by Taylor Vandiver | Aug 3, 2015
As our world and our lives become more centered on technology it seems that all the information we need is just a touch screen away. After all, you are most likely reading this article from a laptop, smart phone, or tablet. While convenient and portable, there are some places you might not wish to take your electronics and one of those places is in the garden. You may say, “Well Taylor, that’s what they make waterproof, shatterproof, dirt proof, etc. cases for!” and I would say that you’re right. However, technology has many limiting factors such as battery life and screen glare. Now believe me, I am by no means disparaging technology! I come from a generation that considers Wi-Fi as necessary as water and an outlet comparable to oxygen. But there is something to be said for having a book in hand when out in the garden. For one thing your neighbors won’t worry about you as they see you march around the garden with your phone in the air doing the “No Signal Dance”. Also, a book is great to have in order for you to jot down any notes or reflections. I would like to list for you a few books that I often reference when I receive calls from homeowners. These books will cover various topics and all of them can be found on the UF/IFAS Bookstore website, the links for each can be found below. If you have any questions contact your local Extension Office and, as always, feel free to contact me and I can give you a rundown on my collection of favorite reference books!
- New to the UF/IFAS bookstore: “Trees: North & Central Florida” a field guide to 140 common tree species. This sturdy, pocket-sized field guide–the only one of its kind for north and central Florida–is designed for landscape professionals, arborists, naturalists, gardeners, and anyone seeking to know the trees around them. Full color photographs of leaves, bark, flowers and full trees, together with clear descriptions and other information make identifying trees easier than ever. This book also features a handy diagnostic key, an introduction to plant parts, a glossary and a ruler to guide you, whether you’re a trained botanist or a complete beginner.
- “Poisonous Plants of the Southern United States” John W. Everest, Thomas A. Powe, Jr., and John D. Freeman (of Auburn University). Identification of common poisonous plants found along fence lines and in pastures in the Southern United States.
- “Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses” This practical weed identification guide contains 427 color photographs of 193 weed species, their geographical range, and life cycle descriptions. Includes a glossary of taxonomic terms and index of common and scientific names.
- “Disorders and Diseases of Ornamental Palms” Recently revised and updated, this ID deck is a diagnostic tool for landscape professionals and backyard hobbyists. The color photographs and explanatory text helps users identify and distinguish between the nutritional deficiencies, physiological disorders and common diseases of ornamental palms. All palms in the U.S. suffer from disorders and diseases, and identifying the differences can be tricky. These cards feature photographs and descriptions and are cross-referenced for easy comparison between different symptoms and the potential problems causing them. Includes a table of contents and 55 laminated, ring-bound cards.
- “Florida Lawn Handbook: Best Management Practices for Your Home Lawn in Florida” Written in practical language by turfgrass experts, this highly-anticipated new edition offers the most current lawn management information. Color plates identify various grass types, weeds, diseases, and insects—including those that are good for your lawn! Chapters cover selection, establishment, and maintenance for each type of lawn; soil analysis and fertilization; yearly calendars for lawn care and culture; mowing, watering, and calibrating sprinkler systems and fertilizer spreaders; overseeding for winter color; preparing a lawn for drought and low temperatures; safe pesticide application and use; the latest integrated pest management strategies; organic lawn care; and complete, illustrated diagnostic information for weeds, diseases, insect problems, nematodes, and other pests.
- “Sustainable Gardening for Florida” Gardeners today face a unique challenge: how do you create a beautiful, thriving landscape without over-use of fertilizers, pesticides, and water? Sustainable Gardening for Florida might be the first place to look for answers. This book provides interesting, money-saving ideas to reduce your ecological footprint. It includes chapters on composting and mulching, integrated pest management, water-wise irrigation and rainwater harvesting, preparing your garden for disasters, and all aspects of managing meadows, lawns, trees and shrubs, edible gardens, rain gardens and waterfront gardening.
- “Vegetable Gardening in Florida” From James Stephens, the founder of the Florida Master Gardener Program, this is the one resource you need to successfully grow vegetables in Florida. Whether you’re growing beans, tomatoes, herbs, or any other Florida crop, this guide will take you from site selection and insect management through the harvest and storage of your produce. Useful planting guides, gardening measurement conversions, and organic gardening information are accented with full-color throughout.
by Julie McConnell | Jun 30, 2015
If you’ve been gardening for more than a few years, you may be confused by UF/IFAS recommendations that conflict with practices you’ve used for years. You aren’t imagining things, we do change recommendations based on the most current research available to help you with your agricultural endeavors.
