Things to Do in February
Antique Roses will arrive in time for Valentines Day.
Last night Saturday February 7th I saw my first moth. This can be a problem. February is not a month when we normally see moths. It is supposed to be to cold for moths. What other insects may be lurking around, ready to pounce on the vegetables that we have planted for our fall crops. Are the fruit trees that we have or that we might purchase going to have worms ready to attack?
Now is the time to apply dormant oil. I like a specific product called ORGANOCIDE, because it is made from sesame oil and not the petroleum based products. Make sure that whatever product you use is applied at the proper dilution rate for the temperatures in your area. The temperatures can very from zone to zone. Oklahoma may be in the 20’s while areas around Dallas can be in the 80’s. Be careful, be VERY careful!
Always read the labels. When to spray, how much to spray, how often!!!
Dormant Oil will help control over wintering insects as well suffocate fungal spores that may produce Black spot, powdery mildew, etc.
Dormant Oil should be sprayed on roses, crape myrtles, fruit trees, euonymus, well basically any plant or group of plants that had insect or disease problems.
If we are to get moisture for several days then this may be a good time to apply beneficial nematodes. I mean if you are in climates where your soil is not frozen solid or you expect a freeze for a few evenings after application to allow the critters to make there way in to the safe warm zone below your freeze line.
As we go into the wonderful period of quickly changing temperatures between cold evenings and warm days we need to protect our plants. The best way is by applying kelp, but the specific kelp that contains an ingredient called ascophyllum nodosum.
Ascophyllum nodosum helps plants shiver which helps them bring up water so that they do not desecate.
Corn Glutten Meal is a product that I think works very well in areas where the seasons are more specific, unlike are mild winters that really are just long springs that allow for a longer germination period. These long periods allow seeds to outlast the usefulness of CGM. Your best weed control is to keep the weeds from sowing their seeds. Mow more often to remove the unopened seed pods.
Basic Planting and Care for Organically Grown Fruit Trees
All fruit trees need full sun, lots of space, and good drainage; by not meeting even one of these requirements, the tree will be stressed, and problems can arise. Do not try to crowd any type of fruit tree- this will cut down on air circulation, and cause root competition, both of which weakens the trees. Full sun and good air circulation are necessary to reduce the risk of all the fungal, mildew, leaf and fruit rots, and bacterial problems fruit trees are susceptible to during humid wet weather, or if they are not in optimum health. Proper pruning also aids in proper air circulation for the foliage. To reduce root competition and to ensure optimum health, keep lava sand, compost and mulch under the tree’s entire root system always and forever. Most fruit trees only need additional fertilizer the first few years, after that, the organic matter you keep under the trees will usually suffice. The mulch will also reduce the chance of the tree drying out in the summer, which causes premature fruit drop and weakens the trees. Good drainage is easy to achieve in sandy soils, but in clay soils it may be necessary to build up the area with organic matter (especially with bare-root trees) to increase the drainage, and of course using Mycor Tree Root saver will help tremendously. Some fruit trees have no tolerance to “wet feet” – plums being the least picky and peaches being the most particular. All trees will be much less stressed, therefore not as prone to illness, once they are established – the first two years being the most critical. If a tree is of age and not producing well, a soil test may be necessary to see if the soil is lacking in one or more nutrients. As I mentioned before, proper pruning helps improve air circulation, but it is also necessary for proper fruit production. The many kinds of fruit trees require different techniques of pruning, at different stages of growth, and to make it even more complicated, there is no end to the ways a fruit tree can be trained. So, if I were you, I would do some research, there are dozens of books out there, the internet, etc. and figure out which method of training you wish to do, and how to properly prune on a yearly basis, to get the best fruit production, but always prune out any diseased, damaged, and rubbing branches.
Another way to help avoid insect infestations and diseases on your fruit trees, is to have a simple spray schedule, which is very similar to the organic program you should already have for the rest of your landscape. A spray of Foliar Juice, Garlic, and Potassium Bicarbonate, at pink bud stage, again when all the flower petals have fallen, then at least once a month during the growing season, will nip a lot of problems in the “bud”. (It is important not to spray any plant during full bloom, with any kind of insecticide or repellant, because you will either kill the bees, or repel them, and you won’t get pollination.) The Foliar Juice is a very nutritious, complete fertilizer to boost health, and really should be used on everything in the landscape. The Garlic is systemic, so it repels creatures that might want to come along and suck or chew on the foliage, and the Potassium Bicarbonate is an excellent preventative and cure for all kinds of mildews, molds, fungi, and bacterial problems. In fact, I would suggest this spray mixture, for all plants in the rose family, as they tend to be sickly, like photenias, hawthorns, photenias, most “man made” roses, photenias, ornamental pear trees, photenias, etc. Antique roses being the exception, although it certainly won’t hurt anything. This spray schedule will be most important during years with long humid, wet springs, and anytime the tree has been neglected or injured. There is one more disease you should be aware of that attacks all those poor rose relatives, and that is Fire Blight. It will start at the tips of the branches and move down, the leaves will hang on and turn black or dark brown, and it looks as though it has been blow torched. It must be pruned out as soon as it is noticed, sterilizing the pruners between each cut. The Potassium Bicarbonate in the above mentioned spray would help avoid this, as it is a bacterial infection. Products that contain streptomycin, such as Actinovate or one by Ferti-lome, will be very effective against fire blight.
