Overwatering drowns shrimp plant

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: I bought a shrimp plant that was in beautiful condition and planted it in a pot. At first it was getting full sun afternoons, and I had it sitting under one of my hanging ferns, which needed to be watered every day. Then it dawned on me that I was drowning the shrimp plant, so I moved it and started watering only when dry. It’s getting part-sun now, maybe two or three hours, and it’s still dying. It was so pretty and now it looks pathetic. What can I do?

A: Both the shrimp plant, Justicia brandegeana, with its overlapping pink bracts that look like a shrimp, and the golden shrimp plant, Justicia lutea, with its white bracts, prefer morning sun and afternoon shade. And like so many plants that do well in our extreme summer heat, they like sufficient moisture but they like the soil to be well-drained so it stays on the dry side. It seems like a contradiction, I know, but think of it as the plants wanting to have a good, long drink of water at regular intervals instead of a steady drizzle.

I suspect the roots started to rot from all the moisture when it was under the fern. Take the plant out of the pot, shake off all the dirt and check for any rotting or dead roots. They'll look slimy and smell bad if they're rotting. Trim the rotting and dead roots off. Repot in another pot – I recommend unglazed clay because the pot will absorb excess moisture from the soil. Be sure to use new soil and cut the plant back to about 3-4 inches tall. Set the pot in a spot that gets morning sun but afternoon shade. You should see new growth within a couple of weeks.

If it keeps declining, pitch it and buy another one for your pot. It was a learning experience.

Internet Radio Show: Ms. Grow-It-All’s Internet radio show on the Free World Radio Network will broadcast live at 6:30 tonight. Go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ms_Grow-It-All and click on the link to listen live; you can call the number on the site to join the conversation. If you can’t join us, all shows are archived and available for download from my Web site.

Radio Show: Shade trees

This week frequent co-host Stan Rosenthal, Leon County/University of Florida IFAS forester, joined us to talk about shade trees for your landscape.

Vine-covered lattice will block view

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: We bought a home on several acres with spectacular views just a few miles from Tallahassee a few years ago, and all was fine until a trailer home popped up on the adjacent property recently. Although it’s off in the distance, the situation has made us realize that we don’t have the privacy we thought we did. What kind of tree can we plant on our property now that will grow quickly and block the view of our neighbors?

A: That old saying “different strokes for different folks” certainly can apply when people talk about what constitutes a nice view. And it’s hard to know whether your neighbors finally got the money to buy their little piece of heaven or they lost a home in foreclosure and this is their fallback housing.

Whatever the situation, you can be a good neighbor by keeping the focus on what you have on your own property. But don’t think about planting trees right now; it’s the wrong time of year. The heat of summer increases the stress of transplanting, and more water would be required to get trees established.

I suggest you create a temporary barrier. A sheet of lattice attached to two four-by-fours, properly sited, will block the view of the neighbors and provide a framework for vines to grow up. Morning glories and sky vines are good options. So are some of the tropical vines that we treat as annuals. Bougainvillea, in particular, is a good candidate because it won’t need much water once it is established.

In the meantime, think about whether you want an evergreen tree or one that loses its leaves. Also, remember that trees planted in clumps are stronger than solo trees in the middle of a field. Consider planting several trees, but place them far enough part that each has room to grow to its full size.

And bear in mind that many trees that grow quickly lack the strength and strong root system to withstand strong winds. Plan your trees for the long haul. You can take down the lattice when your trees get large enough.

Speaking of trees: Ms. Grow-It-All’s Internet radio show on the Free World Radio Network will broadcast live at 6:30 p.m. tonight. I will be talking with guest host Stan Rosenthal, Leon County forester, about shade trees. Go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ms_Grow-It-All and click on the link to listen live; you can call the number on the site to join the conversation. If you can’t join us, all shows are archived and available for download from my Web site.

Mosquitoes breed in standing water

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: The recent rains have really soaked my garden and it looks great, but now I’m worried about mosquitoes. Is there anything I can do to keep down an infestation?

A: First, make sure you aren’t inadvertently harboring mosquito breeding grounds. Check for anything that could be a receptacle for standing water, including empty flower pots, pot saucers, children’s toys, even upturned magnolia leaves. Dump any water you see. If you have water bowls for pets outdoors, be sure to change the water in them daily. Ditto for bird baths and containers of water you set out for wildlife.

