| Fertilize
& Disease Control |
|
Roses
|
Roses need lots of water now to
strengthen the stalks
and leaves for new blooms. Continue
fertilizing roses this month. See Pat Welsh’s Southern California Gardening Book for
details about method options. Feed again on the same date this month
that you marked on the calendar last month. Increase watering early
in the morning at the root base to up to three times a week, giving
them about 1.5 inches of water at a time to keep the leaves dry.
Either wash off aphids with a hose or
control them with systemics such as Bayer Rose and Flower Care,
Insect Concentrate or Ready-to-Use, which are safer than sprays if
roses aren’t near food plants. Find a product with BT to help you
control caterpillars. Follow all safety instructions when using any
chemicals.
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Cymbidiums
|
These
Asian orchids need to be kept moist but not soggy. Misting the
leaves or using a drip system in interior areas can be beneficial.
Watering once or twice a week on the coast should be fine. Until the end of
summer keep them in semi-shade then late summer, move them where they
will get more light. They can be kept under shade cloth all year.
When the
flowers finish, cut off the bloom spikes and start feeding them with
a 30-10-10 liquid or 20-10-5 slow-release tablets or
liquid fertilizer high in nitrogen for growth once or twice a month. Black
marks on the leaves and pseudobulbs are a sign of fungus from too
much shade and/or over watering.
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|
Camellias and Azaleas
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Camellias
should be pruned and lightly fed after they finish blooming. They
should have been fed twice by now, at six-week intervals, starting in May. This is the last feeding they will need this the year.
Azaleas need feeding only twice a
year. Once when they've finished blooming and not again until late
September. If they begin to fade in mid-summer, they can be fed
lightly, but they can easily die when overfed.
Feed both of these plants with a
fertilizer especially for Camellias and Azaleas available
at Dixieline by Best or Schultz. Follow the package directions.
Neither should have the soil disturbed under them as they have very
fine feeder roots that can be damaged too easily.
If the leaves on either of these
plants become yellow with dark green veins they are showing a lack
of iron–chlorosis. Make sure the soil isn't too moist. Treatment
with a foliar product that contains iron, manganese and zinc as your
soil may be too alkaline which blocks these nutrients.
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|
Tuberous
Begonia |
While in bloom, tuberous begonias have
voracious appetites. Feed them weekly with an 8-8-8 balanced
fertilizer or slow-release 14-14-14. Let them dry out before
watering and be sure not to over water them. Deadhead them but leave
the stems on. When they fall off, then remove them.
Watch for white spots on the leaves.
This is a powdery mildew which can be controlled with an
antitranspirant. Protect them from snails and slugs. |
|
Fuchsias |
You should be enjoying beautiful
fuchsia blooms now. To encourage more blooms, feed them with a
well balanced fertilizer high in nitrogen. Don't water too much, but
keep the soil from drying out. Combat cabbage loopers with BT, Bayer
Rose and Flower for spider mites and whiteflies and Sevin for rust
mites. Always consider purchasing beneficial insects at nurseries
too. |
|
Gardenias |
If you are having problems with bud drop
or whiteflies on your gardenias, consider the location of the plant.
