Late summer landscape jobs

By Larry Williams, UF/IFAS Extension Agent, Okaloosa County

A number of late summer landscape jobs pay big dividends a little later.

Ligustrum, elaeagnus, cleyera and a number of other shrubs tend to send up shoots that significantly protrude from the canopy. These longer shoots should be completely removed or at least cut off below the canopy. This will improve the appearance of these shrubs.  

It’s not too late to start rose care again in order to obtain excellent blossoms during the fall months. Here’s how to get bush roses blooming for the fall.

First, remove healthy top growth as well as dead twigs and branches. Cut out any diseased, injured or spindly growth and shorten the main canes and lateral branches. Leave at least half the length of each main cane that’s one to three years old. It takes healthy rose bushes approximately six weeks from pruning to the beginning of a flush of flowers.

Second, it’s important to follow a spray schedule for control of insects and diseases. A weekly application of a fungicide is especially important. This will provide a “protective shield” over the new growth that will reduce black spot and powdery mildew.

Third, if the roses have not been fertilized recently, an application of fertilizer now will be beneficial. If granular fertilizer is used, be sure to spread it well beyond the drip line of the foliage and water it in for faster action.

To encourage a second crop of blossoms on crape myrtles, remove the spent flower heads as soon as they occur. Removal of flower heads prevents seed formation and allows that extra energy to go back into this season’s flowers. It should take about four to six weeks for the plants to re-bloom. This technique can also work on Vitex (chaste tree). But act soon, pruning too late won’t allow enough time for flower initiation before the cooler, shorter days of fall.

Now is a good time to propagate many ornamentals such as oleanders, hydrangeas and azaleas. To produce azaleas in this manner, take tip cuttings three to five inches long with several leaves attached. Place the cuttings in a rooting medium in a shady area and keep them moist by covering them with a plastic bag or by using a mist system. Many rooting mediums can be used. The most common are sand and mixtures of peat and perlite. Use a rooting hormone to hasten root growth. 

You might think about rooting a few cuttings of cold sensitive landscape plants before winter and keeping the young plants in a protected place. If some of your tender ornamentals freeze, you’ll have replacements to set out come spring.

Originally published Aug. 2007