Well, it looks like the heat and humidity are both here to stay! From this point forward, it’s only going to get hotter. At this time of year, most backyard citrus trees suffer from starvation or scale. Don’t let it happen to yours! Feed and spray your citrus now. In fact, May is the time to feed all your fruit and shade trees, as well as woody landscape plants. Fertilome’s Tree and Shrub fertilizer will wash through easily.
It’s also important to renovate your sod, plug or seed lawns. Bahia lawns can be power raked, if you have not done it already. Check all lawns— and plants, for that matter— for spider mites, diseases, and lack of fertilizer and minor elements. Control mites with Triple Action; mole crickets in Bahia grass should be treated with Turf Ranger or Bifenthrin, available in sprays or granules. Your St. Augustine grass needs to be treated for chinch bugs because warmer weather has shortened their gestation period.
Here are more tips for a healthy lawn now and through the summer:
- Continue to plant annuals— for a colorful show in the garden and for cut flowers.
- If you want summer vegetables, you can plant okra, cowpeas, collards, mustard, cherry tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant.
- Propagate through air-layering and replace plants damaged by the cold.
- Spray mud dauber nesting areas with Demon, 38 Plus or Baygon now and in August.
CREDITS
Column by BILL DOTY
BIO: William R. “Bill” Doty is owner of Doty Farm and Garden Supply Inc., founded in Winter Haven in 1954. Bill graduated from Winter Haven High School and Florida State University. Growing up, he learned valuable lessons in listening and asking questions and was a student of the family business. Bill shares his knowledge with his customers daily and with our readers monthly.