Hi Carol:
I wonder if you could help me with my question on what to do with the little shoots that started growing along my pineapple plant. Do I cut them off and plant them? Right now, my pineapples are getting very close to the point of (I think) harvesting. But, the side shoots (look like the tops of the pineapple) are getting bigger and bigger?
Thank you so much.
Karin

Hello Karin;
We chatted a bit about pineapples on the Blog recently at "Red Pineapple" at http://web.tcpalm.com/tcp/blogs/gardening/. However a little more specifically about pineapple propagation is found in the University of Florida's publication The Pineapple found at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG055 , here is an excerpt:
"Propagation is by planting new vegetative growth from the mother plant. There are four general types: "slips" which arise from the stalk below the fruit, "suckers" which originate at the axils of leaves, "crowns" which grow from the top of the fruits, and "ratoons" which come out from underground portions of the stem. "Slips" and "suckers" are the preferred planting material, especially if they are large and vigorous."

Karin, yes, remove the new plants growing in and around your pineapple and plant. This is the traditional and preferred way to start new plants. The mother plant will soon begin dying and the pups will replace the old plant -- you know the proverbial "Circle of Life."

Happy Gardening,
Carol

Mrs. Cloud Bailey.
I have Poinsettias that were blown somewhat apart from the Hurricanes. I would like to cut them back, but I don't know if it would kill them, they have red leaves and I see new growth on them. When would be the best time to cut them back and how far should I cut them? You can tell I am from up north (Maryland) and we could never plant Poinsettias outside so I don't know what to do.

Thank you so much,
Doreen
Maryland

Hello Doreen,
It seems to me that the Holidays were just yesterday, In fact I was visiting with a friend who had her poinsettias sitting in pots on the back porch -- and this is June! Doreen, whether you have already planted them or are still trying to decide what to do with them, poinsettias are good landscape plants for the Treasure Coast. However, for you in Maryland, the plants will need to be kept in containers so that they can be protected from temperatures below freezing.

Poinsettias are perennial and will grow and flower year after year if planted in the right place with moderate care. The easiest way to grow poinsettias after the holidays is to plant them in the landscape, if you are in a warm location, where they receive no light at night. In more temperate climates, choose a large moveable container.

Poinsettias are photoperiodic. They are short-day plants, which means the plants grow leaves and stems under long days -- the summer, and flower under short days -- fall and winter. They need 12 to 12.5 hours of darkness to set flowers. Here in the northern hemisphere, this night length is reached around September 21. The short days must continue until the flower buds and bract color development begin to show, at least five week. For those trying to regrow their poinsettias, or produce flowers outside, this simply means that the plants must have total darkness at night from September on. It takes very little to disturb the flowering, even a security light can delay or prevent flowering.

When choosing a location for your poinsettia, remember that they are large plants, 10 to 15 feet when mature. Growers apply growth regulators to keep then short for the holiday potted plant you bought. After the holidays keep your poinsettia in a bright sunny location until the danger of frost or freeze passes, then plant it outside in a bright location, at least 6 hours of sun per day. Keep the plants well watered, but not wet.

If you are going to keep your poinsettia as a container plant, repot them when the plants start to grow, chose a larger pot and use fresh, sterile potting soil. When you plant, either in a container or outside, carefully check to see if there is more than one plant per pot, it common for growers to use a number of cuttings to achieve a full looking plant. If you find more than one, separate into individual plants. At that time of planting, the addition of a slow-release fertilizer is a good practice. If the red bracts (the flowers) are still holding on, pinch off the end of the branch. Irrigate to establish, but don’t overdo when the plant is established, poinsettias do not like wet feet.

As the plants grow, pinch the new shoots to produce multiple branches. Pinch the new growths when the get to be 6 inches long. This practice keeps the plants somewhat short and helps produce more flowers. Stop pinching about August 1st -- 15th to allow the new growth to mature and prepare for flowering. Remember, the plants will need darkness for more that 12 hours starting about Labor Day. If the plant is in a container and you cannot assure darkness at night, put the plant in a closet or garage in the afternoon and remove in the morning. If the plant is outside, make sure that no security lights are interrupting the night.

