Pesticides can be helpful tools in the home landscape and garden, helping to protect fruits, vegetables, and landscape plants from pests. While pesticides can be valuable tools in controlling pests, their improper use can pose risks to human health, beneficial organisms, and the environment. One crucial aspect of responsible pesticide use is understanding and interpreting the pesticide label. The label provides information on how to mix, apply, store, and dispose of a pesticide product to ensure the safety of the user and the environment.
First, it’s important to recognize what a pesticide is. A pesticide is a chemical substance or mixture used to kill or repel pests. Pests can include insects, weeds, plant pathogens, nematodes, mold, nuisance animals, and other organisms that can injury crops, plants, structures, or cause harm to human health. If you are unsure whether a product is considered a pesticide or not, the label will have an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) number listed. This number is the EPA’s stamp of approval for the product to be sold and used as a pesticide (Figure 1). In the example shown in Figure 1, the EPA registration number is found on the back page of the pesticide label.
Figure 1. Example of EPA Registration Number found on a pesticide label.
A pesticide label is the information on or attached to the pesticide container and is more than just a piece of paper. This document is a legal document. If you’ve contacted your local Extension office for pest control assistance, you’ve likely heard “follow the label – the label is the law” repeatedly. That is because the label is a contract between the product manufacturer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the end user.
What information does the label contain?
Brand or Trade Name: The brand, trade, or product name is used to identify and market the product. It is found on the front panel of the pesticide label. For example, in Figure 2, the brand name of the pesticide is “Complete Insect Killer”. Different manufacturers may use different brand names to market products, even if the same pesticide active ingredient is used.
Active Ingredient: The active ingredient is the chemical that is responsible for killing, repelling, or controlling the target pest. The front panel of the label identifies the name and percentage weight of each active ingredient.
Child Hazard Warning: The front panel of every pesticide label must have the statement “KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN” due to poisoning being a major cause of injury to children.
Signal Word: A pesticide label must also display a signal word on the front panel of the label to identify the relative toxicity of the product. Since all pesticides are poisons to some extent, it’s important to note that they do pose some risk. The signal word is based on the entire contents of the product, not just the active ingredients. Signal words are:
DANGER: Highly toxic
WARNING: Moderately toxic
CAUTION: Slightly toxic
Figure 2. An example of the front panel of a pesticide label.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): The type of clothing that must be worn during the handling mixing process to protect the applicator from harm.
Statement of Practical Treatment: The statement of practical treatment or first aid statement, describes what to do if a person is exposed to the pesticide.
Directions for Use: This section of the label is the bulk of a pesticide label. This section provides detailed instructions on how to correctly apply the pesticide, including the site where the product may be used, application method, amount of pesticide that should be applied, timing of application, and frequency. It will also contain information on restrictions (if any) on product use including weather, time of day, season of year, contamination of sensitive areas, etc. Applying a pesticide to a site not listed on its label is illegal.
Storage and Disposal: Each pesticide has general storage and disposal instructions. Most pesticide labels will contain a general statement to the effect of “do not contaminate, water, food, or feed by storage, disposal, or cleaning of equipment” and “store in original containers only”. This section of the label provides guidance on how to store the product safely, including temperature requirements, shelf-life, and precautions to prevent contamination. It also outlines guidelines for disposing of unused pesticides or empty containers to prevent environmental harm.
Pesticides can be a valuable tool if used correctly. The first step in using a pesticide safely is to read the product label to learn about how the product may be used. For more information on understanding pesticide labels or for assistance with interpretation, please contact your local Extension Office.
If you enjoy time spent outdoors, chances are you’ve come across a plant or two that has caused you to say, “That’s interesting! I wonder what that is?”. Identifying the plants you’re looking at can be a challenge, unless you happen to be a botanist. Even a handy book or reference guide can leave some room for confusion. You can always bring a picture or sample of a plant to your local extension office for help, but we also have some new tools available to help with identification. With the development of artificially intelligent software, we have apps on our cell phones that can do amazing things, including identifying living organisms.
There are some strange plants out there, and it might be difficult to learn what they are! (This one is Monotropa uniflora, the ghost pipe plant.)
There are a lot of options available, however, and cutting through the clutter is hard. To help decide which apps are the most trustworthy and effective, read on! Here are some plant identification apps that stand out currently:
There are a lot of dicots out there! Many can be identified quickly with the right app.
Free. Runs on Android devices (6.0 or later) or iOS devices (12.0 or later). This app requires an account, and combines artificial intelligence (AI) identification with a community of “citizen scientists” online who can help to confirm results.
Free. Runs on Android devices (6.0 or later) or iOS devices (11.0 or later). A more stand-alone version of the above app, this relies on AI to identify plants (and some animals and fungi).
Free to download, with a $2.99 monthly charge, $19.99 yearly charge, or $39.99 lifetime subscription for their premium version. Runs on Android devices (5.0 or later) and iOS devices (12.0 or later). PlantSnap relies on AI to identify plants using a database of over 600,000 plants and fungi.
Free. Runs on Android devices (5.0 or later) or iOS devices (11.0 or later). AI identification based on geographic area or plant theme (such as invasives, useful plants, etc.).
