August can be a tough month for North Florida lawns and landscapes. The heat and humidity can be hard on both plants and gardeners. However, there are some things you can do now that will help your landscape in the coming weeks.
Give Roses Some Care
August is a good time to clean up your roses. Prune out dead and diseased branches. You can also remove weak, thin branches. If you have not fertilized your roses recently, now is a good time to do so. A little care now may help neglected roses produce flowers in late summer and fall. Keep in mind that some old-fashioned and species roses bloom only once a year. Extra care will not make these roses bloom again.
Get Crape Myrtles Ready to Bloom Again
Encourage crape myrtles to produce another round of flowers by removing old flowers and seedpods. Prune just below the cluster of seedpods at the end of each branch. This will encourage new growth and more flowers. It usually takes about six weeks for the new flowers to appear. Use this same method on chaste trees, also called Vitex. However, this may be difficult or not practical on large, mature trees.
August Plant Clinic
The August Plant Clinic will be held on Friday, August 21, from 9 to 11 a.m. The clinic will be held at the new Sheila Dunning Extension Building, located at 1954 Lewis Turner Boulevard in Fort Walton Beach.
The new building is to the right and in front of the Fort Walton Beach Fairgrounds, now called the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Rigdon Center. It is also behind Miss Ruth’s Farmers Market pavilion.
The Plant Clinic gives you a chance to bring samples from your lawn, landscape or garden to help with plant problems. We can also help identify weeds and insects.
If you plan to attend, bring a fresh sample of the plant, weed or insect you want identified. For example, you might bring a plant stem with several leaves or a 4-inch square of grass with the roots attached. Fresh samples are important because they make it easier to diagnose plant problems and identify insects and weeds.
You can also bring a soil sample from your lawn, landscape or garden for pH testing.
For instructions on how to collect a good soil sample, call the Fort Walton Beach Extension Office at 850-651-7215 or the Crestview Extension Office at 850-689-5850.
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