Poinsettias are a bit cold sensitive, watch for early cold snaps. If it looks like the temperatures are going to fall so that there is a frost or freeze, prepare to protect the plant with a covering that is supported so that the plastic or other covering does not touch the leaves or if in a container, move to a protected location.

Thank you for your question and Happy Gardening,

Carol

Dear Carol;
I have had a red pineapple plant growing in my garden for over ten years. This year it has grown a red pineapple on it. Is it edible?
Thanks for any info you may have to offer,
Unsigned
Vero Beach

and

Carol;
Found an interesting plant, a red pineapple, maybe originally from Hawaii.
Terry
Stuart

Yum! Pineapples! Red pineapple is known by the name Ananas bracteatus and originates from Brazil as do the most commonly grown pineapple Ananas comosus. The two species differ in that A. bracteatus has flowers borne in large showy heads with thorny bracts around the flowers. The fruit of the red pineapple is edible, but is often seedy and less sweet that that of A. comosus. There is also a variety of the red pineapple, Ananas bracteatus var. striatus that has broad, white stripes on the margin of the leaves that is often used as an ornamental plant.

Pineapple is fruit that is easy for home gardeners to grow in warm locations. Choose an area with full sun, well-drained soil, and access to supplemental irrigation in times of drought.

Propagation is also fairly easy, the pineapple is in the Bromeliaceae family and as such, the “mother” plant produces several types of offsets. Look for the vigorously growing pups along the flower stem BELOW the fruit and those produced under the plant. These new plants will be genetically the same as the mother plant and produce the same or similar type of fruit.

It is true that you can start a new pineapple plant from the crown of the fruit, but the plant that grows will be the result of pollination and will have some characteristics from the plant providing the pollen. It may be as good or even better than the original fruit, but it may be worse, kind of a genetic Russian roulette, ya’ get what Mother Nature gives you.

Pineapples bear fruit year ‘round in warn climates, the spring and summer are the best times for new plantings. Your new plant should produce fruit in 9 to 18 months from planting. Pineapple plants need regular applications of water and fertilizer. If you do not get one good rain a week, apply enough water to wet the soil evenly and deeply, to 12 inches, once per week – no wet feet or frequent irrigations for pineapple. Applying a well balanced, slow-release fertilizer with a heavy compliment of minor elements including iron and magnesium every 3-4 months or according to the label will help produce a nice full fruit.

Thanks for your questions, your picture, Terry, and Happy Gardening,
Carol

Hello Carol,
Can you start Night Blooming Jasmine from cuttings and the use of Rootone and if so how should i go about it?
Thanks,
Rick
Stuart

Hello Rick;
Thanks for the question about one of my favorite plants, Cestrum nocturnum or Night Blooming Jasmine. There are several Cestrums that grow in Florida, many of them weedy species and unfortunately the Night-Blooming species does tend to pop up around the garden, but for me, it is a small price to pay for a plant with such a “nose.”

Night Blooming Jasmine is native to the West Indies. It is a shrub that can grow to 12 feet, but more often is seen at 4 to 6 feet tall. In the day, it is an unassuming shrub, plain, green leaves, preferring to grow in full sun to partial shade, is somewhat drought tolerant, but prefers an occasional application of water, few pests, and no salt tolerance. It is at night when this plant “blooms” – pun intended. Throughout the year, but more so in warm weather, Cestrum blooms in cycles with an abundance or creamy white to green small flowers, nothing much to look at, but OH MY, what a fragrance! I have to report that there are some people who dislike the smell and some who are allergic, fragrance is truly a personal thing. My perfume may be your stench, but for me, the fragrance from Cestrum nocturnum is the sweetest.

