Tom MacCubbin

Apopka

Journalist at Orlando Sentinel

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Articles

Dry, hot conditions can wreak havoc on young bush daisy plants

6 days ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: I recently added several bush daisy plants to my landscape that wilt everyday. I water and they perk up. Is there a problem with the plants? Answer: Young plants frequently wilt during the heat of the day due to their limited root systems. Everyday watering is likely to be needed for several weeks if the dry weather continues. Water by hand and wet the base of the plants to moisten the root balls and surrounding soil.
June in the Garden for Central Florida

6 days ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

The AlmanacAverage temperature: High 91, Low 72Rainfall: 7.35 inches1. Moon phasesFirst quarter: June 2Full moon: June 11Last quarter: June 18New moon: June 252. Moon sign planting datesAbove-ground crops: 2, 3, 7, 8, 25, 26, 29, 30Below-ground crops: 12, 13, 17, 18, 21, 22Control weeds: 14, 15, 16, 23, 24Prune trees and shrubs: 1, 9, 10, 11, 19, 20, 27, 28 Time to plant3.
Those alien-looking pods on your amaryllis can grow new plants

1 week ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: Pods have formed at the top of some of my amaryllis plants after the bloom declined. It looks like they are full of seeds. Can they be used to start more plants? Answer: Increase your amaryllis collection using the pods that are likely full of waferlike seeds. Usually they grow plants just like the parent, but every so often you do get amaryllis of different colors. Use a potting mix to fill large, but fairly shallow, containers to contain the seeds.
How long do daylilies produce buds and when can plants be divided?

2 weeks ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: We have recently started planting daylilies, and as the name suggests, the blooms only last a day. How long do the plants keep producing new buds and when can they be divided? Answer: Fortunately your plant is likely loaded with more shoots and a lot more buds. Expect the daily flower displays to last a month or more. How well the plant performs depends on the amount of care. One grower once told me daylilies are almost aquatic plants. What he meant was they need lots of water to flourish.
I'd like to add summer color to my flower bed. What do you suggest?

3 weeks ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: I am looking for some good summer color. What would you pick to add to a flower bed? Answer: While many colorful plants are available for summer, two that seem to survive the best and into fall are pentas and coleus. Pentas form bushy bedding plants opening white, pink, red or purple blooms depending on the variety. They grow best in full sun to light shade. Coleus offer foliage of many colors that produce plants about 3 feet tall and wide depending on the variety.
Mother Nature decides when Easter lilies in your garden will bloom

1 month ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: My Easter lilies planted in the garden a year ago have small buds in the tops of the plants that are not near open while the ones in the stores are in bloom. Are mine of a different type? Answer: Growers can time their lily blooms to open for Easter where your home planting depends on Mother Nature. We have to remember Easter arrives on a different date each year and growers plan their plants to be opening buds about a week prior.
May in the Garden for Central Florida

1 month ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

The AlmanacAverage temperature: High 88, Low 66Rainfall: 3.74 inches1. Moon phasesFirst quarter: May 4Full moon: May 12Last quarter: May 20New moon: May 262. Moon sign planting datesAbove-ground crops: 1, 2, 6, 7, 11, 12, 29, 30Below-ground crops: 16, 17, 20, 21, 25, 26Control weeds: 18, 19, 27, 28Prune trees and shrubs: 3, 4, 5, 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24, 31 Time to plant3.
Why aren't my caladiums sprouting leaves as normal?

1 month ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: My caladiums are not sprouting leaves as normal. Will they regrow or do I need to plant new bulbs? Answer: Hopefully by the time you receive this response there are lots of new shoots. Florida's weather has a lot to do with when the tubers commonly called bulbs regrow their colorful leaves. If the winter is cold, spring growth is delayed. Resumption of growth also seems to be determined by when the plants lost their leaves in the fall.
Don't give up on blackberry lilies which have died back

1 month ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: Clumps of our new blackberry lilies have died back during the winter. All that is left are clusters of leaves near the ground and dead shoots. What should I do? Answer: In about two to three months you should have new flushes of flowers but first you need to do a little pruning. Blackberry lilies are true perennials and decline during the cooler months. They get their name from the fruit that forms after flowering resembling blackberries.
You can have azaleas in Central Florida but they're going to take work

2 months ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: We seem to remember when many yards had azaleas but now there appears to be just a few. Are azaleas hard to grow here in Central Florida? Answer: Many residents also remember spring azalea sales at nurseries and parking lots offered by garden clubs and a number of societies. Regretfully many gardeners were not successful with their plantings and the enthusiasm for azaleas has dwindled. Local soils are exceptionally sandy and not adjusted to the acidity preferred by azaleas.