What to plant in home garden
Tips on installing a new lawn, insect infestations and more.
Question: Lots of residents at home due to the coronavirus pandemic are being encouraged to plant a garden. Would you remind residents Florida has different planting dates for vegetables?
Answer:
Florida is different and old gardening habits from other parts of the country may have to be changed to fit our climate. Residents starting a vegetable garden this late in the spring can forget growing the cool-season crops and some warm-season ones too. Our vegetable planting guide was published last week, but a similar list can be obtained from your local University of Florida Extension office.
Notice all but cherry tomatoes are missing. These can still produce during the heat. Bell peppers have also been eliminated, but hot varieties seem to like summer conditions. Other traditional crops for May planting include snap beans, okra, Southern peas, sweet potatoes and a number of tropicals. Crops commonly grown in more Northern gardens at this time are not replanted locally until late summer or fall.
Q: We want to install a new lawn. Is there still time to add St. Augustine sod?
A:
Now through late
May is still a good time to install a new lawn. Actually, we add new turf yearround, but at certain times conditions, it may be too wet or too cold for good turf growth. As the rainy season begins and we head into summer, it is important not to overwater a new lawn, especially in the shady sites to reduce rot problems. Within a week or two after sodding, apply a fungicide labeled for turf and the first fertilizer three to four weeks after installing the lawn.
Q: Our white bird of paradise is getting tall and has lots of brown foliage. How do we prune these plants?
A:
Once the white bird of paradise starts to flower, it has reached about its maximum height. Regretfully, many are planted inside a screened area and can start poking through the tops. As plants start to age, the older, deteriorating leaves can be removed as needed. Once trunks become too tall or start to decline, cut them back to the ground. New shoots from the base are likely already growing to fill voids left by those removed and eventually produce new blooms.
Q: I have several young apple trees that have produced branches with few leaves, even though they get water and fertilizer. How do I get leaves?
A:
Some lack of foliage might be blamed on a mild winter. Even though Florida apple varieties do not need as much cold as the Northern types, they benefit from a winter of cool weather. More leaves should still form, but it is going to take longer than usual. Keep up the normal good care to help the trees produce more growth with foliage.
Q: A large number of small, black grasshoppers are feeding on my amaryllis plants. What can I do for a control?
A:
A spring infestation of lubber grasshoppers is of concern to many of our readers. We discussed this insect in a previous Plant Doctor column, but due to the number of new questions, it is worth mentioning again. These insects start off small and black and eventually grow to two or more inches and turn a brown and yellow color. They feed on crinum, daylilies and citrus trees. When small, they can be picked off the plants and dropped in a container of rubbing alcohol.
One reader reported a home remedy of 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1⁄4 cup of liquid dishwashing soap (he used Dawn) and 1⁄2 cup of water gives control. After mixing, he used a handheld spray bottle to apply the treatment onto the young grasshoppers. While this is a mixture of common household items, gardeners are reminded this is a home remedy and you assume all risks of using the mixture.
As lubber grasshoppers grow larger, they become difficult to control. Gardeners wanting a more traditional insecticide can use Sevin found at local garden centers, following label instructions.
Q: We bought a beautiful Asiatic lily and planted it. The flowers are gone, but the plant is green. Will it bloom again?
A:
We can hope your lily produces another colorful display but not until next spring. Asiatic lilies do not have a reputation of repeat blooming in mild climates. Add your plant to a sunny garden site and allow it to continue growth. Provide normal bedding plant care until it declines, then mark the spot so you know where to expect new growth next year.
Continue to moisten the soil when the surface begins to dry during the warmer months. Lilies normally start new growth as early as January but are reluctant bloomers. They appear to prefer a cooler climate than we can provide. Easter lilies are an exception, as they rebloom each year.
Q: I have been growing pineapples in my backyard and have never fertilized. How often should they be fertilized and what should I use?
A:
Dark-green pineapple plants with big fruits are best obtained with regular feedings. Plantings do not seem to mind the type of fertilizer applied, but slow-release garden products make the job a bit easier. Use a fertilizer that feeds the pineapple plants for three to four months starting in March and continue through October, following label instructions.
Tom MacCubbin is an urban horticulturist emeritus with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write him: Orlando Sentinel, P.O. Box 2833, Orlando FL 32802. Email: TomMac1996@aol.com. Blog with Tom at OrlandoSentinel.com/tomdigs.