Horticulture Hotline 02/27/24
By Bill Lamson-Scribner
For all you sweetgum tree ‘haters’ out there because of their mace (not to be confused with the politician) like gumballs, this is the time you can do something about it. If you look up at your sweetgum tree right now, you should see little off-white cream-colored flowers that are going to become this year’s crop of gumballs.
There is a product called Snipper that will destroy the flower, preventing the development of the gumball. This is not a one-time application, so plan to do it anytime you do not want to have gumballs. The timing is very important, so if you miss the flowers this year, begin to make your plans for next year. Since the application involves drilling holes in the sweetgum tree, a licensed and insured tree care professional is always a good idea. Getting on their schedule in the fall, so they can measure the tree’s diameter, give you an estimate and order in the product so they will be ready when the timing is right will help with the success of the application.
Now, is a great time to inspect your trees for torn limbs that need to be properly pruned. Many of my deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves) are either just starting to put on new leaves or still naked. The green weeds are easy to spot in the lawn or beds (yes, I get weeds too). Insect inventory, especially scale, is easy to evaluate now. Any sooty mold left behind from last year indicates other insects. Have you inspected your yard for mosquito breeding areas? Do you have liriope that needs to be cut or mowed. Cast-Iron plants? I hate to ask this, but does anyone have moles? Have you seen any Lady Banks Roses or Carolina Jasmine? How about the smell of a sweet tea olive?
Right now, before your deciduous trees put on new leaves, is an excellent time to take a close look at them. If your trees are larger, it is a great time to get a professional tree company in to look at them. Look for cavities, crossing and rubbing limbs, or limbs that are growing towards the middle of the tree. Look for limbs that have died, been damaged, or just look unhealthy. By pruning these limbs now, you can direct all the new leaves and growth to limbs you want to keep long term, and not waste the energy of the tree to put on new leaves that you are going to remove.
Dr. Shigo (the main man as far as early tree knowledge goes) found that trees do 85% of their growing for the year by May, so it is very important to have fertilizer available to your trees at this time. Either hire a professional to soil inject your trees or use a granular. SeaHume granular along with a 17-00-09 will get the tree headed in the right direction. A soil test is always the best way to determine your soil’s needs.
When your tree is naked, vines growing up into the canopy are easy to spot along the trunk of the tree. Since the tree does not have any leaves, these vines are easier to remove than when the tree and vine have leaves. I pull these vines away from the tree, scrap off some bark and apply Brush Killer to the open wound to kill the vine at the root so it does not grow back. Be sure you are not pulling down poison ivy, unless you are properly protected.
Weeds growing beneath the tree are easier to spot and deal with if you have a low branching deciduous tree. My fig tree has these big leaves, so once the leaves come out, it is very hard to spray herbicide underneath the tree without hitting the fig tree’s leaves. Some herbicides volatize, so without leaves a tree is less likely to get damaged from the vapors. Spray now before the flush of leaves.
If you have any Asiatic Jasmine or Ivy that has grown into areas you do not want it, right now, while it is putting on young tender growth, is going to be your best time to control it. Consider using a product like Brushmaster for these hard to kill vines. Once the new growth has hardened off, certain vines are very hard to control.
If you have been plagued by black sooty mold in the past, right now, apply Dominion Tree & Shrub as a drench to these plants to control the insects that produce the black sooty mold. Get it out now to protect the new foliage from insect attack. Insects like that young tender foliage like us (cabbage, spinach, lettuce). Neem oil and horticulture oil are a way to get ahead of the insects.
The temperatures are right to apply preemergent products. Do not delay! Get them out now for less hot, gnatty, summertime weeding and competition for your plants, and weeds are unsightly.
Hold off on the high nitrogen fertilizers for now. SeaHume and controlling winter weeds to lessen your seed bank for next year should be your focus. With all the winter rains fungus could be a big issue in your yard depending on your soil type and drainage.
Always read, understand, and follow product label. The product label is a Federal Law.
