Crape Myrtle is likely the most popular landscape tree in the South, for good reason. This species, comprised of varieties in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors, is tough as nails, thriving from the most manicured landscape to neglected parking lot islands. Though they’re easy to grow, beautiful, resilient little trees, they aren’t invincible and only as pretty as gardeners allow them to be. In fact, one of the best ways to ensure a poorly formed, bizarre-looking, disease-prone, short-lived crape myrtle is to commit Crape Murder.
Crape Murder is the twisted art of “pruning” specimens back into horrid shapes. Once shapely trees with well-developed crowns and attractive branching structure are reduced to a ghastly, sawed-off, fence post-like appearance. The large, generally jagged wounds that result from crape murder are slow to heal, if they ever do, and are a prime spot for insect and disease entry. Making matters worse, crape murder is rarely a one-time offense, rather practiced for years on end, never giving the tree a chance to heal, and leading to an early demise.
Previously beautiful ‘Muskogee’ Crape Myrtle murdered in spring 2025. Photo courtesy Daniel Leonard.
So, if the process is so obviously harmful to trees and an affront to evidence-based landscaping, why is it still so widely practiced? There are two primary reasons. First, large crape myrtle varieties like ‘Natchez’, ‘Muskogee’, and others are planted in areas without considering their mature size. These large growing cultivars can reach 30-40’ in height over time and outgrow many landscapes. To prevent this from happening, simply pay attention to the plant tag and consider the mature height of the cultivar. There are many great Crape Myrtle options, like ‘Acoma’, ‘Catawba’, the entire ‘Magic’ Series, and others, that top out at 15-20’ or shorter and many newer dwarf varieties that are smaller still. Second is the common belief that crape murder promotes a heavier bloom. This rationale at least contains some truth. Heavy pruning does tend to stimulate vegetative growth and subsequent flowering in plants – crape myrtle is no exception. However, though you may get larger blooms, they will be fewer than a properly grown crape would have, and the larger blooms often cause the whippy shoots they rest upon to sag and break, especially in wet and windy weather – the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
Crape murder ruins the aesthetics of Crape Myrtle trees, creates a weak branching structure, and shortens the trees’ lifespans. Photo courtesy Daniel Leonard.
So, if you or someone you know have fallen victim to the above reasoning and dabbled in dendrological decapitation with your own crapes, it may comfort you to know that the damage can be undone over time. The simplest method of fixing crape murder damage is to simply stop doing it and let the tree grow as is. The tree will slowly heal itself but will always be misshapen, with a large, low trunk or two below the scene of the crime and dozens of limbs emerging from the same spot above. It isn’t ideal but I have seen some crapes rehabbed in this manner and they enjoyed a nice, long life. The better method is to wait until the next winter dormant season, break out a chainsaw (the suspected murder weapon), and cut the entire tree back to the ground. The following summer, allow the crape to flush out from the stump (there will be dozens of new shoots) and grow as much as possible. Then, the following winter when the recovering tree sheds its leaves, select 3-5 evenly spaced canes to leave and remove all the rest at the stump. Those 3-5 canes will form the primary branching structure of the rejuvenated tree. From there, you’ll only have to prune lightly each year to remove dead or crossing branching. Then, put up the chainsaw, enjoy your status as an enlightened gardener, and resolve to never prune your crape myrtles ever again.
Snapdragon in bloom: Photo credit Donna Arnold FAMU Extension.
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) add vibrant color to fall and winter gardens in North Florida with their wide range of hues. Colors include red, orange, yellow, and maroon. Their growth varies; tall varieties reach 2–3 feet, intermediates 1–2 feet, bedding types 6–15 inches, and rock garden hybrids about 6 inches. Dark-colored flowers often have reddish stems, while pale blooms grow on light green stems. Snapdragons’ warm-colored flowers stand out in garden beds, especially when paired with white flowers, enhancing their red, orange, and maroon tones. Their fine-textured foliage contrasts nicely with large-leaved plants and compact shrubs.