If you have water that you can’t dump, such as ponds and water gardens, you can buy insecticidal “doughnuts” that kill mosquito eggs but are harmless to birds and other wildlife. Plus, certain plants such as citronella and marigolds seem to have repellant qualities when planted. But be prepared with insect repellant, preferably one that includes a sunscreen. Mosquitoes are simply a fact of life here.

Radio show update: We’ll be talking about plants as insect repellant on this week’s radio show at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at www.blogtalkradio.com/Ms_Grow-It-All. Join us.

More on growing irises: Dael Jones, who has successfully grown bearded irises here and in Dallas, Texas, read last week’s column on growing irises and wrote to share additional tips.

“I have discovered that the main reason they do not thrive here is our high humidity and rainfall in the monsoon season. They will not tolerate continuously ‘wet feet’.” Build a raised bed (at least 12 inches high) and make the soil alkaline with the addition of lime if need be. Make certain the soil mixture is porous enough that it drains well and quickly. If a raised bed is out of the question, large containers will do and have the advantage of being moved to a less visible location when foliage declines.”

In addition, Dael recommends planting or transplanting only in August. One other note to remember: Iris rhizomes should be plant barely beneath the soil, so that the top is exposed. Planting too deeply will result in poor blooms, and the plant will spend its energy literally pulling its rhizome up to the surface.

“As a side note, geraniums suffer the same consequences as iris from "wet feet." Accidentally, I discovered that if I put them in a covered place (under wide eaves, porches, edge of carports, etc.) where the rains do not soak them for days, they will thrive.”

Even with all this care, irises “will not give as abundant blooms as in a climate/soil more suited to their requirements. If, however, you think they are as lovely as orchids, as I do, the effort to grow some is worth it.”

I agree. Thanks, Dael.

Growing irises in North Florida

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: I've grown iris successfully in other parts of the country, but I haven't figured out the secret here. Last fall I moved about 100 irises, which hadn't bloomed in a shady part of my new yard, to a plot of rich soil which gets about six hours of sun a day. The green leaves look very healthy (some of them are 3-4 feet tall) but I have gotten only two blooms even after I fed them a bedding plant mix. What should I do? Where have all the flowers gone?

A: There are several different kinds of irises that will grow here in the Big Bend/Eastern Panhandle of Florida. Those of us who grew up with bearded iris tend to think of them as “the iris,” no other name needed, so that was the first kind of iris that came to mind. You also don’t say in which parts of the country you grew irises successfully, so I’m going with my original guess of bearded iris. They grow vigorously in other parts of the country, but not so here.

Several gardeners I know have had the same problem, and it appears that our region offers barely enough “chill” hours to sustain the plants, but not enough to spur them to bloom regularly. As a result, the plants have to settle in for several seasons and even then, they bloom only sporadically. This past winter’s colder than normal temperatures resulted in better bearded iris blooms locally than we’ve seen in several years, but only for plants that had been established for a couple of years.

Your irises seem to be getting everything they need to perform as well as they can in our area – six hours of sun should be enough. Whatever you do, don’t fertilize them with any of the “bloom-buster” fertilizers that are high in phosphorus – the middle number in the three-number formula such as 10-10-10. Our area is naturally high in phosphorus, and any excess will simply run off, get in the storm-water drainage system and ultimately pollute our streams and springs, causing excess growth of algae.

Reminder: Ms. Grow-It-All’s Internet radio show has moved from Saturday mornings to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays. Go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ms_Grow-It-All to listen; you can call the number listed to join the conversation. If you can’t listen live, all shows are archived and available for download from my Web site, www.msgrowitall.com.

Use shears, not poison, on tree's suckers

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: I have a crape myrtle (Natchez, I think) that is about 10-15 years old. This year there is a cluster of 4 suckers under the tree. If I put Round-Up on the suckers, will it injure the host tree?

A: Most likely. Round-Up is a broad spectrum herbicide whose main ingredient is glyphosate. “Broad spectrum” means it doesn’t target only certain kinds of plants, the way some lawn “weed and seed” formulas do, but will attack whatever it comes into contact with. It’s sprayed on the leaves and absorbed into the plant. It also drips off the leaves and into the soil.

The suckers under your crape myrtle are growing off the base of the tree. If you think of them as new branches that are coming off the root instead of off the trunk, you’ll see that spraying them with Roundup is a bad idea. Use your pruning shears to snip off the suckers. If they’re still tender, hand pruners should do it. If they’ve already begun to develop into a woody trunk, use loppers.

