Date: 29 Aug 2019
How to establish a Mango Tree
Q: I received my mango tree from you on Monday and it looked beautiful. I followed the instructions and kept it out of direct sun. I watered it a little each day when the potting mix was dry to the touch. But the leaves are turning yellow and brown then falling off. Should I have removed the tree from the soil it was packed in?
A: Leaf drop and dry/yellow leaves are normal symptoms of shipping stress. Your mango tree looks healthy overall. Considering you have high humidity now in Louisiana, the plant should recover soon under proper care. These are important tips:
- Keep the plant in bright shade, away from direct sun - at least for a
week, then you may start moving it gradually to semi-shade, then to full sun
within a few days.
- Do not over-water. If the top of the soil is still moist, do not
water until it dries a little bit. Mango prefers to stay on a dry side. From this
point, over-watering is more dangerous than under-watering. You may skip a
watering if in doubt.
- If it rains every day, make sure to keep the pot under the roof to
protect from excessive water.
- Do not remove original soil and do not disturb roots.
- You used the right container size and looks like you have a quality soil with good drainage. Keep the plant in this container at
least for a few months. You may step it up only when you see a lot of active
growth of branches and leaves - this means, the root system is developing fast
too.
- do not fertilize until you see new growth. Then use Mango Food Smart release.
- to help the plant recover from stress, you may use SUNSHINE-E booster and micro-element foliar spray with SUNSHINE-Superfood
Date: 8 Aug 2019
Tabernaemontana africana - a bush or a tree?
Q: I received a Tabernaemontana africana, but it is not the compact cultivar, from the photo, this is definitely the tree version, not the compact version?
A: The plant in your picture is Tabernaemontana africana and it is a shrub version, not a tree. The
plants we have in stock are smaller size but very vigorous so they can be
trained into standards.
We have this plant in our garden in the ground (3 years old) and by now
it bushed out and remains under 4 ft without any pruning. Just keep in mind
this plant requires regular applications of micro-elements, because the
species is very susceptible to iron deficiency.
The supplement we use, in case you notice any leaf yellowing, is Sunshine-Superfood
Date: 29 Jul 2019
Monster hybrids of Monstera: juvenile and mature
by Mark Hooten, the Garden Doc
Q: I am a rare plant collector and obtained a very interesing cultivar of Monstera from you that says it's a hybrid Monstera adansonii x obliqua. Is there a named hybrid? The leaves on this specimen that came in 1 gal pot are much larger than the plant I have grown in a 3 gal pot for a few years, under name of Monstera friedrichsthalii.
A: Due to their diversity, it is hard to find verified hybrids in the genus Monstera. M. friedrichsthalii is apparently an old Florida name for what is actually technically M. adansonii. The "primitive" juvenile growth is very different from the much larger more robust form that only occurs when it is allowed time to climb a tree, in which case the foliage becomes very different and much larger with many many more fenestrations (holes) of various sizes. If you visit our Garden Center, you can see the mature form climbing the oak tree in our Shade Garden in front of our office - we use this mature plant for propagation. If you take a cutting and don't let it attach to a bark/trunk and climb upwards, it will quickly revert to the wimpy juvenile form. Seems that even climbing a pole indoors, it never actually develops into the truly mature more complex adult stage. Some juvenile forms growing on a tree if given too much shade, do not develop into the larger mature form. Move it in more light and allow it to climb, and it will look very different, but still is the same plant under different conditions.
Date: 29 Jun 2019
Variegated Shell Ginger - Alpinia zerumbet
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: I live in Deltona, Florida and hoping to find spreading ginger with interesting foliage to grow in a partially shaded area in my garden under a group of trees. Any suggestions?
A: Variegated ginger Alpinia zerumbet variegata is a clumping ginger valued for its
beautiful variegated foliage. The dark, green leaves have striking yellow stripes.