I want to share a few common mistakes that gardeners make based on old recommendations but that research has shown are not the best choices. Check out the list below to see if you can break an old habit or two!
| Old Habit |
Current Recommendation |
| Throw a little “starter fertilizer” in the hole (or under new sod, seed, etc.) |
It is not beneficial to add fertilizer to plantinghole or under newly installed sod.Quick release (soluble) fertilizer may burn roots if added to planting hole.If applied properly, a slow release fertilizer may be applied to trees and shrubs but should be applied to the top of root ball or mulch following label instructions.Turfgrass grown from seed, sprig, or sod does not use fertilizer efficiently at planting. Wait 30 days to apply fertilizer – after roots have been established. |
| Dig the hole twice as deep and wide as the root ball for trees and shrubs |
1.5 times the width of the root ball is good, but planting too deep can be a death sentence.Planting depth should be 10% shallower than the distance from the topmost root to the base of the root ball. |
| Mulch 3-5 inches deep |
2-3 inches with a very thin layer directly over the rootball (less than 1 inch) and none touching trunk. This is the ideal amount to conserve water and suppress weeds. |
| Native and drought tolerant plants don’t need water |
All plants need water until established – depending on the type and size of the plant, weather, and soil conditions this may take months.Always plan to give a little TLC to newly installed plants no matter how tough they are supposed to be. |
by Gary Knox | Jun 23, 2015
Figure 3. With proper cultivar selection and placement in the landscape, crapemyrtle develops into a beautifully shaped tree that rarely needs pruning. This crapemyrtle is ‘Muskogee’. Image Credit Gary Knox
Crapemyrtle flowering is set to be spectacular this year! While most other garden plants droop from summer’s heat, humidity and heavy rains, crapemyrtle thrives and puts on an outstanding show of flowers all summer and fall. Thanks to modern breeders, we have all sizes of improved hybrid crapemyrtles with flower colors of lavender, purple, white, pink, or red.
Just say “No” to Pruning
Crapemyrtle varieties come in tree-size, patio tree and shrub categories. Tree-size crapemyrtles grow 25 ft. tall and are ideal as flowering trees. Patio tree-form plants (up to 12 ft.) are beautiful as small, flowering specimen plants near patios, walkways, and entrances. Shrub forms (up to 6 ft.) make excellent accents in a shrub border and smaller types are effective as large groundcovers or container plants. Make sure you buy the right size crapemyrtle for your home. Don’t make the mistake of planting a tree-size crapemyrtle in an area too small for its ultimate size, or you’ll find yourself pruning it hard – and often – to keep it from out-growing its place.
Recommended Varieties
Some of the best tree-size (25 ft.) types are Natchez (white), Red Rocket® (red), Sioux (pink) and Apalachee (lavender). Superior patio tree crapemyrtles (12 ft.) are Acoma (white), Cheyenne (true red), Tonto (fuchsia red), Hopi (pink) and Catawba (purple). Smaller shrub (6 ft.) crapemyrtles are hard to find, but Cherry Dazzle® is a nice mounding red and Pixie White and New Orleans (purple) are good selections.
Planting and Garden Care
When it comes to planting, crapemyrtle is very tolerant and forgiving with three exceptions. Firstly, crapemyrtle needs sun to flower freely, so plant it in a site receiving at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Secondly, crapemyrtle will not grow in wet soils. Finally, never plant crapemyrtle too deep — if you do so, it will punish you by not flowering for years and years. Planting too deep literally smothers the roots, requiring the crapemyrtle to regenerate a new root system in the soil above.
Crapemyrtle is very drought tolerant and almost seems to thrive on neglect. On the other hand, regular watering and fertilizer will help crapemyrtle grow faster and bigger.
More Beauty on the Way!
Breeders are continuing to improve and introduce new crapemyrtles. Many new varieties were released in the last couple years. In particular, watch for new types with purple-burgundy leaf color all summer long! Time will tell which new ones grow best in our area. Stay tuned as the world of crapemyrtle continues to evolve and improve!
