by Carrie Stevenson | Apr 8, 2016
Extension agent Janet Bargar checks the water flow and direction of a pop-up irrigation system at a home. (AP photo/University of Florida/Josh Wickham)
Early spring is a great time of year to reevaluate your lawn and landscape water needs. University of Florida studies have shown that in homes utilizing automatic sprinkler systems, 50% of total home water consumption in the summer comes from running a sprinkler system. When a homeowner is using utility water, they are typically charged twice; first for bringing the water in and second for wastewater fees. Estimated costs for irrigating a 5,000 square foot yard range from $5-$25 per irrigation session. So how does one cut down?
To start with, check your sprinkler system for efficiency. Turn on the water, stand back, and watch it run. Look for broken or clogged heads (evident by uneven and high-volume spray), or leaks within the water line. Clean out the heads or replace these broken parts—most are very inexpensive and found in the plumbing section of home improvement stores. Look at the reach of the spray, and make sure irrigation water is not landing wastefully on roads, sidewalks, or adjacent houses. To paraphrase a wise colleague, “No matter how much you water it, concrete won’t grow.”
Many of our clientele ask how long an irrigation system should be run and how much water plants should get. Ideally, turf and landscape plants should get ½” to ¾” of water per application. The frequency of application varies by plant needs, weather, and soil type. For very sandy soils, some specialists have recommended applying less water at a slightly more frequent rate, since sandy soils are unable to hold water in the root zone of plants for long. Mulching around plants and amending soils with organic material can help improve a soil’s water-holding capacity.
An efficient irrigation system should direct water to the root system of a landscape and reduce overspray onto homes and sidewalks. Photo credit: UF IFAS
A simple sprinkler calibration can be conducted by spreading empty aluminum cans around one’s yard, and turning on each sprinkler zone. Run each zone for 30 minutes and measure how deep the water is in the cans. If the water depth is within the recommended amounts, no changes are needed. However if it’s not deep enough or greater than ¾” of an inch, run times should be adjusted accordingly. If some of the cans receive a noticeably different amount of water than those adjacent to them, it is a signal that the reach of the spray heads is not adequately set and should be corrected to make sure the entire landscape has even coverage.
The primary goal of supplemental irrigation is for the plants’ root zones to be wet, but not saturated or too dry. Ideally, established lawns and landscapes should thrive on rainfall after initial establishment, and only take irrigation in longer periods of drought. However, this is contingent on the planting of Florida-friendly vegetation and a homeowner with a keen eye to the condition of one’s plants, who is willing to turn the sprinkler system to “manual” and wait for his or her plants to start drooping before turning on the water. In reality, most homeowners find it difficult to take this much time and care with their irrigation system, and opt for the “water every two or three days whether needed or not” approach, even in parts of the state with water restrictions. In fact, anecdotal evidence seems to show that homeowners only allowed to water lawns one or two days a week will overdo it just to make sure their plants survive.
Luckily, new technology exists that can take the guesswork out of irrigation for a homeowner, while keeping plants alive and conserving water at the same time. “Smart” irrigation systems include soil moisture sensors and evapotranspiration (ET) controllers. Soil moisture sensors (SMS) use electrodes buried within the root zone of turf, which are calibrated to a certain level of moisture in the soil. The system is only allowed to run when water levels drop below a preset threshold. ET (evapotranspiration) controllers monitor weather conditions on site or from a nearby weather station, using satellite signals to determine when plants will need additional water.
by Carrie Stevenson | Feb 23, 2016
Fences make good neighbors except when your neighbor is a Chinese tallow or popcorn tree. Seed is easily spread across property borders. Birds, storm-water, and vehicles are just few ways seeds move away from large trees. Photo by Scott Jackson.
Benjamin Franklin has been blamed for introducing the invasive Chinese Tallow tree to the Southeast when he mailed seeds to a planter after one of his trips to London in the late 1700’s. However, recent DNA work has traced the invasive strain to federal scientists’ importations in 1905.
No matter. The “Popcorn Tree,” as it’s also called because of its white seeds, has invaded the Gulf coast from Texas to Florida, especially the wetlands and bottomland forests. A mature tree may produce as many as 100,000 seeds annually. These seeds can be spread by birds or moving water and expedite the trees’ takeover of habitat. The sap and berries are toxic to humans and livestock. It has been planted for its red fall color, but it crowds out native wetland species such as black gum and red maple, both noted for their red fall leaves. Its tolerance to flooding and saltwater can also make it a threat to bald cypress.
