summer?
A. Start the number of new plants as needed by eradicating 4-6 inch chip cuttings. Pentas easily put roots in a coarse vermiculite tray or pan available at many garden centers. You can also obtain root powder to dust the cutting edges when inserted into a wet vermiculite container. Set the cutting container on a suspicious site and surround it with clear plastic. Raise the plastic at least 1 foot up on the top of the cuttings. Then, cloud the cuttings with water every morning and afternoon. Most pentas are rooted in 6-8 weeks and are then ready to grow for several weeks longer in potting soil containers before adding them to the landscape.
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.
