MARION COUNTY GOVERNMNT
July 2013
Table of Contents:
Marion Sprouts Summer Camp:
Can you Dig it?
Unusual Circumstances
Spanish Moss
What’s Bugging You?
Doozies for the Dog Days
Pesticide Reminder
Upcoming Events
Published by Norma Samuel
UF/IFAS Extension Marion County
Marion Sprouts Summer
Camp: Can you Dig it?
by Donna Dibble, UF/IFAS
Extension Marion County Master
Gardener Secretary
Recently, the UF/IFAS Extension,
Marion County held a week-long
Summer Camp for kids, ages 8-14.
There were 23 kids attending,
7 boys and 16 girls. Assisting with
the camp was our very own Norma
Samuel, Urban Horticulture Agent
and Master Gardener Coordinator,
several Master Gardeners, and a
University of Florida student.
Unusual Circumstances
by Kathleen Patterson, FYN Coordinator
Okay, so I need to ask you to consider these questions? How did your plants survive over the course of
the winter? What was the weather like in April? When did the rains arrive and when did they depart?
Now think about your landscape as a whole, go out and look around and think about where your plants
were in June in previous years. Have you contemplated these questions and arrived at some sort of
conclusion? Well, I want to share with you my observations from the last six months or so.
Fall in my landscape was pretty uneventful. The plants did wonderfully last year and were flourishing as
we entered into late fall and early winter. Plants that normally would die back at the first sign of cold
continued to thrive and flower. This is the first year in five that the Mexican Flame Vine on the front
fence actually flowered and didn’t freeze back. Passionflowers continued to bloom and there were still
plenty of butterflies to be seen….even in December!
January and February were warmer than the norm, so plants continued to thrive. I still had a bountiful
harvest of flowers to cut and bring inside to enjoy. In February I began preparing for my spring
vegetable garden by rototilling, adding compost to the beds and purchasing some seeds. In March I
purchased plants from the annual Master Gardener Spring Festival and I wasted no time in getting them
planted. It was after all, after March 15th so I was following the recommendations I give to homeowners.
I had already pruned and cut back roses, Mexican sunflower, plumbago and nearly every other plant in
my landscape.
The camp taught many aspects of
horticulture, from the importance
and uses of plants to careers in
Agriculture.
Some of the highlights during the
week were:


a fruit and vegetable taste test,
which showed the campers
that there is a wide variety of
fruits and vegetables, some of
which they may not be
accustomed to, but are very
tasty!
a Florida Yards and
Neighborhoods Poster
Then, wham! In early April I had frost and cold temperatures and my plants took a direct hit. Oh no, I
thought to myself, what now? Well, I went back out and re-pruned the cold damaged plants, fertilized
and watered. I believe that all the plants affected by the cold weather would be very slow to come back
and I might even lose a few.
Now it is June and I’ve spent the last week pruning back some of the very same plants that were pruned
in April. Many of the plants have reached the same size as they normally would be in the fall and need
to be pruned down to a normal size for the summer months. Needless to say, this has been one crazy
year for me and the plants.
Page 2
Timely Gardening Tips for
MARION COUNTY
by Donna Dibble, UF/IFAS
Extension Marion County Master
Gardener Secretary
(continued from Page 1)
Contest, where the campers
were able to put down on paper
what they had learned about the
FYN principles

Unusual Circumstances
by Kathleen Patterson, FYN Coordinator
The plants I am most impressed with are the Drift roses that have now been pruned three times this
year and continue to bloom profusely. This groundcover rose is truly a wonderful plant and should
be used as a groundcover in sunny locations. I have several daylilies but the yellow one that was
transplanted early last year has actually tripled in size. The flowers are huge at 6-8 inches and more
flowers this year than ever before.
and a Veggie Critter Contest,
where the campers designed
animals by using only fruit,
vegetables, and herbs
Let me just say, what creative kids we
had at camp!!
The final day of camp was jam-packed
with a field trip to Crones’ Cradle in
the morning, and the afternoon was
completed with prizes awarded for
the contest winners, and each child
being presented with a Participation
Certificate.