*Gary Knox is Professor of Environmental Horticulture with the University of Florida. He is stationed at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, where he evaluates more than 100 cultivars of crapemyrtle.
by Julie McConnell | Apr 13, 2015
New foliage of Japanese Plum Yew Photo credit: Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS
Trying to grow turfgrass in shaded areas is a losing battle but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for mulch in those dark areas of the landscape. There are many plants that will tolerate shady conditions found under the canopy of large trees, and some offer year round interest!
One of the most important aspects of site assessment is sun exposure. Plants need light, but do not all need the same amount or intensity.
If plants requiring full sun are planted in the shade, they tend to get leggy and do not flower well. Although they may live, they will not perform at their peak.
Shade loving plants grown in the sun may be stunted, show leaf scorch, and will struggle. Most shade plants can tolerate some filtered light or morning sun, but need to be protected from direct mid-day to afternoon sun.
So, what evergreen plants can add some color and texture to your shaded spots?
Golden tones of new foliage is what gives Autumn Fern its common name. Photo credit: Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS
Cast Iron Plants under a live oak tree. Photo credit: Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS
Japanese Plum Yew. Photo credit: Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS
Soft Caress Mahonia. Photo Credit: Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS
by Carrie Stevenson | Mar 17, 2015
A waterfront buffer zone may include a raised berm with native vegetation to slow runoff from a yard before entering the water. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson
A taste of spring weather has arrived, and people will soon be filling the home improvement stores and getting ready for outdoor projects. If you live on the water or near a storm drain, it’s worth considering buffer zones and best management practices for fertilizing and lawn maintenance.
A waterfront buffer zone is an area the length of one’s property line, typically running about 10 feet (although it can be wider) from the edge of a shoreline (or even a storm drain) into the yard. In this area, the homeowner allows native vegetation to grow along the water and uses low-maintenance plants within the buffer. In this zone, no fertilizers or pesticides are used. Some homeowners will build a small berm to divide the area of maintained lawn (uphill) from the downhill waterfront side. This berm may be composed of a mulched area with shrubbery to catch and filter runoff from the more highly maintained lawn. This combination of actions helps treat potentially polluted stormwater runoff before it reaches the water, and keeps homeowners from using chemicals close to the water. It is often quite difficult to grow turf next to the water, anyway, and this takes the pressure off of someone trying to grow the perfect lawn down to the water’s edge. The buffer zones are often quite attractive and can be an excellent transition between managed turf and the waterfront.
Unmaintained dirt roads along creeks are significant sources of sediment, which can harm the bottom-dwelling insects that form the base of the food web. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson
Erosion prevention is crucial along waterways, as well. An open, non-vegetated lot can contribute a significant amount of sediment to a storm drain, stormwater pond, or natural body of water. Whether grass, trees, or bushes, any kind of vegetation is preferable to soil washing out of a yard and into the water. Sediment is a problem because it causes water clarity to drop, which can prevent seagrasses from getting the sunlight they need. Once settled, underwater sediment can form a stifling layer that chokes out small insects and invertebrates, which live in the soil and form the basis of the aquatic food chain. With no fish food available, fish may die or move out of an area. The most dramatic examples of this can often be found at dirt roads that cross over creeks. If not managed properly, the clay on these roads can nearly bury a small stream.
Other lawn care techniques for protecting the waterfront and preventing stormwater pollution include not mowing along the water, using a deflector shield and staying 3’-10’ away from the water’s edge when fertilizing, and not allowing grass clippings to blow into storm drains. Large amounts of decaying grass in a waterway can use up available oxygen, endangering aquatic organisms. When applying granular fertilizer, be sure to sweep up any spills on concrete so it doesn’t run into a storm drain. When cutting grass, mow at the highest height recommended for your turf to encourage deep rooting and stress tolerance. Healthy turf is better able to withstand drought, pests, and choke out weeds, reducing the frequency of pesticide and water application.
by Beth Bolles | Mar 10, 2015
Although we are not able to grow edible cherry trees in more southern climates, there are a few ornamental relatives of the cherry that are worth adding to the landscape. The Bush cherry, Prunus jacquemontii, is an attractive deciduous shrub that is a highlight with pink blooms in late winter. Flowers provide an early nectar source to bees.
Bees are actively visiting flowers.
Plant the bush cherry is an area that receives sunlight and allows for the rounded shrub to grow about 5 feet by 5 feet. Plants like well-drained soil but benefit from some moisture during the growing season. Small berries serve as a food source for wildlife and can be used in jellies and jams. Leaves turn yellow in the fall before dropping. Plants are generally low maintenance and certainly brighten winter days. 
