Time to take down the Christmas tree

      Christmas is over and you need to take down your Christmas tree. If your Christmas tree comes out of a box, you can put it back in the box until next year. But if you have a live tree, please do not just toss it in the trash. It deserves better than that and certainly has many uses after you take it out of the house!

But before you begin the recycle process be sure to remove all lights and ornament.

     Here are some ways you can recycle your Christmas tree and keep it from going to overflowing landfills:

If you have a chipper, run the tree through it.  The chips make great mulch and smell good while being chipped

 

OR you can cut off the boughs and place them on the ground around your plants.   Save the trunk for a use in your garden as a trellis for peas, beans, or cucumbers or even used to make a “bottle tree.” 

Move the tree in its stand outdoors for the winter where it can provide food and shelter for birds.

The trees could be used as artificial fish attractors in ponds or lakes

If you are in a hurry, just pile the trees in fields and forests for use as wildlife cover.   The trees will eventually decay and be recycled naturally.

Reuse your tree any way you can.  Remember it took 5 – 10 years to grow this tree.  Do not waste all of Mother Nature’s time for a few weeks of your pleasure.

Just remember, whatever you do, do not put the tree trash.

Keep Your Poinsettia Looking Great!

 

Many homes will decorate with poinsettias during the holidays. It just does not seem like Christmas without this wonderful plant. But poinsettias are picky about their growing environment.  Here’s the quick guide of how to care for your poinsettia:

• Protect them from chilly weather. Just letting them get chilled on the way from the store to your house can be enough to shock them!
• Poinsettias prefer a daytime temperature between 65 & 75F and the night time temperature from 60 to 65F.  Keep them away from drafts, air vents, and space heaters.
• Place the poinsettia in a bright location in the home where it can receive indirect light. Although it can withstand direct sunlight, watering requirements will increase and the flowers will not last as long.
• Avoid letting the bracts touch cold windowpanes because the outdoor temperatures can cause damage.
• Do not let the plant dry out. If the plant wilts, just once, it will start to shed leaves and the colorful bracts.
• Overwatering is a major cause of early leaf and bract drop in poinsettias, so keep the plant moist but not soggy.  If the poinsettia came with a plastic decorator wrap, punch drainage holes so water will not accumulate.  Check the soil regularly. When it is dry to the touch, water them.  If damp, do nothing.

Follow these simple steps and your poinsettia will look good all through the holidays! 

 

National Poinsettia Day

  Today is National Poinsettia Day. The date marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett, an American botanist, physician, and Minister to Mexico who in 1828 sent cuttings of the plant he'd discovered in Southern Mexico to his home in Charleston, South Carolina.

    In July of 2002, the House of Representatives created Poinsettia Day, passing a Resolution to honor Paul Ecke Jr. who is considered the father of the poinsettia industry. It was Paul Ecke's discovery of a technique which causes seedlings to branch that allowed the Poinsettia industry to flourish. Every year, Poinsettias contribute upwards of $250,000,000 to the U.S. economy-at the wholesale level! Poinsettias are the best selling potted plant in the U.S. and Canada.

   In Mexico the plant is called La Flor de la Nochebuena or, Flower of the Holy Night and is displayed in celebration of the December 12th, Dia de la Virgen. Use of the plant to celebrate Christmas in Mexico dates back to the 17th century.

Selection and Care of your Christmas Tree

Well, like it or not, it’s that time of year when we will be getting and setting up a Christmas tree.  If you use a real tree, here are some tips to make it look good throughout the holiday season.

Getting the tree should be the last thing you do. First, you should get the space ready in your home. Get the stand out and ready to put the tree in, because once you get it home, you want to set it up in water just as soon as possible.

You want your Christmas tree to be as fresh as possible so that it will look better, last longer, and be less of a fire hazard.

To get the freshest tree, cut one at a local Christmas tree grower. If you go to a tree lot, take your time to select a tree that has not gotten too dried out. Grab it and thump the butt end on the ground a couple of times. If lots of needles fall off, put it back and keep looking. You can also bend the needles - a fresh tree’s needles will be somewhat flexible.  A dried out tree will have needles snapping like matchsticks.

