Q/A column – for release November 12, 2008

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent 

 How Does Your Garden Grow?

Globe chokes and Sun chokes

I am interested in trying to grow Artichokes and was wondering when is the best time to grow them and how? ~ Teresa ~

There are actually two garden plants called artichokes. The kind that is more familiar is more properly called a globe artichoke, named for its rounded fleshy flower bud.  (It is often steamed and eaten with lots of butter or chopped and marinated with oil and vinegar dressing.)   Globe Artichoke plants are a type of oversized thistle plants, and the plants are grown for several years.  Artichokes do best in a frost-free area with cool, foggy summers. They do not over winter in areas with deep ground freezes and are not well adapted to Florida's climate because hot weather opens buds quickly, destroying tenderness of edible parts. They are better adapted to drier Mediterranean climates, which is why they come from California.

The other kind of artichoke is called the Jerusalem Artichoke, even though it is actually a native of the Americas.  Also known as a Sunchoke, this member of the sunflower family produces knobby underground tubers that are the part consumed.  Dr. Jim Stephens says these do better in more northern climates, so there may be a need for cold dormancy for best results here.

Shriveling Seedlings

I had asked in a previous column about wanting to start a small vegetable garden for the first time, needless to say the garden has been going great until this past week. My broccoli plants grew to about 3 inches tall and are starting to shrivel up and turn a yellowish color, and my turnips have just started shrinking, what could be causing this and what can I do about it?

 Broccoli and turnip seedlings that are turning yellow and shriveling up are under some kind of distress.  It may look like they need water, but if you have been giving them adequate irrigation, and coupled with lots of rain, it may be that the soil has been too wet, leading to a number of soil-born fungal diseases.  These seedling diseases are called damping off, and are difficult to control with fungicides after they begin to take out small vegetable plants.

Another possibility may be inadequate fertilization.  The seedlings may not be big enough to reach that granular fertilizer you added to the garden at planting, an this is why we suggest the use of dilute soluble fertilizer solutions to give plants a quick start.

There could be other factors – so bring us a picture or dig up a sample plant and stop it by our office so we can get a better view of what’s going on.

   

Kitty on the loose

 There is a neighborhood cat that has been coming into my garden and doing his/her business in it, will this affect my plants and how can I keep the cat out? - Anonymous –

I had to do some checking to be sure of the facts, and found in a University of Minnesota bulletin some answers.  There is a chance of a human health concern from cat manure: Toxoplasmosis is an intestinal parasitic disease of cats and other animals. It affects the intestines and the infectious cysts are shed in the feces.  It is associated with abortion and malformation of the unborn child in pregnant women. 

An argument could be made that there are nutrients in the manure that could be of some value to the vegetable plants, but it sounds like the kitty is laying this fresh manure, not as composted, so the health concern is there.  There are other minor concerns of the digging behavior may rip up some roots in the process of burying it business, but these would probably not be of much concern if you have a good sized garden.

On the plus side, the fact that a cat is there may discourage rabbits on other vegetable chomping critters.  The final argument is that Okeechobee has a leash law that applies to cats, and the county has an animal containment ordinance, which basically says that pets may not wander into another’s property.  Cell Gary Barber at Animal Control (357-3225) if you need their assistance.

                        

In the shade of the old Camphor Tree

 We have a huge Camphor tree in our front yard. We love it with all the low branches and great shade but we would like to know if it is possible to get any kind of grass growing around it. Right now, there are mainly roots, dirt and sparsely growing Bahiagrass. -Leia and Michael –

 Basic rules for growing grass are to make sure that it is watered correctly, fertilized adequately and mowed at the right height.  However, there are a few other rules that apply to turfgrass – they need sunshine to grow.  Camphor trees cast their shade all year long, and reduce the light available for grass to grow well. 

There are some kinds of St.Augustine grass are called “shade tolerant” but that means that still don’t like it if their light is limited.  Bahiagrass needs full sunlight to grow best.  Seasonally, there is annual ryegrass that can handle the shade, but it won’t last past late spring.

One alternative would be to choose another shade tolerant groundcover other than turfgrass. Angel Sachson wrote a great article on Shade Gardening back in February; you can get it on-line at our website or visit our office for a copy.

Finally, another alternative would be to take out the tree.  Silly as it sounds, the Camphor tree is not the best choice because it has invasive properties.  UF/IFAS does not recommend its use in the landscape for this reason.  

Send us your favorite garden question by fax (863-763-5901), email ( okeenews@newszap.com) or just drop it off at the Okeechobee News  office at (107 SW 17th St. suite D, Okeechobee, FL 34974).  The University of Florida - Okeechobee County Extension office will pick out three questions that would be of greatest interest to local residents and publish brief answers in the Okeechobee News.  We need YOUR real questions by Monday at 5 PM. Be sure to include your name and phone or email address in case we need more information (We can publish a question as anonymous if you wish).  Clear photographs (digital preferred) may also be submitted,.  Do not drop by actual plant specimens (unless it is a prize tomato for our salad or a beautiful flower for our office!)  We reserve the right to edit all questions for space.

More information is available on the award-winning Okeechobee web page, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu. If you need additional information on , 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: 11/10/2008.  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert