Northwest Florida homeowners enjoy growing their own vegetables every fall, but are faced with cold weather issues, especially during the first few days of December. For example, most cole crops can be planted until November, but they must be protected from the cold weather or they will need to be replaced. A good variety of cold tolerant plants should be used in order to prevent total devastation of the garden by extremely cold weather.
Below are a few tips to assist the home gardener in growing a successful winter vegetable crop.
For tender plants, site selection should the top priority when preparing for a freeze. Vegetable plants need a site with good air drainage; not in a low area where cold air settles. Arranging tender plants along a barrier to protect them from cold winds improves the plants cold protection, especially from very hard freezes.
Poorly drained soils result in weak and shallow roots which are more susceptible to cold injury.
Plants grown with the correctly applied rate of nutrients will tolerate colder temperatures better and recover from cold injury faster than plants grown with little to no nutrients.
Watering vegetable garden plants before a freeze can help protect plants. A well watered soil will absorb more solar radiation than dry soil and will radiate heat during the night. This may increase cold tolerance by as much as 2°F.
Saturated soil conditions can damage the root systems of most plants over a few days, so make sure the ground is well-drained.
Healthy vegetable plants are more resistant to cold than vegetable plants weakened by disease, insect damage, or nematode damage. Routine inspection for pests and implementation of necessary control measures are essential.
Plastic or cloth coverings can help protect vegetable plants more from frost than from extreme cold. Covers that extend to the ground and are not in contact with the vegetable plants foliage will reduce cold injury. If the vegetable plant foliage is in contact with the cover it is often cold burned or injured because of heat transfer from the foliage to the colder cover. Some examples of excellent plant covers are cloth sheets, quilts or black plastic. If plastic covering is used, it is extremely important to remove the covering during the day to provide for ventilation of trapped heat.
As I made a visit back to my hometown in North Alabama I was reminded of the subtle changes from fall into winter, which are not always apparent to me living in Tallahassee: the vibrant palette of leaves as they make their permanent descent until spring, the litter of spent cotton along each highway and county road and the annual pecan harvest that has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember.
Due to the variations in climate and topography from upper Alabama to the panhandle of Florida, our seasons can differ greatly. However, I know of one entity that remains a constant and that is the availability of pecans. Pecan trees (Caryaillinoinensis) are a common sight throughout the South. They can be spotted as far west as Texas and as far north as Illinois. The pecan tree is native to the Mississippi floodplain, which has deep, fertile, well-drained soils. Before the arrival of Europeans, Native Americans used pecans as a primary food source for thousands of years.
What’s more, pecans have major economic value. The annual value of pecans in the United States is estimated at 200 to 500 million dollars. Florida produces from five to ten million pounds of pecans annually. The majority of that pecan production acreage (6,500 acres) can be found in North Florida. While the nut is the main attractant of the tree, there’s not much that warms the heart more than seeing pecan pie at the dessert table on Thanksgiving.
A well worn recipe for southern pecan pie that has been passed down through my family.
Pecan trees are deciduous, which means that they drop their leaves in the winter. An additional consideration for those planning to install pecan trees is to be aware that they are wind-pollinated and that their male and female flowers often do not mature at the same time. Therefore, in order to ensure the possibility of high yields, two or more cultivars should be planted together for cross-pollination.
Be sure to choose a variety like ‘Elliot’ or ‘Curtis’ that has good disease resistance, is suited for North Florida and will cross-pollinate well. Plant pecans during the colder months to allow for root growth before spring. The optimum soil pH for pecans is 5.5 to 6.5. At the lower end of this range, micronutrient deficiency symptoms should be less common. Pecan trees should start producing decent crops in six to twelve years. A tree at maturity can reach up to seventy feet tall so plan spacing and placement accordingly.
Pecan tree planted by my great-grandparents in Monrovia, Alabama.
