With summer just around the corner (and summer-like heat already here) it’s time to:
Plant
• Container-grown trees, shrubs and vines. Keep new plantings well-watered during the summer months.
• Palms. Water regularly through summer and fall.
• Tropicals including allamanda, amaranth, bougainvillea, caladium, clerodendrum, copper plant, croton, desert rose, hibiscus, lantana, mandevilla, plumbago and plumeria.
• Summer bedding plants including ageratum, balsam, celosia, cleome, cockscomb, coleus, dusty miller, dwarf dahlia, gazania, impatiens, marigold, morning glory, ornamental pepper, pentas, periwinkle, heat-resistant petunia, portulaca, purslane, salvia, strawflower, sunflower, verbena, wax begonia and zinnia.
• Flower seeds in open ground, including alyssum, balsam, cockscomb, late cosmos, marigold, periwinkle, portulaca and zinnia
Prune and pinch
• Remove faded flowers on annuals, roses and other flowering plants to encourage re-bloom.
• Remove blooms on caladiums for better foliage.
• Groom azaleas by cutting long suckers back to the stem. Do not prune as the plants are setting their buds.
• Continue to pinch back 3 to 4 inches, as needed, on begonias, chrysanthemums, coleus, copper plants and other leggy plants.
• Remove stems of irises and amaryllis after bloom, retaining healthy foliage. If desired, foliage of Louisiana irises may be cut back in June or when it begins to droop. Mulch rhizomes heavily to avoid sunscald, and water regularly.
• Cut poinsettias back about one-third in late June or early July to encourage branching.
• To encourage a second or third flowering of crepe myrtles, remove flowers after the first bloom has peaked. Flowering will cease when seed pods are allowed to form.
• Prune freeze damaged citrus trees. Remove water sprouts.
Fertilize
• Palms with balanced fertilizer such as 12-12-12
• Summer-blooming perennials, bulbs, tropical plants and bedding plants monthly with a granular product or twice-monthly with a water-soluble fertilizer such as 20-20-20. If using Osmocote or other timed-release granular product, apply somewhat more frequently than package label states.
• Flowering plants in hanging baskets and other containers weekly or twice monthly with a liquid fertilizer such as 20-20-20. Dilute the product for ferns.
• Shrubs, trees and vines in outdoor containers monthly with a liquid fertilizer
• Established roses monthly with commercial rose fertilizer or other recommended products
• Blackberries and strawberries with bone meal and cottonseed meal
Pest control
• If needed during humid weather, continue a regular spray program every 5 to 7 days to prevent black spot, powdery and downy mildew, and botrytis on hybrid tea roses, using a non-toxic product such as Safer Garden Fungicide. For severe fungal disease, spray with a fungicide such as Funginex every 7-10 days. Alternating weekly with a second or third fungicide is also recommended. Most old roses do not require this kind of spray. Many modern roses are disease and fungus resistant and do not require spraying.
• Cultivate soil only when foliage is dry to reduce spread of disease.
• Inspect ajuga and violets for crown rot. To control, remove diseased plants and surrounding soil. Before adding new plant material, drench soil in bed with Terraclor or a similar product according to label directions.
• Inspect roses weekly (or daily) to remove and collect in a zip-lock bag leaves affected by fungal diseases. Burn the leaves to prevent spread of disease.
• Treat chlorosis (yellowing between the veins of new foliage due to iron deficiency) in azaleas, camellias, gardenias, etc. by applying a chelated iron compound according to label directions.
• Control slugs and snails by sprinkling commercial bait at the base of tender plants.
Doing some grilling
• For the closing class in the Know to Grow spring series, a representative from Weber Grill will be demonstrating the grills today, beginning at 8 a.m. Keep in touch for the new upcoming series of classes. For information, contact Lindsey at 264-1418.
Start an orchid collection
• See hundreds of fascinating orchids submitted by members for judging and offered for sale by venders when the Acadian Orchid Society presents the 2014 Orchid Show and Sale June 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and June 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Ira Nelson Horticulture Center, 2206 Johnston St., Lafayette.
• The orchid family is one of the largest and most diverse plant groups in the world. Judges from the American Orchid Society will be present earlier in the week to judge the array of orchids submitted by area members for the event. Members will be available to answer questions on orchid culture and to assist buyers in selecting plants. The event is free to the public.
Build a garden from the ground up, easy as 1,2,3
• Hear Tina Jumonville present a lecture on the basics of landscape design June 14, 10 a.m., at the Second Saturday Gardening Class, Green T. Lindon School Cafeteria, 603 Avenue B, Youngsville. Tina is licensed as a Landscape Horticulturist and Certified Professional by the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association. She is also a Master Gardener. Her presentation will cover the basics of gardening from planning site, soil, drainage and irrigation to actual garden design. For further information, please contact Jackie Carlisi at 337-277-0027 or Sherlyn Larrison at 985-513-2777.
Clean Streams series begins June 10th
• The Bayou Vermilion Preservation Association announces “Clean Streams”, a three-part free monthly lecture series for the summer. The first of three important topics to be covered is Vermilion Water Quality and How We Test It, June 10.
• The second two topics, of particular interest to gardeners, are Plants That Soak Up and Slow the Flow, July 8;, and Right Fertilizer, Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place, August 12. Reservations are requiredat BayouVermilionPreservation.org
Visit www.acadianagardening.com to search back columns. To send questions or comments, or for information on purchasing Ann’s books, e-mail ajustice@bellsouth.net
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