True rhododendron in full bloom

full bloom. We can grow a close relative of the same genus, the azaleas, but the true rhododendrons have to be grown and seen up north.

This trip took us to the Coastal Botanical Gardens at Boothbay, Maine. We had been there when it first opened and it has grown. Many new gardens including a farm type setting for kids and a learner garden tempting the five senses have been opened. As you might expect, they were just starting the warm season plantings. It’s often hard to believe our crops are finishing up and their warm season plantings are just starting. It was this way every where we saw a garden.

What also caught our attention was a special woodland area devoted to the rhododendrons. It is said they have more than 100 varieties in shades of red, pink, purple and yellow plus white. The flower masses are large but

Lady slippers along walkways

there is no pronounced fragrance. The plants are in bloom for about 6 to 8 weeks and then they fade into the background as greenery. This year they seemed to be extra special and maybe it was due to a mild winter.

One neat surprise was the wild lady slippers popping up along the pathways. We often saw them in the northern woodlands during the spring months. Other plants of interest were the lilacs, tulips, daffodils, hostas and many more perennials.

During these trips you can spend days hopping between gardens and some others visited during this trip included the Fuller Gardens in North Hampton, New Hampshire and The Garden at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine. At each, iris, peonies and poppies were opening or about to burst with color. Another stop was at Colby College Arboretum & Bird Sanctuary at Waterville, Maine. It was in a state of development but full of tree and shrub displays along winding trails that filled 128 acres.

We caught what might be called the end of spring after a mild winter and the plants were at their peak.

Where are you going on your next trip? Will you check out the gardens that seem to be everywhere? It may be the only time you see some of these northern favorites

Variety Rum Runner Remix

showing up at garden centers are reviving the interest. I have found them at a number of local sales areas.

Recently I received two new plants grown by Costa Farms of Florida. The label says the blooms are over sized and they are, measuring eight inches or more in diameter. The plants keep producing one vibrant bloom after another. One variety is Rum Runner Remix, a bright yellow with a red center. Another variety with yellow edged white petals and red center is Pinka Colada. Both are very vigorous.

I am growing mine in containers. Each is in about a 3-gallon container now

Variety Pinka Colada

but it won’t be low before they are going to need a pot double this size. I expect the plants to continue flowering until the weather turns cool.

Keep hibiscus moist, but not wet for best growth. It they dry out, hibiscus can quickly wilt and flower production decreases. Also, feed every month or two. I suggest you use a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote or Miracle-Gro Shake’n Feed. These are slow release products and one application can feed your hibiscus for several months following label instructions.

Hibiscus can be grown in the ground too but keep the winter protection handy. One member of the Hibiscus Society says he builds tepees with plastic covers to shelter his individual plants. Then he adds light bulbs as needed to provide heat. I think I will keep mine in containers and then they can be moved to a warmer spot when the severe cold weather warnings are sounded.

Do you have hibiscus? Post a comment to let us know how they are doing this year.

You know, I thought I saw lawn caterpillars a week or two ago and I guess I was right. I have started to see even more of them now. Here is the question – how did the sod webworms get started so early? They normally do not arrive until the end of June. You know, they are supposed to die out locally during the winter. Do you think during this mild winter some survived? That is my guess.

Well, you don’t have to worry too much about lawn caterpillars. They do some feeding and make the lawn look like it has been given a close mowing. Otherwise, the grass normally recovers. If needed, you can apply an insecticide found at local garden centers. There are some natural products for sod webworm and other lawn caterpillars too.

Now one St. Augustine lawn insect that definitely overwintered is the chinch bug. I have not checked but have seen lawns yellowing where I am almost sure they are active. You see yellow spots that gradually expand and turn brown. With all the dry lawns this spring you can expect the problem to become worst even though the rains have started to arrive.

Control of chinch bugs is not as easy as it used to be. The insects are becoming resistant to many of the common pesticides. Give one of the Bayer or Ortho products a try. Make sure you do a good spray job and treat the entire lawn. The days of spot spraying are probably over. These pests are normally way ahead of you. One of the newer products doing a good job is called Arena. It too can be found at local garden centers.

Your lawn can tolerate sod webworms and other lawn caterpillars but you have to get chinch bugs feeding in St. Augustine under control.

Gardenia with some thrips present

blossoms throughout much of summer too.

What many gardeners don’t realize is there are a number of different gardenia varieties. Our two shrubs are Miami Supreme and Coral Gables. Both grow to a height of 12 to 15 feet. Obtain a bulletin entitled Growing Gardenias in Florida from your local University of Florida Extension office for a complete list of the common varieties.

Plants seem to like a full sun exposure the most, but our gardenias are growing in filtered sun and do fine. They also like a well-drained soil. Sands are fine but you can improve them with organic matter if you wish before planting.

