by Larry Williams | Oct 31, 2024
So far, our fall has been unusually dry with warmer temperatures. Even though our average annual rainfall is around sixty-two inches per year, we don’t always receive rain exactly when we need it. There are times when we need to apply additional water. During dry weather, employ the following water management practices to improve the water efficiency of your lawn and landscape.
Mulching helps conserve water. On bare ground, about sixty percent of the water can be lost through evaporation. A two to three-inch layer of mulch will help hold onto the water so the plants can use it. Try to mulch the entire root zone when possible or at least apply mulch all the way around the plants out to the end of the branches.
Irrigate on as needed basis during dry periods. Credit: Larry Williams
When watering, a thorough soaking to wet the soil to a depth of six to eight inches is much better for plants than light, frequent watering. Three to five gallons of water applied to one spot under the canopy of trees or shrubs should thoroughly saturate the root zone in that location. During dry periods, as a general rule), twenty-five percent of the root system, when watered thoroughly, can absorb all the water a plant requires at any given time.
When watering lawns, apply one inch of water per week when we are not getting rain. Although many sprinklers have irrigation rates of ¼ inch per hour, some may apply up to one inch per hour. Measure your irrigation rate and uniformity by placing several open-top containers of the same size under the sprinkler and see how long it takes to apply a known amount of water such as ½ inch.
An efficient irrigation program on turf should not begin until the lawn grass shows signs of moisture stress. Symptoms include a dull and bluish-green color and leaf blades folding. The most efficient time to irrigate is between sunset and sunrise because of less evaporation, less wind and lower temperatures. Early morning is the next most effective time to irrigate while midday is the least efficient.
Avoid fertilizing drought-stressed plants. Fertilizers are chemical salts and will dehydrate roots when water is in short supply. If you need to apply a pesticide, make certain the plant is not wilted at the time and spray during early morning or late afternoon. You should also avoid unnecessary pruning of plants during drought. Pruning encourages new growth, which has a high demand for water.
For more information on watering efficiently and drought tolerant plants, contact the UF/IFAS Extension Office in your county or visit the following website: http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/irrigation.
by Beth Bolles | Oct 24, 2024
If you love wildflowers, the Fall season has so many plants for you to enjoy. We often think of wildflowers as those in natural settings, on roadsides, or in drainage spots. Here are a few wildflowers that make excellent landscape additions.
Goldenrods (Solidago spp.) are everywhere and the yellow blooms are stunning. If all the incorrect information about goldenrod as an allergy causing plant never existed (ragweed is the main culprit), we would see selections of goldenrod available in every commercial outlet. Many selections have an upright growth so add goldenrod against fences, in back of borders, or large clumps in sunny areas of your landscape.
Goldenrod as a landscape feature at Escambia Demonstration Garden. Photo by Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County
If you have a moist area and love purple, Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) makes a wonderful fall blooming feature. Plants will colonize an area with running stems so it tends to form a large clump in moist soils. You may notice this in ditches on a drive around your county. The clusters of flowers look fluffy and will be present for many weeks in both full sun or partial shade.
A clump of mistflower in a moist plant bed. Photo by Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County
For dry and well drained spots of your landscape, the Woody goldenrod (Chrysoma pauciflosculosa) is a good choice. The small shrub offers bright yellow fall flowers that extend above a 2 foot tall plant. Plants tend to be evergreen when in the right location and additional new seedlings will emerge each spring if your landscape is suited for this plant.
Woody goldenrod in a home landscape. Photo by Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County
For those enhancing a butterfly garden, add Purple false foxglove (Agalinis purpurea), a host plant to the Buckeye butterfly. Plants grow well in our acidic well drained soils with a little moisture. Numerous tubular pink flowers occur in the Fall until a frost. Plants reseed well.
The Purple False Foxglove with vivid pink blooms in a natural setting. Photo by Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County
If you love all the colors and variety of wildflowers, it is a good time for finding seeds and plants to grow your own. Native nurseries and online retailers carry a wide selection for all seasons and many are low maintenance enhancements for our home landscapes. Like any other ornamental or grass, be sure to match the wildflower with your specific growing conditions.
by Molly Jameson | Sep 30, 2024
Swiss chard thrives in cooler weather, producing a continuous harvest of large, glossy, deep green leaves with colorful stems in shades of white, red, and yellow. Photo by Patrik Stedrak, Adobe Stock.
At first glance, beets and Swiss chard might seem like entirely different plants. Beets are known for their edible, bulbous root, while Swiss chard is grown for its large, leafy greens and colorful stems. However, both belong to the same species, Beta vulgaris, in the Amaranthaceae family, and their differences are the result of selective breeding over time.
Wild sea beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima), native to Mediterranean and coastal European regions, is the ancestor of cultivated beets and Swiss chard. Photo by Thorsten Schier, Adobe Stock.
