by Mary Salinas | Jul 15, 2014
We all seem to have this dilemma: A desire to re-landscape or just add a few plants to an area, but not knowing what would be the best choice. Plants need to be compatible with their location. The right plant should be chosen for the right place. Many have particular light, moisture and zone requirements in order to do their best. The ultimate size of the plant is also an important consideration; if you want to avoid constant pruning, choose plants that only grow to size you would like to ultimately have. Some great resources are provided below to get you the information you need.
UF IFAS Extension has a brand new app for your mobile device or web! The app contains a database of over 400 Florida-friendly plants is searchable by plant name, type, shape, native status, light requirements and more. The yearly subscription is only $1.99 to have great info on the go.
The downloadable 104-page Florida-friendly Landscaping Guide to Landscape Design and Plant Selection not only has photos and detailed information about plants by category, it also has great ideas on how to improve your landscape design! 
UF’s Florida Yards & Neighborhoods maintains a searchable Florida-friendly Plant Database. Make choices based on region, plant type, light and moisture quantity, soil texture salt tolerance.
For native plants, the Florida Association of Native Nurseries has two websites where you can find plants for your particular zone, plant community (like at the beach or in pine flatwoods), plant type and by wildlife usage. There is a site designed for nursery professionals that lets you find local wholesale growers and also a similar site for homeowners that has resources on where to find desired plants at local nurseries.
Speaking of native plants, the Florida Native Plant Society also has a searchable list of plants appropriate for your particular needs.
Gardening Solutions has lots of great information for lawn, landscape and garden by category, and it is easily accessed.
Happy Gardening!
by Roy Carter | Jul 8, 2014
You don’t have to pamper pampas grass! This attractive perennial, which is native to Latin America – Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, is practically trouble-free. It’s well adapted to all areas of Florida. Pampas grass grows in large clumps, eight to ten feet high. In late summer, it produces showy silver –white or pinkish silken plumes, which may reach a height of 12 feet.
Pampas grass can be very eye-catching when used as a specimen plant in the landscape. Since it grows very rapidly into a massive plant, pampas grass can provide an excellent screen for sunny locations. Unfortunately, it is often used improperly as a foundation plant. In such cases, it usually is purchased from a nursery when it’s small and planted very near the home. At first, it will look fine, but, after several years, it will have reached such a large size that it will be difficult to find the house for the old pampas grass.
“This vigorous ornamental grass is widely used as a lawn specimen but its quick growth rate and large size make it unsuitable for all but large home landscapes. However, it is ideal for barrier or windbreak plantings and has a place in larger areas such as along highways or in commercial or industrial landscapes.” FPS145
There are many ornamental forms of pampas grass. The plum-like blooms differ between male and female plants. The female plumes are broad and full, due to the silky hairs covering the tiny flowers. The male plumes look narrow and short, because of the absence of hair on the flowers. Also, there is considerable variation among seedlings in growth habit, period of flowering, and size and shape of plumes. If uniformity is desired, pampas grass should be propagated by dividing clumps, rather than by seed.
The plumes of pampas grass are highly prized for indoor decorations. Plumes used for this purpose should be cut as soon as they have fully emerged. If mature plumes are brought indoors, they will fill the home with delicate fluffy flowers which can be a bigger problem than a shedding dog or cat. This shedding can be prevented by spraying mature plumes with hair spray.
When selecting planting site for pampas grass, special attention should be paid to the potential danger or injury to passersby from contact with the very sharp, saw-like edges of the leaves. Pampas grass should be planted where it will receive full sun for most of the day. In shady locations, it will grow very slowly and produce few, if any, plumes.
Pampas grass suffers from practically no pest or disease problems. It has good salt tolerance, and will grow in almost any soil. Once it’s established, about all you need to do is give it adequate fertilizer. For healthy growth and good plume production, pampas grass should be fertilized four times a year with a balanced fertilizer, such as an 8-8-8, applied at the rate of two pounds per 100 square feet.
In North Florida, pampas grass leaves are often killed by freezing temperatures. But, new leaves will sprout in the spring. Before spring growth begins, you should prune away brown leaves and other dead material that has accumulated at the base of your plants. When working around pampas grass, it’s a good ideas to wear long pants, a longs sleeve shirt, and gloves to protect you from the sharp leaf blades mentioned earlier.
The striking, feathery plumes and large, graceful clumps of foliage make pampas grass a very desirable addition to a landscape. Since it so trouble-free, perhaps you’d like to try some around your home.
by Roy Carter | Jun 23, 2014
Summertime is vacation time for people, not plants! While getting ready for that long awaited trip, it’s easy to forget about your lawn, landscape, vegetable garden and house plants. A little time spent preparing your leafy friends for your absence could save you needless worry and hours of extra work when you get back.
