Buy in bloom. Most people have a particular color in mind when they buy azaleas. One way to guarantee the color you want is to buy flowering plants. You will be sure to get the right color, and if you are buying several you can see if they match or blend.
Speaking of color. To get the most impact, set out blocks or sweeps of the same selection. Ten types scattered across the front of your house will be colorful but chaotic.
Consider size. Not all azaleas are low-growing shrubs. The Southern Indian hybrids reach 8 to 10 feet tall in some parts of the South and should be planted at least 4 feet apart. Some zealous gardeners don't realize this and soon find their sidewalks and houses consumed.
The medium-size Kurumes grow 3 to 5 feet tall and need a 30-inch spacing. Satsuki hybrids--including Gumpo, Macrantha, and Wakaebisu--generally grow less than 3 feet tall and are perfect for planting under low windows. Satsukis can be placed 2 feet apart for a nice full look. Don't crowd new plants together; space them for the future, not for instant effect.
A little shade, please. When choosing the best spot to plant, take the sun into account. Azaleas like plenty of morning light. However, avoid areas that get midday or hot afternoon sun--plants in full sun are susceptible to lacebugs and spider mites.
Azaleas need acid soil. Adding plenty of leaf mold, peat moss, or bark can help create the ideal environment. This is particularly important if you're placing the plants near your home's foundation, where lime can leach out of the concrete and neutralize acid soils. Limestone gravel used for drainage around your home can also cause soil to be too alkaline.
In alkaline soils (like those in Texas and Arkansas), you may want to try growing a few specimens in containers.
Moisture. Avoid planting azaleas near downspouts or areas that stay damp. In heavy clay soil, plant them almost on top of the ground, building soil up on the sides of the root ball.
Planting in clay. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Add soil enriched with organic matter to the hole so that the top of the root ball will sit 4 inches above ground level. Place the root ball in the hole, and build up the soil on the sides. Planting high gives the shrub the drainage it needs, but you will need to water frequently.
About pruning. Avoid the urge to shear your plants into round balls or other geometric forms. Azaleas look best when allowed to grow to their natural mounded shape. Limit pruning to removing long, stray branches. Older plants that have become leggy may benefit from pruning branches from the main trunk in staggered lengths. If you have to prune hard every year, you probably have the wrong azalea for that location, or your plants are too close together.
Azalea concerns. Don't worry when a few leaves turn yellow and drop off, especially in the fall. All evergreens drop some leaves during the year. If autumn is mild, azaleas will often bloom. There is nothing you can do to prevent this. Enjoy the fall blooms, because flowering could be sparse the following spring.
"Azalea Plant Chart" is from the Southern Living Spring Garden Guide, 2000.
Fall is the optimal time to select and plant trees and shrubs. Planting in the fall encourages a good root development, which allows the plants to get established before spring.
You should consider planting deciduous trees on the south and west sides of structures to provide summer shade and it would also not block the winter sun which aids in warming the structure.
October is the time for planting winter pansies,snapdragons, pinks, flowering kale, flowering cabbage and fall mums when the summer’s flowers have faded away but now is the time to prep those flower beds. It is just too hot to go ahead and plant these. If we get an early fall snap you might consider planting late September but they are fall weather plants.
You can divide the crowded perennials just remember to amend your soil before replanting. You should set the divided plants back into the soil at their original height planted as before, water them in well and mulch.
Before you bring your potted tropicals like hibiscus, allamanda, ixora or mandevilla inside for the winter. See if they need to be repotted. If so ease the root ball out of the pot so as not to lose much of the existing soil. If the roots are visibly matted around the bottom or sides of the root ball, it is time to pot into a larger container.
Warm Season lawns like Bermuda and Zoysia should not fertilized now. You can over-seed lawns with fresh seed to help fill in the bare spots and crowd out weeds and mosses. If you choose to over-seed your warm-season lawn with a temporary winter lawn grass like annual rye grass, the best dates to do this are from September 1 until November 1.
As stated above this is not the time to fertilize warm-season grasses.
It is recommended that you take soil tests for your lawn and planting areas.