 Once you get your tree home, cut ½ inch off the bottom of the trunk and immediately put it in water.  Check the water reservoir daily and keep it filled with water.

 Keep the tree away from hot drafts and open flames.  As soon as Christmas is over, remove and recycle your tree.

Late Season Angel's Trumpet

'Earth Angel' angel's trumpet

The frost has stopped my angel's trumpet that are growing in the ground from further bloom.  However, I have this one in a pot in a protected area.  The variety is 'Earh Angel.'  It has been a prolific bloomer since late summer.

If your plants have been nipped by the frost, then it is time to take cuttings to store for the winter unless you have a greenhouse.  There are several ways to do this.  Which ever method you try be sure to only save cutting that have the white bumps(lenticels) onthe stem.  If the stem is smooth it will not produce roots.

Some of my Master Gardeners cut long pieces and put them in a bucket of water in an area protected from freezing.  By spring the stems have formed roots and are ready for planting.

I sometimes make cutting about 12 inches long and stick them into a bucket of potting soil and let them form roots.  The problem is that I sometimes forget to water them since they are in the basement.  So I end up with dead plants.

The last couple of years I have been cutting the stems into 12 inch pieces and putting them into a plastic grocery bag and rolling them up and leave them in the basement.  Do not forget to put a name label in each bag.  By March they have started making roots. I remove the cuttings from the bags and put them in potting soil.  I have left some cuttings in the bag until July and they made plants.

For the angel's trumpet roots left in the ground, cover them with a 3 - 4 inch layer of much to protect them from the winter cold.

Pest Alert: Kudzu Bugs

Kudzu bug, Meridian, MS

In October 2009, large numbers of an insect known as kudzu bug (Megacopta cribraria) were discovered on the exterior of houses in nine northeast Georgia counties.  This insect is also referred to as the bean plataspid, lablab bug, or globular stink bug.  It is related to various species of stink bugs.  Before discovery in Georgia, kudzu bug was not known to occur in the Western Hemisphere

By September 2010, the insect was confirmed in more than 60 north and central Georgia counties as well as limited distributions in North and South Carolina.  By 2011 it was reported in Alabama.  In 2012 it has spread to Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida.  Kudzu bug was first reported in Montgomery and Warren counties this spring.  The photos shown were taken in Lauderdale County (Meridian) on October 16.   They were in large numbers.

    Kudzu bug adults are 4 to 6 mm long, oblong, olive-green colored with brown speckles, and produce a mildly offensive odor when disturbed. You do not have to mash them like you do with other stinkbugs.  If you get the smell on your hands, it takes several applications of soap and water to get some of it off.  I think you might need an industrial hand cleaner.

Kudzu bug’s preferred host is kudzu in its native Asia.  Kudzu appears to be a primary host in North America but it will also eat wisteria. This insect will continue to spread into most areas where kudzu is established.  Eating kudzu and wisteria is not a bad thing.  The problem is that kudzu bug also eats soybeans, southern peas, snap beans, and assorted other desirable plants.  Next spring, gardens will need to be monitored for this pest.   However, it is easily controlled by most common insecticides.



Kudzu bugs catching some rays on a cool morning.

        Kudzu bug can be a nuisance to ordinary homeowners.   As the weather begins to cool this insect, like the Asian lady beetles, seek secluded sites where they spend the winter.  They can accumulate in large numbers around doors, windows, and other openings.  This was how they were first noticed in Meridian.

 The best control method is to prevent the kudzu bug from entering your home. Homeowners should make sure that screens on windows are well-seated and without holes and that soffit, ridge, and gable vents are properly screened.  Doors should have a tight seal when closed and door-sweeps under their base.

 

To help control these insects outside the homes when they accumulate around the doors and windows, you can use an application of an insecticide spray labeled for outdoor insect control. Weekly applications may be necessary as additional insects keep moving in search of a place to spend the winter.

