Q. What mango varieties would you recommend if you could only plant two or three? Also, when can we plant citrus again?
-- J.L., Miami
A. When deciding on a variety of mango to plant, choose ones that are resistant to anthracnose, a fungal disease that affects the appearance of the fruit and reduces fruit yield. Varieties that are fairly anthracnose resistant and have good flavor are Cambodiana, Cogshall, Cushman, Dot, Edward, Fairchild, Florigon, Glenn, Graham, Keitt, Nam Doc Mai, Saigon, Valencia Pride and Van Dyke.
There's a fact sheet on mangoes at http://edis.ifas.ufl.
edu/MG216 or you can call your local extension office for a copy.
Broward, Miami-Dade and other counties are still under a citrus quarantine and new infected trees are still being found. We are still at least a few years away from the quarantine being lifted. Of course this means that no one can plant, propagate or move citrus.
Q. I sodded my yard three weeks ago with floratam grass. What is its care?
-- S.C., via e-mail
A. Floratam is a variety of St. Augustinegrass, which is a popular variety in South Florida. It's resistant to chinch bugs but has very poor shade tolerance. For a new lawn, water frequently (up to a few times a day) for a short period (5 to 15 minutes) until the roots peg down (usually within 5 to 10 days).
Then taper off the frequency and increase the irrigation duration for the next two to three weeks so that you are watering no more than two to three times weekly if there hasn't been sufficient rain.
Once the lawn is established, water when needed (when 50 percent of the leaf blades are folded in the morning before the heat of the day).
The first mowing should be after the roots have pegged down to avoid scalping. Mow this variety to three to four inches tall and remove no more than one-third of the blade at one time. St. Augustinegrass requires four to six pounds nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year.
For a fact sheet on fertilizer,call your local Extension office (Monroe 305-292-4501, Miami-Dade 305-248-3311, Broward 954-370-3725). Visit http://turf.ufl.edu/ for Florida lawn information.
Q. I have a ylang ylang tree and have recently obtained some seeds from it. How do you grow these trees from seed?
-- S.T., Fort Lauderdale
A. Make sure that the seed is fresh. For many tropical plants, seeds rapidly loose viability. Also, many tree seeds are slow to germinate. Some seeds, including this species, take many months.
Be patient and make sure that the soil doesn't stay too moist. As a rule, plant seeds twice as deep as the seed is wide. If the seeds have a hard shell, nick them slightly for better water absorption.
Q. I will be planting many shrubs and flowers. Can you suggest plants for full afternoon sun and shaded areas as well?
-- S.C., via e-mail
A. There are too many plants to list here. However, your local extension office has many publications to guide you. Also check out this site for the low-maintenance plant lists for South Florida linked with photos for most species listed http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.
edu/publications.htm or write to: UF/Miami-Dade Extension office, 18710 SW 288th St., Homestead, FL 33030 for free copies.
Many, if not most, perennials (including shrubs) can take some shade. However, if it's deep shade, there are fewer choices for flowering plants.
Adrian Hunsberger is an entomologist/horticulturist with the Miami-Dade County Cooperative Extension Service. Write to Plant Clinic, 18710 SW 288th St., Homestead, FL 33030. Or email her at AGHU@mailifas.ufl.edu.
