Finally, after three years of drought, the rains came!  Ponds and lakes are full!  Plants are quenching their thirst!  But, as with many other things in life, too much of a "good thing" becomes a "bad thing". 

 

• If possible use drip irrigation instead of overhead watering system.  Keep water off the leaves.
• If you must use overhead water, then water early in the morning so the leaves will dry out during the day.
• Pick up fungus-laden leaves which have fallen to the ground and bag them up and put them out with your garbage.
• Replace old mulch.
• Treatments
  • Spray with a fungicide, such as Fungonil.  Be sure to soak the leaves on top and underneath.  And, spray the ground around the plant.
  • Use a systemic fungicide, such as Bayer All-in-One, which brings fungicide into the stems and leaves of the plant through the roots.  This method is better as a preventative.  If you already have a fungus, you may have to also spray the plant.
  • An organic alternative is Bon-Neem spray.  It is a combination of insecticidal soap plus NEEM seed oil.  The Bon-Neem spray also kills a variety of insects.

It seems I never learn.  Every year, I suggest using Sevin dust in the war against Japanese Beetles, and every year, one or more of our customers chastises me for doing so.  And since we saw our first mature Japanese Beetle today, it's important that you have a game plan.

You may want to take note that Sevin used in the dust form (instead of liquid) is far more likely to spread itself around on the air and kill beneficials in the area, as well as butterflies.  Remember, birds require insects in order to stay alive.  Safer Soap is effective on white flies and less of a problem for beneficials, if one has to use something.  

You may want to remind folks next winter to use the horticultural oils on Camellias for camellia tea scale as well as on the gardenias to help with the whiteflies.  Multiple applications will still be necessary, but the side effects for beneficials and butterflies are less than using the stronger chemicals now. Thanks for keeping us alert to these problems.  

• You can change the color of a blue or pink hydrangea.  The color is based on the acidity of the soil.  Hydrangeas turn blue in soil that is high in acid.  You can make your soil more acidic by adding aluminum sulphate.  If you want pink hydrangeas, you add lime to make the soil more alkaline.  We have small bags of each that you can purchase.  If you hydrangea blooms white, don't try to change it, it won't work.
• For a hydrangea that thrives in the sun, plant the relatively new variety, Limelight.  An exciting new hardy Hydrangea from Holland. 'Limelight' has unique bright green blooms in mid-summer that holds its bright and refreshing color right into autumn when the blooms change color to a rich deep pink. The autumn display of green and pink blooms on the same plant is breathtaking! 
• For a stellar lace-cap, try Princess Lace.  Lace cap refers to a flower that has very small bud-like blooms, generally in the center, in combination with larger showy florets on the outside.  This star-shaped white lace-cap matures light pink or blue, depending on the soil.
• For a hydrangea that remains fairly small and compact, plant the Mini Penny.  This is a beautiful remontant (re-blooming) mophead hydrangea with blooms of pink or blue, depending on soil pH. Small, lustrous, mildew resistant dark green leaves. Blooms spring to summer. 3' high by 3' wide.
• Pruning hydrangeas is tricky.  Our best advice is don't prune them at all, if you don't want to lose a season of blooms.  However, if you insist, here's a good website that explains all about pruning, and lots of other things about hydrangeas, too.  Go to http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html.