Do not be crush any insects that have managed to enter the home should, since this may stain indoor surfaces and result in odors that may prove difficult to eliminate.  Instead use a vacuum to capture them and then empty it into a sealable disposal container.  

      You can find additional information at http://www.kudzubug.org.

34th Annual Fall Flower and Garden Fest

      The 34th annual Fall Flower and Garden Fest is Oct. 5 and 6 at MSU’s Truck Crops Experiment Station in Crystal Springs.  The event is open each day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
      This festival celebrates everything about the garden and is one of the best free horticulture field days in the entire Southeast.  The weekend event offers something for the entire family.  All of the Experiment Station gardens and grounds, seminar areas and wagon tours are handicapped accessible. Vendors will be selling food and drinks at the event for lunch.
         This year’s theme of “Healthy Living – Healthy Gardening” will kick off at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 5 with a 1-mile fun walk organized by the Let’s Go Walkin’ Mississippi initiative.
       The 3-acre garden site will offer everyone from garden novices to Master Gardeners lots to see and learn. Visitors can view a great selection of tough roses, ornamental grasses, tropical plants, and of course, fall vegetables and herbs.
      Mississippi Medallion winners and plants from the All-America Selections program will be featured. The tropical garden, with its giant banana plants, is a favorite of visitors every year.
     Numerous educational activities are planned as well. Master Gardeners and MSU specialists will present non-stop seminars and exhibits on managing ponds, beekeeping, composting, creating backyard habitats, establishing flower trails and growing favorite garden plants.
       Walking tours will allow visitors to investigate research projects at the branch station. The project on agri-ability will show ways those with decreased mobility can access the garden. Other tour topics include insects and diseases, high tunnels, and vegetable gardening.
       Across the lake, vendors will sell popular, new plants perfect for fall planting and must-have landscape accessories.
      I will be there along with other horticulture experts from MSU to answer tough garden and landscape questions. Most experts will be wearing blue vests.
    The Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station is located south of Crystal Springs about 25 miles south of Jackson on Highway 51.  Turn on to  Experiment Station Road
Crystal Springs, MS 39059 across from the Rolling Hills Country Club.

Fall Greens Garden

Red Giant mustard

   The drought and heat have finally broken.  It’s time to start planting cool-season vegetable crops such as radish, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and other greens crops. 

 Try something different this fall.  Grow some greens crops are decorative as well as tasty.

 

'Red Bor' kale has crinkly red leaves that turn a deep burgundy in fall. 'Red Russian' kale has blue-green leaves with attractive red veins

 'Bright Lights' Swiss chard features dark green leaves with colorful ribs of red, yellow, pink, or white.

If you like mustard greens, try ‘Red Giant’ or ‘Osaka Purple’ varieties. Their different color is eye-catching.

There are many types of leaf lettuces that will produce fast crop.  ‘Black Seeded Simpson’ lettuce is a perennial favorite.  Or try oak leaf types in green or red for a different look. 

Spinach is great cool-weather crop that grows much better in the fall than in the spring.  Try growing the crinkle-leaved 'Tyee' or 'Winter Bloomsdale'.

 
      You do not have to relegate these crops to the vegetable garden. You can remove tired flowers from containers and pop in some turnip or lettuce seeds. Or replace your annual flower beds with colorful, edible ornamental greens.
 

If you’d like more information fall vegetable growing, contact your local Mississippi State University Extension Service office and we’ll do our best to ensure you have a successful fall garden.

Insects Eating Figs and Other Fruit

   Figs are getting ripe and muscadines and oears are not far behind.  With their ripening come wasps, yellow jackets, bees, and other insects looking for a sweet meal.   There are not synthetic insecticides that can be sprayed to control these problems in figs.  You might can use an organic spray such as pyrethrum.  Malathion and carbaryl (Sevin) can be used in pears and muscadines but there is a 7 and 3 days waiting period respectively.

  You can purchase various traps or you can try the following idea.

