Caladium boost: A light mulch

We have planted a number of caladium bulbs this spring. Do they need a special fertilizer and how long do they last?

Gardeners love the brightly colored caladiums with foliage that grows in the sun and shade but seem to like the filtered sun best. They are fairly carefree bulbs, actually tubers, but keeping them moist and applying a little fertilizer produces the best growth.

Apply a light mulch, less than an inch thick, to the surface of the planting site to help regulate soil moisture and control weeds. Then apply a slow-release general landscape fertilizer in March, May and August following label instructions. Early planted caladiums grow until about late August and later plantings until November before they decline for the winter.

There seems to be more leaves than normal this year. Is there a reason?

Leaves are plentiful which pleases many a gardener as they make a great mulch and mighty good compost. Most likely you have to look back over the last few years to find the reason for the tree leaf bonanza.

Until now the weather has been ideal for tree growth and they responded with lots of shoots and foliage which means more fallen leaves. Some say there was even more acorns this year, which could result from the years of good growth. So expect more fallen leaves each year if the moist ideal weather returns.

Our magnolia tree is now about 7-feet tall but never blooms. The foliage is a bit yellow too. What can I do to get flowers?

Patience is hard to come by when you are waiting for the first magnolia blooms. Most trees take their time and may be 20 or so feet tall and 10 or more years of age before the first blossoms are produced. A few varieties like Little Gem, are early bloomers and may be planted as a small tree with opening buds.

Some yellow foliage at this time of the year is normal as magnolias change out the older leaves. If all leaves have been consistently yellow then there is likely a root or nutrient problem. Try keeping the soil moist and applying a slow-release tree fertilizer in March and June following label instructions. If this does not help re-green the tree, you may have to dig and reset the tree or plant a new one.

I planted four Texas sage thinking they would like the dry conditions. Well, they have some greenery but appear to be declining. Can I make them healthy again?

Your attractive purplish flowered silver leaf plant is drought tolerant but needs some help getting established. This native to Texas, also called silverleaf and Texas Ranger plant, should be set in a welldrained site and kept moist until the planting becomes established. Seasonal rains can keep the plants healthy but some water is needed during the dry times. Apply a fertilizer once or twice a year.

Plantings make new growth and flower when the warm humid weather returns. Growth is slow so avoid heavy pruning. Light trimming can be performed after new growth and blooms are produced to reestablish the plant shape.

The spring season seems to be slipping by and I have not started tomatoes. Do I still have time to make the plantings?

Hurry and obtain the largest transplants available for the garden. Slicer types are likely to have the worst time setting fruits when temperatures are consistently above 85 degrees. Be sure to grow a few cherry tomato plants as these are not as fussy about the temperatures and give some production even when the weather is hot. The next planting date to ensure good tomato production is mid-August for a fall harvest.

I have a long bed of African iris. Should I remove the long flower stalks after the blossoms decline or leave them to break off naturally?

Perhaps your plants won’t care, but most gardeners prefer maintaining tidy beds by removing the old flower stalks. Do make sure flowering is over as the stems can contain a number of blooms. Periodic grooming may also include removing declining leaves each spring and dividing the plants as needed throughout the year.

I have several small loquat trees no more than three feet tall planted in the wrong spot. Can they be moved at this time?

Hot weather is never a good time to move even the small trees. If you want to give it a try, first moisten the soil around the trees a day or two ahead of the move. Then, try to dig each tree with a clump of soil attached to the roots. My suggestion is to move each tree to a container and fill around the root balls with potting soil. Keep the trees moist and in a shady spot for a month and then gradually move them into the full sun. This takes the stress off the trees and may make transplanting a success after the trees are established in their containers.