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I've never been much of a gardener but since my HOA's lawn service has ruined my azaleas and pampas grass and we have such beautiful weather now, I think I've caught the gardening bug. I am instructing them to keep hands off from now on. My questions are:
Azaleas- The lawn guy routinely commits the Florida Chainsaw Massacre on the azaleas throughout the HOA. I have read how to prune these back to about the ground to encourage new, leafy growth, but have discovered a scale. Should I first treat the scale before pruning?
Pampas grass- the guy's son went around spraying herbicide (without a license) on these last summer and they are not coming back. I've had them cut back, but think they just need to be removed. I am going to insist that they remove them. Any ideas on what to use in their place? I've already had them replace some, at their expense, with European fan palms. But they were in semi-shade, these are in full sun. I like unstructured plants, so am thinking lantana or something for color.
And the bonus question- the hedges in the pix with the Pampas grass- should I tell them hands off on the hedges, too, and do my own pruning? How much labor is involved and are they too high for me to do on my own?
When I lived down south we called pampas grass - snake grass. Inevitably snakes were drawn to their cool and shady, twisted roots and would nest there, have their babies there. Yours does look dead, but it is very hard to kill pampas grass - often roots will bring back whole plants.
Yes lantana is very pretty - do not, however, plant it close to your windows, where you walk frequently, or where you spend time. Lantana stinks. The warmer it gets, the more prolific it gets, the worse the smell.
I would suggest going to a local nursery and looking at their plants, asking them about height and spread, and deciding what other opportunities you might have to replace the pampas with something that would give you the 'feeling' you would like. Butterfly bushes, perhaps, with their sweetly scented blooms all summer? Seize the opportunty to plant something that will give you the same effect you seek without the hassle!
Yes you should treat the scale before pruning - and then have a bucket of 10% bleach solution nearby. After every cut, dip the blades into the solution. This will help keep the scale from spreading.
Those hedges - well, I'm short so most hedges are too tall for me to prune! You could probably do them yourself if you are willing to put in the time, expense (buying a trimmer) and labor - or if your HOA lets you. Remember to trim your hedges in a slightly conical shape, so that the bottom branches extend slightly further out than the upper ones. Trimming them into 'boxes' kills off the lower branches as they do not get enough sun.
I would have the maintenance guys keep the chain saw away from the azaleas and use it on the pampas grass. It goes dormant in the winter, so many people clean it up by cutting off all that dormant part to about 6" or so before the new growth starts. Either way, it'll look fine later in the year. Pampas grass is sharp nasty stuff, so the maintenance guys probably don't want to go near it.
Wow, they really scalped your azalea. And they sprayed your pampas grass with an herbicide?
You need to instruct this landscaping *service* to cut the grass only and leave the rest of your yard alone.
(These pics illustrate why I'm a gardener/groundskeeper and not in the landscaping business. I wouldn't dream of assaulting an azalea like that, but in the landscaping business it's all about rape and pillage with power tools. 15 minutes per yard.)
I would dump the grass... but then again I hate that grass. Cuts your skin like a knife and all sorts of critters live in them... I like critters but hate the poison ones like snakes, scorpions etc.
I like lantana. Look into butterfly bushes as well. If you can put in a boarder or a contol boarder look into mini palms or bamboos. they can spread out quickly so you would need to contain them. I do mine and they are lovely in a small area. Have lots of fun cutting them back every year or two.
Wow, they really scalped your azalea. And they sprayed your pampas grass with an herbicide?
You need to instruct this landscaping *service* to cut the grass only and leave the rest of your yard alone.
(These pics illustrate why I'm a gardener/groundskeeper and not in the landscaping business. I wouldn't dream of assaulting an azalea like that, but in the landscaping business it's all about rape and pillage with power tools. 15 minutes per yard.)
Yeah, he is very condescending and not all that honest. We had a time insisting that they stop committing crepe murder.
Two years ago the owner of the company said how much they hate the pampas grass and that I should have it removed. Funny quinky dink- just about a year later, I see his son going around spraying them with something from a tank on his back.
I may just make him cut them back again and see how they look this summer.
I am looking into beauganvilla . Pretty flowers, likes full sun and will tick him off more than the pampas grass!
Although they still sell it, Lantana is considered invasive in Florida. There is the weed running rampant and then the stuff the sell at Home Depot...what the actual difference is - I thought I read one was a 'mock', but if you Google up Lantana...
SCGranny - FL- we had something else that we called snake grass but I can't find a picture of it online, not knowing the proper name.
Was a 12-15" thick-leaved, green striped blade, much like a succulent, that grew from tubers...also sharp and prolific. Shoulda brought some with me here - the many hard freezes woulda kept it in check.
The Pampas - should be cut way back every year at the appropriate time for you location (check Dave's Garden) to avoid the 'hollowing' that will occur after several years - the center dies off as it spreads wider. It is hard to kill, but it looks like at least one of those was insulted beyond forgiveness.
Pampas is also considered invasive in several areas of the country.
Ah - found it - snake PLANT.
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And they sprayed your pampas grass with an herbicide?
. Pretty flowers, likes full sun and will tick him off more than the pampas grass!