Oh, and we cannot forget the bug
cake that the children devoured after
lunch! When Mrs. Norma told them
about it during the week, they were
so intrigued and wanted to know
whether there would be real bugs on
the cake!! Although the design was
originally to use ONLY plastic bugs,
the baker decided to go into the
Master Gardener Demonstration
Gardens a few minutes before the
cake would be served to find a few
little creatures to place in a jar to be
perched on top of the cake. Of
course, the critters were let back into
the gardens once the campers were
finished oohing and aahing and their
tummies were loaded with chocolate!
Thanks goes out to everyone who
made this fun-filled week such a
success. Can’t wait for next year!!!
A contorted mulberry that went in early last year and was only 14 inches tall and 14 inches wide is
now over 4 feet tall and almost 9 feet wide. Luckily I left plenty of room around it for growth so it’s
doing well. Firebush which is usually the last plant in my landscape to recover from the winter is
already blooming and over 4 feet tall. Need I say more? The red Turks Cap is over six feet tall and
6 feet wide already and full of blooms. Beach sunflowers have spread readily and the thornless
blackberries that I transplanted in March are already producing fruit.
Mother Nature surprises us each and every day, but for me the surprises have been totally
unexpected but very enjoyable. The only down side of this is the extra pruning that has taken place
in my Florida-Friendly Landscaping but don’t get me wrong….I am not complaining!
Spanish Moss
by Anne Lambrecht Master Gardener
Neither Spanish nor a true moss, Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is an air plant or what is called
an epiphyte, in the Bromeliad family, a cousin of the pineapple. It’s that gray “fuzzy” stuff, a familiar
part of Florida’s environment, hanging off trees and landscape plants. Air plants are not parasites;
they grow on other plants but do not rely on them for nutrients. They take nutrients from the air
and debris that collects on the plant. Spanish moss grows well in areas with low light, little airflow,
and high humidity, which is commonly provided by southern shade trees, often the Southern Live
Oak and the Bald Cypress.
Although Spanish moss prefers moist environments, its ability to trap water lets it survive dry
periods. The plant can also go dormant until moisture conditions improve.
The plant consists of a slender stem bearing alternate thin, curved or curly “leaves”, 0.8-2” long that
grow in chain-like fashion to form hanging structures up to 18 feet in length. Its flowers are
Page 3
Spanish Moss
by Anne Lambrecht Master Gardener
(continued from Page 2)
inconspicuous (I’ve never seen a flower). You can actually eat the newest “branch”, the one in the
middle of the chain. I’ve tried it and it’s good but you’d have to do an awful lot of hunting and
gathering to make a meal of it.
UPCOMING
LECTURES/EVENTS:
Educational seminars and events
are presented by UF/IFAS
Extension Agents and or
Master Gardeners.
Spanish moss does not have any roots. It attaches by wrapping its stems around a surface. Many
homeowners think that Spanish moss kills their trees. University of Florida professors tell us that
this is not the case because the moss is not parasitic. The only thing Spanish moss uses the trees
for is support. If you observe tree decline after heavy infestations of Spanish moss, the trees are
usually declining because of a different factor. Heavy moss on a tree can shade leaves and slow
growth, even preventing photosynthesis from occurring. Spanish moss can also increase wind
resistance which can prove fatal to the host tree in a hurricane. Healthy trees will grow faster than
the moss. If you want to remove Spanish moss, have an arborist remove it by hand (cha-ching).
However, it will grow back after a while. Another way to remove Spanish moss is by spraying
copper sulfide which is very costly and also temporary.
Unless otherwise indicated, to
pre-register, please call
671-8400 or e-mail
[email protected]
Spanish moss shelters a number of creatures, including rat snakes and three species of bats (oh
goody). One species of jumping spider, Pelegrina tillandsiae has been found only on Spanish moss.
When the Husband and I first moved to our Villages home, the huge 200 year old Southern Live
Oak out back hardly had any Spanish moss on it. Our yard was formerly a pasture or melon patch.
