Tom MacCubbin

Apopka

Journalist at Orlando Sentinel

Featured in: Favicon

orlandosentinel.com Favicon

aol.com

nydailynews.com Favicon

baltimoresun.com

Articles

I'd like to add summer color to my flower bed. What do you suggest?

4 days 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 week 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

2 weeks 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?

2 weeks 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

1 month 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.
Prune colorful firespikes while perennials are making new growth

1 month ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: My red firespike is over 10 feet tall and I would like to prune it down about half. When is a good time to do the pruning? Answer: Do needed pruning now while this perennial is making new growth. Feel free to prune it back as much as needed - even to within a few feet of the ground. The plant is a vigorous grower and should send out lots of new shoots that could be in bloom by early summer.
April in the Garden for Central Florida

1 month ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

The AlmanacAverage temperature: High 83, Low 60Rainfall: 2.42 inches1. Moon phasesFirst quarter: April 4Full moon: April 12Last quarter: April 20New moon: April 272. Moon sign planting datesAbove-ground crops: 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 27, 28Below-ground crops: 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 28,23, 24Control weeds: 2, 3, 21, 22, 29, 30Prune trees and shrubs: 6, 7, 16, 17, 25, 26 Time to plant3.
Vigorous vine Confederate jasmine known for its fragrant flowers

1 month ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: I am looking for a vine to grow in a shady area on a fence. It would be nice if it has fragrant flowers. What's available? Answer: Look no further than the Confederate jasmine which blooms during April or May. This vigorous grower has evergreen leaves and lots of fragrant white flowers. It also grows in both sun and shade. Keep the planting moist during the dry times and fertilize once in March, May and early October with a slow-release landscape product to keep the fence attractive.
Plenty of large green leaves but no flowers on my Amazon lilies

2 months ago | orlandosentinel.com | Tom MacCubbin

Question: I planted Amazon lily bulbs last year that produced large evergreen leaves but have not flowered. When do they normally bloom? Answer: Flowering time is during the winter months for Amazon lilies - also known as Eucharist lilies. Fragrant white blooms resembling daffodils appear on over foot-tall shoots late December through early March. The plants need the shade and have large shiny leaves resembling those of hostas.