by Les Harrison | Jan 20, 2016
North Florida’s gardeners are facing a new set of challenges dealing with the effects of cold weather. However, a little planning and creativity can make plant protection in the landscape a relatively simple process.
Covering plants to protect from frost. UF/IFAS Photo: Sally Lanigan.
Many homeowners and landscape managers want to know when plants will need protection. The point of freezing is a good rule of thumb for most temperate zone plants.
It is worth noting there is a difference in the terms used for cold weather conditions. Frost, freeze and hard freeze all describe different circumstances.
- Frost is when water vapour freezes on surfaces. It usually happens on clear nights with still air and can happen when reported air temperatures are above freezing.
- Freezing is when cold air moves in and causes temperatures to drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. This condition commonly involves low humidity and wind, making drying out a big problem for plants.
- A hard freeze is when temperatures dip below 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Some tropical plants will survive a few degrees below freezing for very short periods, but extended periods of freezing or heavy frost may require lights or other heat used safely in combination with covering the plant.
Some plants can be moved indoors for the holidays and incorporated into the interior décor, rather than cramming them last-minute into a chaotic bundle when a freeze looms.
Get prepared by identifying old sheets, blankets and drop cloths which can be used as covers for tender or tropical zone plants which must remain outside. Test potential covers beforehand to assure all plants will be thoroughly covered.
It is best if the covers enclose the plant entirely without crushing it. Heavy blankets are great insulation, but only a good idea on the sturdiest of plants.
A tomato cage or other support structure can be used to keep the weight off the plant. Covers also need to be secured at the ground with pins or weights to assure cold air does not enter from below and collect under the cover.
Finally, keep storage bins handy and remove the covers in the daytime if temperatures are above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Monitor weather reports and react accordingly so tender and tropical plants see spring 2016.
by Molly Jameson | Jan 13, 2016
Volunteers after lots of hard work mulching and adding compost to eight raised beds at The Shelter garden.
Have you ever been interested in volunteering at a school or community garden? Are you involved with a garden that could use some help? Well, UF/IFAS Leon County Extension recently started an Adopt-a-Garden program for volunteers to “adopt” a school or community garden for volunteer credit. Volunteers can teach hands-on gardening techniques, conduct educational talks and present displays at garden workdays, assist with garden planning and networking, encourage gardeners to work together, and help with any other activity that adds to the vitality of the garden. The program focuses on garden education and outreach as the primary objectives.
Volunteers hard at work planting fall vegetables in The Shelter garden.
The first major project of the Adopt-a-Garden program has been very exciting, with UF/IFAS Leon County Extension Master Gardeners “adopting” the new homeless shelter at the Kearney Center in Leon County. Master Gardeners lead the way in the organization and construction of eight raised bed vegetable gardens located on site directly behind The Shelter facility. They were awarded a community garden mini-grant from Leon County, which helped to cover garden supplies.
The Leon County Master Gardeners have received assistance from UF/IFAS Extension Agents, Florida State’s College of Social Work, and many other members of the community in gathering supplies and donations, recruiting volunteers, communicating with The Shelter staff, building and filling the raised beds, planting the garden, and maintaining the garden.
The gardening materials for The Shelter garden were generously supplied at no coast or at discounted costs by Lowe’s Home Improvement, Britt’s Dump Truck Services, Tallahassee Nurseries, Native Nurseries, Asplundh, and the FSU College of Social Work.
Shelter resident watering freshly planted lettuce.
Leon County Extension and Leon County’s Office of Resource Stewardship will conduct shelter resident and staff garden trainings to ensure the garden is maintained and successful going forward. Extension’s Family Nutrition Program is currently offering nutrition education classes to shelter residents as well.
This project will allow shelter residents to get hands-on experience working in a vegetable garden, learn about different vegetable varieties, and taste their harvest, as vegetables that are grown in the garden go directly to The Shelter kitchen for meal preparation. The garden was officially dedicated as the Wendy Crook Memorial Garden by Leon County Government, with the dedication event reported by local television station ABC 27 WTXL. The article and video clip can be viewed here.
Along with the Wendy Crook Memorial Garden, other school and community gardens have been “adopted” by volunteers. If you are in the Leon County area and are interested in becoming a volunteer with the Adopt-a-Garden program, you can find out more information at the Leon County Adopt-a-Garden website or contact Extension Agent Molly Jameson, at mjameson@ufl.edu. Volunteers are encouraged to team up on garden projects and all levels of gardening experience are welcome.
by Matthew Orwat | Jan 13, 2016
Crapemyrtle Scale, UF / IFAS Extension
During cold January weather, one doesn’t often think about spraying fruit trees and ornamental shrubs for spring insects and diseases. It’s just not on the radar. The fact is January and February are the best time to apply dormant sprays to combat insect and disease issues. Many ask, “What are dormant sprays” ?