Q: I did not fertilize last spring, I didn't use a “winterizer” fertilizer in early fall and I did not water during any prolonged drought during this past winter. Now I have extensive areas of dead centipede grass that have to be covered over. I live in a sandy area with little topsoil. Of those three lack of actions, please rank these lack of actions from most important to least.

A: Lack of watering is top of the list. I’m not sure any of the others really had anything to do with it. Turfgrass is tough and can bounce back once regular rains or regular watering resumes.

The “winterizer” fertilizer usually contains a pre-emergent herbicide to kill dormant weed seeds. If you have bare spots, the weeds are dead too – likely from lack of water. As for not fertilizing last spring, the main effect of that would have been on your lawn last summer. Was it healthy? If so, skipping a spring fertilizer application probably had little or no effect.

Many gardeners I know don’t fertilize their lawns at all, or do so only in spring. If you fertilize, you need to water more. Because your sandy soil lacks the capacity to hold water, it runs off rapidly. You need to water it regularly, whether you fertilize it or not.

Internet Radio Show: Ms. Grow-It-All’s Internet Radio Show on the Free World Radio Network has moved to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays. My guest host this week is Leon County forester Stan Rosenthal. We’ll be talking about preparing your landscape for hurricane season. Go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Ms_Grow-It-All to listen; you can call the number listed to join the conversation. If you can’t listen live, all shows are archived and available for download from my Web site, www.msgrowitall.com.

Daylily rust can be treated

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: I have dwarf reblooming daylilies with numerous buds on all but two plants. Those two have a yellow scale on the underside of numerous leaves that is visible on the top, too. Until now, these have been easy-care plants. I have them planted in full sun, and I water them with a drip hose from a well when it fails to rain for a week. What do you suggest?

A: What you’re seeing might be what’s called “daylily streak,” which is a minor leaf disease causing more yellowing than most gardeners find attractive. But from your description, I think the problem is daylily rust, which is more serious.

Daylily rust is a fungus that is spread by airborne spores. It was first discovered in the U.S. in 2000 here in Florida and in Georgia. Since then, it has spread to at least 30 other states. It starts out looking like a water spot, which spreads and forms small pustule in the center, which contains powdery spores that are spread by wind or movement of the plants. To the naked eye, the foliage has yellow streaks with rust-colored spots and smears.

Take a white facial tissue and rub it across the affected area. If a yellow-orange stain appears on the tissue, that’s a sign your plant has daylily rust -- Puccinia hemerocallidis.

The rust can be treated, but it is labor intensive. First you need to carefully remove infected foliage from the garden, remembering that movement of the plant spreads the spores. Put the foliage in a plastic bag, seal it and dispose of it in the trash. Don’t compost it or burn it.

Some gardeners advise removing all the foliage from that bed to contain the fungus. When the new foliage starts to grow, apply fungicide. The standard practice has been to apply two different fungicides on an alternating schedule.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Plant Industry recommends commercial growers use two of these four fungicides: propaconizole (sold under the trade name Banner Maxx); azoxystrobin (Heritage); flutolonil (Contrast); myclobutanil (Systhane). Be sure to follow all label directions and precautions.

That said, daylily rust won’t kill your plants; they just won’t perform as well or look as good as they otherwise would. It’s your choice how much effort you want to put into protecting daylilies from this disease.

One friend dug out her entire daylily bed and replaced the plants with daylily cultivars known to be resistant to rust. Reputable growers and local nurseries know which plants are resistant. Another friend simply removes the infected foliage when she sees it and accepts the fact that she has a little rust in her daylily bed.

Unfortunately, some of our most beloved cultivars, including Stella d’Oro, have been found to be susceptible to rust. Like rose gardeners, some daylily gardeners want a particular plant badly enough to do the work required to keep it healthy.

I suggest you remove the two infected plants and see how the others in that bed fare. You can always spray later if you think you need to. To minimize spore dispersal, place an open garbage bag over the plant and pull it out by the roots, then flip the bag right side up and tie it securely. Any spores should fall to the bottom of the trash bag.

Radio Show: Gardening with "found objects"

This week's show was about converting "found objects" into unusual planters and gardening containeres. The show was in conjunction with a demonstration on the same topic I gave at Tallahassee Nurseries a couple of weeks ago.

Reader suggestions for clearing new beds

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Last week’s column dealt with clearing weeds from an area in order to create a flower bed, and I suggested removing the weeds by hand. Two readers wrote with additional, and very different, suggestions.