If it is close to a wall, porch or patio, temperature may be the
problem. Control thrips with Diazinon or Malathion from Greenlight. Use a
systemic only as a last resort. |
|
Bougainvillea |
If you've recently planted a
bougainvillea, they are fragile and should be handled with great
care. Once established they are drought resistant and robust. Feed them
monthly with a well
balanced fertilizer from April through August until they are three-years-old. |
|
Water
Lily |
Fertilizing water plants is a little
more work than feeding other plants. It often means getting
physically into the pond with the plants. Be sure to wear
protective clothing and long rubber gloves. Some types of algae can
be absorbed into the skin and produce allergic reactions. Water
lilies should be fertilized every 4 to 6 weeks from April through
August. You can find fertilizer pellets specifically for water
lilies which are
slow release. The rule of thumb is to use approximately between five
and ten grams of a good fertilizer such as 10-20-10 for every gallon
of soil. See the Purchase and Plant and Pruning sections for more
information. |
|
Tropicals and
Subtropicals |
Tropical and subtropical plants should
be fertilized while they are growing during the summer
months. Refer to
a book for specifics as each have individual needs. For more
information, see our Purchase and Plant section. |
|
Cactus
and Euphorbias |
Mix a complete fertilizer with water in a watering
can and apply around the roots following the directions on the
package. Container-grown plants should be fed 1 tablespoon per
gallon once a month or 1 teaspoon per gallon every three of four
waterings during their growing season. Allow them to dry out between
watering and ensure there is good drainage. |
|
Bromeliads |
Feed bromeliads at one-third or half
strength for other plants with a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer every
two to three weeks throughout the summer. Apply around the roots and
put a little in the cup. Mist plants occasionally with the solution
for best results. |
|
Epiphyllums |
Most of the year these tree-dwelling
plants are tucked away in the shade. Keep them in a semi-shady spot
and feed regularly with a balanced liquid fertilizer 8-8-8 or
Liquinox Fish Emulsion through the summer. Add a high bloom formula occasionally and keep watch for when they need water. If it is damp when you poke your
finger down into the soil an inch or two don't water them. Water
only until you see it beginning to drain out of the container. If
it's rainy, don't water at all. It's best to
use a drip system if possible. |
|
Insect
Pests
and Beneficials |
There are plenty of hungry
caterpillars and worms out now. Spray with a product containing BT,
such as Safer Caterpillar Killer, if you're having a serious problem
controlling them.
Whiteflies are difficult to
get rid of as they develop and multiply quickly, thus allowing them
a natural resistance to pesticides. The larvae is what actually
weakens the plant by sucking the juices. Spiders
and ladybugs can be effective if introduced early enough. Keeping your plants well-fed, healthy, free from ants and stocked
with beneficial insects is the best way to keep whiteflies down. If
the problem is extreme, try 2-in-1 Systemic Rose and Flower Care
from Bayer.
Birds and insects spread
fuchsia mites which attack new growth, distort buds and foilage and
turn the flowers red. Some varieties are resistant, but others such
as jingle bells and marinka are more susceptible. They can usually
be controlled with beneficials, but if the infestation is serious,
cut out the infected parts and dispose of them in the trash. Spray
with Sevin at least twice, two to three weeks apart. Mix it with a
miticide to prevent killing all the beneficials.
Spider mites can damage and sometimes
kill plants by sucking out the juices. They are tiny reddish or
black spider-like insects and will leave a fine webbing over, around and
under leaves and twigs. Sometimes fertilizing will overcome the
mites without spraying. Use a miticide such as Houseplants and
Garden Insect Spray by Schultz to combat heavy
infestations.
If you have beans, gardenia,
gladioli, marguerite or roses with distorted leaves and scratches on
the stems, you may have a problem with thrips. Use chemicals
only as a last resort and only on ornamentals. Try diatomaceous
earth, introduce beneficial insects or wash the plants with an insecticidal soap. Again,
keeping your garden area clean is the first defense.
Follow all safety instructions
when using any chemicals.
Some beneficial insects like
ladybugs and green lacewings can be a great help in
controlling insect pests and can be purchased at nurseries now. Apply by small spoonfuls in the cool
evening hours, especially on fuchsias. Look through a
catalog and send away for lacewings, predatory mites and other
beneficial insects. Birds and bats eat many insects that can harm
your garden, so encourage them. Welcome spiders and hold back on
chemicals. |
|
Citrus
and
Avocado Trees |
Water
citrus trees deeply every two to three
weeks. To avoid fungus disease (gumosis) be careful not to water the
trunk. Let the hose run slowly on the ground about a third of the
way from the trunk to that far past the drip line. Make sure there
is a nice water basin to contain the water which will ensure the
feeder roots get enough water.