Dormant sprays act on insects or disease pathogens differently. Many insects overwinter on trees and shrubs, either as eggs or immobilized in a protective shell (scale insects). Horticultural oils applied during cool dormant conditions work by smothering the eggs of some insect species or encapsulated scale insects. Since they cannot breathe, they die.
On the other hand, dormant sprays containing copper or sulfur actually kill latent fungal spores that are ready to infect the moment weather warms. They also burn tender young plant tissue, so can only be used when the plant is not actively growing. These preventative sprays can delay disease incidence in early spring and allow for reduction or elimination of regular fungicide applications. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” surely applies to these situations.
There are several products on the market for dormant applications.
Dormant oil is a type of horticultural oil, made of refined petroleum products, for application on trees or shrubs when the trees are not actively growing. It has been in use for over 100 years. They are effective in the suppression of scale insects and mites. Care must be used to not apply them when daytime temperatures are above 75 degrees or night temperatures below 28 degrees. Other horticultural oils exist that can be applied during the growing season to control soft-bodied insects, but not during extremely hot weather. Many different brands exist, some are certified organic by OMRI. They can be purchased at most garden centers, but the best selection is usually found at your independent nursery or farm store.
Cottony Cushion Scale, Image Credit, Matthew Orwat, UF / IFAS Extension
Dormant fungicides can be classified into two groups. Those that contain copper and those that contain sulfur. The most common preventative remedy for fungal disease is lime-sulfur. It is applied to dormant plants and actually sanitizes the stem, killing all fungal spores. It cannot be used during the growing season since it burns leafy tissue. Caution must be taken when mixing and loading since, being an acidic product, can burn the skin. Wear chemical resistant gloves when applying (bought at your local hardware store for $4.00-$10.00), safety goggles and follow all label directions carefully. Also, never apply lime-sulfur within one month of horticultural oil applications. It should be applied in early to mid February, avoiding hard freezes for the 24 hours around application time.
Dormant copper sprays are effective on both bacterial and fungal pathogens and used primarily on fruit crops for the suppression of many fruit diseases including fire blight, bacterial leaf spot, powdery mildew, downey mildew and anthracnose. One popular option, the “Bordeaux Mixture” blends copper with lime. This lime reduces the acidic nature of the copper, thus reducing tissue damage when applied to plants. Always read the label for proper personal protective equipment and dosage rates, to avoid copper toxicity.
For more information, contact your local extension agent or consult these extension publications from: Disease Management Strategies, and Pest Control Using Horticultural Oils .
by Larry Williams | Jan 13, 2016
Pecan trees are well adapted to our area, making beautiful large shade trees. And, if the correct varieties are planted, they can provide pecans.
Only those pecan varieties that show some real resistance to disease problems are recommended for planting here in the humid south. Select grafted trees of Desirable, Curtis, Elliott, Moreland or Stuart varieties.
Pecan leaves and fruit. Photo credit: Brad Haire, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
Obtain and plant your pecan trees during the winter – December through February. Purchase trees that are three to six feet tall. Larger trees are more difficult to transplant.
Give pecan trees plenty of room to grow. The distance between trees should be approximately sixty feet because mature trees are quite large. Commercial producers sometimes use a closer spacing, primarily because they are using varieties that will bear at an earlier age. But most of those varieties do not have good disease resistance and still require pesticide spray at times. Homeowners will not have the needed equipment to spray a large pecan tree and the drift from such sprays would not be desirable around your home, so commercial varieties aren’t recommended for home plantings.
One of the keys to survival of a pecan tree is not allowing the root system to dry out before, during or after transplanting. Regular watering will be required for a period of at least six months or until the young tree is well established. The planting hole should be 18 to 24 inches wide and only as deep as the root system. Spread the roots so they are not matted together. The planting depth is critical. Place at such a depth that the uppermost root is at or near the soil surface. Excessively deep planting can result in eventual death of the tree.
When planting your tree, there is no need or advantage to using peat moss, compost, manure or other organic matter in the planting hole. Plant the tree in the native soil without amendments.
Do not fertilize when the tree is planted. Wait until May of the first year after planning to apply fertilizer.
Remember that pecan trees are large at maturity, with branches spreading 30 feet or so from the trunk. Also, because of the brittle limbs and failing nuts, it’s best not to plant these trees too near the home, driveway or sidewalk.
