Eliminate invasive cathedral bells
Q: A plant is growing in my yard that seems to flower upside down on a long stalk. It appears to spread freely. What is the plant? A: Hanging downward and producing pinkish blooms are the very appropriately named cathedral bells, a member of the Kalanchoe genus, as pictured in one of my photos. Another member with a similar look is the chandelier plant. Both may be an attractive flower garden or shrub bed curiosity, but they are also considered invasive. These members of the Kalanchoe genus are given a category 2 rating by the Florida Invasive Species Council. This rating means they are competing with native plants but have not altered the plant communities to an extremely high level, as with category 1. It is normally recommended gardeners do not raise these plants. But, if they are already in your yard, eliminate them or keep them contained to a small area of the landscape. They survive with seasonal rains and nutrients supplied by other nearby plants.
Q: My pineapple plant has produced a number of side shoots that can be pulled from the original plant. Can I use these to grow more?
A: Start your next pineapple patch from the saved shoots. Tops of pineapple fruits and offshoots from plants root easily in garden soil or containers of potting soil. You may want to start them in containers to grow a few months then locate them to sunny garden sites. Many are also kept in large containers. Keep the soil moist and fertilize in-ground plantings every other month with a vegetable product, or use a slow-release fertilizer for both in-ground and container plantings as labeled. Pineapple plants need two to three years of good growing conditions to produce their next fruit.
Q: My desert rose made it through the winter but has brown at the tips of the leaves. What can I do to improve the growth?
A: Even though winter was not that tough on outdoor plants in the ground or in containers, the desert roses are showing some damage. Leaf loss and brown tips are common on those exposed to temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit but above freezing. All should grow new foliage and stems during warm spring weather. Keep the soil moist and fertilize with a slow-release container product following label instructions during warm months.
Q: I need a weed and feed for my St. Augustine lawn. Is one better than another?
A: Weed and feed lawn care products vary as to their active ingredients. All do a pretty good job of controlling broadleaf weeds, and some affect the sedges. Usually, they are not effective in controlling growing grassy weeds. Select your weed and feed by checking the label for the weeds growing in your St. Augustine lawn. Then, note under what conditions the product can be applied. Not all products can be used if trees or shrubs are part of the lawn. There are also temperature restrictions and recommended waterings before or after application. In some instances, you may have to apply a liquid weed control product and a granular fertilizer separately. Have your weeds of concern checked at your local independent garden center or University of Florida Extension Office to get the best weed control recommendations.
Q: Our rosemary bush is rapidly outgrowing its space in the garden? Can it be split to make two, cut back or transplanted?
A: Splitting or dividing the plant is probably not possible, but you could cut it back to make the out-of-bounds rosemary smaller. Now would be a good time to trim the plant just before spring growth begins. Moving the rosemary plant is also possible at this time of the year. Make sure the soil is moist, and then dig a large intact root ball. With sizable rosemary plants, an 18-inch in diameter or larger root ball may be needed. When transplanted, keep the soil moist and begin light feedings every 4 to 6 weeks with a general garden fertilizer.
Q: My tomatoes have only been planted a few weeks and already they are attacked by leaf miners. What can I do to control these pests?
A: Allowing a few leaf miners to flourish may not be too bad an idea. Natural predators may be at work controlling these pests. Tomato plantings can tolerate light leaf miner activity that produces white squiggles in the leaves. When the leaves start to look like a buggy racetrack, you probably do need a control. A natural insecticide called spinosad is available under several brand names at local independent garden centers. One application following label instructions is normally all you need. It also controls the fruit-feeding caterpillars that attack most plantings.
Q: Most plants I buy require a well-drained soil. How do you prepare the planting site so it’s welldrained?
A: A majority of local home soils appear to be welldrained, as most are porous sandy landscape sites. This simply means the water does not stand in the area for more than a few hours after rains and moves down into the ground. In some areas, home soils may be compacted, and others may have high clay or organic matter content that prevents good water movement within the planting sites. Home soils may also be in low areas or sites with a high water table that prevents good drainage. Test the drainage in your landscape by digging a hole a foot or so deep and then filling it with water. If the water drains from the soil within an hour, this could be considered a well-drained soil. Sites with poor drainage may need raised beds, water-diverting techniques or wet soil-tolerant plantings so landscapes can be established.