Question. I’ve an older orange chook of paradise plant in a container that will get some solar and shade that has not bloomed in recent years. What can I do to assist it bloom?
Answer. Maybe your plant would love a bit change. First, be sure that the container is an sufficient measurement for the foundation system. If it has packed the container with roots, strive giving your plant a brand new bigger one. Then contemplate rising the chook in a full solar location. They can tolerate a bit shade however appear to flower greatest in full solar. Lastly, hold older chook of paradise crops on a restricted food plan. Water solely when the floor soil begins to dry to the contact and fertilize calmly. Use a slow-release product for container crops as soon as in March, May and October. Too good of care appears to maintain the crops inexperienced and rising with few flowers.
Q. In a recent article, you talked about the balsam pear or bitter melon. Shouldn’t we point out the purple seeds are toxic and could be tempting for kids to eat?
A. Unless you know the way to arrange this plant, all parts must be thought of toxic. As talked about within the Plant Doctor column of Aug.19, cultivated alternatives may be ready and consumed. The frequent wild balsam pear produces ripe orange fruits that comprise seeds with a purple coating referred to as aril. We need to emphasize they’re poisonous if eaten. It could be a good suggestion to get rid of this vine the place kids and pets are current to stop any consumption.
Q. When touched or trimmed, my Golden Mound hedge releases a dusty white flake, like dandruff. What’s incorrect, and the way do I repair it?
A. A dusty, soiled Gold Mound duranta has turn into fairly frequent attributable to both whitefly or one other scale-type insect. Take a more in-depth look beneath the leaves to seek out the bugs or numerous residue. Most affected crops even have layers of sooty mould. A fast resolution could be the appliance of a horticultural oil spray discovered at most backyard facilities. Follow the label and make sure you hit the underside of the leaves and stems with the remedy. If this can be a extreme infestation, make an software of a systemic insecticide, additionally discovered at most backyard facilities. Some may be utilized to the soil to be taken up into the crops by the roots.
Q. I discovered about 20 yellow-and-black striped caterpillars with brown heads consuming my azalea bushes. I eliminated what I noticed by hand. How do I deal with now?
A. Good job recognizing these caterpillars, as they typically go undetected till branches of azalea foliage have been consumed. Appropriately, they’re referred to as the azalea leaf caterpillar. You are seeing the larva stage of a brown moth. The caterpillar stage finally enters the bottom and pupates, the place they continue to be till late spring or summer time, when the moths seem to put eggs that hatch and grow to be the plant feeders you’ve gotten been seeing. Hand removing and disposal is a superb management. Often, they aren’t that quite a few and just a few clusters must be eliminated. If too quite a few, apply one of many pure controls of Thuricide, Dipel or spinosad-containing pesticides. Just comply with the label, and the infestation must be eradicated.
The Plant Doctor: When to reap candy potatoes
Q. My camellia bush is wanting droopy and almost prefer it’s affected by drought. The leaves present both insect injury or powdery mildew. Can you recommend a remedy?
A. An emailed photograph does present a plant with scale bugs on the leaves, a lot of which additionally seem dry. The department in view is unquestionably not receiving sufficient water. Let’s hope this isn’t a illness within the stem, and extra consideration to watering will assist revive the dry foliage. Dig down within the soil and ensure it’s moist earlier than tackling the subsequent drawback. Leaves additionally present the presence of tea-scale bugs. This frequent pest may be managed with a horticultural oil spray directed to the underside of the leaves. Another management is to use a systemic insecticide to the soil the place it may be absorbed by the roots. Follow the label for the product and remedy chosen. Noticeable insect management will probably be sluggish, however the pests shouldn’t have an effect on extra leaves.
Q. My caladiums are beginning to present some stress because the crops are drooping, and the colours usually are not as strong. Does this sound regular, and what ought to I do?
A. Caladium time is about over, and plenty of crops are beginning to decline. In some gardens, this decline began across the center of August. Normally, crops that begin progress early within the spring decline first and those who ship up shoots later final into fall. As the leaves decline, you may clip them off or wait till your entire plant turns brown to do the pruning. There is not any have to dig the tubers in most areas of Florida – simply add a bit mulch within the colder spots.
September within the backyard
Q. I’ve a poinsettia from final Christmas that I didn’t notice wants pruning. Should I do something now?
A. Major pruning time is over for poinsettias, but when your plant wants a bit grooming, you may give it a lightweight trimming. You can shorten or take away out-of-bounds shoots and people that could be weak and about to droop to the bottom. Mid-September is a bit late to tip again the ends of the shoots, however for those who hurry, you most likely nonetheless have time. The shoots with bracts that develop for the vacations could also be a bit small, however there must be extra of them as a result of trimming. Poinsettias begin to provoke the flowering course of in mid-October, so this doesn’t permit plenty of time for progress. Care ought to embrace preserving the soil moist and feeding by way of the autumn months.
Q. I began tomato seeds, they usually germinated in 5 days. When are the seedlings prepared for the backyard?
A. Quick begins are frequent with tomato seeds that first produce what’s referred to as seed leaves. In a day or two, the true fern-like leaves are famous because the crops proceed rising. If you seeded a number of to a pot, transplant every seedling to a small container when two or extra true leaves are current, and the crops are about 2 inches tall. When they develop 6- to 8-inches tall and have a number of units of true leaves they’re prepared for the backyard. During summer time climate, your seedlings are going to wish about three weeks of rising time to turn into transplants.
Tom MacCubbin is an city horticulturist emeritus with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write him: Orlando Sentinel, P.O. Box 2833, Orlando, FL. 32802. Email: [email protected].