“The best way to prepare a new bed is to mulch it heavily with hay. That will kill the weeds. Do not till. Do not use poisons. Continue to add more hay as it decomposes into the soil,” e-mailed Steven P. Christman, senior scientist and editor at Floridata.com, a very informative and useful local gardening Web site. A Florida master gardener with a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Florida, he has used this method in both vegetable and flower gardens.

Christman’s advice brings to mind one of my father’s favorite gardening books, “Gardening Without Work” by Ruth Stout, who also believed in the no-till method using hay. In addition to smothering weeds and saving your back, it also continuously improves the soil structure.

Bob Brown wrote to suggest using calcium cyanamide. “I have used this compound many times, and it is completely safe if handled correctly (i.e., with gloves),” Brown said in his e-mail. “It really does kill everything growing, plus dormant seeds. It is inexpensive and not ecologically dangerous to water systems as it breaks down to nitrate, which is readily used by the succeeding plants as a fertilizer, and leaves no residue. In lower doses, it is used as a commercial nitrate fertilizer.”

A Web site he recommended, http://www.improve-your-garden-soil.com/, gave the following description:

“Calcium cyanamide is a granular material that at first breaks down into substances poisonous to seeds but later converts into valuable nitrogen and lime. It is a grim coffin-gray in color and even looks poisonous to handle, but is safe if used as directed. The soil to be treated should be plowed or rotary tilled and leveled just before application. After 60 days you can plant seed, but disturb the soil surface as little as possible to avoid bringing up new weed seeds. The 60-day wait is one drawback to this material. Since soil should be warm during treatment, this means you have an unplanted lawn or garden during the major part of the growing period, which some gardeners find too unpleasant a sight to face.”

“A lawn I treated in this way four years ago came up without a single weed and, except for a few seeds blown in from the outside, has had no weeds since.”

This Web site is the personal project of a lifelong gardener named Robert Harris, who seems committed to helping fellow gardeners learn about the importance of soil. Our growing season is a bit longer than 60 days, but other than that, the information seems applicable here.

Radio Show: Keeping critters out of the garden

Today, our show focused on how to keep critters, both wild and domestic, out of your garden and planting beds. You can download the show by clicking on the link in the right rail for one week after broadcast; after that, go to my Home Page and click on the radio show archive link. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comment section below.

Skip 'Weed & Feed,' pull weeds from future beds

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: I have an area along a sidewalk path that I want to turn into a flower garden. Right now, it is covered in different weeds. Can I spray "Weed and Feed" on those weeds and remove them from the area after they die? After that, I want to add some manufactured soil mix and plant my flowers and cover them with pine straw. Will the "Weed & Feed" be impossible to remove from the soil and kill whatever I plant in that area?

A: Whether you’ll be able to remove the “Weed and Feed” from the soil is really a secondary issue to whether the product will remove the weeds, thus allowing you to plant flowers in the area. Most “Weed and Feed” products are intended to feed the predominant plant in a given area while killing or preventing the growth of other plants.

In the case of grassy areas, “Weed and Feed” blends for lawns fertilize turf grass while inhibiting the growth of weeds and/or killing those that are present. Read the label to make sure you’re using a blend that feeds your specific kind of grass.

“Weed and Feed” formulas for flower beds fertilize the plants that are actively growing in the bed while inhibiting seed germination, generally preventing the growth of new weeds but also stopping any flower seed from germinating. It requires removing the weeds that are already growing before applying to be effective.

Using any kind of “Weed and Feed” concoction without removing existing weeds will simply feed the weeds that are there and prevent any seeds in the soil – whatever they are – from germinating. Since you want to convert a weedy area into a flower garden, this is not the right product for the job.

The best way to remove the weeds from your future flower bed is to dig them out by hand. You can use a chemical weed remover – not a “Weed and Feed” but a weed killer -- but you’ll have to wait until the residue has washed out of the area before you plant. The label on the weed remover will tell you how long you need to wait after application before you plant, but it sometimes takes multiple applications to kill existing weeds – especially if there are a lot of them. This could take a while, so you’ll save time and money as well as going “greener” if you dig out the weeds.

Once you have the weeds out, you can amend the soil with peat moss or compost to improve its structure and quality. I’m not sure what you mean by “manufactured soil mix,” but it doesn’t sound like anything you want to put into the ground. Save it for containers.

Test soil before transplanting shrubs, trees

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: I have some sasanquas that are about three feet tall that I would like to transplant. I have tried three times and each time the shrub died. I get as large a root ball as I can and water them regularly but so luck so far. Any suggestions?

