GNO Gardener - June 2007

Pink profusion zinnias, cosmos and verbena form a striking summer container garden.

In June, GNO gardeners begin to limit their gardening chores to early morning and late evening when slightly cooler temps make it more tolerable to be outdoors. As you stroll through your yard during these quieter times of day, don't forget to assess the success of your summer beds, which should be flourishing with summer annuals and perennials.  Take photos and good notes to document what you'll want to repeat or avoid next year.

Wish you had a crape myrtle or two in your landscape? Now is also an excellent time to observe the diverse colors, habit and duration of bloom of these popular summer-flowering trees, which peak in June and July. To help you make the best selection, you may want to read the AgCenter's publication Crape Myrtles for Louisiana Landscapes, which lists several recommended varieties for the New Orleans area.

Pay attention to your landscape irrigation as watering is very important when summer arrives. Water only when necessary, but water thoroughly--early morning is the best. But don't forget that container gardens will require daily or twice-daily waterings this time of year.  

Lots of great gardening tips from your favorite LSU AgCenter experts follow in our June GNO Gardener. We hope you'll enjoy them all.

Happy June Gardening!

The Flower Garden | The Edible Garden | The Healthy Garden | The Garden Shed
Favorite Field Trips | Plant Sales | General Information

It’s time to:

• Continue planting heat-tolerant annuals and summer bulbs. Some good choices include: Torenia or wishbone flower (Torenia fournieri), angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia), Coleus, impatiens, begonia, pentas, purslane, blue daze, Profusion zinnia.
• Add color to shady gardens with caladiums; however, consider these cultivars for sunnier locations: Candidum Junior, Carolyn Whorton, Fire Chief, Rosebud, White Queen, Jackie Suthers, Lance Whorton, Miss Muffet, Mumbo, Pink Gem, Red Frill, Sea Gull and Florida Sweetheart.
• Water regularly when weather is dry; two or three times a week for newly planted bedding plants; daily for container gardens.
• Apply sufficient mulch to conserve moisture and prevent weeds.
• Deadhead faded flowers from blooming perennials.
• Stake tall perennials to keep them upright.
• Remove flowers from caladiums to encourage more foliage.
• Prune azaleas, if necessary, no later than mid-July.
• Watch gardenias for signs of aphids, whiteflies and the associated black sooty mold. Control the insects with Orthene or a summer horticultural oil spray.
• Plant or transplant palms through the summer.
• Apply second round of fertilizer to lawns in June or July.
• Sod or repair lawns now through September.
• Spray roses with a fungicide before disease organisms attack, especially blackspot; repeat at seven- to 10-day intervals.

Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter, shares some great summer gardening tips:

Native Wisteria Has Long Blooming Season. It is not as well known as its Chinese and Japanese counterparts, but there is a native wisteria vine found in Louisiana. It's called Wisteria frutescens, and it blooms about now (in late May). While the Chinese wisteria’s blooming is over in about two weeks – one big flash – the native wisteria has been in bloom at least a week or two and is going to continue to bloom for more than a month.

Palms Should Be Planted During Summer. Most trees and shrubs in Louisiana should be planted during our cooler season, but palms should be planted during the heat of summer. The roots of palms only grow in warm soil. Just make sure the palms you plant are hardy for your area.

Annual Vines Keep Growth In Check.  Vines are wonderful additions to our landscapes. They are beautiful climbing on a trellis or over an arbor. Annual vines are the ones that die at the end of their season, so if you are hesitant to use vines because you think they might get too wild, an annual vine will solve that problem.

These Colorful Plants Can Take The Heat.  There is still time to add colorful bedding plants to your landscape, but it’s important for you to choose plants that are able to thrive in the intense heat of a Louisiana summer.

