Fertilize:
If you haven’t fertilized your landscape shrubs, trees, and palms since spring- do so now! The stress of summer and frequent rains has depleted the nutrients in the soil and your plants need food! Nonflowering trees and shrubs can be fertilized with 8-2-12 slow release granular. For flowering shrubs, trees and perennials use 6-8-10 slow release for blooming. If you didn’t fertilize your palms in July, then do so now with Nurserymen SureGro 8-2-12 Palm Fertilizer slow-release granules.
Lastly, orchids require fertilization every 2-3 weeks during the warm months because the plants are actively growing right now.
Trimming:
With summer rains most plants grow like crazy! Keep ahead of the game by pruning. Too often gardeners are afraid to trim but if your pentas, bush daisies, lantanas or any other plant or perennial have become overgrown and leggy- trim them back and fertilize and the results will make you a believer in pruning!
Continue to trim your hedges, however, allow new shoots to grow 5-6 inches before shearing. Remember, to create density, plants should be trimmed lightly all over, not just on the top!
Trim old seed heads from crape myrtles (if you can reach) to encourage more flowers; prune roses if needed and continue to deadhead your annuals and perennials.
Pet Owners:
Many times we are asked about the toxicity of plants to pets. The ASPCA provides a fairly comprehensive list of plants that are known to cause anything from mild gastritis problems to severe poisoning to both cats and dogs. There is also a list for any customers who own horses.
Here are some examples of some common plant material that is known to be somewhat toxic:
Alocasia (Elephant Ear), Aloe, Alyssum, Asparagus Fern, Bamboo, Begonia, Bird of Paradise (flowers), sword fern, bottlebrush, boxwood, Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, Caladium, Camellia, Canna Lily, Cardboard Palm, Celosia, Confederate Jasmine, Geranium, Milkweed, Oleander, Philodendron, and Sago Palms.
Here is a website that you can refer to if you have any concerns – https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants
