A few observations while travelling through the Lowcountry late “winter” early spring:
No matter how much Paul (aka Super Garden Hero) Mulkey and I have talked about proper pruning of Crepe Myrtles over the local radio waves (22 years) and local TV (10 years), people will murder their Crepe Myrtles. Many garden writers and I have been writing about this atrocity for over 20 years to no avail.
Thin, shape, remove inward growing limbs, remove dead or diseased limbs, but please do not “top” the Crepe Myrtle. For blooms fertilize with a quality slow release fertilizer (17-00-09). The blooms will be on stronger limbs and will not fall down and split the bark when the rain weighs them down. The integrity of the limb structure will remain in tack.
As the Crepe Myrtle puts on new leaves, watch for powdery mildew and aphids attacking the new foliage. Powdery Mildew is a disease that affects the new foliage (looks like powdered sugar on the leaves), and will eventually affect the flowers if not treated.
Aphids are an insect that suck sugars out of the plant, go to the bathroom, and on this waste product grows a mold that turns everything black (cars, plants below the Crepe Myrtle, pool decks, porches, stairwells, driveways). When the foliage turns black, the leaves cannot perform photosynthesis because the leave’s surface is blocked from the sunlight needed for photosynthesis.
Neem is a good natural product that will address powdery mildew and aphids. If aphids are persistent, consider using Dominion drench for season long control.
The white powder for controlling ants does not have to be applied like you are frying a chicken. Acephate, Orthene, Delta Dust, and others just need to be applied very lightly to the mound or area around the mound. Read and follow product label. Some products you disturb the mound and some you do not. I sell the stuff and I’m encouraging you to use way less!
These products are contact killers that you want to get on an ant and have it move into the mound. The ants then groom themselves and hopefully contact the Queen with the product. If you have a huge amount piled on and around the mound, the Queen slips out her emergency exit and starts a new mound three to ten feet away.
No matter how much Paul (aka Super Garden Hero) Mulkey and I have talked about Weed and Feed plus Atrazine over the local radio waves (22 years) and local TV (10 years), people will still murder their landscape shrubs and trees. This is not the quick “OJ” style death like the Crepe Myrtles but a slow poisoning as the root absorbed chemical weakens the plants, so insects and disease can finish them off. Many garden writers and I have been writing about this atrocity for over 20 years to no avail.