Prepare your landscape for your absence.
Photo by Mary Derrick, UF IFAS
A vacation may be relaxing and rejuvenating for you and your family, but it can be hazardous, even deadly, for your plants. Unless you make adequate preparations before leaving, you could return to vegetable disaster.
One of the first things you might do before leaving home is ask a neighbor to check your plants periodically while you’re gone. All plants need some care. During an extended vacation container grown plants require special attention and different species have different needs. Be sure you give your friend specific instructions for the care of each type.
If you can’t find someone to personally look after your plants while you’re away, there’s plenty you can do prior to departure to make sure you don’t come home to a limp landscape and sickly house plants. Outdoor container plants should be placed in a shady area to conserve moisture. Under a tree or on the north side of a building are good locations. A thick layer of mulch will help conserve moisture for landscape plantings. Mow your lawn just before leaving, cutting the grass a little closer than usual. An unkept lawn can encourage disease, and it’s a tell-tale sign that no one’s home.
Give lawn and landscape plants a heavy watering – especially recently planted beds, which will need extra moisture. Also, thoroughly spray or dust your plants to protect them from insects and diseases while you’re away. If you have flowering annuals, cut the blossoms before departing. If you don’t, they’ll soon stop blooming. Harvest all ripe or nearly ripe fruits and vegetables. Like flowers, they will continue to produce only if they’re picked frequently. Otherwise, they’ll go to seed.
Do a thorough job of weeding. If weeds are allowed to go to seed while you’re away, you can expect to encounter much more difficult problems later in the season – even next year – when the seeds sprout. Weeding eliminates a major source of competition for your landscape plants’ food and water which may be in short supply during your absence.
Plants kept indoors require special consideration. Before leaving home, place your house plants in a room which receives indirect sunlight. Direct exposure to the sun will dry the soil too quickly. Of course, you don’t want to put your plants in a room that’s too dark, either. Too little light will almost always result in leaf drop. And, just before you depart, be sure to water your house plants thoroughly. This is especially vital, because – unlike lawn grass and landscape ornamentals – house plants cannot benefit from any rain that may fall while you’re gone.
You’ll enjoy your vacation more by making sure your plants are well prepared for your absence.
by Carrie Stevenson | May 27, 2014
Rain gardens can make a beautiful addition to a home landscape. Photo courtesy UF IFAS
Northwest Florida experienced record-setting floods this spring, and many landscapes, roads, and buildings suffered serious damage due to the sheer force of water moving downhill. That being said, we are just entering our summer “rainy season,” so it may be wise to spend extra time thinking about how you want to landscape based on our typically heavy annual rainfall. For example, if you have an area in your yard where water always runs after a storm (even a mild one) and washes out your property, you may want to consider a rain garden for that spot.
Rain gardens work similarly to swales and stormwater retention ponds in that they are designed to temporarily hold rainwater and allow it to soak into the ground. However, they are quite different aesthetically, because they are planted with water-tolerant trees, shrubs, groundcovers and flowers to provide an attractive alternative to the eroding gully that once inhabited the area! Rain gardens are not “created wetlands,” but landscaped beds that can handle both wet and drier soil. Many of the plants best suited for rain gardens are also attractive to wildlife, adding another element of beauty to the landscape.
This diagram shows how a rain garden works in a home landscape. Photo courtesy NRCS
A perfect spot for a rain garden might be downhill from a rain gutter, areas notorious for excess water and erosion. To build a rain garden, the rainwater leaving a particular part of the property (or rooftop), is directed into a gently sloping, 4”-8” deep depression in the ground, the back and sides of which are supported by a berm of earth. The rain garden serves as a catch basin for the water and is usually shaped like a semi-circle. The width of the rain garden depends on the slope and particular site conditions in each yard. Within the area, native plants are placed into loose, sandy soil and mulched. Care should be taken to prevent the garden from having a very deep end where water pools, rather allowing water to spread evenly throughout the basin.
Besides reducing a problematic area of the lawn, a rain garden can play an important role in improving water quality. With increasing populations come more pavement, roads, and rooftops, which do almost nothing to absorb or treat stormwater, contributing to the problem. Vegetation and soil do a much better job at handling that water. Excess sediment, which can fill in streams and bays, and chemicals from fertilizers and pesticides are just some of the pollutants treated within a rain garden via the natural growth processes of the plants. Many commercial properties are considering rain gardens, also known as “bioretention” as more attractive alternatives to stormwater retention ponds.
