Question: My sunflowers have recently stopped blooming and have set seeds. Can I plant more seeds for fall flowers or is it already too late?
Answer: Florida’s sunny, warm weather is the perfect time to grow sunflowers. With a few months of good growth ahead, you have time to repot these colorful sun worshipers. The only time you can skip planting is from December to early February, when it’s usually cold. Most varieties will flower within 90 days after sowing. Choose a sunny location with amended garden soil for sunflowers. You can also plant a single heirloom plant in a large container. Small sunflower varieties allow you to grow several plants in a large container. Give your sunflowers enough space to grow, keep them moist, and fertilize monthly or use a slow-release product according to label directions.
Q. Some of the fanflower hanging baskets I planted about a month ago are starting to die. How long will these plants last?
A. Indeed, the hanging ornament, named for its fan-shaped blue, purple, and white flowers, should last more than a month. Some gardeners can harvest from these plants for more than a year. The photo in your email shows a plant that appears to be rotting at the base. This is probably a water issue. Be careful not to fill the container with too much water. If the soil is moist, skip watering once or twice. Then, when the surface is dry, give it plenty of water until water flows out from the roots. Fan flowers can be allowed to dry out a little between waterings.
Q. I need to trim my poinsettia a little. Is it already too late?
A. The pruning period for all poinsettias has ended except for a few out-of-range buds. Plants begin the flowering process at this time. Anything more than minor trimming will delay flowering, including the formation of colorful bracts, until well into the new year. At this time, place the plant in normal sunlight without night lights. Also, keep the soil moist and give it another dose of slow-release topographic fertilizer or container plant fertilizer.
Botanist: Don’t cringe at the red spots on crinum lily leaves
Q. My lemon-lime cocktail citrus tree is 7 years old and grows as a shrub, producing small juicy fruits. What can I do to produce bigger fruit?
A. Unfortunately, the photo in your email showed a plant with deficiency symptoms. This may be an actual lack of necessary nutrients or the result of citrus greening disease. Since the fruit still has some flavor, there may be a lack of fertilizer, including trace nutrients. Greening tends to give the fruit a bitter taste. Revitalize your cocktail citrus tree by fertilizing in March, May, August, and October. Also, make a small amount of nutrient spray now and each time a new bud appears. Citrus fertilizers and small nutrient sprays are both available at independent garden centers. Follow label instructions. It will take a year for the tree to recover. If this is greening disease, it will need to be replaced.
Q. My garden area needs new grass. Should I add grass now or wait until spring?
Central Florida gardens in September
A. Fall is the perfect time to plant a new lawn or repair an old one. Most types of grass prefer to grow during these warm days. Water can be controlled, especially in shady areas. One of the problems with installing a lawn in the summer is overwatering. As fall comes, there will be less rain and you can water when needed to keep the soil moist and not overly wet as the lawn becomes established. Fall and spring are the best times to install new lawns or repair problem areas.
Q. I would like to start growing my own broccoli, cabbage, and onion seedlings this fall. How should I care for my seeded containers?
A. Growing your own transplant seedlings is fun and reduces gardening costs. Decide how many transplants you think you’ll need, share them with a friend, and sow just this amount of seeds plus a few more. Store leftover seed bags in a plastic bag in the vegetable section of your refrigerator. Sprinkle seeds over potting soil or germination mix filled to near the top of a container 3 to 4 inches deep. Next, lightly cover or mix in soil. Place the container in a bright shade and mist it frequently (usually several times a day) to keep it moist. Once the seeds begin to germinate, move the container to a sunny location and keep it moist with a fine sprinkling of water to help the transplant grow. Also, after germination, water the plants with a concentrated fertilizer solution about once a week to encourage growth.
Q. I was pruning my holly bush and noticed brown and white skin on the underside of the leaves. Should I be concerned?
A. Use a sprayer to get rid of this stinging, sucking pest known as tea scale. Insects that often hide under the waxy coating are found in holly and camellia. Some speculate that chascale probably came to this country with camellias in the 1700s. Yellowing of the surface is usually observed when the population grows on the underside of the leaf. If you turn these leaves over, you’ll find areas of brown and white scales. To control tea stain, use a horticultural oil spray available at your local garden center. It is important to cover the insect mass with a spray. Repeat applications may be required every 1-2 months. Systemic insecticides can also be used. Some of it can be applied to the soil below the plants according to label instructions.
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.