Fall is the time to apply lime as needed. It takes several months to react with acid in your soil to raise the PH to optimal levels. An optimal PH for most plants and lawn is between 6 and 7. Having the proper PH enables your lawn and other plants to utilize the fertilizer in the most efficient way. This results in better plant growth and savings of fertilizer costs. Doing this now, would prepare you for next years spring growth.
· Revitalize your heat-stressed geraniums or begonias for the upcoming fall season by lightly pruning, fertilizing and watering.
· Remember to not cut back perennials until their leaves and stems have lost all green color.
· Prune houseplants that grew so well during the summer while outdoors before you bring them inside.
· You can lightly prune out dead and/or diseased wood from your trees and shrubs now, but hold off on major pruning until about mid-winter. Pruning now may stimulate tender new growth prior to frost.
Fall is a good time to replenish your mulches around trees and shrubs, and water every three to five days. Since it has been a wet summer, you should spot check on what needs watering.
Your outdoor container plants need to be checked for water as well.
During the late summer, when pecan kernels are forming, is a critical time for moisture stress. Pecans should get at least one inch of water weekly. Mature trees can lose hundreds of gallons of water daily through transpiration; unless this lost moisture is replaced, the trees will lose fruit and leaves. Also it would be advisable to mow around the trees to remove vegetation that can use the trees’ moisture. Mowing also creates a smooth surface for harvesting.
· Remove any diseased plants as soon as you spot it, as well as those that are finished and dying off for the year. Your healthy plant material can be composted.
· Keep all fallen fruit cleaned up to deter pests and disease.
· Keep up with your spray schedule on roses since blackspot and mildew can be extremely damaging in September and October.
· Selective applications of herbicides on perennial weeds are very effective during the fall while the weeds are storing nutrients in their roots for winter.
· Slugs are especially active in September – you should apply slug bait, diatomaceous earth or other slug-control products. Slugs lay clusters of eggs about the size of a small BB. They would usually be under stones, boards and around the edge of your lawn for these colorless eggs and destroy any you find.
To have a lesser fire ant problem next spring, you should get them this fall. See your Quality Co-op store personnel for details.
While you are pruning and/or repotting your houseplants that have spent summers outside, you should check them for any sign of insect or disease before bringing them indoors. Gradually reintroduce these plants to indoor conditions.
· The beginning of fall (autumnal equinox) is Thursday September 22.
· You can remove stakes and cages as summer plants finish for the year, and stake tall-growing autumn blooms like salvia, dahlias and chrysanthemums.
· If you will be planting blueberries, rhododendrons or blue hydrangeas, you should prepare the soil now for a spring planting. Add sulfur according to soil test to lower pH. Add organic matter like leaf compost.
· Consider building a cold frame to extend the growing season.
· Fall is a wonderful time for sumptuous decorating. The richer colors, dried seed pods and grasses, and ample harvest provide supplies for some wonderful centerpieces, swags and crafts. Let your imagination be your guide.
· For the Christmas cactus you should start holding back on water and fertilizer until the buds appear.
· Rake up any fallen leaves and compost them. If you don’t have a compost bin or heap, September is a good time to begin one. You can layer grass clippings, dried fallen leaves, soil, a handful of fertilizer and a little moisture. Shredded garden debris can be added as annuals and perennials die back.
· If you have an existing compost heap, now is the time to give it another turn.
· Give your big trees a good once over: be on the lookout for dead or splitting branches, cavities or rotten wood along trunks or branches, mushrooms at the base, cracks or splits in trunks, and trees that have been topped or heavily pruned. If you see any signs of hazards, call a professional tree service. Also trim any tree limbs dangerously close to your roof.
· Consider marking your perennials with permanent tags or create a map, a good thing to have in a garden journal, showing their locations so you’ll know where and what they are when they die back at the end of the season. This will help you to avoid digging up something you intended to keep when you plant bulbs and plants this fall and next spring.
· Keep those weeds at bay will help to improve the appearance of your garden and the health of your plants.
· Don’t forget the birds will soon begin their winter migrations. Put out extra bird feeders to build up their strength before their long journey.