The North Carolina Arboretum used a planted bioretention area to manage stormwater in their parking lot. Photo courtesy Carrie Stevenson
A handful of well-known perennial plants that work great in rain gardens include: Louisiana iris, cinnamon fern, buttonbush, Virginia willow, black-eyed Susan, swamp lily, tulip poplar, oakleaf hydrangea, wax myrtle, Florida azalea, river birch, holly, and Southern magnolia. For a complete list of rain garden plants appropriate for our area, visit the “Rain Garden” section of Tallahassee’s “Think about Personal Pollution” website, tappwater.org or contact your local Extension Office.
by Julie McConnell | Apr 1, 2014
Container garden. Image: Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS
Living in a condo, apartment, or home with small yard does not mean you can’t garden at home. Whether you are interested in edible plants or ornamentals you can create a fit that is right for your space by using containers.
The first step in container gardening is the same as for traditional landscaping. First, asses your site to determine the cultural situation. Is it sunny or shady? Is water available from rainfall or from a nearby spigot? Will salt or wind be a factor? Are there height and width limitations? All of these need to be taken into consideration when you are planning to plant. These are elements that we have very little control over, so it is best to choose the right plants for the place you have.
Choose a container that will allow for adequate root growth and good drainage. If growing annuals, perennials, or small vegetables, a pot that is 12-18” deep should be sufficient. For shallow rooted or plants that like dry conditions you can go smaller. If plants grow tall make sure that the weight of the soil and pot is enough to keep it upright in gusty winds. It is not necessary to buy a container, you can reuse something as long as the water will drain and it is sturdy. Large containers may not need to be filled completely, but can be filled with a lightweight filler such as upside down nursery pots, water or soda bottles with lids, or packing peanuts. Choosing a light weight filler material makes the container easier to turn or relocate if needed and reduces the cost of potting soil.
Once you have determined site conditions, select the type of plants you would like to grow. When choosing edibles, the amount of sunlight available may be a limiting factor. Although some herbs and vegetables may benefit from a little bit of shade, they still need a bright location in order to produce well. If your site is very shady, consider shade loving ornamentals such as fern, hosta, and impatiens.
Understand the sunlight, water, and fertilizer needs of each plant. Group plants together that have similar requirements because they will receive the same care. Most herbs like a hot, dry situation and very little to no fertilizer. Grouping one of these herbs with a tomato plant that needs consistent watering and regular fertilizer will create a situation where one plant will perform poorly.
Container gardens require more care than plants in the ground because they dry out faster and may get no water from rainfall, if placed in a covered area. Consider using micro irrigation designed for containers or choose plants with low water needs such as the grasses and succulents.
To read more about container gardening read Container Gardening for Outdoor Spaces ENH1095.
The Foundation of the Gator Nation
An Equal Opportunity Institution
by Mathews Paret | Mar 25, 2014
Figure 1. Witches’ broom like appearance, abnormal red discoloration of shoots and foliage, excessive thorns, distorted leaves, and deformed buds and flowers are key symptoms for the devastating Rose Rosette Disease
Roses are one of the most popular flowering shrubs in U.S. with a total wholesale value of 194 million U.S. Dollars. Among the major states in U.S., Florida is the fourth largest producer of roses with a total value exceeding 20 million U.S. Dollars. Among the major diseases on roses, Rose Rosette Disease caused by Rose Rosette Virus (RRV), an Emaravirus has been a major problem for roses in many states in the U.S during the last many years. This virus is spread by an eriophyid mite species Phyllocoptes fructiphilus. This disease was not present in Florida until November 2013, when the disease was first discovered and now confirmed in 3 Florida counties, which include one in the Panhandle. On Wednesday March 19, Horticulturists from throughout the South met at the NFREC in Quincy Florida to discuss detection and control measures that might be used to combat this viral disease.
Figure 2. Severe thorn proliferation is another characteristic of rose rosette disease.
The key symptoms for Rose Rosette Disease include witches’ broom, excessive thorns, abnormal red discoloration of shoots and foliage, distorted leaves and deformed buds and flowers (click the link below for symptoms). The diseased plants usually die in 1-3 years. Considering the economic importance of the rose plants, and the highly destructive nature of the Rose rosette virus, research is currently underway by scientists at the University of Florida and the Division of Plant Industry-FDACS to develop early detection methods for the virus and management practices. This project is funded by Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association, and the University of Florida, IFAS Dean for Research.
Figure 3. Distorted flower bud; leaf developing from flower bud tissue.
Figure 4. Severe yellowing and stunting of the plant. Infected plants usually die in 1-2 years.
How Home Gardeners and Landscape Professionals Should Respond:
-
Routine scouting and early identification. Submit samples for definitive confirmation.
-
Destroy infected plants. There is no cure for rose rosette disease. Detection will prompt a quarantine by DPI until cleaned up.
-
Eriophyid mite management in early spring is not necessary right now since it has not been found in Florida.
-
Note: The Eriophyid mite species described as the vector for RRV is not known to be present in Florida. Thus mite management recommendations are protective in nature.
Further details can be found in the links below.
U-Scout Pest Alert
