By Eddie Rodieck
Spring has officially arrived and now is the time you may start to work more in your garden. Whether you are cleaning up from the cool winter months, are planting fresh flowers, or want to work toward a complete renovation of your yard, the warmer weather brings challenges its own challenges. Here are a few tips to help you out as things heat up.
Irrigation
Now is also the time to increase water to your drip lines for the summer. We recommend three hours of water three times a week as an average for your plants and lawn. Prior to increasing your timers, we recommend turning them on manually to check for leaks and, if possible, checking the flow of the emitter by determining the level of moisture at the base of your plants. If you find dry spots or minimal water at the base of your plants, it may indicate a clogged emitter.
Roses
There are a few maintenance items you’ll need to consider when you have roses. First, you will want to prune back and thin your roses for the summer. Roses should be pruned back at least once a year in the spring.
This is also an excellent time to fertilize and treat your roses for grubs and oncoming aphids. You may also want to turn up the water on your roses as they will produce more flowers if watered more frequently than other plants, particularly here in Arizona.
If you are considering planting new roses this spring, remember location, location, location. Planting location makes a big difference when it comes to roses. The ideal area will offer partial shade from mature trees or morning sun with afternoon shade.
Citrus & Thrips
Thrips are microscopic bugs which suck the juice out of new growth on citrus trees such as lemons, limes, etc. The damage caused by thrips can lead leaves to curl and become deformed. This doesn’t affect the health of the tree and we do not recommend treating fruit trees with insecticides.
Pyracantha & Red Spiders
Some Pyracantha leaves may begin to turn brown as a result of a microscopic spider (called Red Spider Mites) as they hatch with the warmth of spring. We recommend spraying your Pyracantha with “insecticidal soap” or other recommended treatments. The spraying of foliage as well as the trunk of the plant where the larva exists will alleviate the pests.
Note that once the leaves have turned brown, it will take some time for the Pyracantha leaves to return to a natural green color, even after treating for the mites. Watch your plants for signs of the mites after treatment to ensure retreatment is not required and be patient for your plants to recover.
Oleanders
Oleanders can become covered with aphids this time of year. While unsightly, they do not affect the health of the plant and will burn off as the temperatures continue to rise. Thus, you do not need to treat Oleanders for the pests.
The leaves on your Oleanders may turn yellow in the spring while the plants flower. This is not a sign of dehydration. It is simply a part of the natural growth cycle of the plant so there is no need to worry.
For other tips and information regarding spring gardening, please feel free to contact us at Cherry Landscape at (520) 292-9776 or visit us online. We would be glad to help you and answer any of your questions.