Both beets and Swiss chard originate from the wild sea beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima), a plant native to Mediterranean and coastal European regions. Ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and Romans, bred beets for their enlarged roots, which eventually became the garden beets we know today. Despite its name, Swiss chard isn’t from Switzerland – it was also cultivated in the Mediterranean, bred for its nutritious leaves and stems. The “Swiss” name was added in the 19th century by seed catalog publishers to distinguish it from French spinach varieties.
Both beets and Swiss chard are highly nutritious. Beets, which range in color from deep red to golden yellow, are rich in vitamin C, folate (B9), and essential minerals like manganese, potassium, magnesium, and iron. They contain betalains, antioxidants with strong anti-inflammatory properties, and are a great source of fiber and nitrates, supporting digestion and heart health. Beets can be cooked in a variety of ways, offering a sweet, earthy flavor that intensifies when roasted. They can also be boiled, steamed, or eaten raw in salads, pairing well with tangy ingredients like citrus and goat cheese.
Beets can be grown in the fall and winter in the Panhandle, yielding round, bulbous roots with a sweet flavor and earthy aroma. Photo by Clickmanis, Adobe Stock.
Swiss chard, with its large, flavorful leaves and vibrant stalks in red, yellow, and white, is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like magnesium, potassium, iron, and calcium. It also contains antioxidants like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which support eye health and combat oxidative stress. Its high levels of potassium aid in electrolyte balance and heart health, while vitamin K and calcium contribute to strong bones. Swiss chard can be sautéed, added to soups, or eaten raw in salads, with both the leaves and stems being edible.
Essentially, beets and Swiss chard are different forms of the same plant, bred for either the root or the leaves. This explains why beet greens are similar in flavor and texture to Swiss chard, though beet greens are usually smaller and more delicate. Beets provide the advantage of both edible roots and greens, while Swiss chard offers vibrant, nutritious leaves that can be harvested throughout the season. Both crops thrive in cooler weather, making them ideal for fall and winter planting in the Florida Panhandle.
by Donna Arnold | Sep 30, 2024
Photo Credit: Danielle S. Williams
Florida is home to at least nine species of insects from the genus Leptoglossus, some of which possess “foliaceous hind tibiae,” but only Leptoglossus phyllopus has earned the common name “leaf-footed bug.” This insect, a close relative of the stink bug, plays a fascinating yet problematic role in gardens. The nymphs are bright orange, while the adults are brown with a distinct flattened, leaf-shaped structure on their hind legs. Unfortunately, both stages of the leaf-footed bug are notorious pests, causing significant damage to buds, flowers, fruits, and seeds.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Carr
These pests feed on a wide variety of plants, including tomatoes, peaches, blueberries, beans, okra, and sunflowers. Their feeding activity can cause yellow and brown spots, misshapen fruits, and shriveled produce, depending on the severity and timing of the infestation.
In the fall, leaf-footed bugs can gather on warm windowsills or home siding. They can sometimes find openings in homes and get inside, but they don’t cause any damage indoors and don’t deposit eggs. Adult leaf-footed bugs also seek shelter in weedy areas or beneath layers of mulch and debris. They lay their eggs in neat rows on the undersides of leaves or along stems, with eggs hatching within 5 to 7 days. The nymphs then mature in approximately 25 to 30 days, leading to a rapid increase in population.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies are highly effective for controlling leaf-footed bugs. IPM involves a combination of cultural, physical/mechanical, biological, and—when necessary—chemical control methods. Following the IPM triangle approach, gardeners can start with the least harmful methods (like cultural practices) and gradually escalate to chemical controls if needed, depending on the infestation threshold. Early scouting and intervention are crucial to preventing the population from escalating throughout the growing season.
Though there are only a few organic pesticides that effectively manage leaf-footed bugs, proactive steps like hand-picking and reducing overwintering sites can help curb their numbers in the following year. For larger infestations, homeowners might consider using pyrethroids, which should be applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Leaf-footed bugs are also susceptible to insecticidal soaps and other pyrethroid-based products available at most garden retailers.
A word of caution: Some beneficial insects, such as assassin bugs, resemble the orange nymphs of leaf-footed bugs. Be sure to correctly identify these insects to avoid harming species that are beneficial to your garden.
For more information about leaf-footed bugs and effective control measures click on the link below or contact your local Extension office for more details.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/in229
by Ray Bodrey | Sep 4, 2024
Fall is a season that is synonymous for two great joys in life…..football games and the changing leaf colors! However, in Florida we just don’t have the incredible burst of vivid fall leaf color as our northern neighbors enjoy each year, but we do have enough temperate region plants that can give us some seasonal change in foliage.
