Act quickly to rescue peppers

I planted three peppers several weeks ago that get water and fertilizer. One has lost its leaves and other is starting to decline. Why?

Plants are sort of like many gardeners who can’t stand wet feet. An attached email picture showed plants growing in what appears to be compacted damp soil which is not the best place for peppers and many other vegetables.

Most likely your peppers have root-rot problems and it is too late to save the declining plants but it may be possible to help the one seemingly healthy survivor. Loosen the soil around the plant and only water when the surface begins to dry. Also add a thin layer of coarse compost, fallen leaves, hay or straw as mulch to stretch the time between waterings and prevent soil compaction. Apply a vegetable-garden fertilizer every three to four weeks.

My lemon tree develops white lines in the leaves no matter what I use as a control. What should I do? Should I cut the affected leaves off?

Timing of the spray is critical to control citrus leafminers. By the time white tunnels are noted, the insects have likely left the citrus trees. Natural controls of a horticultural oil or spinosad-containing spray give good control but you have to apply them when the leafminers first affect the plants. Make an application following label instructions when new growth begins and the leaves are no more than an inch long.

While leafminer damage is not very pretty, major portions of most leaves remain green and continue to produce food to feed the trees. Since the insects have usually left the leaves, there is little use removing the affected foliage. The damage looks threatening, but the trees seem to tolerate leafminers and continue to bear a crop.

My seedling herbs come up fine but get tall and fall over. I baby them in a room with skylights and do lots of misting. What is the problem?

Skylights provide adequate light for our indoor enjoyment but not enough for plants that need a sunnier location. Most herbs are full-sun or highlight dwellers. The fact your plants have grown tall and lanky says the light level is too low for good growth.

Start your next plants in a full-sun location for the fall through spring months. Also, only mist the seeds during germination. When the plants start to grow and the soil begins to dry, water the surface with a thorough sprinkling rather than keeping the foliage damp which can lead to rot problems. Fertilize growing plants every two to three weeks with a liquid product made for herbs or vegetables.

I got a good buy on daffodil bulbs during a northern trip. How long do I leave them in the refrigerator before planting?

Many gardeners have fond memories of their northern daffodil plantings and of course would like same displays in their Florida landscapes. Regretfully these spring bloomers are not reliable local flowers. But since you got a good buy, let’s try to bring them into bloom with a cold treatment.

Place your purchase in bags and store them in the refrigerator for 12 weeks. Now, here is the tricky part. There can be no fruits, vegetables or flowers in the same refrigerator. These give off a gas that would destroy the flower buds within the bulbs.

After 12 weeks of refrigeration, plant the bulbs in the ground to grow and flower. Not all daffodil selections do well even with the cold treatment. Gardeners do find varieties Carlton, Golden Perfection, and Silver Chimes to be good performers. Also paper-white narcissus selections flower with minimal cold and are often forced in containers for the winter months.

I planted a Knock Out rose bush in the wrong place a few years ago. Is now a good time to move it to a new spot?

Cooler days are always the best time to do the transplanting. There is less stress on you and the plants. Try to obtain a large intact root ball. One secret is making sure the soil is thoroughly moist a day or two ahead of digging. If the plant is large, this would be a good time to cut it back to make it easier to move. Keep the plant moist in its new site and you should be successful.

Slimy slugs are in my garden as I can see their glistening trails across the sidewalk. Why do I have them and how do I get rid of them?

Consider your garden normal as slugs enjoy moist cozy quarters provided by the damp organic mulch. They also like nibbling on tender leaves and this is where the problems start. It’s not nice seeing holes in your plants, so a control is likely needed.

One simple slug control is catching them as they feed during nighttime or early-morning hours and dropping them in rubbing alcohol. You could also lure them into shallow trays of beer where they decline in delight. Or you can apply a low-toxicity, bait-containing iron phosphate marketed as natural snail and slug controls at local garden centers.