PLANT- Plant red or orange flowers to help attract the hummingbirds if you want them to come. There are many annuals, perennials and woody plants they like. Just to name a couple, begonia, zinnia, impatiens, lantana, bottlebrush, hibiscus, and honeysuckle.
Plant herbs such as thyme, safe, parsley, chives and basil. Some shrubs are azalea, honeysuckle, lilac, red weigela, beautybush, coralberry, New Jersey tea and Siberian pea shrub. Start planting out warm season annuals such as impatiens, marigolds, petunias, sunflowers, zinnia, lobelia, and allysum. Finish planting summer flowering bulbs like tuberose, gladiolus, dahlias, and callas. Plant chervil, coriander, dill, rosemary, and summer savory outside after the last spring frost.
*If you make a layout of your flowerbeds as your current plants are coming up, you will know where you can plant your spring flowering bulbs in the fall or where you have room for annuals etc. This will make for a continuous blooming show. This will also help you to divide your overcrowded beds (if they are) and give everything room to grow and mature.
Hydrangea is a plant that is not only a great gift by its self, but also transplants well into your yard for added interest. Hydrangeas are a plant that it’s bloom color is dictated by the soil PH level. If you have an alkaline soil you will most likely have Pink flowers or you can work lime into the soil to encourage Pink blooms, and vice versa if you have an acidic soil you will most likely have Blue flowers or work aluminum sulphate into the soil to encourage Blue blooms. If you have a white hydrangea, it won’t be affected by the soil PH. They prefer a well-drained soil with full sun to partial shade.
March was the last threat of frost for us here so your frost tender plants would be fine outside now. These would include any citrus, geraniums, hibiscus, Mandevilla and bougainvillea you have kept inside for the winter.
FERTILIZE – Start feeding your potted plants every two to three weeks with liquid fertilizer at half the strength. You can fertilize most everything right now except the spring flowering shrubs like azaleas, camellias, and rhododendrons until they have finished blooming. You can use an acid based fertilizer. Apply a high nitrogen fertilizer (a good mix would be 16-4-8) to your summer lawn (St Augustine, Zoysia, Bermuda and Centipede) to encourage a healthy looking yard. Roses have a need for feed; they want to be fertilized regularly. Use a high nitrogen fertilizer ever 4 to 6 weeks as the new growth starts after they flower. If you are finding moss in your lawn, try adding Lime as your soil’s PH level is low.
*Quick tip: on your fertilizer bag there will be 3 numbers printed such as 10-10-10 or 15-0-15. These numbers represent the Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium proportion of each in the fertilizer. I read somewhere (loosely translated) this cute way to remember what they are for: N (nitrogen) for the green; P (Phosphorus) is for the bloom; K (potassium) is for the roots or all over body of the plant.
PRUNE – Don’t forget, prime time to prune your azaleas, camellias, and all other blooming shrubs, are when flowering is finished before new buds are set on. Prune spring-flowering shrubs and trees when they are finished blooming too. Once new growth begins on your trees/shrubs, cut back any twigs damaged by the frost, to the green wood. Cut back ornamental grasses right before new growth and your evergreen grasses can be trimmed to remove the brown leaves and leaf tips. Remove any sucker growth from your fruit trees as they appear.
WATER – Everything loves water, especially your potted plants if they are sitting in the sun on the patio/deck/porch. The pot retains the heat of the sun, and the soil will dry out faster than the ground would. Regularly feel the soil for dampness to make sure you don’t over water. Consider purchasing a hose end shut-off valve. This way you can shut it off when you move around the yard and also you won’t have to leave the water running as you walk to the hose bibb to shut it off. With the excess rain we’ve had, it is important to let your existing yard dry out, only water newly planted sod or plants.
PEST CONTROL – You can use a strong stream of water (or a safe soap product) to wash away the aphids from your plants to keep them from taking over your plants. Begin watching roses for black spot fungus disease (black spots on the leaves that get worse. You will need to use a fungicide, as recommended for the your product, about every 7 to 10 days a good spraying should control it.
