average minimum winter temperatures. You can use this information by checking plant labels or seed packets for the recommended zones for that plant.

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1 MARION COUNTY GOVERNMNT Table of Contents: Preparing Your Garden for Winter Chrysanthemums A Visit to Butchart Gardens Falling Leaves Upcoming Events Published by Norma Samuel UF/IFAS Extension Marion County Horticulture Agent Timely Gardening Tips for MARION COUNTY by Josephine Leyte-Vidal, UF/IFAS Extension Marion County Master Gardener This is the ideal month in which to plant trees and shrubs. The trees will have enough time to grow a good root system before the Spring flush of growth begins. Strawberries like to be planted in October along with cool weather annuals such as petunia, aster, foxglove, spider lily, and snapdragon. Remember that October begins Florida s dry months. The sod web worm takes advantage of lower temperatures and drier weather to damage your October 2014 Preparing Your Garden for Winter Milder weather is here at last! We know that cool days will soon be followed by cold nights, so it is time to prepare your garden for winter. Here in North Central Florida our average first frost is in late December and our last frost is usually in late February. Gardeners who like to push the season know that surprises can await the unwary, so keep in mind that these dates are based on averages and any season may vary a little. Also, every property will have microclimates areas that are a bit more or less protected. For example, cold air tends to settle in lower spots. North-facing areas, especially windy places, are also likely to be colder. According to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, Marion County is in zone 9a. The zones are based on the Photo Source: marion.ifas.uf.edu average minimum winter temperatures. You can use this information by checking plant labels or seed packets for the recommended zones for that plant. As every Master Gardener will tell you, the #1 principle of Florida-Friendly Landscaping is Right Plant, Right Place. Using plants that will survive our occasional cold snaps will save you time, effort, and money. If you ve purchased a house with existing landscaping and you re not sure what you ve got, the Master Gardeners can help you identify your plants. Visit the Plant Clinic with pictures of the entire plant and close-ups of the leaves, flowers, and fruit, if possible. If you can, bring in samples of plant material and we ll do our best to figure out what you ve got and determine whether it will thrive in local conditions. Planning ahead is the key to protecting vulnerable plants from winter weather. Water the day before a predicted freeze, but keep in mind that cold roots will not absorb a lot of water. Have a place with a light source ready for container plants. A garage or screen room will do. The roots of container plants are particularly susceptible to cold damage, so wrap old quilts around the pots. Vulnerable outdoor plants should never be covered with plastic as the plastic will conduct cold right through to the foliage it touches. You may use frost cloth, sheets, or blankets, but try to keep the fabric away from the plant by using a framework of fencing or even a ladder. The fabric should be anchored to the ground with bricks or stones. This helps trap the heat still in the ground and protects the plant from wind damage. If it

2 Page 2 Timely Gardening Tips for MARION COUNTY by Josephine Leyte-Vidal, UF/IFAS Extension Marion County Master Gardener (continued from page 1) lawn. Look for webs on the surface of your grass in the early evening. If you need to spray you can use Bacillus thuringensis (an organic pesticide) or Sevin. We still have about 90 days before freezes may set in so you can still plant some vegetables such broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and spinach. Now is also the time to plant spring blooming bulbs. A favorite is the daffodil which will show its face when nothing else is blooming in February. The Florida Daffodil Society has developed bulbs that will succeed in our climate. Plant them among other perennials and don t disturb them once they are planted. Preparing Your Garden for Winter (continued from Page 1) is particularly cold, tuck an exterior-grade light source under the cover, making sure it does not touch the fabric or the plant. Exterior-grade Christmas lights work well. Photo Source: okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu Be sure to remove the covers the next day when temperatures begin to warm. Plants need exposure to the sun to live and grow. Heavy covers wet with dew or rain may break twigs and damage leaves. Ideally, the most vulnerable plants would not be exposed to morning sun as rapid temperature changes, cooling or warming, can cause damage. Gradual temperature changes are best, though Mother Nature often doesn t cooperate. Once the freeze is over, resist the temptation to prune away damaged foliage. It is best to wait until the end of winter. The browned-off plant parts will provide some insulation to protect against the next cold spell. Also, pruning often encourages new, tender growth that will be particularly susceptible to damage. Cooler weather is also a good time to check your irrigation system for leaks or damaged lines. Make sure the sprinkler heads are functioning properly and are not watering hard surfaces. Dormant plants, including the lawn, need much less water than actively growing plants. Plants do not need more than one inch of water per week, including rainfall. When Daylight Saving Time ends on the first Sunday in November, reset the timer to one watering per week, per restrictions from the St. Johns River Water Management District. For lots of very useful information, visit their website at Winter can be a time of planning. Make use of this quieter time in the garden to sit back and enjoy your hard work. Assess what went well and what can be improved. Think through your goals for your property and how you can best achieve them by following the Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles. For more information, contact the UF/IFAS Extension Marion County Office at or visit the Plant Clinic and talk to a Master Gardener. The Plant Clinic is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Happy gardening!

