Radio Show: Pruning crape myrtles

We broadcast our fifth show on Blog Talk Radio this morning. The topic was pruning crape myrtles and other summer-blooming trees. Stan Rosenthal, forestry extension agent for Leon County, FL, was able to join us for a short while and he'll be back next Saturday morning to talk more about trees. E-mail your tree-related questions to questions@msgrowitall.com and listen at 9 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, Feb. 7.

Prune fall bloomer in early spring and mid-summer

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: I have a very healthy cassia (Senna bicapsularis) that gets extremely overgrown and "leggy" during the summertime. Because this is a fall-blooming plant, I am afraid to prune it back during this time. Can you please tell me what time of the year is the very latest that this plant can handle pruning?

A: Most plants should be pruned shortly after their bloom-period is over, and cassia is no exception. It blooms in fall and in mild climates will continue to bloom throughout winter. You can prune it now through March to get it ready for the next season's growth, but that shouldn't be the only time you prune it.

Fall bloomers such as cassia need pruning in early spring to get them ready for their growth cycle, and again in mid-summer to shape them for bloom season. So trim back your cassia again in mid-summer to keep it from getting leggy. July is best, but you can prune through mid-August and still ensure fall flowers on your cassia. Pruning any time after that means you risk having an early frost interrupt your bloom cycle.

Q: I have a rose bush that needs to be moved. A tree has grown to shade the location where it was planted over seven years ago. I know the rose is still healthy as it manages some blooms after the tree sheds its leaves in the fall. When should I move it to a sunnier location? The bush has some wicked thorns and would be next to impossible to move without pruning.

A: February is the time to prune roses, and it makes sense to move them at the same time. Don't try to fight the thorns. Cut your rose bush back to about 24 inches, then dig it out and move it to a sunnier spot.

Tool time: Larry Hale e-mailed to remind everyone that now is the time to make sure our tools are in proper shape to help us garden over the next year.

"This is the time of year gardeners should take a file and sharpen all their tools. Sharpen shovels and hoes to make spring soil prep easy. In old Tallahassee, we could always depend on a gentleman coming by once a year to sharpen all our tools. He was always seen traveling with his mule and wagon.

"I'm amazed at people who try to dig with blunt shovels."

Larry's right. It's much easier with sharp tools. If you don't have a file or don't want to do the work, most local garden centers either offer the service or can recommend someone to do it.

Radio Show: Protecting plants from freezing

We broadcast our fourth show on Blog Talk Radio this morning. The topic was protecting your plants from freeze damage. Join us next Saturday morning at 9 a.m. Eastern, when the topic will be pruning crape myrtles and other summer-blooming trees. Our special guest will be Stan Rosenthal, forestry extension agent for Leon County, FL.

It is too soon to prune

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL®

Q: Last week's freeze did a real number on my yard. I want to trim back the dead foliage and make things neater. Is that OK or should I wait?

A: Actually, you're better off not trimming the freeze-damaged foliage on your perennials until spring. You might trim farther back than you need to; plus, pruning any plant signals it to start growing again. We're not finished with freezing weather this season, and any new growth would be especially susceptible to damage. The dead tops can serve as insulation for the growth bud below.

Come spring, after the danger of frost has passed, you can cut back your perennials. Depending on the type of perennial, you can cut them low to the ground or cut them just far enough to remove the dead foliage. If you want to remove just the dead foliage, start from the top and cut in short sections until you get to green tissue.

Q: I got a potted hydrangea as a Christmas gift. Can I plant it now or do I need to wait until spring?

A: Hydrangeas are cold-hardy, so winter is a good time to plant them in the Deep South. I would check the forecast to make sure there's not a freeze coming in the next two or three days, to give the plant a chance to settle in to its new home.

Be aware that while some hydrangeas make the transition from pot to ground just fine, other cultivars have been bred to be showy potted plants but don't do well when planted in the garden. If your hydrangea fails to thrive after two years in the ground, you might need to dig it up and plant it in a pot suitable to its size.

Q: I planted pansies in my flower boxes on my front porch in the fall, but they withered and died long before the first freeze. I kept them well-watered and the planters have good drainage, so what went wrong?

A: It could have been several things. The pansies could've been weak to begin with — from inconsistent watering or not enough sunlight. They could have been harboring a disease. Or, the soil in the planters might be old and worn out. Healthy soil is alive with micro-organisms.
If your porch is covered, though, I would guess that your pansies didn't like living in the shade. Pansies are full-sun annuals, and they will wither without it. I suggest you plant impatiens or begonias in your flower boxes. They like the shade and can take cool weather. They can't take freezing weather, though, so make sure you cover them if a hard freeze is predicted.

