Feature Article - for release the week of August 3, 2008

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent

 

 Hugs, Bugs, Rots & Spots

Weekly columns are fun to write, but sometimes it takes more effort to decide what to write about that it does to get it all down.  My puzzler is sore, so this week I will talk about a hodge podge of things going on and upcoming events.

Hugs

First off some hugs to the great people I work with.  If you are one of the few folks in our community that have not visited our office or met our Extension Staff, I’d encourage you to do so.  We all enjoy working with the wonderful people in our community, and our team will try our best to help resolve your concern or provide you with research-based knowledge to make life better. 

Okeechobee Home Page

One of the services offered is our County Extension home page.  I was recently informed that the Florida Association of County Agriculture Agents has named out homepage the best webpage in the state for 2008. While my name was on the application, it truly is a team effort to keep this tool up and running, and to earn this kind of recognition.  Thanks to our staff and our Internet visitors for this humble recognition!

If you have not visited our homepage, feel free to do so – it’s open for business 24/7.  The goal is to provide locally useful information and serve as an open door to all of the web-based resources of YOUR University of Florida.  Did you know that this column is already been posted there, complete with pictures and links to additional information about all this stuff?  Let me know if you want to see something else added.

Master Gardener Training / Fall Gardening Videoconference

Last spring we offered training to persons wishing to become Master Gardeners. It uses our new videoconference technology.  UF will again be offering training for these wonderful volunteers starting on Wednesday September 3^rd. Master Gardeners receive 55 hours of training in basic horticulture and agree to help our office with gardening and landscape programs.

If you are NOT able to help our office, the videoconferences are still available to the general public as well.  Videoconferences start at 9:30 AM and generally run to noon, but one day it ends at 2 PM.  There will be a certificate of completion offered for attending the videoconferences. Registration for these classes needs to be completed and fees paid by Monday August 18^th.

Bugs

The first step in pest management is to ID the pest.  After that, it’s best to make changes in the way the plant is grown to reduce attacks by pests.  But we all know that summer is a great time to all kinds of pests to haunt our plants and grass.

Jadera Bugs are now appearing on Milkweed plants.  These are red and black sap-suckers that cause concern, but rarely cause damage.  Aphids are also building up on Milkweeds, Crepe Myrtles and many other landscape plants.  Using soap sprays will usually be enough to reduce these suckers, and soap will not kill the lady bugs that are working with you to remove these plant lice.

Caterpillars are now easily found on other landscape plants.  Yellow and black “worms” on Snow bush are called spanworms, and can take all the leaves off this plant.  A larger caterpillar recently reported on parsley plants is the larva of the swallowtail butterfly.  In the case of these true caterpillars, using the Bacillus thuringiensis bacterial-based insecticides (call them “B.t.” in the garden center!) will remove these worms without harming beneficial insects found in your Florida Yard.

Rots and Spots

Got Rain?  Then you probably also have fungus “amongus”.  Many plants are beginning to suffer under the daily deluge of rain and heat.  When the spots (above) and rots appear, it may be too late to prevent the damage to existing leaves.  You can do some things to save the new leaves that will soon grow on your landscape plants.  First thing is to turn off your sprinkler.  Then do what you can to improve drainage and air circulation which allows rain to seep into the soil or drain off your landscape. 

But if these don’t help, the use of labeled fungicides can help.  Realize that they only can prevent but not cure disease from destroying leaves.   A common product used with a number of landscape and garden plants is the copper sprays.  But be aware that copper products may burn some turf and ornamental plants.  Check the label or a bad situation can become worse.  Request and read the UF bulletin, Homeowner's Guide to Fungicides before you buy or use these products.

Garden Club

An informal group of garden enthusiasts meets monthly here at our office.  They meet again on the 4^th Monday nite of the month, which makes the next meeting on August 25^th at 6 PM.

This past month we had about fifteen people chat about many of these pest issues discussed in today’s column.  We also would like suggestions on what people would like to know about Florida-Friendly Gardening.  What would you like to see covered at the Garden Club?  If you have suggestions for gardeners who might share their knowledge, that would be great too.

After the Garden Club, the Okeechobee Orchid Club meets at 7 PM.  You are also welcome to come to their next meeting, also on Monday August 25^th. Harry Hoffner is getting many local people excited about these beautiful flowering plants.

I’ve placed more information on our Okeechobee web page, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu.  If you need additional information on what’s happening now in your Florida Yard, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469.  Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons. Go Gators!

    

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Trade  names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Larry A.  Arrington, Dean. Last update: 07/31/2008.  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert