Question. I am trying to avoid the increased cost of small pots of petunias and would like to grow them from seed, but the seeds are so small. What should I do?
Answer. All garden center plants have greatly increased in cost due to higher prices for supplies and labor at the nurseries. You may notice petunia and other flower and vegetable seeds are also more expensive. One petunia seed of the newer varieties can cost about fifty cents. Older varieties are much cheaper but can be as much as a nickel. Yes, petunia seeds are small, about twice the size of a period at the end of a sentence. Some companies offer pelleted individual seeds to make sowing easier. Use a germination mix in which to sow petunia and other small seeds. Scatter them lightly across the mix. Do not cover, but use a misting bottle to gently water the surface, which slightly moves the seeds into the mix. Keep moist, and germination should occur within 7-10 days. Transplant to individual small containers when two to four leaves are present on the seedlings. Fertilize with a liquid product for flowers mixed at half strength every other week when the seedlings start growing.
Q. I have a tall crape myrtle that fills with Spanish moss. I had the moss removed once, but it grew back. I don’t want to cut the tree form back, so what can I do?
A. Could there be a love affair between crape myrtles and Spanish moss? It often fills these shrubs and tree forms. Sometimes, the moss totally envelops crape myrtles, which seem to cause their decline. Actually, these crape myrtles are probably already in decline or not very vigorous, and the Spanish moss takes advantage of the weak limbs to make good growth. Moss can be pulled from crape myrtles. Some use a rake to reach the moss and pull it out. Moss is also susceptible to copper fungicides. If sprayed on the shrubs or tree forms, it will slowly cause the moss to decline and gradually drop off the plants. Should you want to use this treatment, obtain a product labeled for crape myrtles or ornamentals and follow the instructions for use on these plants.
The Plant Doctor: Golden rain tree provides fall vibes in Florida
Q. We did not do much pruning during the summer months, and our trees have low-hanging branches. Can we remove them at this time?
A. Feel free to do this needed pruning on normally hardy trees and shrubs. Only plants that produce growth that could be damaged by freezes would be best not given a major pruning until mid to late February. But, even cold-sensitive plants could have out-of-bounds or lower limbs removed as needed.
Q. I am raising a good crop of corn, but caterpillars are feeding on the leaves. What can I spray that won’t affect the ears I eventually harvest?
A. Brown dingy moths are flying in to lay eggs that produce the larvae or caterpillars you are finding in your corn planting. Sometimes, wasps come to gather the caterpillars and take them back to their nests, which is a good natural control. But, when the damage and pests are extensive, a spray may be needed. Gardeners can use the natural spinosad-containing insecticides. They are of low toxicity, and most are labeled for use in organic plantings. This insecticide can be found at independent garden centers under the Bonide, Fertilome or Southern Ag labels in products for caterpillar control. Just follow the label for proper application.
Q. Azalea bushes in front of our home have become overgrown – we did not prune them this year. Can you give me some hints on trimming?
A. Why not wait until after the winter through spring blooms are over? Major trimming now would remove the flower buds that have formed and are starting to swell at the ends of the shoots. You could remove errant shoots that have grown out of bounds as they seldom have flower buds present. The next major pruning time for azaleas is usually April through May. You can then reduce the height and width of the plantings as needed. This is also a good time to remove some of the older stems and declining portions. Opening up the shrubs a little allows new vigorous shoots to develop that are resistant to pest problems that often cause whole plants to decline.
Q. I noticed one of my trees has a web on the trunk and some of the branches. Do I need to treat it?
A. Maybe your tree is getting a head start on its Halloween disguise, or maybe this is the work of some scary but harmless psocid insects. My guess is this is the latter, and these insects, often called tree cattle, have been quite active during the summer and early fall. The small insects resemble leaf hoppers when you spot them in the trees. Often, all gardeners see are the webs spun by psocids to rear their young. If you don’t like their decorating, use a strong stream of water to dislodge the webbing. Otherwise, it can be ignored
Q. I have a Bahia lawn that is filling with yellow flowering oxalis. What is the best way to eliminate this weed?
A. Yellow flowered oxalis with clover-like leaves might make a pretty ground cover, but not if you are trying to grow a Bahia lawn. This weed is built to multiply, sporting rocket-like capsules that can propel seeds ten feet or more. The trick is to get the plants under control before they send out the next generation into the surrounding lawn. Select a liquid weed control product to control broadleaf weeds like oxalis in your Bahia lawn. When applied as labeled, the broadleaf weeds should begin to curl their leaves and fade away. Heavily infested areas may need a second application following label instructions, but you can beat the oxalis.
Tom MacCubbin is an urban horticulturist emeritus with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write him: Orlando Sentinel, P.O. Box 2833, Orlando, FL. 32802. Email: TomMac1996@aol.com.