So what makes this brilliant display of autumn leaf color anyway? This seasonal change is brought on by a few variables, such as lower temperatures, shorter photo period/shorter days and chemical pigments found in leaf tissues. Some of the pigments that give autumn leaves their bright colors are actually present in the leaves as soon as they unfold as flush in early spring. But, during spring and summer, when the plants are growing vigorously, a green-colored material called chlorophyll dominates and shades out the other leaf pigments.
Chlorophyll plays on important role in a process called photosynthesis, which is the process by which plants capture energy from sunlight and manufacture food. Chlorophyll can also be found in water bodies and is an indicator of water quality. As plants get ready for cool season dormancy, the production on new chlorophyll decreases to almost being nonexistent. That’s when the before mentioned pigments, also called carotenoids, take over and make the leaves turn brilliant orange, red, purple and yellow.
There are some plants in the Florida’s landscape that do provide good fall color. Unlike most of the flowering shrubs, which hold their blossoms for only a brief period, the trees and shrubs that turn color in the fall will usually retain their varied hues for a month or more, depending on the weather.
Red Maple. Credit. UF/IFAS Extension
What are some examples of trees that will lend fall color in your Panhandle landscape?
- Shumard Oak
- Turkey Oak
- Ginkgo
- Hickory
- Golden Rain Tree
- Red Swamp Myrtle
- Dogwood
- Red Maple (see photo)
- Sweet Gum
- Black Gum
- Crape Myrtle
- Tulip Tree
- Bradford Pear
- Cypress
What about annuals that provide color in the fall? Petunias, pansies and snapdragons will be in full bloom over the next few months.
Firespike. Credit. UF/IFAS Extension
What about blooming perennials for fall? Salvia, firespike (see photo), chrysanthemum, beautyberry and holly are great for color in the fall and attract wildlife to your landscape.
A mix of these plants will ensure fall color in your landscape. For more information contact your local county extension office.
Information for this article was provided by Patrick Minogue, Forestry Specialist with UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center, as well as the UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/outdoor-living/gardening-for-fall-color/
by Abbey Payne | Sep 4, 2024
Even though it’s still 98 degrees outside, it’s the time of the year to be looking ahead to plan a fall garden. With the optimal climate of Northwest Florida, the fall season offers gardeners a time to refresh their plots and prepare for another productive season. Here’s a guide to make the most of the fall gardening season!
Site Prep for Fall Gardens
When transitioning from summer to fall, it is important to prep the area where a new crop will be placed. It’s best to remove all dead material from your spring garden so it will not spread disease or bacteria to the new plants. You also may consider adding nutrients to the soil after it has been tilled for fall vegetables. The best method to know how much to add into the soil is by first taking a soil sample. The soil sample results will show what is readily available for vegetables going in the ground and will give you a baseline of how much fertilizer or organic amendments to add. The fall season is also one of the best times of the year to prioritize soil health. Another way to do this in the off season is to incorporate a cover crop into your gardening regimen. For more information on cover crops please visit: https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2023/10/19/cover-crops-in-the-garden/
UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones.
What Vegetables Do I Plant in the Fall?
The “cool” temperatures of a Florida fall make it very ideal for a variety of cool-season vegetables. Vegetables can be classified a hardy, semi-hardy, and tender based on their abilities to withstand freeze conditions, cold temperatures, or high heat. That is how can put vegetables in warm-season and cool-season groups. Tender vegetables are considered short season and are typically seen in spring and summer months. Examples of tender vegetables are potatoes, tomatoes, and squash. Semi-hardy vegetables are mostly frost-tolerant but cannot withstand freezing temperatures. Examples are carrots, leafy greens like Swiss chard and Bok Choy, peas such as sugar snaps, and celery. Lastly, hardy vegetables are a true cool-season vegetable that is frost-tolerant and can withstand freezing temperatures up to a certain degree. Examples of hardy vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower, kale, onions, and garlic. To find more information on fall vegetables in northwest Florida, please visit: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP451
UF IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones
Fall Garden Maintenance
With the temperatures being cooler in the fall months, your garden vegetables will require less water. It is best to water your garden early in the morning to allow the soil to dry out during the day. Doing this will prevent fungal growth and root rot. Utilizing mulch will also help conserve soil moisture, regulate the soil the temperature from the cool weather, and suppress weeds. Even through the winters are typically mild in Florida, it is still best to have a freeze protection plan for your garden. Using row covers or frost blankets will help shield your garden when the temperatures drop.
As you enjoy your fall garden, planning ahead for winter and spring will also set you up for success. Research what crops will follow best behind your fall harvest and consider starting your seeds indoors to get a head start. By embracing these fall gardening tips, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest and a thriving garden throughout the season. Happy Fall!