A: It could be one of several things, or a combination of them. Do the sasanquas like the new location? Sasanquas, which are a type of camellia, need partial shade and slightly acidic soil. Too much or too little sunlight will cause your shrubs to decline, as will a soil that’s alkaline. Make sure the new location meets the plant’s needs.

Before you transplant your shrubs, invest in a soil test. You can pick up everything you need – instructions, soil sample bags and a small cardboard box for mailing – at your county extension office; in Leon County, the extension office is at 615 Paul Russell Road. The cost is minimal and it’s much cheaper than the price of a new sasanqua.

If possible, prepare the entire planting bed instead of an individual planting hole. Spade or till 8 to 12 inches deep and mix inpeat, compost or other organic matter. Based on the results of your soil test, add any fertilizer, micronutrients or acidifying materials that might be needed.

When you dig the planting hole, make it two to three times the diameter of the root ball and just deep enough for the plant to sit at the same depth it did before. Don’t work the soil any deeper because it could cause the root ball to settle, which would make it too deep.

You say you water them regularly but what would be sufficient water for an established plant isn’t enough for one that has just been moved. Make sure you build a collar of soil around the plant, out about as far as the drip-line, to form a basin. This will direct water to the roots instead of allowing it to run off. And unless we’ve had plenty of rain, water it at least every other day so that the soil is moist to a depth of 12-14 inches. This will encourage deep root growth, which helps shrubs survive drought. Cover with a layer of mulch that’s 2 to 3 inches deep.

It’s a little late in the season to transplant sasanquas, the ideal time being November through February to allow the root systems to become established before summer heat arrives. If you decide to move them now, keeping your shrubs well-watered will be critical.

Radio Show: Recovering from the deluge

Today our show was broadcast live from Tallahassee Nurseries, where Ms. Grow-It-All was leading a workshop later in the morning on "Gardening in Found Objects." Our radio show topic today was helping your plants recover from extended, heavy rainfall, such as the deluge North Florida experienced earlier this week. It appears that most of the region received at least 8 inches of rain over three days. Landscape architect and horticulturist Rob Apsley, ASLA, of Macon, Ga., was our special guest.

Fertilize apples, citrus lightly if late

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL

Q: I have an apple tree (Golden Dorsett, as I remember) which had lots of apples last year. I read I should have fertilized in December but didn't. Now it has blooms. Should I wait until June or go ahead and fertilize it now? Another query: My orange tree, which is 8 to 10 years old, really got zapped this winter. It lost all but a few leaves but I think I see some little green buds coming out from the few green limbs that are left. Should I fertilize or withhold? I was afraid it couldn't take the shock of any fertilizer right now.

A: One of the great things about gardening in this region (Zones 8 and 9) is the ability to grow apples and other cool-climate fruit trees alongside citrus and other warm-climate fruit trees. The key is to get low-chill varieties of the former, such as Golden Dorsett and Anna apples, and cold-tolerant varieties of the latter. However, even citrus varieties considered “cold tolerant” were damaged in our colder-than-usual winter.

Your orange tree should have had its first fertilizer application of the year in February, with subsequent applications in May and August. Go ahead and fertilize it lightly now; it shouldn’t shock it if you don’t overdo it. Apply as normal in May and August.

As for your apple tree, there’s not a lot of existing research on fertilizer and apples in Florida, so I consulted Leon County Horticultural Extension Agent David Marshall. He said the standard application rate is one pound of a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 for each year of tree age, up to 15 pounds total per year. That total is divided between two applications in January and June. He recommended taking half the June fertilizer amount and applying it now, then applying the other half in June.

“It's not an exact science, but generally apples will benefit from fertilization and from watering when it's dry,” he said. “Of course, the best starting place for any plant and fertilization is doing a soil test first to find out what's already available to the plant. It's worth investing $7 in a soil test before spending $20 on a bag of fertilizer.”

More on camellia pruning: Melanie Klein read last week’s column about the camellia planted so close to the house that the homeowner can’t get behind it to paint, and she wrote to offer the following suggestion:

“I was wondering if the person with the overgrown camellia might, instead of getting rid of it, consider tree-forming it. That might allow access for painting the house and create a striking accent.”

Tree-forming, or pruning the camellia into a tree shape instead of the usual rounded bush shape, could be an option, depending on the distance to the house and roof. It’s worth exploring, especially if the camellia has sentimental value.