   This was passed on to us by someone who has had success killing yellow jackets in and around the fig tree, and should work when the pears begin to ripen.  It was suggested that this also can be used with muscadines and grapes.

   The gentleman’s solution was to cut the neck off a 2 liter soda bottle and invert it into the neck of the bottle, stapling it around the edge where the two pieces of bottle meet. This puts the neck of the bottle down into the bottle.

   Put 1 teaspoon of honey inside at the bottom.  Add a pint of water and mix well.  Sit or hang the bottle near the fig or other fruiting tree.  Once the yellow jackets and wasps go into the bottle, they cannot get out, so this helps eliminate them.  Other suggestions were sweets like cola or syrup.  They seem to link the amber brown color   Once inside the bottle, the insect is trapped and cannot get out. Hang your bottles just as the fruit begins to ripen

Southern Magnolia Leaf Drop

Algal Leaf Spot

     Chicken Little is wrong again.  The sky is not falling; it is only magnolia leaves!  Every spring, people call expressing concern about leaf drop of their Southern magnolias.  Magnolias will begin dropping leaves in November and continue until early spring.  The degree of leaf drop depends upon genetic as well as physiological factors affecting the tree. Most of the leaves are old leaves and it is their turn to fall off.  The older leaves turn uniformly yellow suddenly throughout the entire plant before dropping.  New growth at the tips of the branches is often evident at this time. Once the yellow leaves drop off, no further yellowing or leaf drop occurs until next spring.

     Most Southern magnolia trees are grown from seed, and they exhibit a great deal of variability in leaf shedding since each tree is slightly different.  Some trees may become completely bare before new foliage comes out.  When trees are propagated by grafting or from cuttings, all trees will have about the same amount of leaf drop since they are clones.

Regardless of propagation method, the degree of leaf drop can also be associated with environmental conditions.  An extremely cold winter or a dry spring can result in accelerated or additional leaf drop.  Large trees with root systems restricted by to sidewalks or planting islands may drop more leaves since their restricted root system are not as able to supply the tree with water and nutrients during periods of stress.

This spring has been wetter and warmer than usual and this resulted in a increase in algal leaf spot.  This also causes increased defoliation.  Best control is to clean up and destroy diseased leaves.

You might want to apply 4 cups per 100 square feet of 13-13-13 or similar fertilizer to give them a little boost this year.

Pest Alert: Azalea Leaf Gall

Azalea leaf gall

   The warm, wet spring has been ideal conditions for leaf gall in azaleas. Leaf gall is a common fungal disease found on azaleas.  The  leaf gall of azaleas is caused by the fungus, Exobasidum yaccinii. Another fungus, Exobasidium camelliae, causes a similar problem in camellias. It occurs more commonly on the fall blooming ‘sasanqua’ varieties.

   This disease appears early in the spring. The new leaves and buds that are infected develop distorted growth. The leaves become thickened, curled, and pale green to white and in some cases pink. Leaves can be ten times thicker than normal leaves. The infected  leaves are covered with a white powdery substance in the latter stages of the disease. Galls eventually turn brown and harden as the season progresses.

   Fundal spores overwinter in the bark. When the buds open in the spring, the spores are blown by the wind to the plant. Rain can also wash spores from the bark to the plant tissue. Spores need moisture to germinate. Plants that are grown in areas of poor air movement, deep shade, and high humidity are more likely to be infected.   After the plant is infected, the fungus stimulates a growth promoting process which causes the thickening and distortion of the plant.

   There are some varietal differences among azaleas in susceptibility.  Reported resistant varieties include: Gloria, Sensation, Coral Bells, Mrs. G. G. Gerbing, Sunglow,  and Formosa.

   The disease usually does not do enough damage to require chemical control. If only a few plants are affected, prune the galls of the plant and throw them in the trash.  If the same plants get infected year after year then might be chemical control necessary.   Begin treat with captan, mancozeb, or triadimefon fungicide sprays starting wien the young leaves begin to unfurl then every 10 14 days after that until the young leaves mature. 

