Question: My coleus plants have been making good growth and many are producing stalks of small flowers. Do I need to remove the blooms or can they remain on the plants? I kind of like them.
Answer: If you like them keep them. Flowering of coleus can continue for months and some stalks eventually develop seeds which you can use to grow more plants. Gardeners who object to the clusters of small bluish blooms can prune them off as needed. Trimming of the flower stalks usually caused the plants to branch and become more compact which may be needed when coleus take an open growth habit or become too tall and lanky. Allowing the flowers to mature and set seeds can be fun. Sow the seed across a tray of potting soil and cover very light. The new plants may resemble the parent plan…
Question: My coleus plants have been making good growth and many are producing stalks of small flowers. Do I need to remove the blooms or can they remain on the plants? I kind of like them.
Answer: If you like them keep them. Flowering of coleus can continue for months and some stalks eventually develop seeds which you can use to grow more plants. Gardeners who object to the clusters of small bluish blooms can prune them off as needed. Trimming of the flower stalks usually caused the plants to branch and become more compact which may be needed when coleus take an open growth habit or become too tall and lanky. Allowing the flowers to mature and set seeds can be fun. Sow the seed across a tray of potting soil and cover very light. The new plants may resemble the parent plant or have new leaf colors and growth habits. You may develop your own varieties to propagate from cuttings.
Q. Snails abound in my garden. How might I eradicate them?
A. Both snails and slugs are numerous in many gardens and landscapes at the end of a damp, rainy season. Slime trails are easy to spot on sidewalks and pavers early in the morning. A few snails and slugs, commonly known as mollusks, can be tolerated as they feed on plant debris and help eliminate it from landscapes. Often they do feed on the soft foliage and fruits of plants, too, which is when they can become a problem. One control is to track them down and drop them in a container of rubbing alcohol. Slugs can often be lured into a shallow container of beer where they drown and can be eliminated. If the population of snails and slugs is too excessive, apply iron phosphate-containing baits near the affected plants or areas of concern. Even though these products are reportedly of low toxicity and considered a natural control, they should be applied only as needed and following label instructions.
Q. I have a 4-foot-tall tangerine tree planted for several years that it is not growing bigger or branching out. I have been told to check the roots. Should I look at the roots or give up on it totally?
Plant Doctor: Sow pansies now to enjoy a panoply of colors in cooler months
A. Most likely the roots do hold the answer to why your tree is not making normal growth. An email photo shows what appears to be an otherwise healthy tree with some sign of a slight nutrient deficiency. You might dig down to see what the roots are doing. It is possible they are still in their original root ball and not growing out into the surrounding soil. Actually, it is probably time to dig this tree and replant it during the cooler, late fall months so it might reestablish during the winter through spring months. What seems to be an extreme treatment may cause the tree to decline but it’s probably the only way to stimulate growth and try to save the tree.
Q. My lemon tree develops white lines in the leaves no matter what I use as a control. What should I do? Should I cut the affected leaves off?
A. Timing of the spray is critical to control citrus leafminers. By the time white tunnels are noted the insects have likely left the trees. A horticultural oil or spinosad-containing spray give good, natural control but you have to apply them when the leafminers first affect the plants. Make an application following label instructions when new growth begins and the leaves are no more than an inch long. While leafminer damage is not very pretty, major portions of most leaves remain green and continue to produce food to feed the trees. Since the insects have usually left the leaves there is little use removing the affected foliage. The damage looks threatening but the trees seem to tolerate leafminers and continue to bear a crop.
Q. My young herb plants grow fine but get tall and fall over. I baby them in a room with skylights and do lots of misting. What is the problem?
A. Skylights provide adequate light for our indoor enjoyment but not enough for plants that need a sunnier location. Most herbs are full sun or highlight dwellers. The fact your plants have grown tall and lanky says the light level is too low for good growth. Grow your plants in a full sun location for the fall through spring months. Skip misting your plants. When the soil begins to dry, water the surface with a thorough sprinkling rather than keeping the foliage damp — which can lead to rot problems. Fertilize growing plants every two to three weeks with a liquid product made for herbs or vegetables.
Q. Several of our azalea plants have died. When is the best time to plant their replacements?
A. Less stressful fall through early spring weather is a good time to add replacement azaleas. If you purchase plants in bloom you are sure to have the colors needed to match the present plantings. Do try to determine why your previous plantings failed. Often the soil acidity needs adjustment before planting. Also, new azaleas require frequent watering to keep their root balls and surrounding soil moist. New plants need about a year of consistent care to become established.
Q. About six weeks ago my very full 14-foot loquat tree sprouted blossoms on one branch. Weeks went by with nothing and now there are blossoms on more branches. Can you shed light on what could be going on?
A. Most likely your tree is normal and reacting to environmental or cultural conditions. Normal flowering time is fall through early winter so many of the branches should be producing the terminal blooms. Young trees can be a bit erratic but as they mature they should become a more consistent bloomer. Possibly a period of dry weather followed by rains stimulated the one branch to produce early blooms. Or maybe the one branch received more shade to make it think shorter days had arrived. Nevertheless you appear to now have a normal tree that is getting back on schedule.
*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. *