Now here is something important for gardenias grown in Central and South Florida. Obtain a plant grafted to a nematode resistant root stock. This root stock is another type of gardenia that can resist this pest but is cold sensitive so it does not do well in North Florida. If you do not use a grafted plant where it’s available, your gardenia could be short-lived.

Gardenias are what I call high maintenance plants. Here are a few tips to have good long-lived plantings in your landscape.

- Keep the plantings moist

- Maintain a 2 to 3 inch mulch over the root systems

- Feed in March, May, August & early October with a general tree and shrub fertilizer.

- If plants become yellow try an Epsom salts feeding at label rates.

- Check for scale insects and control with a horticultural oil spray as needed

- Keep thrips out of the blooms with frequent insecticidal soap sprays or the natural

insecticide spinosad during periods of flowering.

Are your gardenias flowering? Post a comment to let us know how you keep them growing. Also, what variety are you growing?

Spathiphyllum brighten shady spots

surround the true flowers and are probably why the plants have both the scientific and common names spathiphyllum. Well, they are on parade in my landscape flowering freely.

In the landscape is where they stay most of the year growing in containers. Some over the years have been willing to take a chance and grow them in the ground. But where I live it can get cold and the plants are often damaged by temperatures of freezing and below. This year the plants are spectacular. Most likely it is due to the mild winter where there was minimal plant damage as many did get left outdoors during the cold. If it gets really cold, some are protected in a small green house but others have to fend for themselves under covers in the warmest spots of the landscape.

Late winter and spring are the normal flowering times for spathiphyllum as

Spathes turning green is normal

they are affected by day length. This is when you can see the most blooms but they do flowers sporadically throughout the year too. The plants fill with the white spathes for weeks of shade brightening blooms.

My plants grow in heavy to light shade. They burn in full sun and turn very yellow. When flowering is over it is division time. Most fill their containers very quickly during the warmer months. Don’t feel bad about taking a knife to cutting the plants in halves or in quarters and giving each a new container. Then I add a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote or Miracle-Gro Shake’n Feed to supply nutrients for 3 to 4 months at which time they get another feeding. Do keep the soil moist as spathiphyllum like a damp soil.

 One concern I get mail about is the white spathes turning green over time. You have to remember these are modified leaf portions and many eventually develop chlorophyll and turn green. You can enjoy them or just cut them off.

By the way, this is a great house plant too. It grows in the lower light areas but needs bright light to flower.

Do you grow spathiphyllum? Post a comment to let us know?

Carolyn Whorton

caladium plant that has history deeply rooted in Central Florida.

History says a Dr. Mead in Oviedo and Dr. Nehrling of Gotha, Florida each played a big roll in starting the caladium industry that produces up to 98% of the world’s supply of caladium bulbs. Actually this is not a true bulb but a tuber which is a compressed stem. We call them bulbs because they are bulb-like in growth. The caladium industry is centered in the Lake Placid and Sebring areas and Lake Placid is the proclaimed caladium Capital of the World.

Miss Muffit

Caladiums are so popular because they are so easy to grow. I feel they like a filtered sun spot the best but they can grow in shade or full sun. Some seem to burn more in full sun especially if they do not receive adequate moisture.

I like to grow mine in containers so I can move them about as needed. These tubers often stay in the same container for several years before being separated. I start with a good potting soil and then add the bulbs.

Now here is a trick to get more foliage. Remove the central bud on the bulb. Remember what we call bulbs are actually stems and if you remove the tip bud you get more shoots or leaves. After removing the central bud let the bulb set and hour or so to dry the wound and then you can plant.

Then they are kept moist and fertilized monthly. Some potting mixtures contain fertilizer so you may not need to feed these plantings for several months. Then I like to use a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote or the Miracle-Gro Shake’n Feed. Just follow the instructions.

Here is something interesting. The earlier the bulbs starts to grow or the earlier you plant them the sooner they decline in late summer or early fall. You can sometimes get them to grow later in the season by delaying or staggering the plantings. All do decline during the fall months and rest until early spring when the weather warms.

Caladiums are available as bulbs and plants now at garden centers. Just are just some of the fun plants to grow.

My caladiums started growth early this spring due to the warmer winter weather. How are your plantings doing? Post a comment to let us know.

Cucumbers trained to a wood lattice

rotting and I can spot pest problems. The way I grow them over a wooden lattice shaped like a pyramid makes it easy to pick the fruits too. You just watch for them to hang down and then snip them off. What could be easier?

Most of my spring crops are doing well. The squash is starting to produce fruit but I am having some pollination problems. The insects seem to be having a difficult time finding the blossoms. I have some flowers like the sweet almond shrub nearby and hopefully this will help.

Tomatoes are growing well for the most part. Had one plant just up and decline. Maybe it stayed too wet. Had one or two that the insects started to

It's easy picking when the cucumber peeks through

nibble near the ground. I mounded up some soil at the base where the damage occurred and these seem to be taking off now. Tomatoes have lots of preformed roots and they can produce more in the new soil to get a second chance.

It is now time to start harvesting onions. They have matured early this year most likely due to the mild winter. I have two new varieties and I am waiting for them to start bulbing. I will let you know how they do. The old standard for my garden Granex is producing some big bulbs for early harvest.

I have sprayed once. This was for caterpillars on my tomatoes and corn. It looks like I will have to make another application – It has been about 3 weeks since the first spray of spinosad. This is a natural caterpillar, leaf miner and immature stink bug control. I expect the caterpillars to be bad this year as they are feeding again.

How is your garden doing? Post a comment to bring us all up to date.

A Boy and his herbs

come, many herbs have a tough time.

Herbs can be grown in the ground but all seem to do very well in containers. Also, if kept in containers they can be moved about during the hot wet months to shelter them from the daily rains. They can also be kept in a little cooler spot in the landscape.

One of the secrets to good herbs is keeping them moist but not wet. Feel the soil and when it starts to dry it is time to give them a good soaking. Herbs that have grown tall or wide and fill their containers may need daily waterings during the hot dry times. This may also mean it is time for a larger container.

Chives likes the cooler fall through spring months

Most herbs like their fertilizer. One way to feed the plantings is with a liquid fertilizer solution. This can be done every other week. I prefer the slow release fertilizes like Shake’n Feed or Osmocote that when applied to the soil surface following label instructions can feed the plants for months.

Do use your herbs. Clipping and using the portions keeps them growing. It also keeps the new tender growths coming which are often the best portions of the plants. Some like mints benefit from being divided several times a year

Mexican tarragon grows year-round

or the plants seem to slow their growths and look terrible.

Below are some of the great herbs for spring planting. Get them started now to have several months of enjoyment. Most garden centers have a good supply.

Herbs for spring planting: Anise, basil, bay laurel, borage, cardamon, chervil, chives, coriander, costmary, dill, fennel, ginger, lemon balm, sweet marjoram, Mexican tarragon, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and watercress.

White spores on underside of impatiens leaves

growers and those in home landscapes. The plants develop curled and yellow leaves. Eventually entire stems of foliage collapse. As the disease matures a white, downy-like growth forms fungal spores on the underside of the leaves.

Plant specialists point out this is a cool weather disease that is also aided by moist growing conditions. Regretfully the disease may be with the plants you purchase and further develop in the landscape. Growers are being extra careful to clean their beds of affected plants and apply treatments during culture and before shipment.

Once a plant is affected, it should be placed in a plastic bag and added to the

New Guinea impatiens are resistant to Downy Mildew

trash. There is no fungicide that can stop the disease after impatiens are affected with downy mildew.

Traditional impatiens are affected but not the New Guinea and SunPatiens. Gardeners noting the problem may want to substitute these impatiens selections, begonias or other shade loving plants this spring.

Have you seen downy mildew in your landscape? Post a comment to let us know.

A named variety

displays on the windowsills and patio. It’s one plant I can count on for good spring color. But not all gardeners are successful.

It seems you need the amaryllis that grows in Florida. Many years ago there were several farmers growing amaryllis in the Orlando area. I am sure some beds from bulbs of those plantings still exist today. Also Ted Mead, for whom Mead Gardens in Winter Park is named, had a collection. Randy Knight on our Saturday 7 to 9 AM radio program heard on 540 WFLA radio discussed these plantings. He is helping with the plantings at the Gardens and is trying to locate the older varieties and wants to restore them to a collection at Mead Gardens. I am sure if you have any known to be of the

Flower from a seedling

original collections he would love to hear from you.

My plantings just grow with the other container and in ground ornamentals. The container plants do get extra waterings and feedings when I remember. One thing I like to do is grow more plants from the seed heads. It is easy to do. When the seed heads form just save the seeds and sow them in a good potting mix. They germinate in about a week or two. Then I eventually pot them up. I have lots. The seeds also disperse in the landscape and start on their own. I now have amaryllis where I never planted the bulbs.

Some amaryllis bulbs do not seem to flower that well locally. I find, if you keep the plants on the dry side during the fall so they take a rest, they seem to do best. The rest of the year, keep them moist but not wet and feed lightly every 6 to 8 weeks and they do fine.

For the reluctant bloomers the University of Florida suggests digging the bulbs in October and letting them rest out of the ground for 6 to 8 weeks and then replant. This seems to give them a hint that maybe they should flower.

What has been your experience with amaryllis? Do you have any that won’t bloom? Post a comment to let us know.