[Image: Whitefly]Hibiscus Whitefly Damage
Drought and Lawns
Harvesting Garden Vegetables
Time to Plant Pumpkins
Vegetables to Plant in July
Q&A
The hibiscus flowers have been really pretty lately, but we are beginning to have problems with an insect that is prevalent on the leaves. I am getting calls about a white-cottony looking material on the underside of the hibiscus leaves. This is common at this time of the year and the cause is the hibiscus whitefly.
You can detect their presence by the sooty mold on the leaves, and if you flip the leaf over, you see the whitefly adults and nymphs with the white cottony material underneath the leaves.
If it has gotten to this stage, you will have to spray with insecticide that includes hibiscus on the label. Most insecticide sprays and summer horticulture oil sprays will work, but it may take several sprayings to effectively control on large plants.
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Drought and Lawns
We are experiencing drought and extremely high temperatures, and the lawns are suffering.
A question we often get asked is when is the best time to water. Under ideal conditions, we recommend early morning. At this time you take advantage of less wind, milder temperatures, adequate water pressure and less disease pressure from having wet grass overnight. Where we are now is that lawns need to be watered. Early morning is ideal, but late evening is fine if that is the only time you can get it done.
Do not apply weed and feeds at this time. It is too hot and dry and will damage the lawns even more.
Be on the lookout for chinch bug damage. They are an insect problem in the lawn during hot, dry weather. There are several products available for homeowners for cinch bug control, such as Talstar 10 WP and Carbaryl.
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It is important to understand that some vegetables are harvested while still immature, including eggplants, summer squash, cucumbers, okra and snap beans, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill. Other crops such as tomatoes, winter squash, bulbing onions, garlic and sweet corn are harvested when ripe.
Remember that the best quality is maintain[Image: Cinch Bug]ed if the vegetables are consumed soon after harvest. If you can’t eat them immediately, preserve the quality of most vegetables by refrigerating them as soon as possible to slow down respiration and water loss.
Exceptions are Irish potatoes, tomatoes, melons, garlic and onions, which should be stored at room temperature (although tomatoes and melons can be chilled prior to serving).
Also remember that refrigerated vegetables should be used within five days for best quality and nutritional content.
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Now is the time to plant pumpkin seeds if you want to have them ready to harvest by the end of October. Small pumpkins include Orange Smoothie, Spooktacular, Oz and Small Sugar or Baby Bear.
Medium pumpkins include Big Autumn, Jack-o-Lantern, Frosty and Casper (white).
Large pumpkins include Howden, Connecticut Field, Jumpin Jack and Aspen.
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Vegetables to Plant in July
Transplant tomatoes and bell peppers in mid-July for fall production. Also plant okra, southern peas, cucumbers, squash, cantaloupes, pumpkins and watermelons.
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Question: When is a good time to plant sunflowers?
Answer: Plant sunflowers in late summer for fall flower arrangement. If usually requires 60-80 days from sowing seed until first flower color.
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Question: What are good heat-set tomato varieties to plant.
Answer: Sun Leaper, Florida 91, Sun Master, Solar Fire, Talladega, Sun Chaser, Phoenix, Solar Set and Heat Wave II. Also worth trying in the fall are Bingo, BHN 216, Spitfire, Mountain Crest and Mountain Fresh Plus.
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