Spring mulching

Q: When do I start re-mulching my garden? Should I wait till summer?

A: It is time now to get ready for the growing season when not only plants start growing, but weeds as well. To protect your garden from unwanted invasives, keep a thick layer of mulch in areas around tree trunks and shrubs.
Heavily mulch your garden at least once a year, at springtime. Add mulch during the year as needed.
After mowing your lawn, use cut grass (hay) as a mulch around trees. Hay is the best natural mulch, it compresses well after the rain or watering and becomes very dense - weeds won't grow through it. You may cover it with some colored mulch of your choice for a more attractive look.
Mulching is also helpful for retaining water for root systems, so plants will require less frequent watering.

Spring tips

Once temperatures stay above 65F, growing season starts for tropical plants.

1. Increase watering as soon as you see new buds opening and new leaves growing

2. Trim all dead or damaged wood 1-2 inches above new growth

3. Apply the following treats to make your plants happy:

- granulated balanced fertilizer

- SUNSHINE Superfood microelements as foliar spray for healthy growth, profuse flowering, and disease/bug resistance

- SUNSHINE-E to help plants come out of dormancy faster and increase metabolism. 100 ml bottles and 50 ml bottles available for large plant collections.

- SUNSHINE-Honey to fruit trees so you can enjoy sweeter and bigger fruit later this year

4. If nights are still chilly, take potted plants outside to enjoy the afternoon sun and bring them back indoors for the night.

Champaca tree during Spring

Q: The Joy Tree that I purchased from you is going fine but the leaves have brown tips that shriveled up. How can I avoid this?

A: All Magnolias prefer rich and moist soils. These are some useful tips for growing Magnolia champaca:
- when planting in the ground, dig a big hole and replace sandy old soil with a rich organic mix containing compost and lots of peat moss to retain moisture.
- water daily for the first few months until the tree is well-established and root system is large and strong.
- use a large amount of mulch around planting
- remember that during springtime (especially March through May) champacas go through the semi-deciduous stage and lose a lot of leaves. Sometimes the tree may start looking drying out - all the sudden, overnight. Give it a few weeks and you will notice new light green re-leafing that will dress up your tree when the time comes.

Check out Champaca trees:

Pisces Zodiac lucky plants

Pisces- 2/19 - 3/20. As a WATER sign ruled by both Jupiter and Moon (and Neptune, that was not discovered until 1846, after the plant correspondences were established; Neptune is considered a "higher octave" of the Moon), Pisces plants are often large but hard to find, and may grow near the ocean. The most healing plants for Pisces are those that strengthen the immune system or have an antibacterial effect. Pisces plants may also catalyze expanded states of awareness and be helpful in dream work.
Herbs connected to Pisces are ruled by its former ruler, the Moon (Neptune, the current ruler, was not discovered until 1846, after the plant correspondences were established; Neptune is considered a “higher octave” of the Moon). Diseases of Pisces have traditionally included psychotic disorders, various forms of substance addiction, lung diseases such as tuberculosis, and ailments of the foot; contemporary herbalists also add immune system diseases. Pisces is strengthened by rosemary's ability to promote an aura of centered grounding. This protective herb helps strengthen boundaries and cultivate a closer connection to the physical realm.

Pisces Zodiac lucky plants: Water lily, Lotus, Clematis, Wisteria, Lisianthus, Brunfelsia, Echinacea, English Lavender, Rosemary, Coconut palm, Cranberry, Clove, Coccoloba, Sea Oats, Mangroves, Ochrosia, Aquatic plants, Colocasia, Alocasia, Aralia, Ficus trees, Banyan, Peepal, Banana, Mango, Mimosa, Olive, Anise, Vilca and Yopo, Kava-kava, Nutmeg, Anthuriums, Eucalyptus, Bauhinia, Clusia, Caesalpinia, Callistemon, Bucida, Cassia fistula, Cordia, Calabash, Lipstick palm, Delonix, Elaeocarpus, Erythrina, Fatsia, Guaiacum, Mahoe, Koelreuteria, Kopsia, Macaranga, Pandanus, Peltophorum, Psychotria, Banesteriopsis, Tabebuia.

For other signs information, see Plant Horoscope Page.

Australia Planting 1 Billion Trees To Fight Climate Change

Australia plans to plant 1 billion new trees to fight climate change, by the year 2050. That is a lot of trees and is the first real effort the country has made toward combating climate change. The only real problem is finding enough space to plant that many trees...
A billion trees is a billion trees, and even with a team of 30,000 people planting a tree per day for the next 31 years, the final tally would still only be 339,450,000 trees. Australia will need a tree army to get that many trees planted by 2050... Read the whole story...

How about planting just one tree today and save the World one step at a time?

On the photo: Callistemon, Australian native tree.

Deciduous plants soon sprouting

Many people believe that living in a warm climate will dissuade a plant from its deciduous nature. However, deciduous plants react to not only temperate but also shortened hours of daylight and changes in precipitation. Additionally, some plants will drop foliage in phases between new growth, and others use abscission to aid in pollination; blooming without wind-blocking leaves and making flowers more visible for insects.

When pruning a deciduous tree or shrub, it's generally best to wait until late winter or early spring, before the plant begins to leaf out. Avoid pruning during periods of new growth; during this time, the plant is weakened by the struggle to reestablish its growth process. Before pruning your deciduous plant, first research the specific plant, as there will always be exceptions to general instruction. For example, many Rubus varieties desire to prune in late fall, as their buds are developed during the dormant winter season. Some trees may have flower or fruit during winter while having no leaves, give them a chance to flower before pruning.

On the photo: Winter flowering Bombax ceiba in full bloom.