Another precaution you might take, to ensure the health of your fruit trees, is to put corn meal down several times a year, as it is a good fungicide and helps maintain healthy soil. Until your fruit trees get established well, keep a watch out for borers. Borers are the main complaint we see here at the nursery, on fruit trees, and THEY ARE THE RESULT- NOT THE CAUSE of stressed trees! They are doing their job - taking out the sick and weak- THEY ONLY ATTACK SICK PLANTS!!!!! If you do get borers, be sure to put down beneficial nematodes for control.
Apples—Malus pumila
Southern apple varieties are usually the golden, green and blushed varieties, because the red varieties tend to need cooler night temperatures in the fall to ripen, so they do better farther north. Apples usually grow approximately 8-20 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide, depending on variety and how they are pruned. They should be spaced about 20-30 feet apart to ensure plenty of sun and air circulation. In the spring they will have either pink or white flowers, depending on variety-all are edible. After all danger of frost is over, and the fruit is about the size of a marble, thinning will need to be done. Healthy apples always produce more fruit than they can support, so to avoid limb breakage, and to get proper sized fruit, thin the clusters down to 1 fruit per cluster, and thin cluster to 4-6 inches apart. Most apple varieties will start producing in 2-5 years, and all will produce higher yields with a pollinator, and you will get a longer harvest time. Pick apples before temperatures reach 28 degrees to avoid freeze damage.
Golden Delicious Apples are a high producing, good quality, standard golden apple, which is slightly russeted. Good pollinator. 900 hours.
Gala Apples, new yellow variety with a red blush, are a heavy bearer summer through fall.
Plums-Prunus salicinia
Plums are one of the easiest fruit trees to grow, with organic practices, in our area. They grow to about 20 feet tall, and 15-20 feet wide, and should be spaced 20-25 feet from other trees. They begin to bear at 3-4 years of age. Depending on variety, they will have either pink or white flowers, which are edible. Once the flower petals have fallen, and all danger of frost is past, it is time to thin the fruit to about 4 inches apart, to avoid the problems of over production. Ideally, the fruit should be harvested when it is a deep red color and slightly soft, but if they have to be picked sooner, they will ripen with no loss of flavor.
Morris Plums are large beautiful plums with bright blood red skin and flesh, which is firm and high in sugar content. Needs pollinator.
Methley Plums are a medium sized, good quality heavy producer. This variety is one of the best pollinators, and is self-pollinating.
Pears-Pyrus pyrifolia
Southern pears will grow to about 15-25 feet tall, 15 feet wide, and should be spaced 15-20 feet apart. They have edible white flowers in the spring. After all danger of frost has passed, and the fruit is about the size of a quarter, thin the fruit down to 1 or 2 per cluster, and thin the cluster to 4”-5” apart. Ideally, pears should be harvested when they are soft to the touch, but they can be picked sooner with no loss of flavor. They do need pollinators, so plant more than one variety, to get good pollination and a longer harvest season.
Orient Pears are large, early russeted pears, with a high fire blight resistance. They are a good, regular producer, needing about 4 years to bear. 300-400 chilling hours.
Moonglow Pear has good fire blight resistance, and is a vigorous upright grower, needing about 6 years to bear. The flesh is excellent and this variety is good for canning, preserves, and eating fresh. An excellent pollinator. 700-800 chilling hours
20th Century Asian Pears have smooth yellow skin, crisp, crunchy and highly aromatic flavor. 600-700 chilling hours.
Peaches-Prunus persica
Southern peaches grow to approximately 15 feet tall, 15 feet wide, and should be spaced 25-30 feet apart. They begin to bear in about 4 years. They all have edible flowers. After danger of frost is over, and the fruit is about the size of a nickel, thin to 4-6 inches apart, you may have to remove as much as 70 percent to get good sized fruit. Wait until there is some softness to the fruit before picking, peaches do not ripen well if picked when too hard. No pollinator needed-just bees.
Ranger Peaches are a medium sized freestone, with heavy crops of high quality peaches. 900 chilling hours.
Redskin Peaches are mostly red skin over yellow flesh , a high quality fruit with a long bloom time. 700-800 chilling hours.
Fruit Trees and Fruit Bearing Plants Available at Rohde’s as of February 1st
Apples (Fuji, Mollies Delicious, Red Delicious); $19.95
Plums (Allred, Methley, Morris, Santa Rosa); $19.95
Peaches (Harvester, Loring, Ranger, Sentinel); $19.95
Pears (Ayers, Keiffer, Moonglow , Orient); $19.95
Asian Pears (20th Century, Chojuro, Hosui, Shinko); $24.95
Japanese Persimmons (Eureka, Fuyu, Hachiya); $39.95
Figs (Brown Turkey, Celeste , Texas Everbearing); $9.95, 1 gallon; $25.00, 5 gallon
Pomegranates (Wonderful); $10.95, 1 gallon; $25.00, 5 gallon
Pecans (Cape Fear, Cheyenne, Choctaw, Desirable, Kiowa); $79.95 to $125.00, 7 gallon; $99.95 to $160.00, 15 gallon
Blackberries (Brazos, Navajo, Rosborough); $7.95, 1 gallon
Grapes (Niagra White, Red Flame Seedless, Reliance Red); $10.95, 1 gallon; $12.95, 2 gallon
Loquats; $12.95, 2 gallon
Mexican Lemon; $15.95, 1 gallon