Tropical South
November 14, 2002
By Robert Haehle,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Try Rainhandlers
My new rainhandlers have been installed, and now I wait for the rains. I got impatient and squirted some water on the roof and the water was deflected out about 2 to 3 feet from the house in a gentle spray on the plants below. This will prevent cleaning out leaves and save my wood siding from decay. I actually had mushrooms growing out of my siding. Visit http://www.rainhandlers.com for information.
Hope for Rain
We are definitely in the dry season now. I hope for rain but little has appeared. We must be dependent on Lake Okeechobee for our water supply. The lake is reasonably full now but our population is growing by almost 1000 people daily. I can see desert-type plantings for the future.
Fertilize
I finally got around to fertilizing yesterday. I am trying a new product, Naturize fertilizer, which is a 15-4-7 product containing microbes. Microbes help the roots absorb nutrients more efficiently and improve growth, according to Auburn University tests. The fertilizer could significantly reduce NPK leaching, resulting in less pollution and fewer algae blooms, and fish kills in the lakes, streams, oceans, and aquifers. I applied it to my roses. Visit http://www.naturize.com for more information.
Keep Trying New Plants
Test plants are subjected to all sorts of horrors in my yard. My test lilac was ripped out as a weed by the gardener. My test daylilies were mowed over twice but still are growing. I put a big stake next to each of them. My 'Encore' azaleas were flooded out in a 20-inch rain and only one survived. But I'll keep trying.
Watch for Pests
Pest populations are declining thankfully. Continue weekly garden inspections. Spider mites are the major culprits during the winter months. Plants located under eaves are very much at risk. Insects especially favor copperleaf, avocado, mango, and croton. Plants in the open are much less troubled because rain washes the mites off. A shot of water from the hose on the leaf undersides will help to keep them at bay.