LAWN – Replace any dead or damaged spots in the lawn with plugs or pieces of your existing grass type. Keep your lawn watered well if the weather is dry, you can safely apply ¾ to 1” of water at each watering as needed. Watch your grass. If the blades fold in the evening you should water the next morning, usually between 4am and 9am are ideal times when the season temps have gotten hot (over 80 degrees). You shouldn’t need to water more than twice a week. If the season temps are milder (less than 80) water about once a week. If you have a new lawn installed, water frequently but lightly for the first two weeks. You can gradually decrease to a normal cycle once it has begun to take root. If you have uneven areas, try using sand to fill in right over the grass, being careful not to completely cover the grass blades (no more than an inch at a time). Resist the urge to cut your grass low, this only exposes more of the soil/roots to the sun and that opens up the possibility of weeds popping up and increases the water evaporation causing more dryness to your grass. Consider moving your St Augustine at about 2” to 3”, or Centipede at about 1 ½”. Recycle your grass clippings by allowing them to stay where they lay. If you remove the clippings and don’t allow them to decompose back into the soil, you are removing some of your fertilizer as it is in/on the blades you cut. Regular grass cutting doesn’t cause a thatch to build up, as you aren’t cutting off 3 and 4 week old long blades.
MISC – Keep your weeds under control. Most weeds are an annual and will go away if not allowed to go to seed. Mulch or pine straw help to discourage weed growth, so consider them for your flowerbeds. Remove any spent blooms if you don’t want to save them for seeds, to aid in your plants health as it consumes the plant’s energy. In some plants it aids to promote more blooms for the season.
With all the pruning, plucking, picking, and weeding you will have an abundance of resources for your compost pile. If you haven’t begun one, now is a great time. Turn it frequently and keep it damp to promote the breakdown.
TIDBITS
Bulbs such as iris and daylilies can be divided even when they are blooming. This would be an opportune time if you have different colors and want to work with them for the current season. Simply cut off the existing flowers and cut the leaves back, dig and divide and replant as soon as possible, or you can tag the colors for later dividing.
When you purchase container plants, check the root ball and loosen the roots if they are tightly wound in the pot. You need to keep as much dirt intact on the roots as possible as this will help the roots to move out and “root in” their new location.
Whether it is your accent plants or your focal point for your yard, many people prefer to buy trees and shrubs while in bloom to make sure the colors are what they like such as the Hydrangea, Crape myrtle, Oleander or Magnolia.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to fertilize your plants. Not just for the health and growth of your plants but also for your blooming plants to help produce more and better. Water well after fertilizing.
Azaleas and camellias should be fertilized right after they have finished blooming and roses after each bloom time. We carry fertilizers specifically for your blooming needs.
Container gardens are a beautiful addition to your patio or porches but they will need additional attention such as fertilizer. You can give them regular doses of a water-soluble fertilizer or try a slow release granular fertilizer that will release a little every time you water.
Most professionals will recommend that watering be done in the morning for the most benefit including helping to slow down evaporation of the water. But if you find your plants/lawn are drying out due to an extremely hot summer and/or drought time, go ahead and give them more water perhaps in the early afternoon. Also, check your container plants, they will dry out quicker.
Mulch is a good addition to your flower beds and plantings, it helps to shade the soil and keep it cooler which helps retain moisture during the hot days.
If you have irrigation, keep an eye out for broken sprinkler heads. This will help you avoid dry areas and wasted water. Consider having a “Rain Check” control added to your system. This helps reduce over watering by not allowing your system to water after a rain shower. As the plants grow they may interfere with the sprinkler so keep things trimmed back.
It is a good idea to water slowly and deeply. This will encourage your plants to grow deeper roots. That can make them more stable and keeps the roots away from the upper drier soil.
It is possible to have roses, and some perennials re-bloom. The best way to encourage it is to “dead head” your plant by removing the old blooms. Annuals can also be deadheaded and re-bloom most of the summer. Your hanging baskets will benefit as well with a good once over for dead blooms and shaping.
Pinch back any of your plants that seem to be getting leggy and out of shape. Whether it’s an annual or perennial, pruning your plant helps make it healthier and look better. Most evergreens benefit from pruning. The optimum time would be around June and July.
For maximum flavor of your herbs, pick or harvest just before flowering as the leaves have the most oil content.
