Alan’s August Garden Tips
/Camellias and Azaleas: The month of August is the best time to prune your Camellias and Azaleas before they bud for next spring. Removing dead wood and reshaping will give your plants healthier blooms. It’s time for their last fertilizing of the year with G&B Organic Rhododendron Azalea & Camellia 4-5-2
English Roses: Feed and trim your English Roses. Check them for rose thrips and spider mites – they are tiny and usually found on the underside of new leaves sucking on their tissue. Use Horticultural oil or Captain Jack’s Deadbug to get rid of these pests. It is important to keep your English Roses strong and healthy for the fall blooming season.
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Gardenias, Hibiscus & Plumerias: Feed them with Bud & Bloom 3-7-4. Enjoy your “backyard tropical vacation”! A big shade tree might be the perfect place for those Hawaiian plants you’ve longed to own. They may not take as much water as you think and your tree will love it!
Try out a new plant this month: Plumeria tree. This tropical plant is found in the Pacific Islands, Caribbean, South America, Mexico, Philippines, Southern and Southeastern Asia. They can grow to be 30 to 40 feet tall, but also do very well in pots. They need well-drained soil – slightly acidic. Use cactus mix or perlite & sand for planting in a pot. Plumerias love the sun, but in areas that get over 90 degrees it is probably best to have them in full sun for only half of the day. They bloom from March to October and go dormant in the winter. The fragrance of these beautiful flowers will bring a little piece of Hawaii into your life every day!