As the turf and landscaping went in beneath the tree, more and more Spanish moss made a home
on the tree’s branches. This means that the tree is stressed out. This stress is caused because the
tree’s root system is competing with the turf for water and nutrients. The solution is very easy for
me. The TURF MUST BE REMOVED. That’s the plan right now. And if I never tell him, the
Husband won’t know unless he decides to go outside.
July 3
10—11 a.m.
UF/IFAS Extension
Marion County Master
Gardener Demonstration
Gardens
A cousin to Spanish moss, Ball Moss (Tillandsia recurvata) is a flowering plant that grows in a
spheroid shape ranging from a golf ball to a soccer ball. The little blue-brown flowers spew their
lighter-than-air dandelion like seeds that fly through the air and stick to anything in their path. I
think they are quite pretty. A friend of mine carried a large Ball moss home to Connecticut. If she
keeps it outside during the winter, it will die since Ball moss is sensitive to freezing, particularly
when moist.
Spanish moss has been used for various purposes, including building insulation, mulch, packing
material, and mattress stuffing. The expression “don’t let the bedbugs bite” comes from the bites of
nearly invisible red bugs, or chiggers that are found in Spanish moss.
In the early 1900s Spanish moss was used commercially in the padding of car seats. In 1939 over
10,000 tons of processed Spanish moss was produced. It is still collected today in smaller quantities
for use in arts and crafts projects. It is also used by some as the filling for traditional voodoo dolls
(yikes!). My neighbor wanted to get some for a craft project and in order to remove any bugs, put
it in the microwave and started a fire. An easier (and less flammable) way is put the Spanish moss in
a tub of water with a little bleach then dry it out.
Recently there has been significant drama going on at the house. The Husband saw a commercial
for a back-pack sprayer of Round Up with bonus flame thrower for killing plants and is keen to
order. I stole the address from his desk and will blame it on visiting grandchildren.
Photo courtesy of University of Florida
July
Demonstration Garden
Tour
Tuesday Gardening
Series:
Rain Barrels
July 9
10 a.m.—Noon
UF/IFAS Extension Marion County
Auditorium
Marion County Public
Library System
Headquarters—Ocala
Location Master
Gardener Series:
Fall Gardening
July 13
1:30—3:00 p.m.
Marion County Public Library
System Headquarters
Page 4
UPCOMING
LECTURES/EVENTS:
Educational seminars and events
are presented by UF/IFAS
Extension Agents and or
Master Gardeners.
Unless otherwise indicated, to
pre-register, please call
671-8400 or e-mail
[email protected]
(continued from Page 3)
What’s Bugging You?
by Urban Horticulture Agent Norma Samuel
Find out what local residents are calling in about.
I decided to write on what’s bugging me instead of you. I am currently being bugged by tomatoes of all sizes,
shapes, and colors.
My husband, Lesroy, gardens as a hobby and so I constantly have to find creative ways to utilize our
harvest. For Father’s Day instead of making a Pineapple Upside-Down Cake we decided to make
Green Tomato Cake. It was absolutely delicious. It’s one of my favorite recipes of summer
2013. Who would have thought that tomatoes would taste so good in a cake? I highly recommend
you try it. Here’s a link to the recipe. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/green-tomato-cake/. It’s good to
know you can find a positive from things that are bugging you.
August
Demonstration Garden
Tour
August 7
10—11 a.m.
UF/IFAS Extension
Marion County Master
Gardener Demonstration
Gardens
Tuesday Gardening
Series:
Common Insect Pests and their
control
August
10 a.m.—Noon
UF/IFAS Extension Marion County
Auditorium
Dunnellon Public Library
Master Gardener Series
Ask the Expert
May 21, 2013
2 p.m.—3 p.m.