Water avocado trees with a slow
sprinkler starting at about two feet from the trunk all around and
under the branches. Though not susceptible to gummosis, they are
prone to root rot if the soil is poorly drained or too wet.
Pests are active now. Watch for aphids, mealy bugs, rust and silver mites and wooly whitefly. You
may need a magnifying glass to see them and if necessary, consult a
book about controlling citrus pests. Don’t spray
with malathion when blooming—you'll have flowers,
but no fruit.
Washing citrus trees can help prevent
or rid them of pests. Use an insecticidal soap. The
leaves can be hand-washed with ultra fine oil in extreme cases. Cut the tips of any
branches that touch the ground to help prevent ants. Don’t cut too
much, the trunk needs the branches to protect it from sunburn.
Regular commercial spraying is best to get rid of ants.
Snails especially
like orange trees. Remove any you find and clip off any leaves that
touch the
ground.
Tip: putting a copper band around the
tree trunk prevents snails from crawling up. |
|
conifers
|
To keep conifers healthy, don’t plant
them in soggy or areas with poor drainage. Irrigate them regularly and
fertilize with nitrogen from early spring to late fall, especially
when it’s hot and dry. Bark beetles can kill Monterey cypress and
Monterey pines suddenly. If trees appear sick, look for drill holes
and sap mixed with boring dust around the bark. Peel the bark around
the hold and you can see where they live and reproduce. A
professional may be able to save the tree, but sprays won’t cure
the problem. If you must remove the tree, don’t pile the wood near
healthy tress, the beetles may spread. Don’t prune now, wait until
late fall.
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|
Vegetables
|
Most crops will benefit from a boost of
nitrogen at about half way through the season (with the exception of
beans). Beans only need nitrogen if they are growing slowly; too much
nitrogen will stop them from producing. When corn begins to tassle
out, fertilize them. Once tomatoes start to bloom then side-dress
them. Keep vegetables side-dressed now especially if they are
yellowing or slowing down in growth. Most importantly, water deeply and regularly. They need
about 1" of water a week.
Use a slug and snail product recommended
for the vegetable garden to protect lettuce. You can also bait the
perimeter and cut them off at the pass. Leaflhoppers carry disease and
if necessary treat them with diatomaceous earth. Unfortunately this
may kill some beneficial insects as well. By planting herbs and marigolds in
with your vegetables you can confuse and cut down on insect pests.
Consult a vegetable gardening book to see what herbs will work best
in your vegetable garden.
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|
Tomatoes
|
Indeterminate tomatoes will continue to
grow until the cold weather stops them. Stop pinching the suckers
back once they get to the top of your 8' stakes. Tie a wooden stake
horizontally over the stakes to hold up long weak vines. To increase
pollination and encourage large, evenly shaped tomatoes, continue to
hit the stakes or cages mid-day with a hammer. If you prefer less seeds and more meat, discontinue "rattling their
cages" now. Pick them when they are red and ripe. See our
Pruning section for more information. |
|
Warm
&
Cool
Season
Grasses
|
Lightly fertilize cool-season lawns with
a half pound of fertilizer per every 1,000 square feet of grass if
needed to keep it nice and green. Warm-season grasses should be fed
during their growing season. The exception is Adalayd grass which
should be fed in June and July but not during the heat of the later
months.
To keep dichondra healthy and thick
feed it lightly every three weeks. If you have had any problems,
including a pest and disease control is very important. Use
fertilizer formulated for dichondra or use regular lawn food at half
strength.
Feed established zoysia 2-3 lbs of
fertilizer per 1,000 square feet with nitrogen when its color
dimishes.
It is key with any grass as it gets
hot to water deeply and infrequently. Preferably early in the day.
Keeping it mowed to the correct height for each variety will also
keep it healthy, protected from the hot sun and will cut down on
pest problems. |