3 Page 3 Chrysanthemums by Audrey Edwards, Master Gardener Chrysanthemums mean many things to many people. For me, chrysanthemums bring the warm feeling I had when my neighbor brought a pot of mums over to say Welcome to the community. For others, it is their November birth flower, the official flower of Chicago, IL or the flower given to you for your thirteenth wedding anniversary. The flower also symbolizes happiness, optimism, fidelity, joy, and for some of us, it symbolizes the start of fall. At your next fall party or get together, place a single petal from the flower in the bottom of your guests wine glass and you will Photo Source: wallpaperstock.com be wishing them a long and healthy long life. Other amazing facts about the chrysanthemum include its ability to repel bugs as it contains the chemical pyrethrum. In a NASA Clean Air Study, the chrysanthemum, along with 16 other plants was found to reduce air pollution. Chrysanthemums, commonly known as mums, are one of the most popular flowers next to the rose. Where did this magical flower come from? They originated and were cultivated in China for more than 2500 years. In 400 AD, the plant was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks where it soon became national flower of Japan. In 1789, the chrysanthemum was introduced to England where it quickly spread to all of the British colonies. It was in the 19 th century when it made its way across the pond to the United States. Growing chrysanthemums is easy. In your landscape, plant chrysanthemums in full sun to partial shade where they will be protected from the winter winds. They prefer well drained soils amended with organic matter. Fertilization should occur in the spring with a slow release fertilizer. If grown indoors, be sure to provide the plant with a sunny location and water only as needed. The most important technique in caring for your chrysanthemum is pinching. This will ensure an abundance of flowers as they bloom in late summer and autumn. Beginning in the spring when it has reached a height of 4 to 6 inches, pinch the plant, removing the stem above the second set of leaves. Continue to pinch your chrysanthemum through July. Once your plant has flowered, pinch off the spent flowers to encourage more blooming. To maintain your chrysanthemum through the winter, cut back the plant to the first set of leaves and place pine straw or mulch over the plant to protect the leaves from freezing. In the spring, remove the mulch or straw to see the start of new growth. This is my second year here in Marion County enjoying the blooms of my chrysanthemums. But just as one remembers a special event when they hear a certain song, I remember the kindness of my neighbor when I was a stranger in the state of NC. 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 or terry.holt@marioncountyfl.org. October Marion Oaks Library Master Gardener Series Winter Gardening October 22 6:30-7:30 p.m. Marion Oaks Public Library 294 Marion Oaks Lane, Ocala November Dunnellon Public Library Ask the Experts: November 4 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Dunnellon Public Library Robinson Rd, Dunnellon Master the Possibilities- Master Gardener Series Natives November 21 10:00-11:30 a.m. Master the Possibilities Learning Center, On Top of the World 8415 SW 80th Street, Ocala

4 Page 4 A Visit to Butchart Gardens For those of you born in October your birthday flower is the Marigold, also called calendula. The Marigold's flower meaning is "winning grace." Once considered the most sacred of flowers, in India it was placed around the necks of holy statues. Visiting botanical gardens is a great way of expanding your plant vocabulary and seeing distinctive landscape designs while enjoying the outdoors. Recently I was fortunate to visit The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia, with my family. Considered one of the top ten international garden destinations, Butchart welcomes close to a million visitors a year. Now celebrating their 110 th anniversary, these family-owned gardens have been designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Photo courtesy of ext.colostate.edu It s hard to believe, but these lovely grounds were once home to a limestone quarry and cement factory. The owners, Robert and Jennie Butchart, wanted to beautify the worked-over area. They started small, with just a few roses and sweet pea seeds. Jennie opened their backyard to neighbors and served tea every afternoon. Now covering 55 acres and managed by Butchart descendants, the gardens are glorious during every season of the year. As the garden grew, Jennie Butchart developed a system of themed garden areas. Visitors wander from the Sunken Garden (the original quarry) into the Rose Garden, loop through the Japanese Garden, emerge into the Italian Garden, and will want to start all over again. Side trips to the hand-carved wooden Rose Carousel, the cove with its boat trips, the totem poles, the various fountains, and, yes, the gift shop, will certainly be in order. Interestingly, The Butchart Gardens are in almost the same USDA Plant Hardiness Zone as Marion County. Most of our county is in Zone 9A. The city of Victoria is in 8A and the Gardens are in 8B. The difference, of course, is that their summer highs rarely reach 80 degrees and the area doesn t get the high humidity that sends us running for air conditioning. Still, many of the plants found in the gardens are Photo courtesy of ext.umn.edu familiar, such as petunias and geraniums. There are plenty of exotic flowers to admire, as well as the towering Sitka pines and spruce trees never seen in Central Florida. For loads of information and outstanding plant photography, visit their website at You may find yourself planning a trip! If traveling across the continent isn t for you, consider visiting Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Alachua County. Conveniently located on Archer Road, just west of the I-75 intersection, Kanapaha is full of beautiful, intriguing plants that will do well in our area. Check out their website at for location information and upcoming events to help you plan your next visit.

5 Page 5 A Visit to Butchart Gardens (continued from Page 4) Smaller in scale, but closer to home, are the demonstration gardens at the Extension Office right here in Marion County. View the vegetable, butterfly, and herb gardens as well as the Taylor Shade Garden. If you visit during Plant Clinic hours, Master Gardeners will be available in the Extension Office to answer your questions and talk to you about your gardening needs. The Plant Clinic is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until noon and again from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Stop in and see a Master Gardener or call the Extension Office at "Gardening requires lots of water mostly in the form of perspiration." ~ Lou Erickson Falling Leaves by Kathleen Patterson, Florida-Friendly Landscaping Coordinator I know that the calendar says that fall has arrived - but I beg to differ! We are still seeing temperatures in the high eighties during the day and seventies at night. Sorry, but that is not my idea of fall weather. Instead, I would like to see low seventies in the day and mid-sixties at night. In order for this to happen I need to change my location. And change is in the works for me. I ve been with Extension since late 2000 and I ve seen really hot, humid weather, and cold weather in the twenties since moving to Marion County in It s time to make a change and it s time for me to retire. Beginning November 1, 2014 I will call my home the mountains of Georgia where I recently built a home. Not as cold as where I was born (Michigan) but much cooler than central Florida! Photo by Kathleen Patterson Where are you with your fall gardening? Have you put your plants to bed for the winter? You should have already fertilized your lawn and landscape plants. If you have not, it would be better to wait until spring. New tender growth does not handle cold temperatures so skip it this year. Mid-March applications will help plants green up. What is your irrigation timer scheduled for? With time change in a few weeks it will be time to reset it to once a week only. During the cooler months our plants need far less water than when actively growing during the hot summer months. In fact, Southwest Florida Water Management District encourages customers to skip a week during January. Many of our landscape

6 Page 6 Items below are available for purchase at the UF/IFAS Extension Marion County. We also have many other items available in our Shop Extension store. The store is open Mon-Fri from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Please come to see these environmentally-friendly products, as well as many other agricultural-related items. Falling Leaves by Kathleen Patterson, Florida-Friendly Landscaping Coordinator (continued from Page 5) plants require little water during the winter and it will help you save money and conserve water too! This is my favorite time of the year to begin making a list of plants for the spring new arrivals or my tried and true zinnias and cosmos. These two annuals I plant by seed simply because to always germinate and have prolific flowers for the butterflies, birds and bees to pollinate. The zinnias come in many colors and range from dwarf to over two feet tall. When the flowers of either plant dry on the stalk I simply snap it off and sprinkle those seeds back into the bed which gives me endless fresh cut flowers for much of the year! And then come the catalogs..i love to look and take notes but I usually don t purchase from them. Often the plants are bare-root or very small in size and large in price. You must also be very careful and check the cold/heat zones. Rather, I look in the catalogs then visit my favorite local nurseries to find availability of specific plants. Many times you can ask them to order special plants for you. Even the stores like Home Depot or Lowe s will check availability and try to order if appropriate for the area. Ask to speak to the person in charge of the Garden Center. So with the leaves changing color and then falling off the tree I bid you farewell. It has been an awesome 14 years during which time I have made some wonderful friends in the gardening world. I m looking forward to learning a new climate where I know I can grow lilacs, pussy willow, peony Photo by Kathleen Patterson and tulips but I can t wait to see what other delights are in store for me. At almost 2,000 feet altitude I might even be able to grow the deodor cedar that just didn t like my Florida yard. If ever in the mountains of Georgia in a small town called Blairsville.look for the light at the top of the hill or as I have named my new property Weim Mountain where I plan to play with my three Weimaraners and take lovely walks, kayak and bike ride instead of sitting behind a desk or spending time in someone else s yard! Now I have time to play in my own yard! Foundation for the Gator Nation An Equal Opportunity Institution Oh, and by the way.you probably have not heard the last from me. I may share my adventures of gardening in the mountains with you in the future! See y all real soon!