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This has been a very different Spring and Early Summer in a lot of ways. We are still seeing aphids, usually heavy in March were nowhere to be found, Orchid trees, hibiscus, and other tropicals are sloughing foliage like they normally would in mid Spring. Due to the fact that they froze heavily and leafed out late, the process of losing old foliage,there was none, is much delayed. Palm bud worms are showing up inside house. I haven’t seen these in a while. Bud worms are a white grub looking worm with a slight tinge of pink in them. They feed on palm blooms and buds and as the wind blows or the palms get trimmed the worms are displaced. They look for anything fibrous they can to replicate palm fibers to spin their cocoon out of. Drapes, carpet, patio furniture and the like will do for them. Cutter bees are doing their best to make your rose bushes look like Swiss cheese. The nest building bee does no permanent harm to your plant and no treatment is recommended.
Watering practices in extreme heat are a little different. We often tell people when it is over 110 throw your watering schedule out the window. You must check plants almost daily to insure that damage does not occur. With high temps and wind foliage can be damaged very fast. Apply mulches, water very slow and long (hours not minutes) and check soil moisture regularly! We have a great watering guideline called “landscape watering by the numbers” available free in store or you can get it on our website-www.harpersnurseries.com.
Stay tuned as the signs of the monsoon are appearing and that will change what we’re seeing in the garden