Valentine’s Day is a time to remember our loved ones with candy and flowers. It also is the perfect time to prune roses. Late January to mid February is the best time. Prune established hybrid teas, removing dead and small twiggy growth, leaving strong healthy canes to a plant height of 18-24 inches. Try to prune to an outward facing bud to maintain spreading, open growth. Prune shrub roses like Knockouts 1/3 to 1/2 the plant height. Do not prune climbers until after the Spring bloom, then removing only the oldest canes and cutting back healthy, vigorous canes no more than 1/3. Remove spent blooms throughout the season on all rose varieties, cutting back to the first 5 leaflet cluster. You can also begin fertilizing your roses in late February with Bayer Systemic Rose and Flower Care, or organically with Maestro Rose Glo. Gill Landscape Nursery stocks disease resistant roses (ask for them), but if you have hybrid teas, as soon as new growth appears you should begin a spray program to control insects and diseases. Bayer 3 in 1 Insect, Disease and Mite Control, takes care of all rose problems. For organic controls, use Neem Oil for insects and disease or Serenade to control diseases. A regular spray program keeps your roses healthy and happy. Remember fungal diseases are always easier to prevent than to cure.
pruning
Last year I planted my hummingbird and butterfly garden with over 30 milkweed, Turks cap, passion vine and native lantana. It grew beautifully in the back corner of my yard, and I pretty much just left it alone. Since now is the time to prune, I rolled up my sleeves, got out my pruners and started to go to town. Oddly enough, as I was whacking back a lantana I noticed in my peripheral vision movement all around me. So I stopped pruning and sat down and started to meditate. After about five minutes of sitting still, I opened my eyes and was absolutely floored! Every bug I have ever seen in my life was there in my garden. There were honey bees and bumblebees, fritillary butterflies and big bold monarchs, assassin bugs, ladybugs galore, orb weaver and large wolf spiders, a praying mantis, mud-dobber wasps, horseflies, house flies and soil gnats. And about 150 monarch butterfly caterpillars! It was like an optical illusion. The more I sat still, the more I saw everything moving around me. Not only were there bugs, but there were toads, lizards, and a bold mockingbird that decided to land not five feet from me. Of course there were aphids and whitefly, but I watched as ladybugs flew down and began to munch them all up, and a praying mantis was going to town on the flies. It was absolutely astounding! All this life was in a 10 foot by 10 foot bed. If you have a section of your garden that you can let be pesticide free and 100% organic, please let it be! You’ll be amazed by what life does in the garden when you’re not looking.
-Marta
In the plant world, the most common way to win the game of life is “grab the sunlight before your neighbors.” The tips of the branches produce a hormone that suppresses sprouting of side buds further down the stem, so plant resources are directed to make the tips grow up taller and faster.
That may serve the purpose of the plant in the wild, but we would rather see our plants full and bushy, with more tips full of blooms rather than fewer but taller tips. So this is the prime time of year to remove those tips (and thus free the side buds to sprout) to create the plant aesthetics we desire. A perfect example would be a hibiscus plant that is maybe 6 feet tall, but has dropped a lot of leaves and is looking a little bare and stemmy. By cutting just 4” to 6” off the ends of the branches now, you will increase density and number of shoots and blooms. If you need to control overall size, you can certainly prune back much further and achieve the above benefits as well.
Many other ornamental plants in our gardens would benefit by this treatment now, such as Texas sage, Mexican heather, most salvias, ligustrum and viburnum hedges, esperanza (if you prefer a bush over a small tree) and many more. But please do not prune tall growing crape myrtles this way. Most horticulturists consider a graceful sinuous branching pattern to be a more desirable aesthetic in the tall varieties of crape myrtle, valued over increased blooming, with the exception of the dwarf varieties.
If you have pruning questions (or other questions), please give us a call, or email us a question and a photo to helpatgills@gmail.com or post a photo and question (or a brag!) on our Gill Landscape Nursery Facebook page.
-James
Are your lantana looking rusty brown like a fungus has attacked them? Well it’s not a fungus it’s a lace bug. These are common this time of year to attack lantanas leaving them looking ugly and half dead. This problem is easily fixed by pruning back the ugly plant either one third to half way depending on the damage. Rake up the bad leaves which will be eliminating the majority of the bugs, fertilize with your favorite plant food and water in, then spray with a multi purpose insecticide like Cyonara Lawn & Garden or Organically with Spinosad Insect Control. The plant will quickly recover like nothing ever happened putting on a flush of new growth and blooms.
Photo: Plantanswers.com
-DeAnna
1. Proper Watering
This is the most important of all. Water slow and deep to make sure at least one inch of water is applied to all established lawn and landscape plants for our long hot summers. Smaller bedding plants such as annual color and perennial beds will require a second supplemental watering since they have a smaller root system.
2. Mulching
Use hardwood mulch three to four inches deep in planting beds to help conserve moisture as well as control weeds. Most mulch is applied too thin, only two inches rather than three to four. Do not bury crown of plant or trunk of shrubs.
3. Top Dress The Lawn
A thin layer of Nature’s Blend Compost applied several times a year helps to enrich the soil and will cut watering demands.