You Can Have Success with Periwinkles. One of the most popular summer bedding plants is the periwinkle or vinca. Known for its prolific and long blooming season, it is heat- and drought-tolerant and thrives in our climate

Ornamental Sweet Potatoes Make Delightful Addition To Summer Flower Garden. For the summer flower garden, ornamental sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) make a delightful, attractive addition. They love the intense heat of our summers and should not be planted until the daytime highs are in the 80s.

Get Spectacular Flowers With Tropical Hibiscus.  No other summer-flowering shrub surpasses the tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) for glossy, dark-green foliage and nonstop flowers in shades and blends of pink, yellow, orange, white, lavender or scarlet. And their exceptionally long blooming season runs from late spring through late fall.

It’s time to:

• Plant transplants: collards, cucuzzi, eggplant, hot pepper, luffa, Malabar spinach, mirliton, New Zealand spinach, okra, peanut, pumpkin, Southern peas, soybeans, squash, sweet potato.
• Plant herbs: basil, perilla, sesame, lemon balm, mint, vetiver, lemon grass, lemon balm, lemon verbena, mountain mint, Mexican oregano, garlic chives, rosemary, bergamot, hyssop, Mexican tarragon, tarragon, yarrow, burnet and rue.
• Plant tomato seeds by mid-June, if you're planning to grow tomatoes in your fall garden.
• Prune blueberries, if needed, after harvest is complete.

Time To Plant Heat-tolerant Veggies. June is a pivotal time for Louisiana vegetable gardens. It’s the transition from spring to hot summer conditions. At this time many crops are fully in harvest or have been pulled out to make room for new crops.  [Thomas Koske, LSU  AgCenter]

Organic Mulch Good For Summer Vegetable Gardens.  Organic mulches can help keep your vegetables producing during Louisiana’s hot summer months. Although mulch is usually applied to control weeds and conserve moisture, it has several other useful functions, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.

The Healthy Garden

Prepare Landscape For Storms, Hurricanes.  June marks the beginning of hurricane season, and it’s important to understand powerful hurricanes can affect the entire state – not just the southern portions. As you make your plans, remember there are things that need to be done to prepare a landscape for the possibility of storm and things to do when a storm threatens. [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]

Mowing Often Keeps Lawn Healthy.  Mowing is the main lawn chore during the summer months. You need to mow often enough so that when you do mow you are not cutting off more than a third of the leaf blade. Of course, this will mean mowing at least once a week.  [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]

Soggy Soil Can Make Plants Sick. Adequate moisture is critically important to landscape plants during hot weather, but too much rain or excessive watering also can bring problems. Wet soil combined with high temperatures can create stressful conditions for bedding plants, vegetables, shrubs and even trees – especially those just planted this year.  [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]

Clean Pots Keep Container Plants Healthy, Attractive. Cleaning flower pots is a part of container gardening. Keeping pots clean ultimately keeps your plants attractive, and a clean pot often means a healthier plant, as well. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how to clean plastic and terra cotta pots.  [Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter]

Support our local Farmer's Markets.  There are several good ones in our area:

• Crescent City Farmer's Market
  Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  Uptown Square, 200 Broadway
  
  Saturdays 8 a.m. to 12 noon
  Downtown 700 Magazine Street at Giroid
  
• Gretna Farmer's Market
  Every Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  Huey P. Long Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets in Gretna
  
• Upper 9th Ward Farmer's Market
  Every Saturday
  1 pm - 4 pm
  3500 St Claude ("Holy Angels")
  482- 5722

Plant Sale
New Orleans Botanical Garden
July 7, 2007
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Shop unusual and native plants cultivated by volunteer growers at the New Orleans Botanical Garden.  For more information call 504·482·4888.

• Visit our Web site for Greater New Orleans gardeners.
• Get more Horticulture Hints for Summer 2007.
• Learn about the Louisiana Master Gardener program.
• Locate a Cooperative Extension Service Office.
• Download free Lawn & Gardening Publications.
• Email us at mggno@agcenter.lsu.edu.

We know what it means to garden in Orleans ... Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard too!

Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans
Serving Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes