Pensacola News Journal

For: Saturday, Jan.10, 2004

By: Daniel E. Mullins

Extension Horticulture Agent

Santa Rosa County

It’s Not Spring Yet, but There is Plenty of Gardening to Do

Don’t be tricked by a week of balmy weather during January and February. There is a lot of cold weather yet to come. Mid-March to mid-April is usually the time to begin spring gardening jobs in Northwest Florida.

There are however, plenty of jobs to do during the winter. Following are some suggestions.

■ Spray dormant deciduous fruit trees with a solution of horticultural oil emulsion. Sometimes known as dormant oil, this product helps to control over-wintering scales and is relatively safe to the user. Gardeners who grow the stone fruits – peaches, plums and nectarines should make the application in January to control white peach scale.

■ Keep tropical and subtropical potted plants indoors to prevent freezing. If time allows, take them outside during a warm period and water them thoroughly. They will appreciate this break from “winter cabin fever,” but be certain to bring them back inside before temperatures drop below 50 degrees F.

■ Trees and shrubs can be transplanted throughout the winter in Northwest Florida. If adapted temperate zone plants are used, there is little or no danger of cold injury. There are some advantages to planting now, instead of waiting until spring. The weather is cooler and more comfortable. Nurseries are likely to be less crowded and have a better selection. And, this allows more time for root establishment before the demands of hot weather next summer.

■ Continue planting in the winter vegetable garden. Sow seeds of beets, carrots, kohlrabi, leek, mustard, parsley, English peas, radish and turnip. Cut pieces of Irish potato can also be planted. Establish bedding plants of broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage and kale.

■ In the annual flower garden transplant sweet william, snapdragon, phlox, petunia and pansy.

■ Prune peach trees and grape vines during this month or next. There is a particular way that each of these two fruit plants should be pruned. For information contact your nursery professional or local Extension office.

■ Start seeds of tomato plants indoors for transplanting to the garden this spring. It takes five to six weeks to produce a sizeable vegetable bedding plant, so seed in late January or early February.

Question of the Week: My oak tree was recently struck by lightning. Is there anything that I can do to keep it from dying?

Answer: There is no immediate way of knowing if the tree will survive. Following a hard lightning strike some trees die within a few months, while others under similar conditions appear unaffected. On the other hand, I have seen what appeared to be a weak lightning strike that resulted in the death of a tree.

It is a watch and wait situation as only time will tell if the oak will succumb to the lightning strike. In the meantime, do all that you can to prevent additional stress on the tree. This includes avoiding compaction of soil over the root system, refraining from ditching, filling or grading near the tree and applying water during dry periods.