THE SUMMER HEAT can hamper fruit growth, Tom MacCubbin writes.
Question: I have cherry tomato and pepper plants producing lots to eat. How long will the plants continue to grow?
Answer: Get the most production from your tomato and pepper plantings by letting them grow as long as they remain green and healthy. The plants may take a break from producing their fruits, especially during the very hot weather. Regretfully it is also the hot, humid weather that makes the plants more susceptible to pests, and they often decline. Many gardeners have plants that last from fall through spring but succumb to the summer weather. Continue normal feedings and keep the plants moist to help them continue growth.
Q: Our oak tree covers most of our yard. What type of grass can we grow under the tree?
A: No grass seems to like the shady spots, but some tolerate the filtered sun. Generally, if you have more than 25 percent shade, it is not a spot for Florida turf varieties. In the heavy shade, it would be best to choose another ground cover like Asiatic jasmine, foliage plants or mulch.
Some St. Augustine grasses offer shade tolerance, but even these to do not like the heavy shade. You might choose from Captiva, DeltaShade, Palmetto, Seville and a few others for a lightly shaded area. If you decide to give turf a try, summer is never the best time to establish sod in the shade. Needed waterings and summer rains often lead to rot problems that cause new turf to decline. Fall through early spring would be a better time to try sodding the shady spots.
Q: Many of our bromeliads are older plants growing in containers. How do we know when it is time to divide and repot the plants?
A: Bromeliads aren’t fussy and seem to be happy overflowing their containers. Often, this does make for a floppy plant with possibly some declining portions. Why not divide and separate these plants when you are ready? It is best to allow a new shoot or two to grow six or more inches tall and form a few roots where they attach to the parent plant before dividing.
Whether to divide or repot is up to you. Some gardeners would rather give their plants a larger container and leave the side shoots in place. Do realize the parent plant gradually declines and may be a bit unsightly as the shoots fill the void. Other gardeners prefer to remove the side shoots and give each a new container. The parent plant is then discarded.
Q: We have been told our soil is compacted, which is affecting the grass. Is it too late to aerate the lawn?
A: Gardeners often think sandy soils are full of air, and they are, but they can become compacted due to foot traffic along paths or family play. Aeration is the process of making closely spaced holes about the size of a pointer finger in the ground that, with some equipment, removes a plug of soil. Aeration can be performed yearround, but perhaps the best time is late winter through fall, when the grass is making the most growth.
Aeration allows air, water
and nutrients to better enter compacted soils, which leads to enhanced root growth. It may also help treatments for nematodes better enter the soil. Not all lawns need aeration treatments, but it can help those with compacted soil.
Q: We have several containers of flowers that need fertilizer. How should we feed the plants?
A: Modern fertilizers have made feeding plants easy. If you are a constant care giver, you would probably like a soluble product that can be applied as you water, trim and admire the plants. These products are available in liquid or crystal forms that are mixed according to the label and applied every few weeks.
Gardeners who like to look but not touch, would likely choose the slow release granular products. Most garden centers offer a selection from several suppliers that should be used following label instructions. Each consistently feeds the plants for several months. Often, this is the total time the plants are in the containers before replanting with new seasonal selections.
Q: Our zucchini squash plants look good and produced a few fruits but now only have flowers. Will we get more fruits?
A: Looking good, are the two key words in your inquiry. As long as the plants are healthy and making growth, they have the potential to produce fruit. Squash often takes a break and only develops male flowers. These are the ones with just blooms and not the little fruits in back of the blossoms. If both male and female blooms are present, you do need the help of pollinating bees or other insects. Most likely, if you keep the soil moist and continue monthly feedings, more fruits can be expected.