    Another procedure for controlling azalea leaf gall on badly diseased plants is to cut plants back severely. This is a good sanitation procedure and is a good way to reduce disease occurrence  the following season because galls will be removed along with the pruned branches. It is also advisable to replace mulch beneath such plants since this will insure that fallen galls beneath plants will be removed.

Overnight Garden Surprise!

Here is a test for all you gardeners. What do you get when you combine warm, wet weather with organic mulch?  Give up?  Well, you get an almost overnight surprise known as ’dog vomit’ fungus.  At first glance it looks like Fido had a stomach problem and your flower bed was convenient.  I put the photo at the bottom this time so readers would not be grossed out and fail to re the information.

The ‘dog vomit’ fungus is not a fungus, but a slime mold.  There are lots of different slime molds.  It is harmless to people, pets, and plants. In fact, it is edible. Native people in some parts of Mexico gather it and scramble it like eggs. They call this dish "caca de luna."   The translation is an even more entertaining name than dog vomit slime mold.

‘Dog vomit’ slime mold usually appears in late spring or summer following soaking rains. This year it is extra early due to the current weather conditions. The slime mold is usually found growing in mulched areas near homes and office buildings, but can appear in forested areas as well.

The color of this wonderful mold is often bright yellow, and in some instances, sickly orange or tan. This colorful growth occurs when the mold is beginning its fruiting stage. It can appear seemingly overnight causing some people to wonder what it is and how it got there. Therefore, you can see how this mold got its common name – blaming it on the dog.

There is no way to prevent slime molds; the spores are all over the place, just waiting for the right conditions to become active. If the appearance of a slime mold in your garden offends you, break it up by raking out the mulch or blasting it with the hose.

This web-site (http://waynesword.palomar.edu/slime1.htm) has some interesting photos of this slime mold near the bottom of the page.

So, now that you know all this you will not be surprised by the almost overnight appearance of this slime mold.  But I do not recommend eating it.

Dog vomit slime mold

Dog vomit slime mold

Moss Control in the Lawn

The mild, wet winter has been the ideal growing conditions for moss to grow in the landscape.  Some people like moss but most would prefer to have grass groing where the moss is.

Infestations of moss in turf is associated with unfavorable conditions for growing dense, healthy turf. Physical or chemical removal of moss will only be temporary unless growing conditions are improved.

Mosses are green plants with tiny leaves arising from all sides of a central axis. Mosses may grow prostrate or erect. They typically form a thick green mat at the soil surface. Conditions favoring the growth of mosses include poorly drained soils, low fertility and/or with low soil pH, soil compaction, overly wet soils, and excessive thatch or a combination of these factors that add to thin or weak turf. Mosses are very competitive in cool, moist, shaded locations, such as the north side of buildings and wooded areas.

The following practices will help prevent or control moss and algae:

• Plant shade-tolerant grasses.
• Conduct a soil test to determine proper lime and fertilizer needs. Liming will reduce soil acidity. Proper fertilization will enhance turf density and aid in preventing weed encroachment.
• Avoid excessive watering and improve irrigation scheduling.
• Aerify compacted soils.
• Increase air movement and light penetration in shaded areas by removing unnecessary undergrowth and pruning tree limbs.
• Improve drainage.

Copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, and other commercially prepared moss and algae control products can be applied to help chemically reduce moss and algae but will only be temporary if the above cultural practices are not incorporated.

Pest Alert: Aphids on River Birch

Aphids on river birch

   Every spring about this time the new leaves on river birch trees become a magnet for aphids.  The aphids start accumulating on the tiny leaves as they emerge and quickly cause them to be crinkly and distorted.

   As to whether you need to treat the tree for the aphids depends on how many leaves are infested and how badly they look. Chemicals that will control aphids include acephate, azadirachtin, imidacloprid, malathion, dinotefuran, insecticidal soap, pyrethrins + canola oil. 

   Soil drench treatments with imidacloprid can provide effective, long-term control of aphids, but such treatments are slow acting and must be applied before heavy infestations develop.

