It has been an unusually cold winter so far. My sympathies go out to those who came here looking for a bit of respite from the frozen north. Hopefully, toward the end of February, temperatures will begin to warm a little. However, temperatures in the thirties and forties are still quite common so don’t get your hopes up too high. The rainfall we get in February will come off the Gulf of Mexico with accompanying winds or from the north as cold fronts.
It is a good idea to wait until February has passed, along with the cold weather, to fertilize or heavily prune shrubs and trees. Once again, you don’t want to encourage tender new growth which would be susceptible to damage from the cold. An exception is citrus which should be fertilized in January or early February at the latest. If your citrus is already blooming wait until the fruit has set to fertilize. The nitrogen in the fertilizer can cause the blossoms to drop resulting in a reduced crop of fruit.
Be careful of using lawn weed killers now as the grass and weeds should be growing vigorously before this is done. They both may be dormant due to cold winter temperatures.
This is the time to save on your water bills. The evaporation rate is very low with this frigid weather so once a week or even once every other week is all your landscape needs. In fact, over watering can encourage disease problems as the plants stay wet for too long allowing the fungal organisms to begin multiplying and spreading.
While mole crickets prefer bahia grass I have seen them more and more frequently in St. Augustine lawns. Watch for small hills of sand in your lawn which look like ant hills. These may indicate mole crickets. The soil under your lawn may feel soft and give way with your footsteps. This is their tunnels collapsing as you walk on them. You may apply a mole cricket bait for control.
Mites may become active if we have hot, dry weather. Mite infestations appear as yellow or grey stippled patterns on leaves. The undersides of infested leaves will have fine silk webbing across them. Heavy infestations turn leaves totally yellow, grey or brownish and eventually they fall off. Webbing may be spun over entire branches.
Also watch for scale and aphids if growth activity begins on your shrubs and trees. Aphids will appear in large numbers on the tender new stems and buds of plants. Their feeding often causes leaves to curl and distorts plant growth. Ants feed on the sticky honeydew excreted by the aphids. This honeydew also serves as media for the fungus growth known as “sooty mold.” This fungus will cover the leaves and turn them black. Aphid populations, along with the sooty mold, can be reduced by directing a strong stream of water from a garden hose at the infested plant. Also spraying with a mild soap solution of 1 tablespoon of dish soap per gallon of water will help. And don’t forget the lady beetle who is a voracious aphid and mite eater. If lady beetles are present give them a chance to control the pests before you spray strong insecticides. Chances are they will get the problem under control.
Two ornamental shrubs common in our Marco Island yards have edible fruit which will be ripening in February. They are the Surinam cherry and Carissa (natal plum). Try them! You’ll be surprised at how tasty they are when perfectly ripe. Both will be a deep red when they are ready to eat.
February will be the last slow month for yard chores. Enjoy the rest and get ready for all the things you will need to do in March to prepare for the summer growing season.