Shiitake mushrooms growing on a log. Photo Credit: University of Florida/IFAS
Come on by and smell the flowers! Credit: Mark Tancig/UF IFAS Extension.
At this time of year, UF IFAS Extension agents across the state are compiling all of their phone calls, emails, field visits, number of programs held and participants attended to complete their annual report of accomplishment. As an extension agent, I can vouch that our annual reports are a bit of a record keeping challenge and a little stressful since it is the sole document that determines our career. However, after completing the records review and tying it all together, seeing all we do locally and statewide is pretty amazing. If you’ve been to an extension office for a class, called for a recommendation, and/or asked a question at a community event, then you know how handy it is to get some good, trusted advice. Looking over the numbers and reviewing responses from the participants highlights the reach and impact of extension in the community.
The goal of the Extension Service, going back to the early 1900’s, is to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public through educational programs. Our educational programs are designed to be interesting to attend, but also to pass along information to help meet challenges and issues faced by our state and/or region. You may come to a class on growing roses and leave with new information about proper pest control. You may attend a food canning class and leave with new food safety knowledge. You found a camp for your child during the summer and they came back knowing how to compost and build robots. Our priorities, set by Dean Nick Place, address economic, environmental, health, and social concerns of Floridians. Your kid had fun and learned about the need to recycle and turn food waste into plant food, helping to meet waste reduction goals and giving them the knowledge and skills to grow their own food.
Extension agents need to show in their reports that, not only are people coming, but they’re learning and doing. That’s why attendees are often asked to fill out surveys after workshops and sometimes answer follow up emails. We also get a lot of feedback from folks that were happy with our services. So, please let us know if you gained knowledge that changed something in your life for the better. It’s also not a bad idea to call or write your elected officials and tell them thanks for supporting extension, a cooperative effort between the federal, state, and county governments.
Worm composting attendees. Credit: Mark Tancig/UF IFAS Extension.
The numbers speak for themselves:
Now that reports are done for this year, it’s time to start planning for 2018’s impacts. Agents are planning activities that will be of interest to and meet the needs of their communities. Keep a lookout for upcoming events by visiting your local county extension office’s webpage and/or Facebook page. You can also give them a call or, even better, go by and meet your local agents and staff.
Can’t ever figure out that perfect gift to give at the holidays? During the next gift giving season, why not try something a little different. Give a patio citrus tree! It’s a unique gift to give or receive here in the Sunshine State.
One of the pleasures nearly all homeowners in Florida can enjoy is the ability to pick fruits from their own trees. It is also an attractive addition to your holiday décor. However, landscapes and hardiness zones will dictate varieties that can be grown around your home. Patio or “potted” citrus that do not grow as large as other species will allow flexibility. Calamondin, key lime, kumquat, lemon, limequat and Tahiti lime are just some of the patio citrus favorites. These types of citrus are also sometimes marketed as dwarf, miniature or snowbird citrus. Although remember, growing any fruit tree in a container can help limit the size of the tree.
Figure 1: Patio Citrus.
Credit: UF/IFAS Communications.
There are special considerations to take into account with such fruit trees. All citrus need chilling hours each year to reset and to become viable fruit producers the following year. But, long hours of temperatures at or below freezing can cause irreversible damage. Some types of citrus have a higher tolerance to the cold, but lemons and limes tend to be less hardy than other species.
Having space in your home to move patio citrus is key. A spot with access to natural light will support growth during times when Panhandle temps drop significantly. Citrus require sun to grow and be healthy. Partial sun will slow the growth, if needed. A good rule of thumb is to treat patio citrus like a houseplant.
Most likely, from the time you purchase patio citrus, you’ll keep the tree in the pot for the first year or so. Be sure you re-pot as the tree grows. The tree will need to have adequate space in the pot for root development. A good quality potting soil is suitable for growing citrus. Also, be sure to consider weight, especially if you plan to move the pot indoors often.
In general terms, most container-grown plants do not thrive with of too little or too much watering. Rather, water only as needed. After wetting the soil, allow the top inch to become dry before watering again and make sure the container has drain holes. When fertilizing, do so in small amounts every few months. If the leaves are deeper green, then the tree is getting ample fertilizer. As time goes on, you’ll want to prune the tree to keep an appealing shape. Although pest problems are not usually an issue, a homeowner grade insecticide, neem oil or insecticidal soap are all good choices to use should problems arise.
As for fruitfulness, most citrus trees produce fruit, given time and proper care. So, please be patient. One major advantage to patio citrus, it’s easy to reach the fruit at harvest time!
For more information on patio citrus, please contact your local county extension office.
Supporting information for this article is provided by Dr. Pete Andersen of the UF/IFAS Research & Education Center in Quincy, FL, and information can also be found in the following the UF/IFAS publications: “Citrus Culture in the Home Landscape”, by Robert E. Rouse and Mongi Zekri: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/HS/HS13200.pdf & “Growing Fruit Crops in Containers”, by Larry K. Jackson and Jeffrey G. Williamson: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG24300.pdf
UF/IFAS Extension is an Equal Opportunity Institution.
