Magnolia Tree a Tradition

Magnolia Tree a Tradition

There is a tall stately tree that can be found throughout the southeastern states, native in nature with a lustrous green leaf the southern magnolia is like no other tree.  This amazing tree can be found from the edge of deep woodlands to the back of the tall sand dunes in the panhandle of Florida, all the way down the Florida Peninsula.  The leaves provide a consistent evergreen providing a year-round presence in the landscape.  Spring brings up small plate sized creamy white blooms with a wonderful fragrance with multiple blooms opening over 3 to 5 weeks. The magnolia can serve as a specimen tree or a back drop to allow other plants to be enjoyed.

Magnolia Tree in the Landscape. Photo courtesy Stephen Greer

Often the magnolia is envisioned to be this 80-foot tall by 40-foot-wide tree with an upright pyramidal shape with the branches reaching to the ground and up to 8-inch-long shiny green leaves.  There are other shapes and sizes in the landscape industry that have been found in many different ways from seedling research that has taken place at several of our land grant universities including the University of Florida.  Other magnolia with different growth and bloom habits have been found growing in nature.  Below are a few of these exceptional species that were selected by the keen eye of a nurseryman or a plant specialist.  Next come decades of field grown observation to determine if the plant characteristics are consistent with cuttings taken and rooted to grow more trees.  This is one way to see if the same look and growth continues in multiple plants.

Magnolia Bloom in Spring

Magnolia Bloom. Photo courtesy Stephen Greer

If you grow trees from collected seeds, the new seedlings will show variable growth patterns and likely not present a consistent growth or leaf form from tree to tree.  This is the reason for taking cuttings from a magnolia with the desired growth habit, leaf size and color, bloom color and fragrance.

Several cultivars have risen to the top in popularity in the landscape industry over the last 30 to 40 years.  One of the most popular large magnolias is ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’.  It was selected in a seedling field when one of the universities had completed research and invited a local nurseryman to come take any he wanted before the field was turned under for other plant research.  Many were dug and field planted at the nursery with one showing many desired characteristics.  With its dark rusty brown lower leaf and deep green top.  It was observed for a number of years with cuttings taken.  One major observation was its tolerance to cold weather.  They had a winner and began to introduce it into the plant industry.  ‘Little Gem’ is another magnolia that is quite popular for its dwarf (slower) upright growth habit.  It first was considered a hedge plant with a dense leaf canopy from bottom to top.  The challenge is the plant density opens up as it matures with it ultimately reaching approximately 30-foot tall by 20-foot wide.  The surprising part of this smaller magnolia is its bloom is similar in number, yet 3 to 5 inches in size in large numbers as the other southern magnolias.  Next there is a few weeks rest period and then sporadically blooms all summer and early fall.  There are so many magnolias that could be mentioned I just don’t have enough article space, so it will stop with ‘Claudia Wannamaker’.  This magnolia is an old stand by that has been found to be moderately salt tolerant and can be found growing near coastal settings.  The leaf wax layer is slightly thicker allowing for a little more protection from the salt.  It has a more open multi-truck growth allowing for wind to pass through more easily.  The challenge is finding one in the landscape industry.

Contact your UF IFAS Extension office in your county with questions.  Enjoy this wonderfully unique tree.

 

 

 

Ornamental Grass Pruning – A Winter Task

Ornamental Grass Pruning – A Winter Task

The term “ornamental grass” is a catch-all phrase used to describe grasses and “grass-like” plants.  Individual species are adapted to a wide variety of landscape sites (i.e., wet or dry, sun or shade, hot or cold climates, and varied salt tolerance). Growth habits range from low ground covers to intermediate shrub-like plants to very tall hedge-like plants. Ornamental grasses are very dynamic; the size, shape, texture, and color of grass changes with every season.

Deciduous Ornamental Grass

Grasses with foliage that dies in the winter and remains dormant until the weather warms in the spring are considered deciduous.  The winter character of deciduous ornamental grasses adds tremendous interest to the winter garden when contrasted with evergreen plants or structures such as walls or fences.  The dried foliage of deciduous grasses creates sound as it expands and contracts in response to changes in temperature or moisture, while interaction with wind creates movement in the garden. For these reasons, pruning of the dead foliage and inflorescences is not recommended at the time of the first frost.