Though not native to North America, they are widely cultivated and are not considered invasive. Snapdragons are versatile and ideal for mass plantings, containers, cut flowers, and edging. They are generally available within their hardiness range, making them a popular gardener choice.
Caring for Snapdragons requires minimal work. They thrive in slightly acidic garden soil but struggle in unamended clay. Therefore, ensuring the soil remains acidic is key to their survival. They require full sun and moist soil. After the first bloom, cutting plants back to five or six nodes encourages a second flowering. Also, fertilizing at bud formation improves growth.
You can increase numbers through propagation. Propagation can be done through seeds or cuttings. Seeds germinate in 10–14 days at 70°F and should not be covered with soil. Prechilled seeds germinate best. Pinch seedlings with two to three leaf sets, except for dwarf varieties. Plant in fall for winter blooms in zones 9–11. In zone 8b and south, snapdragons may survive mild winters. Space plants 6–10 inches apart.
Pests and Diseases
Aphids: Feed on young growth, weakening plants.
Greenhouse leaf tier: Chews and webs leave; pesticides are ineffective once leaves roll.
Mites: Cause bronzed, stippled foliage, especially in hot weather.
Common Diseases
Rust: Brown pustules with yellowed leaf tissue; use proper spacing and resistant varieties.
Anthracnose: Causes sunken spots on stems and yellowing leaves; destroys infected plants.
Gray mold: Leads to wilting and stem browning; worsens in wet conditions. Remove infected stalks.
Stem rot: Cottony growth near soil line; infected plants should be removed.
Snapdragons offer rich color, versatility, and seasonal interest in gardens, making them a valuable addition for novice and experienced gardeners.
For more information contact your local extension office or click on the following links.
Strawberries are being harvested in North Florida now and sweet onions will be harvested soon. Spring is the time to harvest these crops, however; fall is the time to plant these crops in our area.
Planting time and variety selection are keys to sweet onion and strawberry success in North Florida.
Sweet onions almost ready for harvest in a Calhoun County garden. Credit: Joe Leonard.
We can produce large, tasty sweet onions in North Florida. When using the correct varieties and when planted at the right time, we can produce bulbs up to four inches in diameter with flavor that rivals the famous Vidalia onions.
To be successful at growing large sweet onion bulbs, you have to set out plants in the fall. Waiting to plant in spring, as is done up north, results in small onions. As a matter of fact, onions planted after the first of the year make puny little bulbs. To produce large bulbing onions, you should plant your transplants during October to mid-November. Otherwise, you may get big green onion plants verses big bulbs.
In order to be successful with growing large onions in our area, you have to select the correct varieties. Basically, you need to use varieties of “short-day” onions such as ‘Grano’, ‘Granex’, ‘Texas Grano’, ‘Excel’ or ‘Tropicana Red’. ‘Granex’ is the variety that is used for producing Vidalia onions and St. Augustine Sweets.
Some gardeners seed their onions in September in order to have plants ready for transplanting to the garden later in the fall. Others buy the plants of these varieties during the
Strawberries ready to harvest in spring. Credit: Larry Williams
fall. These onion plants should be placed four to five inches apart in rows that are twelve to twenty-four inches apart. Fertilization is required during the winter and particularly as the onion bulbs begin to size up in the spring. Onions grow well during our relatively mild winters and will be ready for harvest in early May, as the tops of the plants begin to turn yellow and fall over.
Many gardeners fail with strawberries in North Florida by waiting to plant in spring and by planting the wrong varieties for our area. In Florida, strawberries are treated as annuals
. They are planted during October and November. Like onions, strawberry plants are cold hardy, producing a full sized plant by spring and yielding a crop during March through May. Once you’ve harvested the berries, do away with the plants. It’s not worth trying to carry strawberry plants through our hot, wet summers. Start next fall with fresh plants.
