************************************************************* GARDENING IN BY 1. Crabgrass
control: We have had some warm
temperatures but it is still too early to apply pre-emergence Crabgrass
control. Crabgrass control with slow release fertilizer should be
put on around Arbor Day (4th Friday in 2. ROSES: “Mancozeb is
a good fungicide to spray the canes and soil after you prune.
That seems to kill blackspot spores that lurk in the mulch.” Reprinted by
permission from the Lincoln Rose Society “THE ROSE LEAF”, March
2009, 3. ASPARAGUS 4. PRUNE
CHRISTMAS CACTUS: Do you ever prune your Christmas, Thanksgiving, or
Easter cactus? I have all three kinds of cacti. My Easter cactus is
about done blooming now. The others did at the appropriate time. New
blooms are found each year on new growth so now is the time to prune.
You don’t have to prune them as they will develop new growth from the
terminal ends of the stems. However, I like to have small and very bushy
plants so I pinch off some of the growth each year back to a node. I try
to go back to a node where I have two leaves coming out. This keeps my
plant small and bushy so I can display them in the living room. Also
these cacti do not like to be repotted and are not real cactus so need a
regular good potting mix and not a cactus mix. After pruning I start
fertilizing for the summer so I have good growth and lots of blooms. On the radio
last Sunday a retired Extension Educator that gardens in zone #5 (same
as southeast and south central ·
Prune at least one node in ·
Place outside on Memorial
Day. ·
Bring inside on Labor Day
and put in a dark location for 4 to 6 weeks to stimulate flowering. ·
Repot every 10 years. ·
Feed all summer long with a
water soluble fertilizer. 5. Amaryllis: Another question I get this time of year is,
“What do I do with my Amaryllis now?” I have one new Amaryllis plant
that bloomed during the holidays. When the flower died I cut the stock
off, then took the plant to the walkout basement and placed it with the
houseplants growing in front of the south window.
The long strap like leaves I left as they are feeding the bulb so
I will have big large blooms next year. They are wimpy so I have them
staked and tied so they don’t fall over. I fertilize during the winter
with a water soluble fertilizer after the bloom has died. I will plant
it outside in the flower garden in a filtered shade location about
Memorial Day. Sometimes I put pot and all in the flower garden. This
fall we will tell you how to take care of your plant for the winter. Copyright 2009 |