What is the best practice for planting a gardenia?
It would be a good idea to have a soil pH test performed on a sample of soil taken from the area where the gardenia is to be planted. A pH between 5.0 and 6.5 would be ok for gardenias. If the soil pH is above 7.0 it will be a challenge to keep gardenias healthy. If possible, consider amendi ...
- We have a Yucca plant we would like to remove but the roots are too hard to dig out, is there something that you could suggest to do the job
A non-chemical approach would be to first cut the yucca to the ground. When new shoots arise cut these to the ground also, continuing this as needed. Eventually the yucca’s stored food reserves would be exhausted and the plant would die. The remaining roots would then decay over time.
- What should I do about 3 Sky pencil plants planted in the full sun, that did fine for several weeks, then one by one, the leaves are turning brown.
When plants begin browning soon after planting it is a good idea to check the moisture in the root balls of the plants. Sticking a finger into the root ball in a few places with give you a good idea of how wet or dry it is. How often have you been watering the plants? A typical watering schedul ...
- Can I grow Confederate Jasmine on bare galvanized metal chain link fence or do I need vinyl coated fencing?
Confederate jasmine is a tough, easy to grow vine and it should easily grow on chain link fencing whether it is bare metal or vinyl coated, assuming of course, that the plants are adequately watered until they are well established.
- My azaleas are getting too tall and I would like to prune them. When is the best time to do this?
Pruning is necessary to obtain a full, well-branched azalea. The best time to prune is shortly after flowering, but not later than early July. Since flower buds are formed on the previous year’s growth, pruning too late in the season will reduce the number of flowers the following year. Al ...
- When should I prune my rose bushes
In Pinellas County, roses should receive their major pruning for the year during the first part of February. Dead wood should be removed, as well as any stems smaller in diameter than a pencil. Remove about one-third to one-half of the remaining growth and spray the plant with copper fungicide t ...
- I am looking for shrubs that are both salt tolerant and drought tolerant. What would you recommend?
If you remember that drought tolerant plants can tolerate long, dry periods after becoming established, the following are a few that should do well for you: Aloe, Natal Plum, Silverthorn, Weeping Lantana, Yaupon Holly, Simpson’s Stopper, Century plant, Seagrape, Inkberry, Yucca, Coontie, W ...
- When is the best time to prune poinsettias? Is October too late?
Poinsettias should be pruned in early spring after blooming is over and the danger of frost is past. They can be pinched back repeatedly during the summer, but should not be pruned after September 10th. Floral buds begin to develop at that time and pruning would keep those buds from forming. Ad ...
- The leaves on my gardenia are being covered with a black substance that wipes off with a wet cloth. What is this and how can I stop it?
This is a fungus called sooty mold. It does not infect the leaf tissue, but indicates the presence of piercing-sucking insects such as aphids, white-flies, or scales. As the insects feed, they excrete a sticky fluid called “honeydew” which falls on the leaves below and on which the f ...
- What are the black spots on my rose leaves?
The rose probably has black spot, a very common fungal leaf spot disease of roses in our climate. The disease produces black spots surrounded by yellow halos. The yellowing advances and the infected leaves eventually drop off. ~To manage black spot, avoid watering late in the day since leaves ...
- Why are the leaves on my poinsettia drying up and falling off?
You may be seeing the effects of magnesium deficiency on your poinsettias. This causes the lower leaves to yellow around their edges followed by browning and curling. Eventually the leaves drop off. This begins on the lower leaves and moves up the stem. Eventually all of the leaves can be lost ...
- When is the best time to plant rose bushes?
Container grown roses are available throughout the year and can, with proper care, be planted successfully anytime in central and south Florida. Bare-root roses are normally available only during the winter and should be planted soon after purchase. More information on planting and care of rose ...
- My poinsettia is showing spots on the leaves and creamy colored scab-like lesions on the stem. What is this and how can I get rid of it?
Poinsettia scab (Sphaceloma poinsettiae) is a fungal disease that causes circular, cream-colored spots on the midribs and veins of leaves and raised, often elongated lesions on stems and leaf stalks. Severely infected leaves may drop off the plant prematurely. Scab is most prevalent in the summe ...
- When should I cut back dead branches on bushes which have been damaged with the recent freezes?
We suggest delaying pruning of freeze damaged shrubs until after the danger of additional freezes is past (late February).
- What causes the leaves on my azaleas and sycamore to have a bleached-out appearance with black, tar-like spots on the underside?
Both azaleas and sycamore are susceptible to damage caused by insects called lace bugs. Damage results from the insect sucking out cell sap, resulting in a mottling of the leaves. The black tar spots are actually the insect’s excrement. Control on sycamores may be impractical if the trees ...
- What action do I need to take if a Desert Rose was affected by the cold weather (frost). The leaves are brown; do I need to cut it back?
It may be too soon to tell how much damage the plant has suffered. If parts of the stems have become mushy they can be pruned back to firm tissue. Otherwise, I would not do anything at this point. The plant will not need much water until new growth appears. If the soil stays wet, root rot diseas ...
- What is the best root stock to look for when purchasing rose bushes?
Research in Florida has shown that hybrid roses grafted on 'Fortuniana' rootstock (Rosa fortuniana, 'Double White Cherokee') grow larger, are more vigorous, produce more flowers, and live much longer than plants grown on any other rootstock. 'Dr. Huey' rootstock is a distant second-best. More ...
- My Ixoras are totally brown, Curly Crotons are completely dark and shriveled up. What should I do or not do?
With freeze damaged shrubs like ixoras and crotons we would suggest waiting until freeze danger is past (end of February) to do any pruning. At that time the dead wood can be pruned back to living wood. To determine where the wood is alive, scratch the bark of a shoot near the tip to expose the ...
- When do I start cutting back cold-damaged plants/trees?
With cold-damaged shrubs and trees you have two choices. You can either prune out the dead portions now or you can simply wait for new growth to emerge and then cut back to just beyond the new growth. If you wait, the presence of new growth will eventually make it easy to tell how far the plant ...
- Many buds are dropping from my hibiscus bush. What could be causing this problem?
Premature bud drop is often a problem with hibiscus. Some varieties, especially some doubles, are prone to bud drop. Other varieties bloom well during one period of the year and regularly drop their buds at other times. Bud drop can also be caused by insects such as thrips and midges. Nematodes, ...