Use only “short-day” strawberry varieties. These include ‘Camarosa’, ‘Sweet Charlie’, ‘Festival’, ‘Chandler’, ‘Dover’, ‘Selva’, ‘Sequoia’, ‘Tioga’, ‘Oso Grande’, ‘Florida Belle’ and ‘Florida 90’. “Everbearing” varieties of strawberries, which are frequently advertised, are not well suited for Florida. More info is available at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs403.
Enjoy the spring harvest season of these two delicious crops, but plant them in the fall.
As evidenced by the scale adjacent to a quarter, the Brahminy blind snake looks more like a worm than a typical snake!
Part of the Extension job entails having friends and clientele reach out when they come across something odd while outdoors. I’ve been the recipient of random texts and emailed photos of bizarre-looking squishy finds from the beach, unusual plants, and snakes…lots and lots of snakes. So, when I got photos of a weird little worm-like critter a few months back, I wasn’t the least bit surprised. I’ve actually planned to write about this one for a while, because several people have asked me about it over the years.
While found most commonly buried in the soil, the Brahminy blind snake can get around in water as well. Photo credit: Huntley Jimenez
The Brahminy blind snake Indotyphlops braminus (also called the “Flowerpot Snake”) is considered a nonnative species due to its origin (Asia & Africa) and movement into natural areas in Florida since the 1970s. Even though it’s not from here, most biologists do not consider them “invasive,” as they do not meet the criteria of causing ecological or economic harm. In fact, I’ve only heard about people finding them in the Pensacola city limits—particularly East Hill or North Hill neighborhoods (but if you’ve seen one elsewhere, let me know!). Like many introduced insects and amphibians, the snake itself is typically transported through the landscape trade. It is small and can easily bury itself in the soil of a large tree or shrub container. These snakes can also swim, as evidenced by video from my friend of one wriggling around in her pool.
It is easy to see the snake’s deep black coloration in contrast here with the blue pool and water. Their heads and tails are almost identical. Photo credit: Huntley Jimenez
Brahminy blind snakes are members of the Typhlopidae family, which is composed of a cohort of burying snakes that mostly live in underground burrows in the soil. Spending their time in the dark, they have lost the need for vision (like cave-dwelling creatures). They have eye spots that can detect some light, but no detailed visual capability–hence the “blind” in their name. The tiny snakes are solid black (or sometimes purplish gray), about 4-6” long, and truly resemble a worm more than any snake most people are accustomed to seeing. They eat ant and termite eggs and larvae, so many folks would consider their role in the ecosystem rather useful. They are nonvenomous and do not bite, although they will push the slightly pointier posterior end of their bodies onto your skin (this won’t hurt) in a fruitless attempt at self-defense.
Interestingly, Brahminy blind snakes are all female. The species reproduces asexually through a process called parthenogenic thelytoky. The snake’s eggs can divide without a male, and offspring are genetic clones of the mother. Most species with this reproductive adaptation are insects (including the snake’s typical prey, ants), and it is rare among vertebrates. So rare, in fact, that the only vertebrates reproducing via parthenogenesis include several dozen lizards and the Brahminy blind snake. There are plenty of advantages to cutting out the “middle man” so to speak, including faster reproductive cycles and a reduction in energy expenditures related to finding a mate. However, creating genetic clones reduces population diversity, so any disease or innate vulnerability could wipe out relatives without genetic immunity.
A promising start, until blossom-end rot strikes. Keep your tomatoes healthy by maintaining consistent watering, balanced fertilization, and proper soil pH. Photo by Mila Makhova, Adobe.
It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for – after weeks of careful tending, the first set of tomatoes is beginning to form. Each day, you check your plants with anticipation, imagining the juicy, homegrown harvest to come. But one morning, while inspecting your developing tomatoes, you notice some have sunken, leathery brown patches at the blossom end. Your excitement turns to frustration – what went wrong?
