Capitol flora

In Capitol Park, azaleas are vibrant, camellias are in bloom and rose bushes are getting their first buds of the season. Groundskeepers with Dept. of General Services are out each day checking the irrigation systems, laying mulch and pruning the park’s flora. Capitol Park Groundskeepers Mark Cooper and Tami Talle say the same work should be done at home to get flower beds and veggie gardens ready for the warmer weather ahead. Cooper insists on paying close attention to how plants are being watered. He’s been the lead groundskeeper at the park for the past five years and before that owned a landscaping company for more than 30 years. He says homeowners shouldn’t “set and forget” their irrigation system. “You should check irrigation constantly,” he said. “Also, make sure your plants don’t have mulch up around the base of them because that can cause crown rot. It’s bad practice.” Talle, who has worked for DGS for 20 years, advises to wash dirt and debris off plants regularly, especially if only a drip system is used. “They like to be clean,” Talle said. “You can get spider mites and plants can die because of spider mites.” Another garden pest to keep an eye out for are aphids. To help prevent an infestation, Cooper and Talle say they’ll likely conduct a lady bug release in the park in a few weeks because the bug’s larvae can eat their weight in aphids each day. Weeds can also be a major nuisance to home gardens, especially after the recent rains. Talle says it’s important to eradicate them before they get out of hand. “As soon as you see them emerging, especially the grass weeds, you’ll see the seedlings and if you let that go, guess what happens, the seedlings spread,” she said. “Get a hula-hoe. It’s a hoe that has a big hole, so it gets rid of weed roots and cultivates the soil at the same time.” Talle says this is the time of year to start prepping perennials. “Prune them all the way back so they rejuvenate,” she said. “Pruning is very important right now; you don’t want to wait until it gets really hot.” During this mild weather is also a good time to dig up a plant and replant, if needed. “Anytime you transplant something it goes into shock,” Cooper explained. “You don’t want to put it in soil that is over fertilized. You want to put it in soil that’s similar from where you took it from.” One of Cooper’s favorite flowers in the park is the red and orange abutilon plant across the foot path from the camellia grove in the park’s East side. He says the bell-shaped flowers that look like Chinese lanterns delight butterflies and hummingbirds as well as park visitors. “We have people get up real close to take pictures of them,” Cooper said. “It’s a fantastic flower.” To maintain a beautiful garden both Cooper and Talle agree a little TLC goes a long way. “The best thing to do is learn about your plants,” Cooper said. “If you want to sustain them, learn about them and you’re going to get bigger, better blossoms and a better looking garden.” Contact: Tiffany Dobbyn, Tiffany@capitolmr.com.