Question: My red fire spikes are over 10 feet tall and I would like to prune them in about half. When is the best time to prune?
Answer: While this perennial is experiencing new growth, it is now necessary to prun. Prunes as much as you need – even within a few feet of the ground. This plant is an active grower and should send you lots of new shoots that could blossom by early summer. Purple firespike species of the same genus also grow locally, but are flowers during winter thru and the fierce moon. It grows as high as well and can be pruned as needed at the end of spring. You may also need to prun during the summer to keep it at its boundary when it blooms again in the cooler month. Moisten the soil and apply light mulch with both fire marks. Also, delayed release landscape fertilizer is applied in March, May and early October.
Q: My lawn area was dug for repairs to the sprinkler. Are St. Augustine’s Lawn Seeds a viable way to replenish grass?
A: The use of St. Augustine Seeds was not a reliable way to establish new lawns or secure exposed spots. The seedlings are susceptible to disease and do not appear to be active enough to form new grass. St. Augustine’s grass or plug is the most reliable way to fill in the blanks created by repairing the lawn of your home.
Q: It appears that my Allamanda has an excess of yellow leaves. What happened and how can I fix it?
A: You probably notice the results of winter weather. Email photos show that most of the yellow leaves that can normally be lost when spring growth begins are old leaves. Make sure the soil is moist and apply feeding in March, May, and early October. Some yellows may be due to mild nutritional deficiency. Check the acidity of the soil and adjust the pH as needed. You can also apply minor nutritional sprays now and in early summer.
Q: I would like to sow my sandy backyard into Bahiagrass. Do you want to add organic matter to the soil first?
A: Sandy soil appears to absorb organic matter, and is worth it when starting a new lawn. With a few inches of organic matter, compost and peat is decomposed, and after a few months the soil will primarily return to sand. It is probably more important to mix 4-6 inches deep into the soil before planting, and adjust the acidity of the soil if necessary. Next, focus on keeping the soil moist during the establishment of gems and new lawns.
Q. The suffocating part of the foliage from two oak trees on the grass leaves healthy green spots between the naked spots with green runners. Should I cover my runners with grass soil?
A: Moisten the soil and apply spring feeding and it sounds like the grass is ready to recover. Applying a thin layer of grass soil may help protect the green runners from sanskald, but it is probably not necessary. Spring days are usually mild, and ground-based runners should begin to grow quickly without this additional treatment.
Plant Doctor: A fierce Confederate jasmine known for its fragrant flowers
Q: There is a palm of a roebelinii in front of the window, so I would like to make it smaller. Can you cut off the top and create new growth?
A: Withhold the puller and reach for the shovel instead. There is the wrong plant in front of the window. Cutting the top from a typical palm will kill the trunk. Some send filming from the base, but not the roebelinii. Even adorable clusters of this species have several palms planted together. As your palms grow taller, enjoy the trunk look through the windows or give them a new home.
Q: I was given many bromeliads with colorful leaves. Can they be added to the landscape?
A: Bromeliads is becoming one of our new ground. They have always been popular plants, and in particular for container culture – many have grown them on the ground just to pull them out of the soil before freezing as expected. However, mild winters have changed the plant palette a little, with some residents and communities adding more bromeliad to the shade of the ground landscape. Popular bromeliads for ground planting are found in the genus Aechmea and Neoregelia. These may have colorful leaves or attractive, long-term inflorescences. Everything competes well with tree roots and is perfect for shaded and filtered sun locations. These shaded areas can retain some warmth on cold nights and allow bromeliads to withstand more severe winter weather.
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.
