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Warm Weather Planting

Take advantage of the warm summer days to plant frost-tender shrubs and trees, such as palms, bananas, bougainvilleas and hibiscus. These are great additions to the garden as long as they are properly placed. Select a location that receives half to full day sun. A bit of frost protection, such as a wall or a corner by a fence, is best to help prevent frost kill next winter. Almost all of these subtropical plants love as much heat as possible. Plant using equal amounts of Planting Mix and native soil. Blending the mix with some soil is much better than replacing the total volume of soil. This blending provides a gradient to allow the roots to acclimate and grow easily into the native soil. Plant so that the root ball is 1” above the surrounding soil. Cover this exposed soil with compost or planting mix. In a short amount of time, the hole will settle to the correct depth. Keep moist for the first 6 to 8 weeks. Your new plant will need more frequent watering than the existing ones.

Backyard Grove
Have you have ever thought about how nice it would be to be able to go into your own back yard and enjoy the luscious sweet fruits of a great nectarine?
Or maybe you crave the sweet juicy plum you remember from your childhood. If so, now is the time to get started and plant your dream orchard. It isn't necessary to have a large area of land in order to enjoy the taste that only tree-ripened fruit can give. Consider planting three (a nectarine, peach and plum) in the same hole. Simply dig a hole that is large enough to accommodate three root balls. Place the trees in the hole so that the root balls touch in a triangular pattern. Lean the trees out away from each other so the tops have a bit more room. Now with a little water, fertilizer and patience, you will be enjoying three types of fruit in the space that one tree would normally take. Citrus trees can be planted this way as well. The combinations are endless. So make out that wish list and get planting.

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The Ravenous Eucalyptus Beetle
	I was called to a home on Lodosa drive where a eucalyptus had been brought down, a casualty of some water and the eucalptus beetle. The eucalyptus has been a great addition to the landscape in North America for over 150 years. This Australian native is evergreen, very fast growing, drought tolerant and extremely hardy.
Up till the mid 80’s it was absolutely pest free. Now, however, there are several pests that feast on many of the eucalyptus species with great zeal. Since this tree is not native to this country, there has never been a chance for beneficial insects to populate the area. When new pests are introduced, there are no checks and balances to keep the pest population under control. So when foreign pests do arrive in the U.S., they have a heyday and multiply extremely rapidly. The eucalyptus tortoise beetle, first discovered in the U.S. in Riverside in 1998, has since moved through Southern California and along the coast. In its native Australia, this pest is not a problem and is found only in very small population. The tortoise beetle is a voracious nocturnal feeder that can strip a eucalyptus tree virtually overnight. The insect can be easily identified by leaf damage created. The initial infestation will show leaves with semicircles or half-moons removed from the leaves. (Do not confuse this with the damage from the leaf cutter bee, which does not feed on eucalyptus.) After the population increases, the tortoise beetle will consume all but the mid rib of the leaf leaving a characteristic wispy or lacy pattern usually toward the top of the tree. If you discover these insects in your tree, there is hope. The predators have been introduced into the U.S., but it will probably take three to four years to bring the tortoise beetle population into check. To keep this insect and others from damaging your tree, you need to keep your eucalyptus healthy. This means to provide deep water every two weeks in the summer as well as fertilizer two to three times a year. Do not use a high nitrogen fertilizer as it creates lush growth that attracts the insect. Be sure to clean up under the tree because debris provides an ideal place for the insect to hide and breed. If the population becomes large and the health of the tree becomes a question, you can use Bayer Tree & Shrub insecticide to eliminate the problem. Simply dilute the recommended amount of product in a bucket of water and pour around the base of the tree. The insecticide will absorb into the root system and in a matter of 1 to 2 weeks translocate to the top of a tree as tall as 80 feet. So don't cut down that Eucalyptus; the problem will be resolved in a few years. However if you are considering new eucalyptus planting, select resistant varieties like the Dollar eucalyptus (Eucalyptus polyanthemos) or Pink Iron Bark eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sideroxylon rosea). For additional information, let our nursery professionals provide solutions to your problems.