Radio Show: Spring vegetable gardens

This week, Ms. Grow-It-All discussed the basics of planning a spring vegetable garden. If you're reading this within seven days of the original broadcast, click on the Blog Talk Radio link in the right rail to listen. If you missed that window, you can find complete archives of all her shows at either http://www.freeworldradionetwork.net/ or http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ms_Grow-It-All

Use scissors to thin vegetable patch

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL®

Q: I planted a winter vegetable garden and now I need to thin it, particularly the carrots and the mesclun. What’s the best way to do it?

A: People who live in USDA Zones 8 and south have the luxury of being able to garden year-round, as long as they plant the right crop for the right season. Winter crops include carrots and mesclun, which is the collective name given to a mix of salad greens that can include several varieties of leaf lettuce, arugula, endive, kale, chicory and mizuna, an Asian green.

Initially, you can use the same tool to thin the carrots and the mesclun: scissors. Trim the carrots when the tops are about half an inch high; wait to trim the salad greens until they’re 2 to 3 inches high.

When trimming the tops of the carrots, cut the leafy tops close to the soil level. With no green top, no photosynthesis can occur and the root will never develop into the carrot we know. This will leave room for the remaining carrots to develop both above and below the soil. You’ll probably need to thin the carrots at least one more time before the final crop matures, but you should have baby carrots by then that you can pull and eat.

As for the mesclun, most varieties of lettuce in the seed mix are what is known as “cut and come again.” That means after you trim the young leaves, new ones will grow to replace them.
The carrots will continue to grow until you pull them. Your mesclun should continue to produce until temperatures hit 80 degrees F. regularly during the day, if you keep it cut.

Q: Is it too late to plant daffodils? I live in Florida’s Panhandle.

A: No, it’s not too late, but you’d better get busy planting the bulbs now. Daffodil bulbs can be planted from September through January through the Florida Panhandle. The green strap-like foliage of early varieties of daffodils has already sprouted, but you can still plant bulbs if you can deal with mixed success.

Early varieties might not perform as well as they would have had they been planted earlier, but you should still get some bulbs this year. Next year, the show should be better.

Radio Show: Camellias

This week, Ms. Grow-It-All discussed camellias, stately evergreens for the temperate zones. This blooming shrub is known as the "rose of winter" for its blossoms. If you're reading this within seven days of the original broadcast, click on the Blog Talk Radio link in the right rail to listen. If you missed that window, you can find complete archives of all her shows at either http://www.freeworldradionetwork.net or http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ms_Grow-It-All

Last frost dates vary by region

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL®

Q: I’m planning to plant a vegetable garden this year, and everything I’ve read, including the seed packets, says to wait to plant until after the danger of frost. When is the last frost in Florida’s Big Bend? How can I know when it’s safe to plant?

A: The last frost in the eastern Panhandle/Big Bend region of Florida is usually the third week in March. The easiest way to remember is to connect it in your mind with the first day of spring -- March 20. But as with all other gardening things, particularly in this region, that’s just a date on a calendar and you have to be ready to adjust planting plans.

Cautious gardeners in the Tallahassee area used to wait until April 1, but the Easter freeze in mid-April two years ago surprised all of us. That freeze was much later than normal, but the lesson here is that we can’t accurately predict the weather. It’s always an educated guess.

If you plan to sow your seeds for summer vegetables directly into the ground, you need to wait until after the last frost for two reasons: first, to prevent frost from killing the plant, obviously; but second, and perhaps more importantly, seeds won’t germinate in soil that’s too cold for that particular plant. Seeds planted in too-cold soil either lie there waiting for the soil to warm enough, or they rot before the soil warms. That’s why many people choose to start their seedlings indoors.

The seed packets tell you to start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date, so they should be ready to transplant to the garden in late March if you start them indoors the last two weeks in January. The farther north you go, the later the date of the last frost, so adjust your planting schedule accordingly.

If we’re having a cold snap when your projected planting date arrives, just wait. Most seedlings can stay in their little starter pots another week or so. If they’re really bursting out of them, transplant them to slightly larger pots. The 3- and 4- inch pots that annuals come in are good for that purpose.

A week or so before you plan to transplant your seedlings into the garden, move them outside to begin acclimating to spring weather. The first couple of days, bring them back inside at night. Then leave them in a protected location at night for several days. Try to transplant them on a cloudy or overcast day. If you have to plant when it’s sunny, provide some shade the first day or two they’re in the ground.

Remember that some vegetables prefer cooler temperatures and can be planted now, as long as you protect them from a hard freeze. Local nurseries have seedlings of lettuces, spinach, cabbage, broccoli and other cool-season vegetables available. Carrots, peas and radishes can be sown in the garden now.

Radio Show Debut: Ms. Grow-It-All

A new year and a new venture! Today, lifelong gardener and veteran journalist Audrey Post launched a show on Blog Talk Radio to complement her syndicated gardening column, Ms. Grow-It-All. It's a production of the Free World Radio Network.