Q. I live in a cold area and have several sagos that have been damaged during the winter. I have tried to protect them with frost blankets. What else can I do?
A. King sagos are very hardy. Normally frosts and freezes are not a major problem for these plants. Queen sagos are more likely to be affected by freezes. When temperatures dip into the 20s, bronzing and extensive damage to the fronds may be noted. A frost blanket gives a few degrees of protection from freezing temperatures for several hours and can keep frost from affecting the foliage.
All coverings should be applied during the day prior to the expected frost or freezing temperatures. They should be positioned so the material drapes to the ground where it can be secured with rocks, pins or similar items. The thicker the coverings the better. If possible, support the coverings so they do not touch the foliage.
When temperatures are expected to be much below freezing for many hours, a source of heat is also needed. Many gardeners use low-wattage, outdoor-approved lights set under the covers to give off a little heat. The lights should not touch the coverings or the plants.
Q. My squash starts out great, even flower and set small fruits, then they get powdery mildew. How can I be more successful?
A. Gardeners can expect powdery mildew to form a white coating over the foliage of squash, cucumber, melon and similar plantings in the cucurbit family. Affected crops produce fewer fruits and decline early. The fungus likes the warm, humid weather usually present when these crops are growing.
Help prevent powdery mildew by raising these crops in a sunny, airy spot. Also water during the early-morning hours so the moisture dries from the foliage during the day. Some fungicides including Daconil, copper, and sulfur-containing products can help. Follow the label information for your crop carefully as to proper timing of the sprays and precautions to prevent plant injury.
Q. Many of the plants in my butterfly garden are getting spindly and often have yellow leaves. Should I cut them back now and if so, how much?
A. A good pruning now is probably going to make you feel a lot better, but it is likely not to affect plant growth that much. Unless this winter is warm, most perennials in a butterfly garden are not going to send out new shoots and many flowers after pruning. Maybe you could do some grooming to remove out-of-bounds and really tall shoots. This could leave some portions still in bloom and tidy up the garden a bit. It is probably best to save the major pruning until mid to late February, when cold damage can also be removed.
Q. What should we do with our 3-year-old asparagus plantings? Is it time to cut them back?
A. Florida asparagus plantings may continue growth during the warmish fall and winter months. Allow them to continue to grow and remove only the declining portions as you would throughout the normal growing season.
Most growers do hope for a frost or freeze to cause the tops to die back to the ground. The cold slows growth and helps the plantings initiate new shoot formation and production of spears to harvest during late winter or early spring. Regardless of the winter conditions, cut all growths new or old down to a few inches above the ground during early February. This encourages all plantings to produce a harvest.
Q. My peach tree has multiple new branches sprouting from the base. Do I leave them or remove them from the tree?
A. Peach trees are grown with one relatively short trunk left to grow about 3 feet tall before branching begins. All shoots sprouting below this trunk should be removed so they don't compete with the trunk.
Q. Returning to my Florida home after being away for six months, I found many of my plants and especially the roses and hibiscus in a state of decline. I have been trimming out the dead, but what is my best plan of action?
A. Removing the declining plant portions is a good starting point. Most likely the roses have lots of dead and diseased shoots that need removal and the hibiscus may too. It's amazing what a good pruning and some care can do to revive a neglected landscape.
Where the planting sites have become dry, give them a good soaking and then renew the mulch layers. Keep the soil moist and apply a late fall feeding with a low-nitrogen fertilizer. Don't expect a lot of growth until late winter, but this good care may save your plants.
