By mid-June, most crops simply run out of steam

I received two questions from Jim Dahir in Northdale.

The first is about watermelons. He plants every year between Jan. 15 and April 15, with the fruit ripening around June 1. By June 20, the vines die regardless of what stage they are in. He wonders if there is a fix for this.

I have found by about the middle of June, crops I have planted in January just run out of steam. Watermelons do not grow well in the humid, wet climate of our summers. Although they take a lot of water while growing, the constant summer rain, which usually begins in June, is just too much moisture. With the leaves wet almost all the time, disease and pests take their toll and the vines die. If you want more melons, plant more in January knowing that the middle of June will see the end of production.

Dahir also has concerns about a 25-foot, 8-year-old avocado tree. It has never bloomed and he has been told to beat the trunk with a heavy object such as a piece of wood. He's looking for confirmation before using this technique. I'm not able to support the senseless beating of trees, Jim! I've never heard of this solution. But as in the case of many anecdotal solutions, there may be some scientific basis.

Flowering, as with other plant functions, is controlled by plant hormones. A plant hormone is generally described as an organic compound synthesized in one part of the plant and translocated to another part, where in low concentrations it elicits a physiological response. The hormone abscisic acid is generally released when a plant is wounded. Although the hormones auxin and ethylene are generally believed to be involved in flowering, abscisic acid may also play a role. Perhaps the wounding of the tree leads to hormone release, which in turn leads to flowering. I guess a few whacks wouldn't do any harm.

I do know that avocados are one of those fruits that people either have absolutely no trouble growing or find a constant source of frustration.

Avocado trees produce thousands of flowers and only about one in 5,000 sets fruit; so statistically you're behind before you ever begin! The flowers are perfect, but are either receptive to pollen in the morning and shed pollen the following afternoon (type A), or are receptive to pollen in the afternoon, and shed pollen the following morning (type B). Some of the flowers are defective in form and sterile. Production is best with cross-pollination between types A and B.

I've been told by avocado growers that 90 percent of avocado production is water, so check your watering routine. You must have good drainage. A high water table in the rainy season can be fatal. Most roots are in the top two feet of soil and must be kept moist. The fallen leaves make good mulch.

If you have grown your avocado tree from seed there is a good possibility you will never see blossoms. When grown from seed you may get a wonderful tree but usually it will never produce fruit. If you want fruit, purchase a named cultivar. I hope some of this information will help.

Questions about rain barrels still abound. I recently attended another water wise workshop at the Hillsborough County Cooperative Extension Service and picked up the following directions for assembling a rain barrel:

Step 1: Select only food quality containers and clean with a bleach/water mixture of one-eighth cup of bleach to five gallons of water. Rinse thoroughly.

Step 2: Install a 1-inch hose spigot to the barrel about six inches from the bottom by drilling a fifteen-sixteenths inch hole into the barrel. Next, screw in the hose spigot about halfway then apply a liberal amount of PVC cement to the exposed threads. Continue to screw in the spigot until it is snug and pointing toward the bottom of the barrel.

Step 3: Build a platform for the barrel. Stack cinder blocks or stepping-stones and make sure they are level before placing your barrel on the top of these.

Step 4: Once the barrel is positioned, measure where you need to cut or disconnect your downspout. To make the transition from the downspout to your opening in the rain barrel, fabricate a crosspiece out of the downspout material or purchase a flexible downspout extender.

Step 5: Once your downspout connection is complete, place it in your rain barrel. If your barrel has a lid, you will need to cut a hole for the connection. You will want a tight fit.

If you do not have downspouts, place your barrel under the roofline where the rainwater naturally exits your roof. A window screen placed over the barrel opening will allow water to enter and keep mosquitoes out.

NOTE: These directions are from Rain Barrels, A Homeowners Guide, written and photographed by Gerard Watson, an employee of the Hillsborough County Water Conservation Department.

I've mentioned the rain barrel workshops many times and have now attended at least three myself. The rain barrel workshop was followed by a workshop about micro-irrigation and included the opportunity to purchase a micro-irrigation starter kit for $10. Rain barrels are available for $15 and include the barrel and the hose spigot. The rain barrel workshop is from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by the water-wise workshop from 10:30 a.m. to noon. There is no cost for the workshops, which are scheduled on Aug. 24, Sept. 28 and Oct. 26.

To register in advance, call the extension service at (813) 744-5519, ext. 144.

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