Recently research by scientists of the US Forest Service and others has shown the dissolved oxygen and pH levels in the leaf litter of the tallow tree are fatal to the early stage eggs of the leopard frog. While tallow trees provide a nectar source for bees and have been investigated as a biofuel source, the damage to wetlands caused by these invaders more than offsets the positive aspects of the plant.
Small seedlings may be hand pulled, especially in wet areas, but care should be taken to leave no root pieces to resprout. Herbicides including triclopyr can control Chinese Tallow. More information is available at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag148 and http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/676.
For local assistance, contact your county UF IFAS Extension office.
by Carrie Stevenson | Feb 5, 2016
On “project day” students share their knowledge with the class. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson
The Florida Master Naturalist Program is a 40-hour experiential learning course offered by UF IFAS Extension. While we spend time in class with presentations, by far everyone’s favorite aspects of the course are field trips and “project day.” As part of the course, each participant produces an educational tool—a display, presentation, skit, or lesson—that delves deeper into a topic of interest. The students and instructors are able to use these tools again and again to teach others.
Master Naturalist students walk “The Way” boardwalk in Perdido Key. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson
One example of a multi-year student project is “The Way” nature trail, located at Perdido Bay United Methodist Church. Master Naturalist Jerry Patee worked with volunteers from his church and community to design and permit a boardwalk and nature trail leading to Bayou Garcon. The unique trail is less than a mile, but traverses upland, freshwater wetland, and coastal habitats, making it a perfect ecological teaching tool. The trail is open to the public and maintained as a place of quiet contemplation. The project is ongoing, with educational signage planned, but it is an excellent new resource for the community.
“The Way” is just one of many positive contributions made by Master Naturalist students over the years. To enroll in a Florida Master Naturalist course near you, visit the FMNP page or talk with an instructor at your local county Extension office.
by Carrie Stevenson | Jan 19, 2016
In 2014, five Extension agents involved with www.naturallyescarosa.com launched the first Gulf Coast Agritourism & Ecotourism Business Development Conference. Over sixty business owners and members of the hospitality industry met to discuss marketing, sustainable tourism, and how to handle insurance and liability in an industry that involves outdoor exploration.
Back by popular demand, we have organized a second one to be held February 18-19 at the Gulf Power Building in Pensacola.
We have a dynamic group of speakers from all over the southeast to discuss the economic opportunities available in this line of work.
Due to partial grant funding, registration (includes meals and materials) is only $25!!! Anyone involved in the agriculture (U-pick operations, fresh produce markets, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, etc.), nature (paddling, camping, fishing, etc.) tourism or hospitality industry is encouraged to come.
Click Here and Buy Tickets today!
For more information on the 2016 Gulf Coast Agritourism & Ecotourism Business Development Conference, contact Chris Verlinde (850) 623-3868 or Carrie Stevenson (850) 475-5230
by Carrie Stevenson | Nov 13, 2015
Next time 
you are the grocery store, consider purchasing an extra jar or two of peanut butter and donating it to your local Extension office as part of the annual Peanut Butter Challenge. The Challenge is a food collection drive of peanut butter from within each of the 16 UF/IFAS Extension Northwest District Counties. UF/IFAS Extension Northwest District agents have been partnering with the Florida Peanut Producers Association since 2012 to collect peanut butter and distribute the bounty to local food pantries in each county. Annually, Ken Barton and the Florida Peanut Producers Association Board of Directors provide an additional two pallets of peanut butter (approximately 2800 jars) to be divided between the counties. Not only does the Peanut Butter Challenge help publicize the important contribution of north Florida’s peanut growers to the peanut industry, but it also helps provide a healthy and universally loved product, made from a locally grown product, to food pantries in northwest Florida communities from Pensacola to Monticello.
In 2014, Santa Rosa County collected 1477 jars resulting in more than a ton of peanut butter for their local food pantries. Escambia County was blessed by the support Helton Farms and Tri-County Peanut Buying Point. Rodney and Mike Helton and Tri-County purchased two additional pallets of peanut butter from Peanut Proud and helped to distribute to Escambia County Florida and Escambia and Baldwin counties in Alabama. In Washington County, the Public Library is doing a “Food for Fines” campaign, whereby patrons can bring in food in lieu of money for overdue fines. The library director is changing her campaign to require peanut butter donations as the food for fine forgiveness. They will collect peanut butter through November 30 and make a joint presentation with Extension to the local food bank.
As you can see, there are many different ways to get involved. Across the panhandle, 3463 jars of peanut butter were donated in 2014, amounting to almost 5000 pounds of peanut butter. We’d really like to surpass that number, so please consider helping us by donating as many jars of peanut butter as you can afford. The collection continues to November 25, 2015. Contact your local Extension office to find out where you can drop off peanut butter.