This ginger is sought-after, not only for the stunning foliage but also for its
beautiful flowers. The flowers are different from other members of the
ginger family and appear in drooping racemes from the ends of leafy stems rather
than directly from the rhizomes. This ginger is also commonly known as Shell
Ginger because the flowers resemble seashells! They are pink-tinged, fragrant
and appear in summer.
This evergreen perennial grows in upright clumps 3-5 feet tall. You may
prune the plant to control size.
It does not tolerate drought or a hard freeze but can take a few hours
or light frost (goes dormant in such case). In colder areas, rhizomes should
be dug up and stored in a cool room during winter.
This ginger will love a shaded corner in your garden. Plant it in
organically rich, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Keep the soil moist
but not soggy, and spread a thick layer of organic mulch around the plant
for moisture retention. There are no serious insect or disease problems to
worry about!
This ginger can be also be grown as a house plant as long as it has
bright light and humid conditions. It will grow to around 3-4 feet tall as a
houseplant.
Recommended fertilizers:
Broad Leaf Plus - Ginger-Heliconia-Banana Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
Limited time special offer:
Instant $5 off Variegated Ginger - Alpinia zerumbet
Date: 25 Jun 2019
True love of Night Blooming Jasmine
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: I live in New Cumberland, West Virginia. I love the smell of Night-Blooming jasmine. Is it possible to grow it in the northern panhandle of West Virginia? Do I have to plant it every year or do I keep it in a pot and take it inside during the winter months?
A: Technically, Night Blooming Jasmine is not a true jasmine
(those plants belong to Oleaceae, or Olive family). Night Blooming Jasmine
belongs to the Solanaceae family, also known as the Nightshade or "Potato" family
of plants. Yes, this sweet fragrant flower called Jasmine for its perfume is
related to potatoes and tomatoes!
Night Blooming Jasmine - Cestrum nocturnum - is loved by many gardeners for its beautiful
fragrance at night. It is one of the most fragrant tropical evergreen shrubs
available. Cascading clusters of tiny, tubular pale yellow to white flowers open at
night and release a heavenly fragrance throughout the garden, especially on
warm summer evenings. The fragrance is much lighter during the day.
Night Blooming Jasmine is grown year-round in zones 9-11. It is at its
happiest in a sunny to a partially sunny spot in your garden in well-drained soil
but can be grown in cooler climates as a container or greenhouse plant.
You would absolutely be able to enjoy this plant during the warm months
in West Virginia, but it will most certainly not survive outside during the
winter. You will have to bring it inside. Take it outside again only once you
are confident there is no more possibility of frost. When grown indoors, be
sure to give it the sunniest, South facing window in your home. When grown in
a container, you will need to re-pot it every two to three years so it
doesn't become root-bound.
For those who are lucky to live in frost-free areas, in ideal growing
conditions outside, it can easily reach 8 feet with a spread of 5 feet. It has
a lovely informal look that can soften a more manicured garden. Add organic
matter to the planting hole when you plant to enrich the soil around the root
ball. Water well in the summer, but allow them to dry out a bit between
watering in the winter. Plant this Jasmine near pools, porches, doors, windows,
and walkways where its lovely fragrance can be enjoyed. The shrub is also an
excellent plant for privacy hedges and screens. When grown as a hedge, plant 3
feet apart.
Trim lightly after a bloom cycle to shape and then do a hard pruning in
fall or spring to control the size of this plant. Fertilize 3 times a year -
in spring, summer, and autumn - with a good quality granular fertilizer.
Recommended fertilizers:
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
Interesting facts:
Night-blooming jasmine is an excellent mosquito repellent. The powerful
scent of the flowers attracts moths and bats that feed on mosquitoes and
other small insects.
The flowers of the Night Blooming jasmine are widely used in India and
other countries of South Asia for perfumery, medicinal applications and in
religious ceremonies.
Limited time special offer:
Instant $5 off Night Blooming Jasmine
