Question. Everyone seems to grow sunflowers but I planted two packets of seed and got nothing. How deep do you plant the seeds, and will birds eat them?
Answer. Birds, squirrels and other critters love sunflower seed but you should see signs of digging to obtain their food. Make sure the seed obtained is fresh and has been stored in an air-conditioned room prior to purchase. Some stores have been observed with seed racks outdoors where the seed can deteriorate in the heat and humidity. You must try again with fresh seeds, but this time plant one seed in each small container filled with potting soil. Plant the seeds about a half inch deep and keep them moist. Locate the sown containers in a sunny but critter-free area. When the seedlings are about a foot tall, transplant them to the garden site to grow the flowers.
Q. My tibouchina has grown quite tall but is flowering. Can I prune it now?
A. Why not enjoy the blooms a bit longer, even though the plants may be tall and somewhat out of bounds? You can remove a few of the longer shoots if you wish, but leave most to flower. Tibouchina, also called princess flower, is cold-sensitive and could be affected during the winter. Delay major pruning until mid-to-late February when plant size can be reduced and cold damage removed.
Q. I planted a seedling found under a fruit-bearing loquat that has grown to 30 feet tall but has not produced fruits. Is there such a thing as a male loquat tree?
A. Loquat trees have male and female flowers on the same tree, but they may take their time coming into bloom. Fall through early winter is flowering time, so trees that are going to produce fruits this year are already in bloom. Seeding trees are quite variable and may need more time than named varieties to come into production. All eventually flower and produce fruit.
Q. Our bird of paradise starts to form flowers, but the buds never fully open. What can I do to get better blooms?
A. Blooms that don’t fully open may have a pest problem or need a little more cultural care. Start by looking for mealybugs or similar insects within the buds. If present, apply an insecticide label for the pest noted. You may have to remove all buds hiding in insects and protect new, unopened buds with the insecticide. Next, make sure the soil is moist. Watering once or twice a week is normally adequate during the dry times. Also, apply a slow-release fertilizer with minor nutrients in March, May and early October. It may take until spring to start reviving your bird of paradise, but you should eventually get the flowers you remember.
Q. We have a Meyer lemon that has produced good fruit in the past, but this year there are only a few, and the leaves are crinkled. Some have a black coating. What is needed?
A. It sounds like there are going to be slim pickings this year as the Meyer lemon crop should be ripening over the next few months, and then trees flower again in spring. Let’s give your tree a slight overhaul to get it back to good production. It appears the symptoms noted are caused by insects. Most likely, leaf miners and scale insects are at fault. Start the new care program with a horticultural oil spray for citrus to control most insects and help remove the black sooty mold coating. Then, when new growth is noted, apply a natural insecticide containing spinosad. This later insecticide is found in Bonide, Fertilome and Southern Ag products. Also, don’t forget that fertilizer applications are needed in March, May, August and early October. Follow all label instructions with these products.
Q. This year, my plumeria did not get the rust as we applied a control, but it has white cottony-like stuff along the upper stems and on the back of the leaves. What is it, and what should I do for the plant?
A. You have solved one common plumeria pest problem, and now there is one left to control. An included email photo made it clear mealy bugs are dining on your plant. As noted, most activity was on the back of the leaves and upper stems in the bud areas. Try a horticultural oil spray that is directed at the insects to obtain control. Be sure to hit the stems where the insects can live when the leaves drop during late fall and winter. Remove the leaves from the ground and discard. If needed, some systemic sprays to apply to the foliage, stems or to the ground are available. Follow label instructions for proper use of the product selected.
Q. Now that the weather is turning cooler, when is the time to sow my annual ryegrass seed?
A. There is often a chill in the evening and morning air, but it’s still quite hot during the day. Wait until the days are consistently in the 70s to lower 80s to make the ryegrass sowing. When the weather is hot and the turf becomes moist, a disease often called cottony blight can cause the young ryegrass to decline. This temporary turf loves the cold but not the hotter weather. Late November to early December would likely be a good time to make the sowing.
Q. I would like to plant the spring flowering bulbs in Florida. Do I refrigerate tulips and crocus before planting?
A. It’s a bit of a chore, but most northern spring flowering bulbs need a cold treatment in the refrigerator to bloom locally. Some gardeners simply set the bagged bulbs in the refrigerator for about 12 weeks. Others prefer to plant the bulbs in containers where they appear to make some growth while receiving the cold treatment. If in containers, they do need to be kept moist. Here is a bit of a complication. There cannot be flowers, fruits or vegetables in the refrigerator at the same time. These give off a gas that can cause the maturing flower buds to abort. After the cold treatment, loose bulbs are planted in the ground, and containers of bulbs are set in areas where they are to bloom.
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.
