{"id":6448,"date":"2026-07-04T10:03:52","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T10:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6448"},"modified":"2026-07-04T10:03:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T10:03:52","slug":"plant-doctor-celebrate-americas-250th-with-blooms-in-a-patriotic-container-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6448","title":{"rendered":"Plant Doctor: Celebrate America\u2019s 250th with blooms in a patriotic container garden"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Q:<\/strong> We would like to create a Fourth of July container garden. What can we combine to have the red, white and blue colors?<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6446\">Catholic group that defied pope and caused schism defends its actions and casts itself as the victim<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Join the 250th year celebrations with a quick visit to your local garden center. Some flowers with patriotic colors are angelonia, blue daze, pentas, salvia, torenia and zinnias. All can be kept relatively small in a large container. If created now they could provide the red, white and blue colors throughout the summer. Keep moist and apply a slow-release fertilizer monthly to encourage growth and blooms.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Plant doctor: Is it too late to add zinnias to my flowerbeds?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"EkSFtIwrzc\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"282\" loading=\"lazy\" marginheight=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" scrolling=\"no\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orlandosentinel.com\/2026\/06\/27\/plant-doctor-is-it-too-late-to-add-zinnias-to-my-flowerbeds\/embed\/#?secret=Q9KQsXoezk#?secret=EkSFtIwrzc\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201cPlant doctor: Is it too late to add zinnias to my flowerbeds?\u201d \u2014 Orlando Sentinel\" width=\"500\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q:<\/strong> I have read I should wait for new growth to appear on my Norfolk Island pine. Does that mean I shouldn\u2019t cut the brown branches off?<\/p>\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Norfolk Island pines certainly look pitiful, but many are still alive \u2014 at least in part. Some were turned totally to partially brown, but others show limited damage to limbs. Green limbs of needles may be noted on more-protected trees. It\u2019s difficult to determine the total extent of cold damage until new growth begins, which is likely to be throughout the summer. Some trunks may be dead in the top, but sprouting on the lower portions. Brown dead needles and limbs are expected to drop during summer and into fall. If limbs or portions are dead, feel free to remove all or portions. Norfolk Island pine trunks observed appear sturdy, so there is likely no rush to remove even dead trees. Give them more time to leaf out and resume growth. Regretfully, what grows back is not going to produce the Christmas tree look most remember. If you don\u2019t like the look, the trees can be removed at anytime.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q:<\/strong> We have areca palms with green trunks but no growth at top. The top portions are brown but there are shoots from the base. Should we wait longer or remove the tall trunks without new growth at their tops?<\/p>\n<p><strong>A: <\/strong>Most areca palms observed locally are dead in the tops, but sprouting shoots from the base. There\u2019s always hope the tops could form new buds, but this optimism is waning as the tops turn even more brown. Buds for these trunks are in the top portions, and when severely damaged by cold cannot regrow. You might give the trunks a month or two more, but most likely they are going to need removal to allow shoots from the base to form new palm trunks.<\/p>\n<p> <!--Ad-Slot: outstream_video--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q:<\/strong> We planted new Miami Supreme gardenias about a month ago. The leaves are all turning yellow, and frequently the leaves look very droopy. It\u2019s like their not getting enough water. They perk back up after watering. Any thoughts?<\/p>\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Dig down and check the root balls. Your gardenias are signaling they\u2019re not able to take up needed water. Often times the root balls dry out and are hard to rewet. If possible, construct a 4- to 6-inch berm of soil around the edge of each root ball. Fill them with water once or twice a day for a week or two. This way the water has to go down through the root balls. After the root balls are rewet, and the plants start making growth, water daily for a month and then every other day for another month before resuming normal watering.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6444\">Today in History: July 4, Declaration of Independence adopted by Second Continental Congress<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q:<\/strong> Leaves on our tomato plants are turning brown, but we still have fruits ripening. What should we do?<\/p>\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Brown spots, yellow leaves and plant decline are all part of growing tomatoes during the summer rainy season. If your tomato harvests are coming to an end, you might ignore the plant decline. When it appears tomato production may continue, try applying a fungicide made for use with this crop. One natural product for both bacterial and fungal leaf spots is a copper fungicide found at most garden centers. Follow the label instructions for tomatoes or vegetables when making applications. Regretfully, other summer pests including insects and viruses, may affect your plants too. This can also make continuing the harvest difficult.<\/p>\n<p> <!--Ad-Slot: cube_article--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q:<\/strong> We protected our container-grown pineapple plants from the cold and now they\u2019re growing large fruits. When will they be ready to harvest?<\/p>\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Most pineapple fruits are ready to harvest when the green fruits start to turn a light green to orange color. The deeper the color the sweeter the fruits. Many protected plants flowered in March, a traditional time to produce their blooms in Central Florida. The fruits then mature about five months later during August. Here is a problem. You are not the only one looking to harvest a pineapple. Landscape critters are also noting the first hint of ripening. Just as you protected your pineapple plants during the winter, now is the time to secure them from critters. Maybe you could move the containers to a critter-free area or add a covering from dusk to dawn when animals are likely to feed. If needed, harvest the fruits a little early and let them ripen in the home.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Are you a Central Florida gardener? Here\u2019s your to-do list for July<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"pnik6EOCPR\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"282\" loading=\"lazy\" marginheight=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" scrolling=\"no\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.orlandosentinel.com\/2026\/06\/27\/are-you-a-central-florida-gardener-heres-your-to-do-list-for-july\/embed\/#?secret=kmdSASV5xl#?secret=pnik6EOCPR\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201cAre you a Central Florida gardener? Here\u2019s your to-do list for July\u201d \u2014 Orlando Sentinel\" width=\"500\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q:<\/strong> We have a magnolia tree that\u2019s been in the ground for years but is only about 3 feet tall. How can we make it grow?<\/p>\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Helping this tree regain its vigor is going to take a heroic effort. There\u2019s no use trying more water and fertilizer while the tree is in the ground. Dig up your little magnolia and place it in a container. Chances are the roots have not grown much and are still in the original root ball shape. Transplant to a container several inches larger than the root ball. If the roots are tightly bound, break the outer layer apart. Grow the tree in a shady site for a month or more, and then gradually move it back into the full sun. Water to keep the soil moist and apply a slow-release fertilizer to the surface soil following label instructions for container culture. After about a year of good growth it should be ready for in-ground planting again.<\/p>\n<p><em>Tom MacCubbin is an urban horticulturist emeritus with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write him: Orlando Sentinel, P.O. Box 2833, Orlando, FL. 32802. Email:\u00a0TomMac1996@aol.com<\/em><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6441\">Egypt defender Mohamed Hany becomes first player with two own-goals in the same World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gardening advice from an urban horticulturist emeritus with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6447,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6448","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-and-garden","category-things-to-do"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Plant Doctor: Celebrate America\u2019s 250th with blooms in a patriotic container garden - 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