Question 1

Can I start a Centipedegrass lawn from seed now?

Primary · Accepted Answer

April is a good time to start a Centipedegrass lawn from seed. Centipede seed is very tiny and should be mixed with a dry carrier such as Milorganite to help in spreading it. Good site preparation is essential. Centipede should be planted on bare soft soil in full sun, and should be lightly covered. Keep the seedbed moist (not soggy) and mow the weeds that emerge to prevent them from shading out the emerging seedlings. Centipedegrass is slow to establish from seed but requires minimal initial investment. One pound can be stretched to cover 4,000 square feet but you will get a lawn quicker by sowing the seed thicker.

Question 2

How can I stop my Tomatoes from rotting at the bottom of the fruit ?

Primary · Accepted Answer

This is caused by a condition called Blossom End Rot. One of the contributing factors is a deficiency of Calcium in the plant. We like to add lime to the soil when planting Tomatoes to supply them with needed Calcium. However in spite of doing this you may still get Blossom End Rot. During the growing season you can spray the entire plant with Ferti-lome Yield Booster (which contains Calcium chloride solution) to prevent this condition from ruining the fruit.

Question 3

My Camellias have some white dots on the undersides of the leaves and some yellowing from it too. What is causing this and how do I stop it?

Primary · Accepted Answer

What you see on your Camellias are Tea Scale. Tea Scale can be safely and effectively controlled by spraying thoroughly with SunSpray Ultra-fine Oil. This oil is safe to spray all year long. Many other oil sprays should not be used in hot weather, but Sunspray can be relied on even in our summer heat. This product kills by smothering instead of poisoning and can be very effective by repeating the spray treatment about 3 weeks after the first treatment.

Question 4

What is causing my Indian Hawthorn to have a lot of reddish and brown spots on their leaves? They seem to be getting thinner too.

Primary · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately Indian Hawthorn are susceptible to Entomosphorium Leaf Spot disease. Rake away fallen leaves and spray the new growth with a protectant fungicide every 7 to 10 days until the leaves mature. We like to use Ortho Rose Pride (formerly called Funginex )because it is colorless.

Question 5

When should I plant Caladium bulbs?

Primary · Accepted Answer

We prefer to wait until the soil has warmed up during April to plant Caladium bulbs. If Caladium bulbs are exposed to cold damp conditions the risk of losing them from fungal diseases is greater. Caladiums will respond to warm soil by rooting and sending out leaves quicker. This is why many professional growers "force" Caladiums by placing trays of moist potted bulbs in special heat tents to keep them warm.