 I rarely treat my river birch for the aphids.  Usually lady bugs will find them and I end up with a ladybug nursery!

River birch trees grow quickly and by late spring the damaged leaves have fallen off.

The Smell of Spring

Wild Garlic

The spring season greets us with a variety of sensory stimulations.  We see plants put forth their new leaves.  Flowers arouse us with a burst of color.  Birds issue their mating call.  Our thoughts of garden-fresh fruits and vegetables make our mouth water.  Often, however,  these pleasant reveries are quashed by the piercing odor of freshly mowed wild garlic and wild onion.

Wild garlic and its closely related companion, wild onion, are a serious perennial weed problem in home lawns.  These weeds are unwelcome eyesores in normally dormant lawns. 

The weeds cause nearly identical problems, and their names are used interchangeably.  There are some important differences in the two weeds, however.  Wild garlic has nearly round, hollow stems, whereas wild onion has flat, solid leaves.  Another distinguishing characteristic of wild garlic, that is usually only seen in the south, is the formation of aerial bulblets.  These aerial bulblets are smaller versions of the underground bulbs.  The underground bulb is a miniature version comprised of "cloves" like the domesticated version.  The bulb of the wild onion resembles a small onion.

The leaves and bulbs of both species can be used for cooking to impart flavor to bland foods.  They can serve as a replacement for the store-bought version.  Wild garlic may be a little strong for some people's taste buds, however.  Caution: To prevent possible poisoning from weeds that resemble wild garlic and onion, eat plants only if they have an onion-like odor. 

An interesting historical note is that the name for the city "Chicago" was taken from the Indian word "shikato" meaning ‘place where wild onions are strong-smelling.’

          When you are mowing the lawn in the spring and are engulfed with the smell of onions, just think of it as preparing a giant salad.  Maybe if you can convince your neighbors that these weeds are good to eat, they will come and mow your lawn for you just to get free garlic! 

         If you do not like to eat wild garlic (or onions) then it is time now to take action to control it.  Wild garlic and wild onions are difficult to control due to their cylinder shaped waxy leaves and large storage bulbs below ground.  Therefore, to get the best bang from a post-emerge herbicide application the herbicide needs to be applied while the wild garlic is actively growing and has tender tall leaves that have not been cut off with the lawn mower.  The best opportunity for controlling this troublesome weed is while your lawn is still dormant. Particularly for centipede and St. Augustine lawns that are more sensitive to many post-emerge herbicides.

          Recommended herbicides for homeowners that have good to excellent activity on wild garlic include imazaquin and the three-way combination herbicides such as 2,4-D, MCPP, and dicamba, Always read product labels carefully for safety to turf species and use rates.  And NEVER eat weeds that have been treated with a pesticide.

Stop Sticker Problems Now!

Spurweed or lawn burweed

   Every June people call about sticker weeds in their yards and what can they spray. I tell them: Sorry, it’s too late. This weed is lawn burweed (also called spurweed), but is more commonly called sticker weed due to the cluster of tiny seeds with spines on it. At maturity these seeds stick into tender flesh of bare feet, knees, hands, or whatever parts of the body that may come in contact with them.


   Lawn burweed is a low-growing, freely branched winter annual having leaves similar in appearance to tiny carrot leaves. This weed usually germinates in the early fall months, and remains very small, and inconspicuous in the lawn over the winter. As temperatures warm in the spring, it grows rapidly, flowers, and forms seed with a small spur or spine in the leaf axil junction.


   If you did not apply a preemergent herbicide this past fall to control winter annual weeds, and you had lawn burweed in your lawn last summer, then you most likely will have them again this year.

   But there is something you can do now. The trick to eliminating the spiny sticker problem is to control the weed before the spur is formed. If you wait to control the weed after the spur is formed, you can kill the plant, but the spiny sticker will still be there waiting for unsuspecting bare feet or hands.


