Question: My roses have grown tall and need pruning. When is the best time and how much of each bush should be removed?
Answer: Most gardeners choose mid-February for major pruning of roses. All types of roses, except climbing varieties, can be pruned to remove long branches, dead or decayed areas, and twigs. This is especially the time to prune hybrid tea, grandiflora, floribunda, and other similar roses. Plants are usually cut back to one-third to one-half of their height. Shrubby roses can also be pruned at this time of year, and can also be pruned as needed throughout the growing season. It may also be reduced in height and width by up to a factor of 2. Climbing roses usually require further care after their spring blooms. Canes that get too long can be shortened, but most canes should be left as long as possible. All roses should be trimmed to restore healthy growth by cutting out diseased or weak stems. You can also thin them to maintain strong, vigorous buds. The benefits of spring pruning are new plant vigor and larger individual flowers or flower clusters.
Q. I have a Meyer lemon tree that is about 30 years old. I pruned it about a year ago and it hasn’t grown back at all. Since I don’t use Meyer juice, I like to replace it with real lemons. Which variety should I plant?
A. Meyer lemons have a lemon flavor, but are a hybrid with a mandarin background, making them sweeter and less acidic. Your tall tree has grown well until it is 30 years old, but the attached email photo shows signs of greening disease, trunk decline, and nutritional deficiencies. If other citrus trees nearby have greening disease, it can be a little risky to replace that tree with another citrus tree. All citrus fruits, including lemons, are susceptible to greening. If you need new lemons, the Eureka and Lisbon varieties are often chosen for home cultivation. Diseases of the roots or trunk may also be affecting the tree, so it is recommended to remove the old tree and plant the new tree in a different location or in a larger container. If you have no choice but to plant in the same location, remove as much soil as possible from the roots and replace with new topsoil.
Plant Doctor: Some plants will recover from the recent freeze. Start producing seeds for new plants now.
Q. My Christmas cactus has finished flowering and the old stems have become quite woody. Is there a way to prevent old plants from becoming woody?
A. Unfortunately, Christmas cacti and all similar cacti become woody over time. Typically, only the stems close to the soil develop a brown to gray woody appearance. Fortunately, the woody stems do not seem to affect future growth or seasonal flowers. Some pruning of the plant in early spring will encourage new growth and hide the woody parts. Otherwise, cuttings can be taken in the spring or early summer to root and produce new plants. If cared for properly, Christmas cacti can live for many years, but the stems will grow old and eventually die.
Q. You said you haven’t pruned your crape myrtle for years, but mine has become full of Spanish moss. Do I need to prune to remove moss-affected areas?
A. Spanish moss and crape myrtles seem to have a romantic relationship. Many of these shrubs and tree forms are the site of extensive clumps of Spanish moss. Mosses are usually aerial plants that do not take anything from plants, so there is no harm in growing them on trees or shrubs. For some reason, the moss on crape myrtle can grow so thick that it engulfs the plant. If your plant contains minimal Spanish moss, you can leave it alone to give it a southern look. However, if moss covers most of the crape myrtle, it is best to remove it. This may mean pruning to remove crowded branches for better air flow and light penetration, which can help reduce Spanish moss growth. Generally, crape myrtles grow best with little or no pruning.
February in Central Florida Gardens
Q. My grass lawn is full of weeds. Is it okay to use weed killers at this time of year?
A. Winter weeds are very active and can overwhelm dormant lawns like grass. On mild winter days, apply a liquid weed control product labeled for lawns. Also, make sure your weeds are labeled for mainly broadleaf types of weeds this time of year. Follow label instructions carefully. Avoid applying weeds and feeds at this time, as the grass can be stressed by extra nutrients until growth begins in late March or April.
Q. My old viburnum hedge has dead areas between plants. What is the cause? And is it controllable?
A. Fungi prefer old viburnum hedges. There are usually a lot of faded shoots and pruning wounds in the shade, through which fungi can invade the plant. Try to control fungal activity by tracing weakened branches to healthy parts of the hedge. Next, remove the dead branches and replace them with healthy viburnum parts.
Pruning may be back to the trunk near the ground, or you may need to remove the entire plant. After pruning, apply a fungicide according to label instructions. Hedges are often filled with enough healthy branches to grow new shoots that fill in the gaps left by trimming. Keep the seedlings moist and apply a slow-release fertilizer in March to encourage healthy growth.
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.
