Ross Root Feeder, Groundcover, & Tropical Plants

Question Mark & The Mysterians

"We have a Ross Root feeder, and want to use it to water our larger trees, but how do I get it into the hard soil? Also, how long do I keep it in each spot?" -In most cases, I can get the Ross Root feeder to penetrate the soil just by turning it on and letting the jets of water coming out of the tip "drill" it down into the soil. If that doesn't work, try using a metal pipe or stake and hammering a hole into the soil to get started. And depending on the soil, 30-45 minutes per injection usually works good. Take 3-4 steps, and put it back in the ground. Work your way around the tree spiralling outward towards the drip line and past.

"I want to plant some groundcover, but was told by another landscaper that it's too late. Is that true?" -Not at all! Now, "flats" of groundcover should be installed this month or through very early October to allow it time to begin rooting before winter. But if we're planting groundcover grown in large pots (deeply rooted), we'll keep right on planting well into the fall season.
"About your info on the itch mites - we used calamine lotion and it didn't stop the itch. So, we held an ice cube (wrapped in thin cloth) on the bite until it really got cold. The itch went away for 6-8 hours." -Thanks for the itch tip!

"When should I start getting my tropical plants ready to move back indoors?" -I would look to start setting those tropical plants or plants you intend on bringing indoors for the winter, in the shade, in about another week or two. Doing this for about 10 days to 2 weeks really helps reduce the shock going from outdoors to indoors. Also, be spraying with water and insecticidal soap to start reducing any insect populations on the plants. For those of you who have kept that poinsettia over the summer, do the same thing, then we bring it inside, be sure to limit the amount of light it receives to 8-10 hours each day. That includes eliminating light from lamps and overhead lighting!

"How do we over winter the hardy banana tree we purchased at Natorp's this year?" -Dr. Dave Franco says the best to do is let the frost kill the tops, cut them back, and then mulch them heavily (10 inches minimum) making sure you mulch out past the root ball. As spring breaks (early April), begin to pull back the mulch and let the sun hit the soil. But be cautious of late spring frosts!
"Should I be adjusting my mower heights in the fall?" -Nope, you should never be adjusting mower heights besides 'possibly' the first mowing of the year (lower one notch for that mowing only) and the last couple of the year (again down one notch). Just keep mowing as you normally would - 3 to 3 1/2 inches. Do be sure to have those mower blades sharpened as we move into the fall mowing season. Grass and leaves really dull a blade quickly.
"Should I pinch off the blossoms now appearing on my tomato plants?" -Yes, you can. It's too late for those to produce tomatoes, so pinching them off sends more nutrients to the existing plant and remaining fruits. Or should I say vegetables? Remember, botanically they're fruits, but by lawn they're vegetables. "Help me out here. I thought it was true that the daddy-long legs were extremely poisonous, but they're mouths are too small to bite. Isn't that right?" -"Harvestmen" is another common name for this spider like creature. Some have long legs and some have short, usually most active in shade or darkness, and eat soft bodies bugs, worms, dead bugs, decaying plant material, etc. But sorry, no poisonous fangs on these critters.

[I'm in great shape. Round is a shape, right?]