Dunnellon Public Library
Doozies for the Dog Days
by Anne Lambrecht Master Gardener
Do you ever melt at the thought of gardening in the summer? Sweaty, sticky: like wearing a wet wool
sweater. Our spring flowers have sprung and we need something sturdy and lasting to bring us into fall
so we don’t have to face the heat. Here are some tried and true hot weather-colorful-low
maintenance doozies for your sweaty dog days.
Celosia is a small genus of ornamental plants in the amaranth family whose flowers look like little
flames of fire. In fact their name means “burned” in Greek. They come in red, yellow, orange and
pink. Once established they need little water and can live in the hot blazing sun until fall. Celosia need
full sun, at least six hours a day, and soil that is rich and moist but not wet. Also called Cockscomb and
wool flowers and their stylized flames are crested, plume and wheat. You can find celosia at most box
stores.
Coreopsis is Florida’s chosen wildflower in the aster family. It is a great choice for the garden:
dependable, bright yellow daisy-like flowers have a long bloom period are trouble-free and easy to grow.
Coreopsis is tolerant of a variety of soil types and environmental conditions and likes full sun. It is also
called Tick Seed because the bud, as well as the “fruit” looks like a tick.
Rudbeckia, Black Eyed Susan, also members of the aster family, are great in the sunny Florida garden.
They come in shades of yellow or orange, with a dark center seed head, but there are also russet,
bronze and mahogany tones. The flowers are daisy-like and can be single, semi-double and fully-double.
You can tell them apart from coneflowers by their coarse-textured, hairy leaves. Be careful when
choosing your Black eyed Susans because many of the luscious hybrids from the “big box” stores tend
to get moldy and die. It is best to find the most common types, and see how they fare during the dog
days. Susans are not particular about soil, but do best in soil that is not too rich, with well-draining
conditions. Keep plants well watered the first season, to get them established. Once established, they
will be quite drought resistant. Go easy on the fertilizer. Too much will result in weak stems and
plants. Regular deadheading of the faded flowers will keep the plants in bloom longer. You can let the
last flowers of the season remain on the plants go to seed and feed the birds, but you will also get a
good deal of self-seeding.
Crinum Lily One of the many bulbs that work in Florida, crinum lilies are a hallmark of Southern
gardens and have been cherished and cultivated by gardeners for years. Plus, there are several species
and dozens of varieties available. Crinums grow from 2 – 4 feet tall and their leaves are strap like and
Page 5
Items below are
available for
by Anne Lambrecht Master Gardener
purchase at the
(continued from Page 4)
UF/IFAS Extension, Marion
County. We also have
add year-round interest in the yard. The flowers are tropical looking and fragrant and come in a
range of whites and pinks, depending on the species and variety. Crinums work well in the Florida many other items available
landscape because of their easygoing nature. Many crinums have been known to grow for years on in our recently opened
old home sites or cemeteries with little or no care. They are resistant to drought, although some
Shop Extension store.
also don’t mind having their feet wet. Crinum americanum, also called swamp lily, is a Florida native
The store is open
and works great on the banks of ponds and streams. Another perk of crinums is that they are
Monday—Friday from
easy to divide, so you can add crinums to other areas of your yard or to pass them along to a
8 a.m.—5 p.m. Please
neighbor. I’ve got them all over my yard and it’s so much fun to be “surprised” by an unexpected
lovely bloom. Be aware that it may take a few years for the plants to reflower. And the foliage
come to see these
will die back in a hard freeze. Crinums are best divided in the winter when they are not actively
environmentally-friendly
growing. Sources: www.jenksfarmer.com and Plant Delights Nursery. www.plantdelights.com.
products, as well as many
other Agricultural related
Pentas Colorful little five-stared flowers that together in their group look like umbrellas. Pentas
items.
Doozies for the Dog Days
love the heat and pollinators love Pentas. These 12” plants produce red, pink, purple or white
flowers throughout the summer and are a great source of food for hummingbirds and butterflies.
The red ones are usually taller and more attractive to wildlife. In many areas of Florida, Pentas will
grow as perennials, though they will die back after freezes if not protected. Pentas are great plants
for container gardens and also work well in mass plantings in garden beds.