Hopefully, by this time of year, most north Florida gardeners have harvested their figs and are enjoying fig preserves or fig bars. But if you’ve noticed your fig leaves dropping a little early, it may be a sign of the fungal disease Fig Rust (Cerotelium fici).
Figs are a great fruit tree for the north Florida home garden. Not only do they provide a tasty reward (if you can keep the birds and squirrels away), but they are fairly easy to maintain and are bothered by relatively few pests and diseases. One of the few diseases that can be common, however, is fig rust, especially when conditions are favorable. In the case of fig rust, a fungus, warm humid weather is what it likes and well, we have plenty of that.
Figs are a great fruit tree for North Florida. Credit: Mary Derrick, UF/IFAS.
The first signs of the fig rust disease are small yellow to yellow-green spots/lesions on the upper surface of the leaf that turn a reddish-brown color as they get larger. A heavy infestation causes the leaves to turn yellow and drop early. While fig rust does not injure the fruit, repeat occurrences of premature leaf drop can adversely affect the overall health of the tree, resulting in yield loss. Another concern is that if the leaves drop too early, the tree will flush out with new growth heading into winter. This new growth can be injured by early freezes and cause a loss of fruit the following season.
Fig rust on leaves. Credit: UF/IFAS.
What can you do to prevent and/or cure fig rust? Unfortunately, once you see the yellowish-green/reddish-brown spots on the leaves, it’s too late to provide any control. As always, proper cultural practices can help. Pruning the tree to provide adequate airflow keeps the leaves as dry as possible during our humid summers. Remember to prune fig trees in Florida after fruit harvest, not in the dormant season, since fruit is borne on previous year’s growth. Another cultural control to prevent fig rust is to rake diseased leaves out from under the tree. The fungal spores in the fallen leaf litter pass the disease on to next year’s leaves. Other cultural controls include providing adequate moisture and placing a healthy dose of mulch around the tree. Figs require minimal fertilizer. Using a general complete fertilizer with micronutrients (such as a 10-10-10), young trees should receive 1 cup (1/2 pound) and mature trees 4-8 cups (2-4 pounds) per year.
There are currently no chemical controls approved for fig rust in Florida. The classic Bordeaux mix is recommended by various authors to be used as a preventative fungicide during the dormant season, before the lesions appear on the leaves. The Bordeaux mixture is a mix of copper sulfate, lime, and water in a 1:1:10 ratio and is considered an organic pesticide. This mix has been used since the late 19th century and was discovered by accident after botanists and farmers realized that grapevines sprayed with the mix to deter theft had less fungal problems. As with any pesticide, be cautious when using. Overuse of copper-based fungicides can cause copper to build up in soils, leading to potential issues to plant and human health.
While figs are generally worry free for our area, fig rust is one disease to be on the lookout for. Good gardening practices can reduce the occurrence of this disease and ensure a bountiful harvest. For questions on growing figs or about the fig rust disease, visit the UF/IFAS EDIS website – edis.ifas.ufl.edu – or contact your local Extension office.
Summer annual weeds are taking their last stand against Panhandle lawns before fall arrives. Rain and humid temperatures of late have boosted their growth spurts. Chamberbitter is a prime example.
Chamberbitter (Phyllanthus urinaria) is found as north as Illinois and as west as Texas, but thrives in lower southeastern states. It’s a headache for homeowners as well as pasture managers. This is an annual broadleaf weed that emerges in summer months. The foliage resembles that of the mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin) and can be confused with the native mimosa groundcover, known as powderpuff mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa). This plant grows upright and develops a long taproot. Wart-like seeds can be found on the underside of the branch.
Figure 1: Chamberbitter, a common annual weed.
Credit: Mary Derrick, UF/IFAS Extension Santa Rosa County.
To control Chamberbitter in a lawn, one must not allow the seed to disperse. This plant germinates in warm soil temperatures. Therefore, it’s best to treat your lawn by applying a pre-emergent herbicide around April. An atrazine herbicide has an 80% effective rate. However, once weeds have germinated, a post-emergent herbicide would need to be applied. Turfgrass herbicides with 2,4-D (with dicamba & mecoprop or MCPP) or atrazine have good results. These are common chemicals and are represented by many brand names. However, both products need to be applied in cooler temperatures. Consecutive days of temperatures of less than 90 degrees are sufficient; otherwise the chemical will harm the turfgrass. Be aware, some formulations will injure or kill centipede and St. Augustine, but are safe to use on bermuda, bahia and zoysia. Be sure to read the label and follow the directions and precautions.
Non-selective, post-emergent herbicides, like glyphosate (Roundup) can be used in thick patches or for spot treatment. When using a non-selective herbicide, remember to protect turfgrass and other plants from spray drift or any contact, especially regarding ornamental plants and trees. Hand pulling of these weeds is an option, especially in flower beds. Do not shake the soil from the roots. In doing so, you may inadvertently spread seeds.
