Watering Plants

by Lisa McDaniel

Answered

I live in Texas and while we just had some of the bad weather a few weeks ago, while outside to see what survived or not. I noticed my Maple and Oak trees along with my rose bushes have new growth! My question is: Can I start watering,feeding and spraying for black spot and insects now, or should I wait? Today is 73 degrees and I feel like I should get a jump on things. Some of my plants:

Lavender Mum

Miniature rose

Hardy Hibiscus

Knock Out Rose

3 answers

Cynthia E on Jan 12, 2014
Spraying roses with a liquid sulfur mix often prevents black spot. Begin regular applications in the early winter months when the roses are dormant. You can also dust with straight sulfur as a preventative measure. I googled to see didn't want to give you wrong info. But I wouldn't do anything at this time besides treating that would encourage new growth as we are bound to get more freezing temps. and would hate to kill such beautiful plants.

Helpful Reply
Douglas Hunt on Jan 13, 2014
Resist the temptation. I'm not sure where you are in Texas, but in my part of Florida it would be very easy to think now would be a good time to prune and get ready for spring, but it's too early as we have a month yet when we can have cold weather (in fact it will be in the upper 30s later this week). No matter where we are I think gardeners are always eager for spring, but jumping the gun can ultimately do more harm than good.

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- Lisa McDaniel on Jan 13, 2014
  @Douglas Hunt I'm in central Texas south of DFW. And in our extended forecast ( which really doesn't mean squat ) We're supposed to be in the low to upper 60's for the next week and a half and middle 30's at night. The plants look so sad right now from the Artic freeze we had about 2 weeks ago. I have LOT of work ahead of me. Do you think treating for black spot and other disease and insects/pest is too early also?
  
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- Douglas Hunt on Jan 14, 2014
  @Lisa McDaniel I don't treat for pests until I see them present. 99 percent of the insects you see in your garden are actually beneficial. Have you had a problem with black spot in the past? If so, you should act now while the plants are dormant and spray them with wettable sulphur and fungicidal soap.
  
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- Lisa McDaniel on Jan 14, 2014
  @Douglas Hunt Thank you ! The answer about treating for black spot is exactly what I was looking for ! Since we haven't had any rain to speak of, I asume it is ok to water them? Yes, last year was the first year for black spot. I didn't realize how hard it is to control ! My Althea's Rose of Sharon had some kind of beetle looking bugs on the buds. They're hard to see unless you get real close. I had just noticed all the buds were becoming yellow without opening.Then one day I took a good look, yuck. They are about the size of the head of a stick pin and are yellow with black spots. They appeared late in the season. My Hibiscus' are next to them but were unfazed. And my Magnolia tree has something like a mold spot/web looking stuff on the backside of the leaves. I'm thinking spider mites. The Maple, Live and Red Oaks are doing great. Another question: My Mums look as if they died from the big freeze we had. Should I cut them to the ground in Spring, or do you think they are dead,dead?
  
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- Douglas Hunt on Jan 15, 2014
  @Lisa McDaniel I'd cut your mums to the ground in late winter and see what happens. If they come back, regularly pinch them back to ensure full, bushy plants. If you had black spot, make sure you have cleaned up all the dead foliage under your roses and disposed of it. Ultimately the solution to black spot is selecting resistant varieties of rose. I grow an heirloom variety, Old Blush, do not spray a thing on it and never have a problem, despite our heat and humidity. And it's in bloom right now.
  
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Michelle Eliker on Jan 14, 2014
Lisa, I live in NorCal where we have the weather you are describing annually with heavy frost and freezing then warmer days. You definitely want to water because the freezing will dry your plants and there hasn't been a lot of rain this year (at least not here) to replenish them. I've been watering weekly all winter. Wait on any pruning as there could be another wave of cold weather before spring and that would kill any new growth and possibly the plant. I don't use pesticides or chemicals in my yard so I can't comment on that.

Helpful Reply
- Lisa McDaniel on Jan 14, 2014
  @Michelle Eliker Thank you ! Exactly what I was looking for !
  
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