   To control this weed in lawns, (that have not been over-seeded with a cool season grass) several herbicides are recommended. The ideal time to apply is from December to March, preferably on days with temperatures of 60 degrees F or warmer. The earlier in the season you apply the weed-killer, the easier this weed is to control.


   The following homeowner-labeled herbicides will control this weed and numerous other winter weeds. Choose one of them and mix it at the recommended rate in one gallon of water and spray over a 1000 square feet area: Atrazine @ 1.5 ounces, Weed B Gone @ 3 ounces, Ferti-Lome Weed Free Zone @ 1.5 ounces, 2,4D @ 1.5 ounces, Bayer Advanced Southern Weed killer @ 2 ounces, Trimec @ 2 ounces, or Spectracide Weedstop 2 @ 2 ounces.

   If the clumps have gotten large or the weather is too cool, two applications might be necessary. Wait 10 – 14 days after the first application to make the second one. Do not apply these herbicides around the drip-line of trees or in flowerbeds.


   Timely application of one of these herbicides will eliminate or greatly reduce this ‘sticky’ problem. You can be better prepared next year if you apply a preemergent weed killer next October. Contact your local extension office for a copy of P1322 Establish and Manage Your Home Lawn that contains a list of preemergent herbicides to control this weed.

Mayhaw Spray Alert!

Cedar-apple rust on mayhaw

Spring is springing early this year. Mayhaw trees are leading the way in early blooms. Early bloom is the time to start spraying for cedar-apple rust especially if you had it in previous years.

The only home-owner product labeled to control this disease is Spectracide Immunox (myclobutanil). This fungicide needs to be sprayed every 7 to 10 days but stopped 14 days before harvest.

Keep a vigilant spray program to prevent this disease of robbing you of that wonderful tasting mayhaw jelly!

Caring for Valentine's Day Bouquets

   Were you one of the fortunate ones the received a bouquet of roses or other cut flowers for Valentine’s Day? Here are a few tips will help your flowers last longer, maybe even a few weeks!

   First, recut the stems at least 1 inch shorter than when you got them. Use a sharp knife and cut at a 45-degree angle. Immediately submerge the stems in warm water. Even better is to cut the stems while they are under water.


   Be sure and strip off any leaves that would otherwise be immersed in the vase water. Add a packet of flower preservative to the water. Often this comes with the bouquet. If not, you can purchase these from a florist or from the floral sections of some discount stores. If you do not have or cannot find the floral preservative packets, change the water daily in the vase.

   Avoid displaying your bouquet in a hot room or in direct sunlight. You can make your bouquet last even longer is to put the whole thing, into the refrigerator every night before you go to bed and then take it out in the morning. Putting the bouquet in a cooler part of the house will work to some degree as well.

   Remember, cut flower bouquets do not last forever, so take a picture of you and your bouquet so the memories will last long after the flowers have faded. Or you can press a few of the flowers between pages of newspaper to dry them. They might not be as colorful but the will be a reminder of the good times.

Happy Groundhog Day!

Saucer Magnolia

It's hard to believe it is Groundhog Day.  The weather is so spring-like.  The saucer magnolia is in full bloom.  Enjoy them now cause we have 6 more weeks of winter.  The average last frost date for the Meridian area is around April 6.

Forsythia are also in full bloom.  And buds are swelling on everything.  If the weather does not cool to normal soon, there is going to be a lot of freeze damage on landscape and fruit crops this year.

‘Force’ Flowering Branches to Bloom Indoors

     I look at the calendar and it tells me that spring in not far away.  I can hardy wait for all the spring blooms!  But I do not want to wait so I am going to ‘force’ Mother Nature to wake up early for me.

Spring flowering trees and shrubs develop their flower buds during the fall of the previous year.  By late January, most woody plants have gone through enough cold period to break dormancy.  

Success in forcing branches to early bloom depends on the plant type, stage of dormancy, and how close to their normal flowering time they are forced. The closer to normal flowering time that forcing takes place, the greater the degree of success. 