Pruning of ornamental grasses should be done in late winter or early spring, just prior to new shoot growth.  In Northwest Florida, gardeners should target the end of February to prune ornamental grasses.  For deciduous grasses, such as Japanese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis), the old foliage may be completely removed within inches of the soil. Be cautious to not remove the growth point by leaving the grass clump at least 4 inches high.  For evergreen grasses, such as muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), the ragged leaves can be removed to neaten the appearance of the plant without shortening all the way to the ground. So, depending on the damaged portions, the remaining grass clump can be 6-18 inches high after pruning.  Grasses recover quickly from a heavier pruning.  Within a few months the plant will have completely regrown.  If desired, old flower stalks and seed heads may be removed any time they no longer have a neat appearance.  For more information on ornamental grass species and growing tips, please visit the EDIS Publication: Considerations for Selection and Use of Ornamental Grasses.

When it Rains, “They” Flourish

When it Rains, “They” Flourish

Until recently, rainfall has been plentiful. That’s great for the water table and preparing plants to wake up for spring. But, insects are also stirring. Bugs are affected by rain in many ways. When water is plentiful, they can grow faster, reproduce sooner and travel farther. Combine that with the fact that the insects’ homes are being flooded out and their normal food sources are displaced; and where do you think they are headed? Yes, into your house. Four bugs you can anticipate seeing after rain events include cockroaches, sowbugs, ants and centipedes.

brown crawling insect

American Cockroach
Photo by: J.L. Castner
UF/IFAS

Roaches tend to live in places that flood easily, especially this time of year. To survive the cold nights, cockroaches need to find a warm place to rest. Typically those places would be drains, pipes, sewers, along foundations and in crawl spaces. But, when it rains, these locations are often flooded, forcing cockroaches to scurry for their lives to avoid drowning. A crack in weather stripping or window caulking makes a quick hideaway. Once inside, they may decide to stay. Frequent rainy days create the lingering humidity that makes all kinds of places more livable for roaches.

Sowbugs and his cousin, the pillbug, are very small, pill-shaped pests with multiple legs and a series of shell-like plates. Often referred to as roly-polys, these creatures are actually a form of land

small gray crawing insect

Sowbug
Photo by: J.L. Castner UF/IFAS

crustacean related to lobsters, crabs, and crayfish. The sowbug’s breathing tubes require moisture to function properly, so they must stay near water. Typically this fact restricts the sowbug to living in moist soil or sand. Ending up inside a building is normally a terminal condition for them. However, due to the moisture left in the air after a rain event, sowbugs that seek refuge inside are able to survive for longer periods of time. Given the opportunity, sowbugs will reproduce indoors. If they have decaying organic material to feed on, they may stick around even longer; having time to create a multi-generational infestation.

brown creeping insect

Carpenter Ant
Photo by: J.L.Castner
UF/IFAS

Ants are never too far away. They usually build their colonies in the soil near convenient sources of food and shelter. Being in the ground puts ant colonies at great risk for flooding out, even with short periods of rainfall. When this happens, ants are forces to find higher, drier ground quickly or risk being washed away. What better place than a house? Once inside, the ants get back to work looking for food and building the colony. Expect to see ants around kitchen sinks, on window sills and working their way into cupboards and pantry areas during and after a heavy rain. Unfortunately, if they find all the elements needed to make their home, the ants will be very reluctant to go back outside.

long thin creeping insect with many legs

Centipede Photo by: J.L. Castner UF/IFAS

Like the other pests mentioned, centipedes are attracted to humid environments. But, centipedes are active hunting carnivores. They like to feed on roaches, sowbugs and ants. So, they follow them into the house, a well-stocked hunting ground. Centipedes typically only hunt late at night, but in dark areas they can hunt day and night. Finding centipedes if most likely an indication of another pest infestation.

These rain-displaced pests may need some help from a pest control product and/or operator to be discouraged from staying inside. We need the rain. But, keep a close watch for the unwanted visitors.

Weeds or Bonus Plants?

Weeds or Bonus Plants?

Walking around my yard I’m always on the lookout for changes – both good and bad. I look to see which plants are leafing out or flowering. I scout for plant disease symptoms, insect damage, and weeds. I’ve learned over the years that when I spot a plant out-of-place before condemning it as a weed, I need to make sure it isn’t really a bonus plant!

