Question: My Easter lilies planted in the garden a year ago have small buds on top of plants that are not open while the plants in the shop are in bloom. Is Mine a different type?
Answer: Growers can open the time for lilies to bloom for Easter where planting in your home depends on Mother Nature. It is important to remember that Easter arrives on another day each year, and growers plan to ensure that the plants bud about a week in advance. It takes about 20 weeks of growth from planting the bulbs to flowering. The weather in Florida is that local bulbs are usually saved from the previous year, and the period added to the garden grows and flowers. Usually, growth begins in December, buds are attracting attention in April, and flowers in May.
Q: My tomatoes have dark rotten spots at the bottom of the aged fruit. What’s the problem?
A: Let me guess. Perhaps your tomato plant is grown in containers. These brown leather-like spots are a symptom of calcium deficiency known as flower endots. A calcium deficiency can be due to a lack of nutrients in the soil and a lack of proper water. Calcium helps to hold cells together, and if missing the tomatoes turn brown in the bottom. In container cultures, plants are unable to take up the calcium they need, as the soil usually becomes too dry during watering. Once the plants in the container grow larger and begin to produce fruit, it can be difficult to keep the soil moist constantly. Watering may be necessary several times a day to ensure proper supply for good growth. Plants growing on the ground may actually lack calcium due to low levels of soil. Check the acidity of the soil. Adjust the pH to approximately 6.5 if necessary. Also make sure these plants have proper water and keep mulch layers on the soil. Calcium sprays to stop the endots are available at garden centers if needed for containers or ground plants.
Q: One of my plants with yellow flowers given to me by my neighbor has insects that look like white coco. How can I control these pests?
A: The white sphere may create neat decorations, but it doesn’t have the bush daisy depicted in the photo in the email. Inside the white layer is a meeribug that appears when matured, and you’ll be taken to a new site. Insects can inhale juice from the plant and decay the bush daisies. Small populations appear to be tolerated by plants, but are best under control. Using insecticide soap, spray the white clusters according to the instructions on the label. You may need to repeat the application at weekly intervals to get the best controls.
Plant Doctor: Why does my caradium not germinate their leaves as normal?
Q: Thanks to the spring fertilizer application, my lawn is wonderfully green. Do I need to reapply lawn fertilizer again this month?
A: It’s a long time from the beginning of June to the end of September. Lawns grow a lot during the summer, and most fertilizer supplies nutrients for several months during Florida weather. If you want to keep your grass green and active, you should apply another spring feed that lasts until summer at the end of May. The grass can be light green by October, but it needs to be maintained. Summer fertilizer applications are prohibited in many parts of Florida.
Q: Some areas of my lawn are barren and I would like to repair them with grass seeds. The area is cultivated. When do you sow seeds?
A: Already wait for the brown spots to regenerate in the grass seeds. Note that sowing to establish a new turf is not that easy. Grass seeds should usually be lightly covered with soil or lightly covered by the ground. The site must then be kept moist until new grasses grow substantial root systems. After the grass has grown for several weeks, the first fertilizer application is performed. Once the grass reaches the desired height, begin mowing. Weed control may also be required and can be started after some mowing as directed on the label.
Q: The lower leaves of my tomato plant will turn yellow and the top will turn green. What should I do?
Maybe you’re in a garden in Central Florida
A: Adding one or two feedings may stop yellowing and continue to grow green. Unless the leaves are yellow and brown or degraded, you will notice that they are typical signs of nutritional deficiency. Tomatoes should be fed every 3-4 weeks to keep the plant healthy and vital. Apply liquid vegetable or tomato fertilizer now and apply granules in 2 weeks. If you choose a slow release product for granular feeding, there is no need to fertilize again for two months.
Q: Our white paradise birds are tall and have lots of brown leaves. How do you prune these plants?
A: When the white birds of paradise began to bloom, they reached their maximum height. Unfortunately, many are planted within the screening area, allowing you to plunge the top. As the plant begins to age, it can remove old, degraded leaves if necessary. If the trunk gets too tall and starts to decline, go back to the ground. New buds from the base may already be growing to fill in the blank left by people who have been removed and ultimately produce new flowers.
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.