Blossom-end rot is one of the most frustrating disorders for home gardeners and commercial growers alike. This common issue appears as a sunken, leathery brown or black spot at the blossom end of tomatoes, usually occurring on the first fruits the plant produces. Though it may look like a disease, blossom-end rot is actually a physiological disorder caused by calcium deficiency in the fruit. Understanding what triggers it and how to prevent it can help ensure a healthy tomato harvest.
What Causes Blossom-End Rot?
Blossom-end rot can appear at any stage of ripening. These tomatoes developed severe lesions due to calcium deficiency caused by inconsistent watering. Photo by Brenda Kennedy, University of Kentucky, Bugwood.org.
Although blossom-end rot results from calcium deficiency in the fruit, it is rarely caused by a lack of calcium in the soil. Instead, the issue arises when calcium uptake is disrupted due to fluctuations in soil moisture, root damage, or excessive fertilization.
Calcium moves through plants via active transpiration, traveling with water as it evaporates from above-ground plant parts. Since leaves lose more water through transpiration than fruits, calcium is more likely to accumulate in leaves rather than being directed toward developing tomatoes. This imbalance is made worse by excessive nitrogen fertilization, which encourages leafy growth and further diverts calcium away from the fruit.
The following factors contribute to blossom-end rot:
Inconsistent Watering. Calcium is transported through water in the plant, so periods of drought followed by excessive moisture can hinder uptake.
Excess Nitrogen Fertilization. Too much nitrogen, especially in ammonium form, can interfere with calcium absorption and promote excessive foliage growth at the expense of fruit development.
Soil pH Imbalance. Acidic soils (below pH 5.5) can limit calcium availability to plants.
Root Damage. Over-cultivation or compacted soils can reduce root function, limiting nutrient uptake.
Prevention Strategies
A severe case of blossom-end rot on an unripe tomato. Photo by Col Nihko, Adobe.
Blossom-end rot cannot be reversed once it appears, but often the plant will produce healthy fruit as the season progresses. Several cultural practices can help prevent it from occurring in the first place.
Maintain Consistent Soil Moisture. Water deeply and consistently, adjusting for temperature and weather conditions. As a general rule, tomatoes need about an inch of water per week, with an additional half-inch for every 10-degree increase above 60°F. In hot summer months, when temperatures reach the 80s and 90s, this means tomatoes may require closer to two inches of water per week to maintain adequate soil moisture. Mulching with straw, pine needles, or shredded leaves helps regulate soil moisture and reduce evaporation. It is also important to avoid letting the soil dry out completely between waterings to ensure steady calcium uptake by the plant.
Test and Amend Soil. Vegetable gardens, especially those rich in compost, often contain adequate amounts of calcium, but its availability depends on factors like soil pH and consistent watering. A soil test can determine if nutrient or pH adjustments are needed. If the soil pH is below 6.0, applying lime can help raise it to the optimal range of 6.0–6.5, improving calcium availability to plants. If a soil test confirms low calcium levels, adding gypsum (calcium sulfate) can provide a supplemental source of calcium without altering soil pH.
Fertilize Properly. Using a balanced fertilizer with moderate nitrogen is key to preventing blossom-end rot. Avoid high-ammonium formulations, as they can interfere with calcium absorption. Excess fertilization early in the season encourages vigorous leaf growth, diverting calcium away from fruit development and increasing the risk of blossom-end rot.
Choose the Right Tomato Varieties. Cherry and other small-fruited tomato varieties tend to be less prone to blossom-end rot than larger slicing types, making them a good option for gardeners concerned about calcium-related issues.
What to Do If You See Blossom-End Rot
Once symptoms appear, affected fruit will not recover, but the plant can still produce healthy tomatoes with proper care. Remove damaged fruit to encourage new growth and address the underlying moisture and nutrient issues. If watering and fertilization practices are adjusted, subsequent fruits should develop normally.