Fall color in the Florida landscape may be a little different than more northern areas but it is just as dramatic with the right plant selections. One of the favorite perennials that is in peak bloom right now is the Cassia or butterfly plant, Cassia bicapsularis. Grown for its showy bright yellow flowers, this soft-wooded perennial can be a garden accent when grown as a small tree. Plants normally grows as a multi-stemmed plant with a vase shape or rounded canopy. Size ranges from 5-10 feet in height and the best flowering is when plants receive full sun.
An added benefit of this species of cassia is that it can serve as a host for sulfur butterflies. Blooms will often last until first frost and plants may be injured by freezing temperatures. Homeowners will cut back cold damaged stems and wait for regrowth in the spring. During the growing season, larger plants may need support and summer storms can break some branches. Despite these issues, the fall flower show makes this a highlight in a garden. Learn more about this cassia from the University of Florida IFAS Extension.
It doesn’t take expert gardeners or landscapers to create a Florida-friendly yard. All it takes is a willingness to learn and a desire to build a beautiful yard that helps protect Florida’s environment. Florida-friendly landscaping is now part of state law. Florida Statute 373.185 prohibits government entities and homeowners associations from enacting or enforcing any governing document to prevent homeowners from implementing Florida-friendly landscaping (FFL) principles. A guideline to ease the development of a manual can be found at this link on the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods website. “Florida-Friendly Landscape Guidance Models for Ordinances, Covenants, and Restrictions.” Florida Statutes 482.1562 states that all commercial fertilizer applicators must have a license from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) by January 1, 2014. To get this license, each Green Industry employee must be trained in Best Management Practices, which teaches professionals how to implement FFL principles. Additionally, to address water conservation Florida Statute 373.62 says the following: “Any person who operates an automatic landscape irrigation system shall properly install, maintain, and operate technology that inhibits or interrupts operation of the system during periods of sufficient moisture, regardless of when the system was installed”. Irrigation contractors are required by law to ensure that there is an operational rain shut off device on site before they can perform any services. If it doesn’t exist or isn’t working, the contractor can be fined for not reporting the property owner or by completing the repair work without installing or repairing the rain shut off device.
Fertilizing Appropriately and Watering Efficiently are just two of the nine Florida-friendly landscaping principles. Right Plant, Right Place; Mulch, Attracting Wildlife, Managing Yard Pests Responsibly, Recycling, Reducing Stormwater Runoff and Protecting the Waterfront.are the other principles. Utilizing landscape techniques that reduce the inputs that can negatively impact natural resources is the foundation of Florida-friendly landscaping. By implementing the practices, the user saves money, reduces their workload and protects the environment. Many of the Florida-friendly landscaping principles are common sense applications. For more information visit the Florida Yards website.
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium or “The Swamp” – http://www.gatorzone.com/facilities/?venue=swamp&sport=footb
Generally as Extension Agents we do not write interest type articles for this newsletter, but I thought I would mix it up this week and write on two of my favorite things and how they relate. My first love growing up in north Alabama was college football. I would spend hours reading statistics about my favorite players and watching old recorded ball games when there was not a live game on. I was always a small guy so playing the sport I became enamored with as a child was not an option unless I craved pain, which I did not.
One of the greatest attributes of college football is the traditions that each school have formed along the way. This is where my education and discipline come into play. Horticulture is the major I chose in college. I did not have much experience in Horticulture prior to this decision, but I always enjoyed the outdoors and found it a satisfying thought to work there in the future. The way that college football and horticulture work together is more than just the care of the perfectly manicured athletic turf fields that are so commonly found in major college football. Horticulture is deeply ingrained into the traditions of college football and here are a few of my favorites.
The Ohio State Aesculus glabra‘s
Ohio State is one of the only college teams I know who’s team name is named after a species of tree. The tree of course being the Ohio Buckeye or Aesculus glabra. Settlers of Ohio found the tree to be the only one they were unfamiliar with in the forest. Although it may seem strange that they have named athletic teams after a tree the explanation is pretty good.