Soon, temperatures will be low enough to use a post-emergent herbicide for a control method. If you are having issues with chamberbitter or other summer annual broadleaf weeds, remember to plan to apply a pre-emergent herbicide this coming spring. Contact Gulf County Extension at 639-3200 for more information.
Information for this article is from the Clemson Cooperative Extension publication: “Chamberbitter”, Bulletin HCIC 2314: http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/pests/pdf/hgic2314.pdf
UF/IFAS Extension is an Equal Opportunity Institution.
Northwest Floridians are lucky. We get to bask in the warm sunshine at least eight months of the year, consider it cold weather when we have to break out the fleece pullover and none of us live more than a few hours’ drive to the whitest sand you ever saw. However, those conditions have consequences. That warm sun and plentiful rain yields heat and humidity, a perfect breeding ground for all manner of pests and diseases, not to mention seriously cutting down on necessary chill hours required by many species. We’ll never be able to grow peaches like they do in Georgia. No one is in any danger of mistaking a Florida apple for one from Michigan. Pomegranates, olives, and nectarines like California? Forget about it. All of those species will mostly survive and grow but in most cases, the inputs of labor and protective chemicals greatly outweigh the output of fruit. For most of us it is just not worth the time and effort to turn a crop!
We have a couple of adapted, well-known stalwarts to turn to though. Any gardener worth his salt has a few productive rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium ashei), a pear (Pyrus communis), an old reliable fig tree (Ficus carica), and a citrus or two of some kind (though with the devastating disease known as Citrus Greening looming on the horizon, backyard citrus may decline in popularity in the near future). However, hobby fruit growers aren’t often content to stick to those standards though. We tend to be an adventurous, progressive lot, always looking for new species to grow and constantly pushing climatic and adaptation limits of species, with varying success. For the Panhandle backyard fruit orchardist looking for a little variety but demanding a high probability of success, there are three unusual Florida Friendly trees requiring little winter chill that fit the bill perfectly: Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), Japanese Persimmon (Diospyros kaki), and Loquat (Eriobtrya japonica).
Pawpaw fruit
The pawpaw (yes it’s pronounced exactly like you think it is) is an altogether unusual tree. For starters, it is one of the most adaptable plants in cultivation, growing native from New York all the way down to the Sunshine State. It would be a beautiful tree if it never produced a single fruit; the large leaves droop naturally, lending a decidedly tropical feel to the garden and the understated purple-brown flowers are some of the more attractive of our native spring blooming trees. But, to be sure, the fruit are the real attraction here. Technically berries, the bluish-green, three to five inch long, oval-shaped fruit ripen in the late summer (August-October) and have an extremely unique taste often likened to banana or custard. Pawpaws occur naturally in moist, well-drained soils and thrive in both shade and sun; site accordingly and this unusual little native fruit tree should perform admirably for you!
While more common than Pawpaw, Japanese Persimmon still has not reached the cosmopolitan status of pear or fig or the like for reasons unclear to me! Native to eastern Asia, Japanese Persimmon is right at home in the Panhandle where it rewards gardeners each fall with outstanding reddish/orange foliage and a reliable crop of beautiful, baseball-sized, orange fruit possessing a crisp, sweet taste that can be eaten fresh or used in cooking. I especially like the fruit when it is made into a cakey “bread” similar to banana bread. It is a remarkably forgiving tree, growing and fruiting reliably with little help from the orchardist. Japanese Persimmon is generally sold as one of the selected cultivars, ‘Fuyu’ being the most common and probably the best. The species prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil but does just fine without irrigation once it reaches establishment. A bonus, you only need to plant one as Japanese Persimmon does not require a pollinator! (Note: Persimmons can be astringent or non-astringent. If you plant an astringent cultivar, be sure to let the fruit ripen completely before eating as they are unpalatable until that point. Most are probably better off going with a non-astringent cultivar such as ‘Fuyu’.)
Persimmon fruit
A lesser-known gem of the coastal south, Loquat is hard to beat. It’s a great addition to the landscape, the cinnamon colored bark, foot-long “cabbagey” textured leaves and early spring flowers outdo many purely ornamental species. The yellowish-orange fruit that follow are outstanding picked and eaten fresh off the tree. Flavor is reminiscent of citrus with a sweet taste and a soft texture. Loquat flourishes in full sun and once established needs little to no supplemental fertilization or irrigation. As with Japanese Persimmon, Loquat is self-fertile and does not need a pollinator so just one tree will do (trust me, one healthy loquat will make enough fruit to feed a small army)!
Loquat fruit
If you are indeed a backyard orcharding enthusiast and want to expand your horizons to include more than the same old standard species that everyone else grows or maybe you’re just frustrated with trying to grow popular but ill-adapted species like peach and apple, you could do a lot worse than including one or all of Pawpaw, Japanese Persimmon, and Loquat into your garden! For more information on fruit trees and any other horticultural questions you may have, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office. Happy gardening!