4. Insect Controls
Many insects are seasonal. Chinch bugs attack lawns in the hot summer months, so watch the edges of your lawn for the first signs. Spider mites also love the hot dry summer season. Keep an eye on junipers, pittosporums and houseplants for signs of mottling on the leaves or leaf drop and treat as soon as possible. Mealy bugs are also a hot weather insect and leave white cotton along the stems and undersides of many plants. More than one application may be needed to control some of these insects.
5. Fungus Control
This is not always an issue in the summer, but can be if we are getting periods of heavy rain. Proper year round watering and adding Nature’s Blend several times a year will help minimize fungal issues.
6. Fertilizing
Keeping your plants fed for the summer is very important, but applying at a lower rate may help to keep them healthy without encouraging too much new growth. Using organic fertilizers keep the plants healthy which minimizes insect attacks, Milorganite Fertilizer for instance.
7. Pruning
Some plants will need to be pruned in the summer to keep them more compact and not overgrown. Be careful, though, since some plants can sunburn easily when removing the upper leaves which have been shading the rest of the plant.
8. Weed Control
Some weeds burn off in the summer heat. Pre-emergents, such as Green Light Amaze and Hi Yield Weed & Grass Stopper can be applied year round in landscape beds to prevent weeds. Organic weed killers, such as Nature’s Guide Horticultural Vinegar, for landscape beds, are most effective in hot summer temperatures. But broadleaf lawn weed killers cannot be used in your grass once temperatures get above 85 degrees due to burning. Keep the grass mowed to remove seed heads of weeds. Mechanical means is always the best.
9. Proper Mowing Height
Proper mowing height will shade the ground and cause less water evaporation from the soil, reducing water needs. St. Augustine is best at three inches, so raise the mower. Also a sharp mower blade helps the grass look fresh and green, while a dull blade leaves ragged edges that turn brown and cause the lawn to look somewhat dead and dull.
10. Proper Plant – Proper Place
With any landscape make sure you have thought out the full mature height and width of plants, sun requirements and water needs before planting. You should never be constantly pruning a plant because it is too large for the space. That is the wrong plant for the spot. Also group like water need plants together. The most drought tolerant plants should be those furthest from the water source.
Now that you have worked hard at planting and maintaining the landscape, take the time to kick back, relax and admire the beauty you created. Gardening is great therapy! it not only burns calories, it also reduces stress from a hard day’s work and helps to lower blood pressure. Colleges are even offering courses in horticultural therapy. Gardeners live longer lives; plants give you reason to get up and get moving!
-DeAnna
Don’t give up on your mums before they’ve had a chance to live out their season! Sally explains how to trim your mums for new growth throughout the fall:
1. Use a sharp pair of head shears to remove the bulk of the blooms.
2. Spot trim with pruning clippers as needed.
3. Mix up some Hastagro (1 oz./1 gal. of water) and apply to soil.
4. Place in bright sun and enjoy!
Time for a little cleanup! James explains techniques to use for early spring pruning.
We all know how hard you’ve worked to have a beautiful landscape. Now how do you keep it thriving and surviving the summer heat? Here are some of our top tips for keeping everyone happy and healthy:
- Water….we need it and so do your plants. Water in the morning or evening before 10am or after 6pm. Keep the water on the plants, lawn, flowerbeds, not in the gutter, sidewalk, or street. Sprinkler systems are great for established lawns and landscapes. Water established lawns once a week. New plantings really need to be hand watered to insure the water is getting to the root system. Check new plantings daily for water needs.
- Fertilize the lawn, shrubs, trees, and tropicals with Milorganite, Medina Growin Green, or Gill Lawn & Garden Fertilizer. Be sure to apply early morning or evening and water in. Milorganite won’t burn but needs water to start working.
- Feed your veggies and herbs Espoma Plant Tone. Citrus and fruit trees with Espoma Citrus Tone.
- Treat the lawn with Bayer Season Long Grub Control if you see brown areas in the lawn that are easily pulled up, usually a sign of grubs eating the roots of your grass.
- Chinch bugs love hot dry areas in lawns. They make the lawn look dried out along sidewalks and pavement. Treat with Cyonara, or Triazicide in easy ready to spray bottles. For organic control, use Spinosad or Diatomaceous Earth.
- Revamp your old spring annuals with some die-hard summer color. Flowers like purslane, zinnias, moss rose, periwinkles and sweet potato vine will need water but thrive in our summer heat. If you are so inclined, try adding spineless prickly pear, Texas sage, and other desert beauties that add color and form to landscapes.
- Prune the old spent blooms and seed heads from your crape myrtles. It’ll help them to repeat their summer show of color.
- Nothing wrong with playing in the water hose or sprinkler with your kids. My dogs and I have a grand time in the evening playing, cooling off and watering the lawn all at the same time.
- Treat for fungus if needed. Roses, crape myrtles, and gerbera daisies are prone to powdery mildew and plumeria develop rust. Good air circulation is important and if needed use Fertilome Systemic Fungicide, Serenade, or Actinovate.
- Trim to shape plants to keep good form but avoid heavy pruning during the summer heat. This is good for the plants and you.
- Mulch everything including your potted plants to help hold moisture and reduce weeds.
- Most important…enjoy some time in your outdoors!
-DeAnna & Debbie
