Question: Very attractive orange flower vine grapes are growing on the fence, but climbing up on shrubs and trees. What is the name, should it be removed from the landscape plant?
Answer: Many residents enjoy flame vines with clusters of numerous tubular flowers in areas with different landscapes. Unfortunately, these grapes are energetic and ramp-stretched climbers. It is never a good idea for vines to envelop trees and shrubs. They are much better trained on fences and trellis. If one or more flame vines are in your landscape, you can enjoy the flowers for spring, remove them and transplant them into support that allows you to grow freely.
Q: I have a jatropha in a container I want to transplant into a larger one so I would like to bring it back to make shrubs rather than trees. Should I cut it first or should I cut it after peeling?
A: Save time and effort before trimming your Jatrophane and transplanting it into a new container. As the spring weather continues, you can move and prun it. Several questions have been received about Jatropha plants. Some have lost many of their leaves. Jatropha plants do not like winter weather and can cause leaf loss even in chilly conditions. Additionally, plants are susceptible to many leaf spots. Some people would like to know that shrubs and trees can be pruned. If necessary, the jatropha is expected to be pruned within a foot or two of the ground and recover to spring-to-fall-to-fall weather. Moisten the plants and slowly apply the fertilizer product to the ground in March, May, and early October. Plants in the container can be fertilized more frequently according to the instructions on the label.
Q: Some of my orchids have been in containers for a long time and the growth medium has been transformed into something that looks like soil. Plants look healthy. What should I do with these plants?
A: Now is the time to give your old orchid a new container with a fresh orchid mix. Remove the plant from the current container. Next, remove old growth media that has been transformed into something that looks like soil. Separate orchids if necessary, or simply remove old and decayed parts and repot. Keep it moist and start all liquid fertilizer for the week by fall.
Plant Doctor: Start Zinnia Seeds Now, so they are ready for your garden
Q; You can see lots of beautifully-looking pansies at the Garden Center. Is there still time to make them bloom for a while?
A: Pansy and his viola relatives probably aren’t a good purchase in the second half of the winter. When daytime weather gets cooler to hotter in March, pansies begin to grow and decline in ranky. The best pansies grow and bloom from November to February.
Q;The Azaleas in my garden have been in bloom for a while. Is it time to cut them down?
A: It’s time to give Azaleas the necessary pruning. In most years, this can result in plant remodeling by selectively removing off-shoots, dead or decayed areas. Avoid cutting plants to the same size each year. Every 3-4 years, you can consider renewed pruning to reduce the size of the plant and remove unproductive wood. This could reduce the size of the plant by more than half and remove some of the old wood into the ground. Such pruning will update the vitality of the plant and encourage new healthy shoots. However, it may delay good flowering for more than a year.
Q: There are some poinsettias that have been saved from Christmas. Is it time to put them on the ground?
A: Wait another 2 to 2 weeks to make sure winter is over before adding poinsettias to the landscape. Most gardeners feel that potential frost and freezing will not be over until mid-March. Start a monthly fertilizer application or use slow release fertilizer as indicated on the product label. After adding plants to the landscape, bring them back within 18 inches to 18 inches from the ground to begin normal landscape care.
Q: My red maple tree is starting to grow with its buds open. Is it too late to carry out the necessary pruning?
A: Now may be the best time to give your maple tree trim. Even if filming and leaf growth begins, it is not too far to waste the time and energy of the tree. Trim as soon as possible. It is always best to carry out the necessary pruning just before the new plant grows. Be safe by hiring professionals to work at the top.
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.