Radio Show: Preparing your lawn for Spring

That brown lawn might look dead, but chances are it's just dormant. Find out what you need to do -- and just as importantly, what you shouldn't do -- to ready your lawn for spring.

Overgrown camellia causing problems

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL®

Q: We have a camellia at the corner of our house that is probably 15 or 20 feet tall, and it’s blocking our access to paint the house on that side. Can we cut it back?

A: This is an example of planting a tree or shrub without taking into account how big it can get. Your camellia is obviously too close to the house. If it’s preventing you from painting the side of the house, it might be holding in moisture and contributing to rot.

As painful as it is to let a mature camellia go, that’s exactly what you need to do. If you cut it back, eventually you or the next homeowner will have the same problem. You can cut it back, dig it up and move it if you’re really attached to it, or you can plant another one a more appropriate distance from the house. Remember: Any plant in the wrong place is a weed.

More on bottlebrushes: A couple of weeks ago, a reader wanted advice on how to tell whether her bottlebrush trees had survived winter freezes. David McManus, assistant director of grounds at The Florida State University, wrote to say that while common types of Callistemon are susceptible to cold damage, one seems to recover quickly. In addition, there’s a cold-tolerant one.

“I love bottlebrushes but unfortunately the local nurseries often carry Callistemon viminalis (large weeping) and Callistemon citrinus (fast-growing upright), which are more tender than Callistemon rigidus, which is a slower grower with narrower leaves,” said McManus, who earned a horticulture degree at the University of Florida. “Those two are frequently hurt by hard freezes, but viminalis has made fast recoveries in past years” at Tallahassee Community College.

Although the literature says C. rigidus is hardy only to Zone 9 -- Central Florida and points south -- McManus said it is dependable throughout Zone 8. “I have been growing rigidus at my family’s farm near High Springs since the early '80's and at my home near Havana since 2000 and I have not seen any injury from cold,” he wrote.

“Woodlander’s Hardy” is a cultivar that reportedly has high cold tolerance, he said, although he has never grown it.

Hummingbirds love Callistemon, so a cold-hardy variety is a treasure for gardeners wanting to attract hummers.

More on fertilizing dogwood trees: Last week’s column answered a reader’s specific question about the best time to apply fertilizer to dogwood trees. My answer might have left the impression that you must fertilize your dogwood trees, and that’s not true. If you want your trees to grow faster, apply fertilizer. But if you picked a good location that meets the trees’ needs and have good soil with adequate moisture, they’ll grow just fine without fertilizer. Many gardeners tend to overuse fertilizer, and the excess runs off and pollutes our springs, rivers and trees. If you use fertilizer, use a light hand.

Care and feeding of dogwoods

By Audrey Post
MS. GROW-IT-ALL®

Q: I use fertilizer spikes to feed my dogwood trees. Is now the right time to put out the spikes? Q: Can I plant a dogwood tree on my property at the coast?

A: Flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, is one of the heralds of spring, and you can see it starting to bloom throughout the Deep South right now. The flowers are inconspicuous clusters of yellow fuzz in the center of four bracts that make up what we think of as the dogwood blossom. White is the most common bract color, but there are cultivars with pink or red bracts. In fall, the leaves turn red or maroon, and the color is more vivid the farther north you go. The red berries are favored by birds and other wildlife.

It’s a popular tree for the home landscape, particularly as a patio shade tree, but it is susceptible to pests and disease, including dogwood anthracnose. The best way to prevent the disease is to keep the tree well-watered in times of drought and to avoid overhead watering.

Although it can take full sun, it really performs best with afternoon shade. Many people use it as an understory tree, but too much shade can make the tree grow too tall too fast, weakening the structure. Too much shade also reduces the number of flowers.

A dogwood can’t take salt, either in the air or in the water. It’s not a good choice for coastal property.

Dogwoods should be fertilized three times a year for the first three to five years after being planted, in March, May and August in Zones 8a and 8b, with a slow-release 12-4-8 or 15-5-15 formula. Calculate the area under the tree’s drip-line, the farthest point from the trunk where water drips off the leaves, and apply one-half pound for every 500 square feet of area. Spread the fertilizer a little beyond the drip-line.

Trees in Zones 7 and 6 need only two feedings a year, March or April and July. Once trees are established, they don’t need fertilizing if they’re growing where nearby lawn or shrubs are fertilized.

Different brands of fertilizer spikes have different strengths, so follow the directions that come with the package.

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.

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.