Torenia, in the Snapdragon family, is called Wish bone flower because inside each little bright and
quirky flower is a tiny wishbone. The tubular flowers look like a snapdragon and come in pink,
purple and blue with a yellow dot in the center lobe. This low-growing plant is great for borders
in the sun or shade and will volunteer all over the garden. Another name for Torenia is Clown
Flower because of the way the little face looks like a clown. Most varieties form a mound that
eventually trails down the sides of pots. Hummers love Torenias and bees will often break the
wishbone trying to get pollen. Sources: Big Box Stores
Ornamental Sweet Potato is a sun loving ground cover or container plant in the morning glory
family, whose leaves are the star of the show. The leaves come in dark purple, chartreuse green
or variegated green and white. They tend to spread and if you use in a container, you might have
to water more often than you would want. I know a lady who used them instead of a lawn—right
here in the Villages! The cold weather will cause them to go dormant and they will restart from
underground tubers which are inedible. They are available at most garden centers.
Portulaca, Moss Rose or Purslane, is a low-growing sun loving succulent with brightly colored
flowers that close up at night and on cloudy days. Flower colors come in shades of rose, salmon,
pink, scarlet, orange, yellow and white. Some flowers are also striped or spotted with contrasting
colors. Plants are drought tolerant and grow well in poor, sandy soils provided it is well drained.
There is a wild weed species of Purslane which is edible and extremely nutritious. Most garden
centers have these.
Caladium is a bulb that has a wonderful color palette for either sunny or shady areas. The heart
shaped leaves come in color combinations of white, pink, red. The flower looks like a white Jackin-the-Pulpit. Splashes of white look great in deep shade. The reds and pinks brighten up a green
landscape. The lance-shaped leaf types can take more sun although I’ve got them in the shade
AND the sun and they do well in both places. Also, UF recommends that you dig up the bulbs in
the fall and store them in a cool, dark place over the winter but they die back so completely that I
tend to forget where they were. They always come back anyway, so no more digging. There is a
wonderful Caladium Festival the last weekend of August in Lake Placid, Florida. Source:
www.happinessfarms.com
Page 6
Pesticide Reminder
Message from David Epstein, USDA OPMP:
Use of any pesticide in any way that is not consistent with label directions and precautions is illegal. It
may also be ineffective and dangerous. The basic steps in reducing pesticide risks are:
Choose the form of pesticide best suited to your target site and the pest you want to control:
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An Equal Opportunity Institution
o First, identify the problem correctly and then, choose the least-toxic pesticide that will achieve the
results you want and be the least toxic to you and the environment.
o When the words “broad-spectrum” appear on the label, this means the product is effective against
a broad range of pests. If the label says “selective,” the product is effective against one or a few pests.
o Read the label before buying the pesticide, read the label before mixing or using the pesticide each
time, and read the label before storing or disposing of the pesticide.
Determining the right amount to purchase and use: do not assume that using more pesticide than the
label recommends will do a better job. It won’t.
Find the signal word—either Danger, Warning, or Caution on the pesticide label. The signal word
tells you how poisonous the product is to humans.
Choose the form of pesticide (aerosol, dust, bait, or other) best suited to your target site and the
pest you want to control. Certain formulations work better for some pests and/or some target areas
than others
·
Using the product safely and correctly:
o Never apply pesticides outdoors on a windy day (winds higher than 10 mph)
o Wear protective clothing, don’t smoke or eat
o Mix and apply only the amount you need
o Watch for negative effects on wildlife (birds, butterflies, and bees) in and near treated areas. If you
see any unusual behavior, stop using that pesticide, and contact EPA’s Pesticide Incident Response
Officer
·
Store and dispose of pesticides properly.
o Follow all storage instructions on the pesticide label.
o Always store pesticides in their original containers, complete with labels that list ingredients, directions for use, and first aid steps in case of accidental poisoning.
State and local laws regarding pesticide disposal may be stricter than the federal requirements on the
label. Be sure to check with your state or local solid waste agency before disposing of your pesticide
containers.