Plant Q & A Texas A&M

Bougainvilleas bloom best when dry


Q: Why aren’t my bougainvilleas blooming? We water them every other day and use a soluble fertilizer. They are in full sun.

A: The fertilizer and full sun are good.

Cut back on watering. Bouganvillea bloom best when the soil dries out between irrigations (or rain).

Q: Which zoysia grass is the best? I like zoysia because it makes a tight sod and is capable of going dormant in a drought. A neighbor had it in our old neighborhood and it never showed chlorosis, disease or insect damage.

A: Zoysia is my favorite grass as well. I think Emerald, the fine bladed selection, is the prettiest but it is the hardest to mow. If I selected a zoysia for a new lawn now, I would select from El Toro or Jamur. They are wider bladed and easier to mow. Select the one that is least expensive from a dealer you like.

Q: Fire ant hills are appearing everywhere. I am frightened for my puppy. He is lovable but not too aware yet. He may get covered by ants before he moves away.

A: Apply a fire ant control with acephate or spinosad on the hills close to where the puppy plays. The product will kill the hills within a few hours.

Spread a bait like Amdro to the rest of the yard. The foraging fire ants will carry it back to the hills and eventually kill all of them in the yard.

Q: How long will petunias last? They still look great.

A: Petunias have prospered in our cool spring. Some of the hardiest (VIP, Laura Bush, Wave) will hang on through the summer. Most however will decline in June.

CALVIN R. Finch, Ph.D. is a Horticulturist and Director of Texas A&M Water Conservation and Technology Center. Do you have a question for him? Write to him at calvin.finch@tamu.edu.



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *