Enjoy, don’t prune peach tree flowers
Question: Our new peach tree, which is a few feet tall, has flowers present. Do I leave them to form fruits or pick them off?
Answer: Why not enjoy the flowers, which are part of the beauty of adding a peach tree to the landscape? A new tree may not set fruits from the first blooms, but if it does, it would best to pick them off so the tree can spend more energy growing limbs and leaves the first year or two.
Remember to cut off the central leader about three feet above the ground.
Then allow side branches to form from the single remaining trunk, producing an open bowl look to the tree. This allows easy care when pruning, spraying and harvesting the crop in future years. When fruits eventually form, thin the crop to a peach every four to six inches along the limbs when they reach the size of a nickel.
Q: Our loropetalum hedge is about 15 years old and has been declining. Is this normal?
A:
What started out as a tidy colorful planting can gradually turn into an open declining disaster.
Loropetalum can only withstand constant shearing to a hedge form for so long, then the plants seem to wear out. You may be able to invigorate older plants by allowing them to grow new and longer shoots. Also, apply a slowrelease fertilizer and keep the soil moist. Most plants trained to a hedge and repeatedly trimmed to the same size wear out quicker than those left to grow freely.
Q: Some of my hanging baskets of petunias have grown extra-long and only have flowers at the ends. What would happen if I pruned them back?
A: Expect plenty of new growth and flowers after trimming your lanky petunias. This early in the season, there is still good growing weather. Don’t delay the trimming past early May, as once the really hot weather arrives, the plants naturally decline and baskets should be replanted with summer color. After trimming to within six inches or so of the soil, apply a slow-release fertilizer to encourage growth and keep the containers moist.
Q: It is time to trim my azaleas. Do I trim them with a hand pruner or shears?
A: Selective trimming with hand pruners is the best way to control the growth of azaleas. This allows the plants to keep a natural look and remove or shorten only out of bounds shoots. Do the pruning as needed anytime after flowering and before the end of summer. Many gardeners use shears on their plants, which gives them a very formal look and often limits flowering.
Q: While pruning some of my shrubs, I notice they have a gray, scaly fungus on the stems. Do I need to apply a control?
A: Clusters of gray to sometimes colorful, scaly growths along plant stems are pretty normal in Florida.
And you are partially right as one portion of these growths is a fungus and the other an algae. The growths are called lichens and live with the plants causing no harm. Some may always be present as you noted within the canopy of trees and shrubs.
Lichens can become excessive if plants are not making normal growth. Sometimes older plants, plus those with pest or cultural problems, develop lots of lichens. This is a sign you need to check for proper plant care and cultural conditions. Usually, lichens can be ignored, but if needed, a copper fungicide used as labeled for your plants can help prevent their growth.
Q: Our palm was damaged by lightning and only has one green frond and a central but not growing shoot remaining. I don’t want the palm to fall over. What should I do?
A:
Unless there is cracking or scorching of the trunk and other palm portions, it is difficult to determine the total damage. It does appear there is significant damage from the lightning strike and unlike trees, palms cannot heal their wounds. Give the palm at least through spring to determine if growth can resume from the remaining shoot. Unless otherwise damaged, palms are usually sturdy and can remain upright for a long time after they decline.
Q: We replaced a chinch bug-damaged lawn last year, but unfortunately, the new sod does not look much better. What should we be doing now?
A: Let’s hope the hungry bugs are not back-feeding in your turf. Just in case some lingered into the new year, make an application of a lawn insecticide to prevent further damage. It is also time for a spring feeding. You can apply the insecticide and fertilizer separately or some companies offer products to feed, control insects and eliminate weeds in one application. Just follow the directions carefully. Also, don’t forget to water. Now is the dry time and once or twice a week watering is likely to be needed.
Here is another thought: Not all insecticides are doing a good job of controlling chinch bugs. Check with your garden center for an alternative product if the one you have been using is not working.