Free to download, 7 day free trial with $29.99 premium access. Works on Android devices (5.0 or later) and iOS devices (13.0 or later). AI provides immediate identification of over 10,000 plant species.
Free to download, with a $7.99 monthly fee or $35.99 yearly subscription. Works on Android devices (8.1 or later) or iOS devices (14.5 or later). Specifically tailored to houseplants, Planta includes plant identification as well as a light meter, care guides, and automatic reminders for houseplant care.
Free. Works with Android devices (6.0 or later) and iOS devices (14.0 or later). Among many other functionalities such as searching for consumer products, Google Lens is able to use its AI to identify plants.
Free. Usable only on iOS devices (15.0 or later). Included with the iOS 15.0 system, simply tap the info button on a photograph of a plant and then the leaf icon that appears. The iOS system will use its AI to attempt to identify the plant in question.
There are plenty more options out there and, as AI develops, more are undoubtedly on the way! Remember that not every identification, regardless of the software’s quality, might be accurate. Rare plants or those with many similar look-alikes could be mistaken. Use caution with these tools, especially for plants that might be harmful or toxic. While these can be a good starting point, it’s always a good idea to consult a knowledgeable human being (such as an Extension Agent or Master Gardener Volunteer) to be sure about any plant’s identity. Happy IDing!
It’s always nice to find an easy-to-grow landscape plant that stuns with its beauty. The many varieties of Crinum lilies do just that and are a great addition to the north Florida landscape. Crinum lilies are not truly a lily, but a member of the Amaryllis family which also includes other familiar north Florida landscape plants such as onions (Allium), agapanthus (Agapanthus), daffodils (Narcissus), and other “lilies” such as spider lily (Hymenocallis) and hurricane lily (Lycoris). While there is one species of Crinum that is native (Crinum americanum), most of our cultivated species originate in Africa and/or Asia.
Crinums are considered to be among the largest of the true bulbs. Most should be treated with caution since they can be poisonous to children and pets, mostly through ingestion of plant tissue. Their leaves are typically long and strap-like with a glossy green color. The flowers are the real treat, appearing on the ends of bare stems, typically held above the plant’s foliage. The flowers can be used for cut flowers, too.
Below are some of the more common Crinums that can be successfully grown in north Florida:
Crinum asiaticum
Giant Crinum, or poison bulb, is the largest of the Crinums and one of the more common ones to see in the landscape. The bright white flowers with showy, purple-tinged stamens are impressive.
The giant Crinum’s stunning bloom. Credit: Mark Tancig
Crinum zeylanicum
This Crinum is often called the milk-and-wine crinum for the white and red striped flowers.
The milk-and-wine Crinum. Credit: The Trustees of the British Museum, Creative Commons.
Crinum x amabile
The Queen Emma Crinum is a hybrid of the first two – C. asiaticum and C. zeylanicum. It has the size and shape of giant Crinum with maroon-tinted flowers and leaves.
The Queen Emma Crinum. Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Creative Commons.
Crinum moorei
This Crinum goes by the common name natal lily and is native to the southern horn of Africa. This species has wider leaves than most with the natural flower color being a light pink. There is a white-flowered cultivar named ‘Alba’.
Crinum moorei, variety ‘Alba’ used in a container. Credit: Erik Taanman, Creative Commons.
Crinum x powellii
This Crinum is a hybrid between C. moorei and C. bulbispermum. The most common cultivar is the ‘Cecil Houdyshel’ which has fragrant, rose-colored flowers.
In the landscape, these can be used as specimen plants, especially the giant Crinum or Queen Emma Crinum, or planted in mass. They all prefer full sun but wouldn’t mind afternoon shade, and can handle partial shade, though blooms may be less showy. Most prefer moderately-drained soil, but can handle sandy sites with irrigation, especially during dry times. These plants come from warm climates and may get zapped by our winter cold snaps. Fortunately, their bulbs, have stored energy to flush out new growth the following spring. Pests and diseases are few, with grasshoppers and leaf spots in the summer being the main concerns.
There are many hybrid Crinums available to experiment with but look for those that are hardy to Zone 8. You can read more about Crinums on the UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions website or contact your local county extension office.
After Hurricane Michael indiscriminately felled millions of trees in the Florida Panhandle five years ago, I’ve gotten much more selective with which trees I recommend to shade-seeking homeowners. Category 5 hurricanes don’t strike every year, or even every decade, but Michael reminded us that 150 mph+ wind events are possible, and we should choose the trees we plant accordingly. Keeping Michael’s lesson in mind, the shade tree I’ve recommended most to area homeowners lately is the ultra-wind resistant Nuttall Oak (Quercus texana) *.
While probably not native to our area (Nuttall is native to Mississippi River Valley bottomlands and nearby Gulf Coast regions), Nuttall Oak is a well-adapted deciduous oak species perfect for the Panhandle. The species is a strong, long-lived tree, yet also a quick grower (3-4’ per year in its youth, reaching 60-80’ at maturity). Unlike many rapidly growing trees, Nuttall is extremely resistant to wind breakage, disease, and other disfiguring issues. There are several Nuttall Oaks in Panhandle landscapes that survived Michael’s fury completely intact, with little more than wind-whipped leaves as evidence a storm had passed.