Fortunately for you Rick, Night Blooming Jasmine is easy to propagate. It will propagate from seeds and cuttings that root easily with or without the use of a root promoting substance like Rootone.

Here are a few tips on making cuttings from the University of Florida publication Propagation of Landscape Plants found at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG108

“The key to successfully rooting cuttings and germinating seeds is a moist environment maintained at a favorable temperature. Environmental control is less important for other propagation methods, such as layering, because the mother plant provides some degree of support to the developing new plant. However, most cuttings and young seedlings are susceptible to environmental stress and will be successful only if an appropriate environment is provided.

An environment with a relative humidity near 100 percent will minimize water loss from cuttings and developing seedlings, although water loss is less critical for seedlings than cuttings. Cuttings cannot take water from the medium to replace that lost through the leaves, so if high rates of water loss occur, cuttings will dry-out. Temperature influences the physiological activity of plants. Excessively high or low temperatures injure plants or slow their growth and development, but temperatures in the range of 70°F to 80°F (21°C to 27°C) stimulate optimum growth and development for most plants.

The home gardener can provide a warm, humid environment for seed germination and rooting of cuttings by construction or purchasing small-scale propagation units. These units are inexpensive, require little attention, and are convenient to use in the home landscape or indoors...

Large plastic pots and a plastic bag can be used to create a suitable propagation environment Stick the cutting in a moist propagation medium in the container and add moisture as required. Place the whole container in a large, clear plastic bag. Wire hoops or stakes can be used to prevent the plastic bag from laying on the cuttings or seedlings...

The placement of these simple structures is critical. Put the structures in diffused light and never in full sun. The temperature in these sealed units will rapidly become too high in full sun, and cutting or seedling injury or death will result. Units kept indoors should be placed near a north window or under fluorescent lights for 12 to 16 hours per day. Temperatures of 65°F to 80°F (18°C to 27°C) should be maintained. Although these units are designed to prevent moisture loss, routine examination of the moisture level is suggested. Add moisture if no water has condensed on the inside of these units overnight, or if the propagation medium appears dry.”

Rick, I have made good propagation units from large soda bottles. Simply cut the bottle so that there is an area of 4 inches or so at the bottom for soil, take the cuttings and cover with the top of the bottle, cap removed. Place in a bright, but shady location and check regularly for moisture. Cestrum nocturnum will do well with any of these units. Take 4 inch cuttings from branch tips that are starting to harden up. We call these semi-hardwood cuttings. You do not want the brand new growth tips; these tend to wilt very easily which will delay rooting. Also, you do not want a section of the stem that is very woody; these tend to take a long time to root. However, you have chosen a plant that is very forgiving and should root for you in 6 to 12 weeks.

Good Luck and Happy Gardening,
Carol

Ms. Bailey,
I have been reading your articles regularly and I hope you can help me. I moved into a new house a year ago. With that house came new Floritam sod, it came in fine and after a couple of problems with the sprinkler system we are very happy with the lawn. After a year however I have noticed some dollar weeds along with some others I do not know the name of, there are a number of other types. I hope I can describe them to you:

1. A weed that is about 6 inches tall with a real thin stalk and some purple flowers on top

2. A patch of real thin narrow light green that sticks about an inch above the regular grass

3. Just some miscellaneous broadleaf weeds that are just here and there around the lawn.

All together they probably comprise less than 5% of my yard if that, but I want to stop them before they get away from me.

I have tried spot granules that said it would kill dollar weeds and something like 40+ types of broadleaf weeds. I think I heard the weeds partying after the application, not sure! Needless to say I am at a loss; every neighbor I have has a different opinion of what to do. I hope you will be able to point me in the right direction. Thank you for your time in this matter

Sincerely,
Rick
Vero Beach, Fl

Hello Rick;
We have talked about lawn weeds before here on the BLOG, see the entry “Lawn Weeds” at http://blogs.scripps.com/tcpalm/gardening/2005/03/lawn_weeds.html

I have to say it again and few people want to hear this, but the best control for lawn weeds is proper lawn maintenance! The cliché applies – The best defense is a good offense. Good lawn management practices encourage a dense, thriving turf. Healthy turf shades the soil so sunlight can't reach weed seeds, minimizes the physical space available for weeds to grow, and out competes the weeds for nutrients and moisture. Here is a short review of the basics for good, healthy turf:

--Most turfgrass selections need 6 – 8 hour of sun per day. Too much shade equals thin turf & weed invasion.

--Mow it high and right! This is the single most important practice in a weed-free turf. If you remove the grass leaves that produce the things the grass plant needs to grow, then the turf will thin and weeds will invade.

--Watch the water and adjust for seasonal changes.

--Fertilize as a result of soil test recommendations.

Rick, work through the maintenance issues first, then consider an herbicide. Chemical herbicides do have their place, but just like any pest, the first step in weed control is identifying the pest, in this case the .weed. You must know what you are dealing with before choosing an herbicide. Unfortunately I have not found a lot of online help for weed identification, but here are a couple of sites that might be useful:

Tallapoosa County Extension Office – Weed Control http://www.aces.edu/Tallapoosa/weed-control.php3 This site has a good collection of pictures, however, please be aware that Tallapoosa County is in Alabama and the control recommendations are for transitional grasses and Alabama soils.

Lawn Problem Solver – Weeds in Turf http://www.turf.uiuc.edu/lawn_problem_solver/solver/weeds/
Another out of state site with good pictures, this one is from the University of Illinois, again look, but come back to Florida for control strategies.

Bayer Lawn & Grass Problem Solver at http://www.bayeradvanced.com/lawn/problem-solver/weeds.cfm?source=gaMany chemical manufacturers have helpful websites. My concern is that along with weed ID help, the message can be to use an herbicide first. With that in mind, I have found this site to have good pictures and information. Please note that no endorsement is implied by listing this site.

Use these sites for ID then head back to Florida for control recommendations at Weed Management in Home Lawns http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP141

One concern I have is about weed & feed products – this is what the University of Florida has to say about these formulations:
“Fertilizer/Herbicide Mixtures
Many herbicides are formulated with a granular fertilizer as the carrier. Fertilizer/herbicide mixtures enable a "weed-n-feed" treatment in the same application. These materials should only be used when a lawn has a uniform weed population. If weeds exist only on a portion of the lawn, do not apply a "weed-n-feed" product to the entire lawn. If the situation warrants the use of a "weed-n-feed" product, it is important to determine if the manufacturer's recommended rate of application supplies the amount of fertilizer needed by the turfgrass and the amount of herbicide that is required for weed control. Supplemental applications of fertilizer or herbicide may be required if the fertilizer/herbicide product does not supply enough fertilizer to meet the fertility needs of the turfgrass or the amount of herbicide needed for weed control. Turfgrass fertilizer/herbicide products should be used with caution near ornamentals. Products that contain dicamba, metsulfuron, or atrazine can be absorbed by the roots of ornamentals and cause severe injury. Do not apply products that contain these ingredients near the root zone of ornamental trees and shrubs.”

The last sentence here is what should concern you if you are considering using one of these products. The root zone of established trees and shrubs can range from 2 to 5 times the width of the canopy of the plant. In other words, if the shrub is 4 feet across, the roots can easily extend 8 to 12 feet in all directions and a tree with a 15 foot canopy can have roots that grow out to 30 feet or more. This root spread is dependent on tree species and soil conditions, but the possibility of herbicides in the root system must be considered when selecting a turf herbicide.

Finally, remember an herbicide is not a substitute for good lawn maintenance practices. Also, if you deicide to use an herbicide, be sure to read and follow all of the label directions and conditions before buying and again before applying for your safety and the safety of the environment.

Good Luck and Happy Gardening,
Carol