This spring my yard has really changed. After losing numerous mature trees the sun is shining in new spots. Last fall I also had a bit of unexpected seed and vegetation dispersal to say the least, so I’m getting lots of surprises in the landscape. A few bonus plants I’m seeing and leaving alone are oak seedlings, black-eyed Susan, sunflowers, Angelina sedum, dotted horsemint, and verbena.

These plants might not be exactly where I would have placed them, but if they are not located somewhere that will be a maintenance problem, they can stay where they landed. Many of these plants are taking advantage of dry, non-irrigated sites and providing welcome vegetative groundcover that will help prevent erosion. The bonus is that they all provide food or shelter for birds and/or bugs!

How do you tell the difference between a weed and a plant you would like to keep? The key is to pay attention to plant features other than flowers. Start looking at foliage shape, texture, color, growth habit, and how leaves are arranged on the plant. Other characteristics are stem color and shape – some plants have square stems, others have ridges we refer to as “wings” in horticulture terms, tendrils on vines, all of these can be distinctive and recognizable before the obvious flowers form. Keep notes with pictures of plants at different life stages until you commit them to memory. Eventually you’ll be able to walk through your landscape and quickly note the differences which will help conserve those bonus plants and get weeds under control before they get too prolific.

Below are links to sites that might be outside your regular bookmarks. These resources show more than just the pretty flowers and have detailed information on life cycle and growing conditions.

Starting Transplants for the Home Garden

Starting Transplants for the Home Garden

Winter is in full swing and home grown produce is probably not the first thing that comes to mind.  But it should be!  It’s time again to start thinking about spring vegetable gardening.  While a number of crops can be started by direct seeding in the soil, success rates are higher when plants are started indoors or in a covered structure.  In order to be successful, it’s important that you follow some simple steps.

Germinating watermelon seeds

Seedless watermelons planted in a 128-cell flat. Photo Credit: Gene McAvoy, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Hendry County

  • Transplant Trays/Flats – Trays are made from different materials such as plastic, polystyrene, and compostable materials.  Different cell sizes are also available.  Generally, smaller cells are used for smaller seeds and larger cells are used for larger seeds.  It’s important to think of the life cycle of the crop.  For example, lettuce and other leafy greens have much shorter life cycles compared to tomatoes.  Because of this, they have smaller root systems at transplant time and may not develop a good rootball in a large cell.  Therefore, lettuce would perform better in a smaller cell.
  • Media – It’s important that you choose a germination mix instead of a potting mix.  Definitely don’t use garden soil!  Germination mixes are typically a combination of finely ground peat, perlite, and other soiless substrates.
  • Seed – Purchase seed from a reputable source with a germination guarantee.  If you save seeds for future gardening, then store them in a cool, dry place.  Seed can be stored in the refrigerator.  However, do expect the germination rate of stored seeds to diminish over time.  Coated seed is recommended for smaller seeds to make seeding easier and more efficient.  Seeds should be planted in media at a depth of approximately 3 times the diameter of the seed.  Check the seed package for additional planting recommendations.  For more germination and storage information please see this publication from the University of Nebraska.
  • Fertilizer – Too much fertilizer can result in leggy and possibly burned plants.  A 20-10-10 (or similar ratio N-P-K) water-soluble product is generally used in commercial production.  Rates are dependent on crop, sunlight, and temperature.  The media should be kept moist, but not continually wet.
Kale transplants

Well-grown kale transplants ready for field planting. Photo Credit: Gene McAvoy, University of Florida/IFAS Extension – Hendry County

Seeds can take up to 14 days to germinate depending on species and conditions.  Most transplants are ready for the garden by 6 to 8 weeks.  To improve success rate and accelerate production time, most farmers harden off their transplants before planting.  Hardening off is the process of stressing the transplants for about a week.  Generally, transplant trays are taken out of the greenhouse (or other transplant area such as a window sill) and set outside.  Watering frequency is reduced and fertilization is halted.  It’s important that the plants aren’t completely neglected, but just stressed enough to prepare them for the elements.  A good place to put the trays is under a tree in partial shade.  After this hardening off period, the transplants are ready for your garden.  Hopefully these tips will make you a more successful gardener!