10 year old Nuttall Oak in a Calhoun County landscape. Photo courtesy of Daniel Leonard.
Nuttall is also an awesome landscape ornamental and a wildlife magnet in maturity. The species possesses a strong central leader and a stately, upright-rounded appearance. In summer, Nuttall leaves are large, dark green, deeply lobed, and pointed, somewhat reminiscent of our native Southern Red Oak. In fall, trees are capable of Blue Ridge quality color with fiery orange-red foliage, though the foliage show is not as consistent year to year here as farther north. The bark of Nuttall even has aesthetic appeal – dark and smooth in youth becoming ridged/furrowed with age. And it’s not just people that find Nuttall attractive, several beneficial insects use Nuttall as a host plant and various wildlife (deer, squirrel, and ducks especially) are fond of the prolific, highly nutritious acorns that mature trees produce in earnest each winter.
Finally, Nuttall is among the easiest of trees to grow and thrives in a variety of landscape conditions. Because it’s adapted to grow in poorly drained bottomlands that are either seasonally flooded or very dry, Nuttall is very tolerant of both compacted, poorly aerated soils common in urban areas and unirrigated, often droughty soils present in many Panhandle landscapes. However, like any tree, Nuttall Oak performs best with regular water and fertilizer for the first couple of years until established.
If you’ve been searching for a native-ish, hurricane-resistant, quick-growing, low-maintenance, wildlife-attracting shade tree for your property, Nuttall Oak is an excellent option and one I can fully recommend! For more information on Nuttall Oak or any other horticultural topic, please contact your local UF/IFAS County Extension Office. Happy gardening!
*Nuttall Oak was recently reclassified botanically from Quercus nuttallii to Quercus texana.
It is the time of year when we get reminded that we have just entered Hurricane season here on the Gulf Coast. Ideally you will have already done your tree maintenance and health checks around your home, but if you have not you can still get a tree care professional out to look at your trees. Maintaining your trees is an important part of storm preparedness. Keeping trees trimmed and in good health ensures that tree risks are minimized during the storm season. Even with proper pruning and maintenance some trees pose a risk due to location, poor structure, or disease. Having a professional assess your tree/trees and come up with a maintenance plan can help you avoid costly damage and keep your tree in good condition.
In this file photo released by UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Associate Dean for Research Mary Duryea and Ed Gilman, a UF urban horticulture professor, look over their recently published booklet that gives tips on how to prevent storm damage to urban trees. The booklet is free and available on the Internet or at any county extension office.
Trees are a major part of our landscape on the Gulf Coast, especially in our urban areas. They provide so many benefits to the landscape and are often the centerpiece of yards and parks in our urban areas. Without trees we lose the shade and cooling benefits a tree provides, have less habitat for birds and other wildlife, and loose aesthetic values that come with a majestic tree. Trees take a long time to grow and develop as well, so a large well-developed tree is not easily replaced. This naturally leads to a question many people find themselves facing. How do I preserve trees I want but minimize risk to my home and structures? The answer to this question is to assess the condition of the tree, the risk it may pose, and decide on the proper tree maintenance accordingly.
Lots of things go into determining what to do with a tree. The first thing to consider is location of the tree and its limbs. If the tree and its limbs are close to your home, you must consider how to maintain the tree in such a way that risks are minimized. If the tree has structural and/or health problems, you must factor in how these conditions affect the stability and health of a tree. The tree species also determines how it will need to be maintained as well as how stable it is in a wind event. All of these factors play into how to maintain the trees on your landscape, or if the tree poses an unacceptable risk, when to remove trees that may be in decline or present a hazard.
The best course of action is to consult with a tree care professional and develop a tree maintenance plan. Make sure you select a tree care professional with good qualifications, background, and insurance. The top professional credential in tree care is the International Society of Arboriculture’s (ISA) Certified Arborist. You can search for a Certified Arborist in your area on the ISA Website, Find an Arborist (treesaregood.org). For trees that you are concerned about from a risk perspective consider getting a Tree Risk Assessment. Certain Certified Arborists carry a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification which is a specialty qualification specifically to assess the risk a tree poses. By having your trees examined by an arborist you can make an informed decision on maintaining your landscape trees. For trees that are in good health and are species that do well in high winds, proper maintenance and pruning will assist in keeping the tree in good condition. For trees with health or structural problems or that are species that do poorly in high winds, removal may be needed.
There is no one size fits all solution to tree maintenance and tree risk, but with proper assessment and tree care you can be confident you are making the correct decision. Putting off tree care and assessment is when problems occur. Consulting with an arborist and developing a tree care plan with clear timelines and practices is your best option to maintain your trees and avoid issues with high-risk trees. As painful as it may be, for high-risk trees removal and replacement may be the best option. By consulting with a tree care professional, such as an arborist, you can know your tree conditions and the associated risks and options. With this information in hand, you can make well informed decisions that match your tree health and risk management goals.
