June is the month when afternoon thunderstorms start appearing. Rain, humidity, heat and lots of sun change the way plants grow. Everything speeds up, including diseases and pests. Keep a sharp eye out for odd leaf growth patterns, circular necrosis and/or yellow veining on leaves.
• Turf requires a complete, slow-release fertilizer. Due to county restrictions, fertilizer containing nitrogen CANNOT be used during the rainy season. If your turf needs greening, use iron. A high potash count will help roots become vigorous. It’s too hot to use an herbicide.
• Turf Die-back – If you have irregular dead patches to your lawn, chinch bugs are probably the culprit. Proper mowing, fertilization, and irrigation can greatly reduce the susceptibility of St. Augustine grass to chinch bug infestations. Grass should be kept to a height of 3 to 4 inches to ensure a strong root system, which will increase the grass’ tolerance against chinch bug infestations. Moisture stress in lawns also encourages chinch bug infestations. Thatch, a spongy mat of shoots, stems, and roots, provides a prime habitat for chinch bugs to feed and lay their eggs. If a significant layer of thatch covers a lawn, it may be removed mechanically by vertical mowing or power raking.
• Prune shrubs that have ceased to flower or at least have slowed down their flowering.
• Keep insects in check with horticultural oil or Organocide. (Organocide is an insecticide and fungicide, active ingredient – sesame oil.) Apply late in the day when the temperature has begun to drop a bit. Spray up into the plant, under the leaves, where the insects live.
• Oleander caterpillars will be making a feast of your oleander shrubs. Use Bt (Bacillus thuringensis) or Thuricide to eradicate them. Use it as soon as you see the critters…the smaller, the better, the more effective. Remember, these caterpillars are poisonous – do not touch!
• Humidity + Heat = Fungus. Coppercide is another good product and should also be applied late in the day. Remove affected leaves from the ground. Be proactive with fungicide when you know a particular plant is prone to it.
• Now is a great time to plant anything and take advantage of the summer rains. Even salt tolerant plants are not raised on salty water but instead on potable water. New plants’ roots need an adjustment period to our salty irrigation water. It might appear wasteful to irrigate when there’s rain, but consider manually watering new plantings to dilute the salty irrigation water
