Q: Our Tibouchina urvilleana tree appears to be distressed this year. The leaves have been much smaller than usual. The purple flowers seem to be about average size, but not the leaves.
We’ve tried 20-20-20 fertilizer and sulfate of ammonia but to no avail. Any suggestions?
A: Princess Flower is a beautiful flowering shrub or small tree that is native to Brazil. It thrives in zones 9-10 but will die back to the ground in zone 8 due to frost.
It needs acid, so adding peat moss to the soil can help. Instead of 20-20-20, use fertilizer for acid-loving plants (usually labelled as azalea food). Alkaline soil can prevent iron absorption and result in leaf yellowing.
Small leaves can also be caused by disease or pests. Look carefully for signs of infestation. Fine webbing can indicate the presence of spider mites. Thrips, aphids, and whiteflies can hide under leaves and cause leaves to become deformed. Powdery mildew can also cause leaf issues.
Heat and/or water stress can cause leaves to remain small. Princess flowers enjoy regular watering, but not soggy soil.
Finally, inadequate light can cause small leaves. Princess flowers, like many flowering shrubs, appreciate at least five hours of full sun per day. In very hot areas, it will appreciate afternoon shade.
Q: Recently I was dismayed to find mosquito larvae in the corner of a small bed (16 square feet) where I grow vegetables, separate from my main garden. Our A/C dumps excess water there and there’s no practical way to avoid that.
I began spraying alternately with Malathion and Spinosad, both of which I’ve been told kill mosquitoes. I’ve now ordered tablets that release bacillus thuringiensis for 30 days at a time to keep the mosquitoes under control.
My question is whether this tablet, placed in a corner of the bed, will enter the vegetables and make them unsafe to eat. I currently have beets planted there but, in the summer, I often grow tomatoes or cucumbers.
A: Mosquito dunks (round tablets) contain a bacteria whose spores are toxic to mosquitoes and mosquito larvae that eat it. It is also toxic to several other insect species, but not to other animals or humans. As always, thoroughly wash your vegetables in clean water.
It would probably be a good idea to remedy the drainage problem in your vegetable bed. Poor drainage can lead to root rot or other fungal diseases that are difficult to get rid of.
Q: Can orchid potting soil be used as mulch around birds of paradise?
A: Orchid potting mix consists of different types of bark mixed with sphagnum moss. It is very well-draining and nutrient-poor, so it is especially suited for orchids and other epiphytes. It’s quite a bit more expensive than regular bark mulch, but it can be used as mulch.
Have questions? Email gardening@scng.com.
Looking for more gardening tips? Here’s how to contact the Master Gardener program in your area.
Los Angeles County
mglosangeleshelpline@ucdavis.edu; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/
Orange County
ucceocmghotline@ucanr.edu; 949-809-9760; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/
Riverside County
anrmgriverside@ucanr.edu; 951-683-6491 ext. 231; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/
San Bernardino County
mgsanbern@ucanredu; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu/
The Link LonkSeptember 26, 2020 at 09:51PM
https://www.pe.com/2020/09/26/how-to-save-a-princess-flower-in-distress/
How to save a princess (flower) in distress - Press-Enterprise
https://news.google.com/search?q=Flower&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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