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Timely Tendings: Some garden chores for gardenia, crape myrtle

 
Published June 18, 2015

Garden chores

Prune gardenias as soon as they finish blooming if necessary to keep them in shape. Yellow leaves with green veins may indicate an iron deficiency. Correct by applying iron chelate or iron sulfate according to the label instructions.

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Remember to keep old, faded crape myrtle flowers clipped off to encourage more blooms if you can reach them. Clip just behind the flower heads. When crape myrtles are allowed to produce seeds, flowering slowly declines as seeds are produced.

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This is the month when chrysanthemums can be planted. Pinch back to encourage branching that will result in more blooms in the fall. Do not pinch or prune after August.

Compiled by Theresa Badurek, urban horticulture extension agent, UF/IFAS Pinellas County Extension Service. For additional landscape and garden information, visit pinellascountyextension.org. For regular tips and information about what's growing in Pinellas, go to facebook.com/growpinellas.