EDITOR'S NOTE: A University of Florida faculty member and Nassau County Extension Horticultural Agent, Rebecca Jordi addresses some of the questions she receives about landscaping and gardening in northeast Florida, in GARDEN TALK.
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QUESTION:
I have this weed in my yard that looks similar to dollarweed but I know it is
different. Can you tell me what it is? MW
JORDI:
It was easy to identify this weed once you brought me in a sample.
Dichondra or Ponyfoot, Dichondra carolinensis, is a perennial plant that
reproduces by seed and stolon. In some areas of the country, dichondra is
used as a popular ground cover in place of grass.
Once established, it grows just as well in full sun as shade. It is not salt or cold tolerant and does not respond well to foot traffic or compacted soil. Dichondra is often found living underneath the canopy of trees as it is protected from severe cold by the tree branches. This plant requires quite a bit of water and nitrogen to maintain good health. I suspect you may be applying too much of both to your lawn, which is a common practice in Northeast Florida.
St.
Augustine grass grown in our area will
often become stressed and weak after a few years of over fertilization and over
watering. This poor management practice often results in weeds growing
heartily in the lawn’s place. Remember to use 15-0-15 fertilizers on St.
Augustine grass with at least 25% of the
nitrogen in a slow release form during the months of March, May and
September. Use iron sulfate during the summer with as little nitrogen as
possible.
It is best to water St. Augustine grass on an “as needed” basis. Water when the grass blade starts to slightly fold onto itself, which means you should set your irrigation system on manual. Ideally, you should only water between the hours of 6am – 10am. Keep your St. Augustine grass at 3.5 – 4 inches high and never remove more than 1/3 of the blade at any mowing. Never scalp or cut the lawn extremely short. It is not advisable to add lime to the yard unless a soil analysis advises you to do so. So, how do you get rid of dichondra? Maintain a healthy lawn by using best management practices of proper fertilization, irrigation, and mowing.
QUESTION: Some of my camellias are not looking their best. The leaves of a few of them are brownish-gray. They seem to have specks of something all over them but I can not tell exactly what they are. Can you help me? SL
JORDI:
I am glad you brought in a few samples as the brownish coloration on the leaves
could be caused by several things. After viewing the leaves under the
scope, we were able to determine the cause of the bronzing was from hundreds of
two-spotted mites feeding on the leaves. The two-spotted spider mite
prefers the hot, dry weather of the summer and fall months, but may occur
anytime during the year. Overwintering females hibernate in ground litter or
under the bark of trees or shrubs.
This mite has been reported to infest over 200 species of plants. Some of the more common ornamental plants attacked include arborvitae, azalea, camellia, evergreens, hollies, ligustrum, pittosporum, pyracantha, rose, and viburnum. Fruit crops attacked include blackberries, blueberries, citrus and strawberries. A number of vegetable crops such as tomatoes, squash, eggplant, cucumber are also subject to two-spotted spider mite infestations and damage. The mite is also a pest of trees and may damage maple, elm, and redbud. Complete defoliation may occur if the mites are not controlled. You may need to use a spray program of horticulture oil in addition to an ornamental miticide specifically labeled for ornamental trees and shrubs.
QUESTION: I have a beautiful sago palm that has another little tree growing out of its side. Do I need to worry about the large tree surviving this new growth? ML
JORDI:
The growth you described is called a pup. You can remove it or leave it
attached. If you remove it, you should do it as soon as possible.
Once you have removed the pup, put it in clean soil. Keep the soil moist
but not wet to encourage root growth. Put the newly planted pup in a
protected site that will obtain lots of indirect sunlight. It may take it
several months for the pup to develop roots as these plants grow very
slowly. Some people like the look of the multi-stemmed palms and leaving
the pup attached would be one way of achieving that look. It really is up
to you. No long-term damage will occur to the adult plant if you leave
the pup attached.
Remember palms, and plants similar to palms (cycads), should be fertilized using palm fertilizer during spring, summer and fall. Spread the fertilizer throughout the whole canopy (along the root area). Be sure to irrigate the palm around the root area immediately after applying the fertilizer; about ¼ inch is sufficient.
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Rebecca Jordi
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