Hurricane season began June 1, and it's an all too familiar reminder of the devastation when hurricanes sweep through Florida. Are your trees ready? The same question was asked in 2004 and 2017 but many did not heed the warning.
Maybe our trees are in better shape now as the real problem ones were likely thinned out by the last big storms but most have grown too. Here are some things to look for. Those 'V' branching angles are always of concern. You can actually see many of the limbs pushing apart as the bark forms at these angles between the limbs.
Look for multi trunk trees, as pictured, that are slowly growing too large and pushing apart. And, don't forget the hollows in the trunks and sap flowing from wounds and areas of branching. These are all warning signs you have a weak tree and need to have an arborist take a look. Arborists don't want to take down trees as they may be able to lighten the limb and foliage load on the trunks to make them safer trees.
Many enjoy growing the herbs but plantings tend to decline during the summer season. Often it is too much heat and rain for the parsley, sage, cilantro and similar. Some that do well include basil, marjoram, mint, oregano and thyme. Here is a hint. Keep them in containers so you can move them out of the heavy downpours. Also, apply a slow release fertilizer to gradually feed the plants during the warmer months.
Caring for your lawn depends or where you live. If you are in one of the areas where summer feeding has been prohibited then you may have to wait until fall. In some of these areas you can take a course and pass a test to obtain a special feeding permit. Also, your local lawn care company may have a permit to feed the lawn during the summer. In some areas you can try to regreen the lawn with iron only type products. If you can feed your lawn, an early summer feeding is often needed. Use a slow release product to keep the growth steady but not produce too much to mow.
Expect the chinch bugs to reappear in St. Augustine lawns. After a mild winter these insects are likely to be extra heavy this year. You may have to switch between types of insecticides as the insects are becoming resistant to the use of the same product all the time. Ask your University of Florida Extension Agent or inquire at your local garden center about using different types of insecticides. The same product used for chinch bugs usually gives control of sod webworms or lawn caterpillars that can be expected in all lawn types.
If you skipped your citrus feeding in May get back on schedule with an early summer fertilizer application. Keeping the trees healthy and vigorous may be the only way gardeners have to fight some of the new citrus diseases. Also, you might consider a nutritional spray made for citrus trees. These are applied several times during the growing season. Stay alert for insects and get them under control too. A horticultural oil spray can be used as instructed on the label for most insects and it helps keep the rust mites down that cause the browning of the skins.
Remember to prune the poinsettias back about 4 inches every time they make a foot of new growth, move the poor looking foliage plants outdoors to recover, feed shrubs, annuals and perennials and divide orchids and bromeliads as need.
Check out my Gotta Do's List to see what else may need Doing:
Lawn care:
- Check for lawn care ordinances that prohibit lawn feedings June until October.
- Where permitted and needed regreen lawns with a feeding of a slow release fertilizer.
- An iron only feeding, if permitted, often regreens yellow lawns and prevents excessive growth.
- Fill bare or weedy spots in the lawn with the help of summer rains.
- Reseed, plug or sod as the rainy season returns.
- Avoid sodding shady areas during summer to prevent rot problems caused by the wet weather.
- Cold weather did not stop the chinch bugs; inspect yellow spots and treat if needed.
- Use a rain gauge to track the water your lawn receives.
- Mow lawns frequently but don't catch the clippings.
- Keep the mower blade at the highest level recommended for your lawn type.
- Dig out or spot kill weeds in turf.
- Replace constantly declining turf in dense shade with a mulch or ground cover.
- Change the oil and air filter in gas powered equipment as instructed in manuals.
Landscape chores:
- Most plants are recovering from winter damage; otherwise replacements may be needed.
- Established plants usually do not need watering during the rainy season
- It won't hurt to let most plants wilt a little before you water.
- Hurricane season begins with June; it's not too late to have your trees checked and trimmed.
- Fill in low areas or add drains to prevent flooding during summer storms.
- Establish moisture zones within the landscape to help conserve water.
- Groom roses to remove old flower heads and weak stems.
- Feed roses monthly and control black spot with a fungicide.
- Add the tropical look to the landscape with heat loving foliage plants.
- Plant hydrangeas where they receive morning sun and afternoon shade.
- Complete azalea and gardenia pruning by month's end.
- Replace declining cool season flowers with rain tolerant summer color.
- Trim back 4- to 6-inches of new poinsettia growth to keep the plants compact.
- Root tip cuttings of shrubs and foliage plants.
- Transplant palms and sagos.
- Feed shrubs and palms.
- Give container gardens a weekly feeding or use a slow release fertilizer as instructed.
- Spot kill weeds and add a mulch to prevent new growth.
- Plant declining Easter and Asiatic lilies in the sunny garden.
- Feed lilies and other aquatic plants in home water gardens.- Remove sprouts from the base of crape myrtle, maple and similar trees.
Vegetable and fruit care:
- Harvest maturing crops and replant with heat loving vegetables.
- Keep weeds under control as gardens decline to prevent pest problems for fall.
- Bake out nematodes and diseases by covering moist soil with clear plastic for 8 weeks.
- Turn gardens and vacant flower beds over to edible sweet potatoes.
- Continue to plant fruit trees, shrubs and vines.
- Expect some fruit drop from citrus trees - it's normal and often called the June fruit drop.
- Feed summer vegetable plantings every 3 to 4 weeks.
- Complete late spring citrus feedings.
- Prune lower limbs that interfere with maintenance from fruit trees.
- Feed bananas monthly - harvest stalks when the first hand begins to yellow.
- Feed pineapples in containers weekly; in the ground monthly.
- Obtain seeds for late summer and fall vegetable plantings.
House & foliage plant care:
- Give house plants a rest outdoors in the shade.
- Repot plants needing a new container.
- Feed plants outdoors every two weeks and indoors monthly.
- Use a slow release fertilizer as instructed to stretch the time between feedings.
- Control insects with a soap wash.
- Remove declining leaves and stems.
- Pinch the tips of lanky shoots to cause branching.
- Trim faded flowers from blooming plants.
- Add new foliage plants to indoor displays.
June Plantings 2018
Vegetables: Boniato, calabaza, chayote, cherry tomatoes, dasheen, malanga, okra, roselle, southern peas, Seminole pumpkin, sweet cassava, sweet potatoes and yard long beans.
Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, chives, dill, ginger, marjoram, mint, oregano, sage and thyme.
Flowers: Angelonia, begonias, bush daisy, butterfly plant, caladium, cat's whiskers, celosia, coleus, coreopsis, Dahlberg daisy, firespike, four-o'clock, gaillardia, gerbera daisy, ginger, goldenrod, impatiens, kalanchoe, lantana, lion?s ear, marigolds, melampodium, Mexican sunflower, moon flower, nierembergia, Porterweed, pentas, periwinkle, portulaca, purslane, salvia, showy primrose, shrimp plant, Stokes aster, sunflower, torenia and zinnias.
Bulbs-type plants: Achimenes, African iris, amaryllis, blackberry lily, bulbine, caladiums, canna, crinum, crocosmia, day lily, eucharis lily, gladiolus, gloriosa lily, peacock ginger, society garlic, rain lily and walking iris.