To help you keep up with what you have planted, where it is, and info on the plants, try keeping up with this in a notebook or on your computer. This information can save you time and money. You can look back and see which plant needed what fertilizer, when and so on.
Avoid the heat and humidity of our hot summers by working in the early a.m. or later afternoon into the evening makes the time you spend working in the yards a little easier.
While you are out in the yard working in your lawn and gardens, involve your kids or grand kids. Have them help you weed, plant or most anything. It is good exercise, and helps them to learn that sense of pride of a job well done. Being outside, helping, is time spent with you they will never forget.
Speaking of weeding, if you weed in your flowerbeds on a regular basis it makes that chore a little easier to deal with. Ground cloth or mulch are good for weed prevention also. If you put mulch around woody plants don’t pile it on close around the trunks. Just a couple inches deep starting a few inches away is plenty.
If you have a compost heap or bins, remember the heat of the summer can also dry them out. Moisture is the key and it should also be turned regularly to aide in the natural decomposition.
Stake tall flowers to keep them from blowing over and tie up your climbing roses or other vines for a more secure plant. Make sure any plant or tree you have ties on are loose enough so as not to cut into the stems.
Is there something eating at your plant’s leaves/stem/bloom? Do you have a white/gray/black residue on it? You should always research your problem to identify what is actually going on with your plant. This will lead you to the best solution but you will need the most information of the problem. It is wise as well, to chose the lest toxic solution and follow the directions completely.
Roses are prone to mildew, black spot, aphids and other diseases and insect. Identify and take action. The sooner you identify the problem and take action, the better your plant will be.
It seems that the ever so vital honeybee, maybe suffering from the pesticides sold on the shelves as well as the pest they were designed for. Just a couple tweaks in our pesticide application habits will aide in the promotion of their population. Try using a liquid pesticide instead of a dust and try applying later in the afternoon/evening when the bees are mostly heading back to the hive.
Here at Magnolia Landscape Supply, we have a large selection of pesticides, we can help you identify the problem and find a solution.
If your lawn seems compacted, hard for water to absorb or have a nematode problem, you may want to aerate your lawn. We rent a sod aerator for $49.95 per day plus tax.
A good rule of thumb for mowing is to cut off no more than 1/3 of the grass blade at each mowing. If your grass is “growing like a weed”, try more frequent mowing to maintain better grass. As for your St. Augustine and Zoysia grasses, they would be better off at a mowed height of around 3”. This helps to shade the soil and saves the moisture in the soil.
To prevent the ragged cut of a grass blade, keep your mower blades sharp.
You should consider leaving the trimmings, if there isn’t an excessive amount due to overgrowth. The trimmings will make their way to the soil, returning nitrogen of the grass back to the soil.
If you have an area that is too shady for grass, try using ground cover plants or a mulch.
One secret to having the appearance of a professionally mowed lawn, is to keep a nice clean edge around the flowerbeds, sidewalk, driveway, etc. so pull out the edger or grass shears and keep it neat and tidy.
Be planning your fall beds and plantings. This is the time for the soil prep.
All container-grown perennials, shrubs and trees can be planted. Make sure to prepare your soil by mixing good-sized quantities of a processed manure, and compost in with your existing soil to amend it.
This is a good time to test your soil for fall fertilization requirements, if you haven’t had it done in the last three years or so. A soil test would make you better prepared to add what it needs. This will save time and money, rather than add anything and everything needlessly. I have heard it put something like this: adding lime or fertilizer to untested soil is like adding salt to your food without tasting it first.
- Woody plants and roses should only be fertilized now as needed. It can stimulate new growth that would not have time to harden off before winter. Discontinue altogether after Labor Day.
- Keep your annuals blooming possibly right on into fall, by watering and fertilizing.
- You can continue feeding your houseplants as usual with a good slow release granular fertilizer.
- Keep up the good work on fertilizing your container and hanging basket plants. If you have been using a liquid, try a slow release during this extra watering time. It can cut back on your labor while maintaining their health and beauty.
- If your hibiscus foliage is beginning to yellow it could be lack of iron. You can drench to soil around the base of the plant with a liquid iron (always follow label directions exactly) and you should see your foliage begin to green up within a week or so.