Start by selecting and cutting 12-24 inch long branches with many flower buds. Flower buds tend to be larger, round buds whereas the smaller buds are leaf buds.  Most of the flower buds are found on the portion of the branches that grew last year.  Use sharp pruning shears to cuts the branches.  Remember to use good pruning techniques and not destroy the shape of your shrub or tree.

     After you bring the stems indoors, recut them one inch from the base and insert in water immediately.   Some ‘forcers’ submerge branches in the bathtub in warm water overnight.  Place the container of cut branches in a cool (60–65°F) corner of the house.  High temperatures near heaters and vents cause the buds to dry out and drop off.  Be sure to remove any buds and twigs that will be under water.  Change the water every few days.  Adding a floral preservative to the water can help to control bacteria and extend the useful life of the branches.

Here are a few favorites for forcing: redbud, flowering quince, flowering dogwood, parsley hawthorn, forsythia, saucer or star magnolia, crabapple, flowering almond or peach or pear, black cherry, pussy willow, spirea, Carolina jessamine, and serviceberry.

If you want to be different from everybody else, try forcing the branches of some trees such as red maple, hickory, pecan and oak. The young, developing leaves can provide a different aspect to an arrangement.  When pruning fruit trees, save a few branches of your apple, peach, pear, or plum tree for forcing indoors.

The hardest part of forcing branches is the wait for the flowers to open.  It might take one to six weeks for the blossoms to open. Branches cut later in the dormant season will open their buds faster.  But that takes away the challenge of ‘forcing’.

Never forget that it is not nice to fool with Mother Nature.  Several weeks ago I brought in some forsythia branches to ‘force.’  The branches finally began to have some open flowers…. the same time the plants in my yard began to open their buds!

Preventing ‘Crape Murder’ Starts with You!

   The crapemyrtle is a very popular plant that produces dazzling blooms all summer long in Mississippi. During the winter months, their stems add form and texture to the landscape. Late winter is the optimal time to prune crapemyrtles.

'Crape Murder'

    And here is where the problem begins.  Most homeowners and many landscape maintenance companies do not know how to properly prune them.  They simply go out and top them at some arbitrary height - a practice that has become known as "crape murder."

   Often this mishap had its beginning at the garden center where the plant was purchased.  The homeowner buys a nice 3 – 5 foot crapemyrtyle in full bloom for that perfect spot in their landscape.  Once the plant gets established and starts to grow it becomes too big and has to be severely topped to maintain its space.
   In reality, crapemyrtles need very little pruning.  The secret is in the variety selection – select the right size variety for your site.  Crapemyrtles can range in size from one foot to over thirty feet in height!  But this is a story for another day.

   For now, let us focus on the ones you already have.  Proper crapemyrtle pruning is as simple as 1, 2, 3, here is how:

1. Remove suckers (small sprouts that can develop along main stems or at the base of the plant).

2. Remove crossed, damaged, or diseased branches.  For crossed branches, remove the weaker of the two limbs that are crossing or rubbing.  If you have maintained your plants on a regular basis, you might not have any of these to remove.

3. You might want to remove the tips of branches with last year’s seed heads on them. 

   Okay, now that you know the error of your ways how do you rehabilitate all those crapemyrtles that have been murdered in the past?  You can try one of the following options:

1. Choose the strongest two or three sprouts from each stub and remove the rest. This will encourage the remaining sprouts to grow. After a couple of seasons, the plant will improve in appearance.

2. Cut the plant back to within one to two inches of the ground while it is dormant. After two to three weeks of growth, select three to five of the most vigorous new shoots on each trunk and remove all others.  Remove any new shoots that emerge through the summer.  Or you can apply a sprout inhibitor to prevent the emergence of new sprouts.  Within three to five years, you will have a natural-looking crapemyrtle again.
  
  Use proper pruning techniques on your crapemyrtles to show your friends and neighbors to help eliminate “crape murder.”  Also, remember to choose the right size plant for your site, train it properly, and prune sparingly to maintain naturally beautiful crapemyrtles in your yard.