…in general, the trees and their nuts are of little practical use: the wood does not burn well, the bark has an unpleasant odor, and the bitter nut meat is mildly toxic. Still, the tree has grit. It grows where others cannot, is difficult to kill, and adapts to its circumstances. Daniel Drake, who gave a witty speech on behalf of the buckeye at a well attended dinner in Cincinnati in 1833, said, “In all our woods there is not a tree so hard to kill as the buckeye. The deepest girdling does not deaden it, and even after it is cut down and worked up into the side of a cabin it will send out young branches, denoting to all the world that Buckeyes are not easily conquered, and could with difficulty be destroyed.”
Tailgating at the Grove – http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/gameday-thegrove.html
Tailgating is as much a part of the Southeastern Conference is the actual football games. College football is an all day experience not just a 3-4 hour event in the south. From what I understand Ole Miss takes it to another level tailgating in the historic Grove. The Grove took some foresight by a Chancellor named Robert Fulton. Apparently Chancellor Fulton took much pride in the aesthetics of the University and when the library was built on the outer edge of campus in 1892 he extended the campus some ways to the railroad with plantings of trees and a privet hedge around what would be known as “The Grove”. Now on game days in Oxford, Mississippi the Grove will be found with hundreds of tailgating tents with fine china and chandeliers. This is a spectacle I have yet to see in my time as college football enthusiast, but I imagine it would be quite a sight for the horticulturist.
The Grove has 40 species according to the University’s map. An arboretum is what the grove is and it is a shame that Ole Miss does not have a degree in horticulture because this would be the ultimate outdoor classroom.
Under the Live Oaks that once stood on Toomer’s Corner – http://family.auburn.edu/profiles/blogs/president-jay-gogue-accepts-plan-to-plant-new-toomer-s-oaks
I am partial to this tradition and its significance as Auburn University is my Alma Mater and the college football team I loved as a child. I have great memories celebrating big wins at the corner of College St. and Magnolia St. throwing toilet paper into the Live Oaks that once graced the corner. Of course if you are not a fan of college football you may not know the story of how the beloved oaks were destroyed I will let you read elsewhere on how this occurred.
I have talked to fans and others associated with other colleges and they told me how the Toomer’s Oaks weren’t what they expected. The legend of Toomer’s corner has been spread far and wide by the media and when opposing fans come to see the corner where the University meets the town they found two Live Oaks that are not the most healthy looking trees and not near the size they imagined in their heads. Well the fact is that the Live Oak is not the best selection for a tree in Auburn, Alabama. Live Oaks are better adapted to coastal areas. Majestic large live Oaks can be found in Mobile, New Orleans, and Savannah; and that is probably why fans of visiting teams were somewhat disappointed by the Live Oaks that were so legendary. Although not the best selection those trees did hold a special place in many Auburn people’s hearts, but I am sure their replacement will be adored just as much once reaching mature size. Hopefully a better suited species will be chosen.
Georgia – “Between the Hedges”
Former UGA Football Coach and Horticulture enthusiast, Vince Dooley – http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4552978
“Between the Hedges” is a tough place to play football if your team is not named the Georgia Bulldogs. Sanford stadium in Athens, Georgia is the home field of the University of Georgia. When the stadium was being built Charlie Martin, an athletic department official, wanted to beautify the stadium with rose hedges like he had seen at the 1926 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Martin was given advice by several Horticulture professors that Rose hedges did not stand a chance in the climate that Athens, Georgia endures. The alternate was Chinese Privet, which most people would consider a weedy shrub. After a team comes into Sanford stadium and wins a big game it has become customary to clip off a piece of the hedge to take home.
One last tradition I would like to introduce you to that I find interesting and has a little bit of Horticulture inspiration is Kansas University’s “Waving the Wheat”. Just watch the video:
What are some traditions that have horticulture involved that I may have missed? Leave a comment below!