-To turn a Pink Hydrangea blue, add garden sulfur or aluminum sulfate. To turn a Blue Hydrangea pink, add ground limestone.
- Most woody plants and shrubs should be pruned of the dead or diseased wood. You can do minor pruning of tips and such but save the major pruning until later in winter.
- Go ahead and clip your evergreen hedges as needed. This should hold them over until next spring.
- If your petunias are leggy and need reviving, try cutting them back to about six inches and feed them with a water-soluble fertilizer, as the label directs. This allows for root drenching and foliar feeding. Your plants should be flowering again within a couple weeks or so.
- Perennials and rose bushes would benefit from a minor pruning and the crape myrtles faded flowers can be trimmed off to encourage a re-bloom.
· The main thing to keep an eye on in August is water. Make sure you water deeply and thoroughly to get the most benefit of it.
· Keep an eye on your azaleas and camellias. Meeting their water needs will help assure the future blooms to be the best they can be.
- Container plants, and hanging baskets need to check every day because of the summer heat, and it is wise to check below the surface. Poke your finger in the soil; see for yourself if the ground over an inch down is dry or moist. This will help prevent you from over watering also.
· Your compost also needs to be moistened regularly to keep it active.
· Your sod may become extremely dry due to no rain or no irrigation, if so consider watering it before you mow. If you mow it in that extreme condition, it can stress the sod and expose it to the heat of the sun and drying effect of the wind.
· Always follow the label directions of any chemical you use, EXACTLY.
· Fruit trees should be on a regular spray program. Check with us here at Magnolia Landscape Supply for suggestions.
· Always clean up all fallen fruit from your fruit trees and any fallen rose leaves, to help reduce pests and diseases next year.
· Remove any old plants that are not producing any longer, to eliminate a breeding grounds for insects and disease organisms
· If you need to, apply a fungicide to the lawn to control turf diseases like brown patch, dollar spot and others.
· Standing water is a breeding ground for mosquito larvae so keep an eye for it. Empty out where you see it and don’t forget to change the water in your birdbath often so it doesn’t become a breeding ground too.
· Control weeds before they go to seed. Those seed are another batch of trouble for next year. Weeds can also use up the water and nutrients that your plants need, as well as can get too big and push out your plants. They also harbor disease and insects.
· Roses would benefit from a spraying of a rose fungicide like the Bayer All in One Rose and Flower Care that we carry, to keep black spot and other problems under control.
· White flies are attracted to yellow, so use yellow sticky boards to reduce or monitor their population.
· Imagine the beautiful color of the plants in containers or hanging baskets around your patio or on the porch. Use a potting mix when planting them and add Hydrostretch, which is a water-holding polymer. It will help to reduce the frequency of watering.
· Try raising the cutting height of your lawnmower during the hottest part of summer. The longer blades of your sod will provide a little extra shade for its roots and also acts as insulation, helping retain moisture in the soil.
· Establish a new compost pile to accommodate the extra grass clippings of summer and future fall leaves, but don’t put weeds with mature seed heads in as they can germinate next year when you use this compost. If you have used an herbicide on your grass this year, wait two or three mowings before collecting the clippings to add to a compost pile but remember, it’s a good thing to let the clippings work for you in the yard. They are beneficial to your soil by returning nutrients back into the soil and like mulch, they aid in sheltering the soil from the drying sun and wind.
· Hummingbirds will be migrating back through during August. Think about them when putting in any new perennials and don’t forget to get the feeders ready.
Start planting out warm season annuals such as impatiens, marigolds, petunias, sunflowers, zinnia, lobelia, and allysum. Finish planting summer flowering bulbs like tuberose, gladiolus, dahlias, and callas.
WATER – Everything loves water, especially your potted plants if they are sitting in the sun on the patio/deck/porch. The pot retains the heat of the sun, and the soil will dry out faster than the ground would. Regularly feel the soil for dampness to make sure you don’t over water. Consider purchasing a hose end shut-off valve. This way you can shut it off when you move around the yard and also you won’t have to leave the water running as you walk to the hose bibb to shut it off.