GROWING DAFFODILS IN NORTH FLORIDA

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1 September 2008 Inside this issue: Lawns and Gardens 2 Calculating Fertilizer for Home Lawns 2 The Edible Garden 3 Horticulture at the Fair 4 Daffodil Order Form 5 Soil Testing 6 F.A.W.N. 6 Dear Extension Friends, I would like to thank everyone who has welcomed me into my new position as Baker County Horticulture Agent. And to everyone who has presented me with those challenging questions keep them coming. Of course, as the new horticulture agent, I am always available to assist homeowners and industry businesses with issues relating to lawns, trees, shrubs and gardens. Also, keep an eye out for information on upcoming horticulture related programs that I will be hosting in the future. If you would like to contact me with questions or comments you may call or me at alamborn@ufl.edu. Best Regards, Alicia R. Lamborn Horticulture Extension Agent Baker County Extension Service GROWING DAFFODILS IN NORTH FLORIDA Come join us at the extension office for our 2 nd Annual Daffodil Program & Sale Saturday, October 11 th 9:30am 11:30am Guest Speaker: Linda Van Beck Florida Daffodil Society Linda will be available to answer questions and teach you everything you need to know about choosing and growing daffodils. There will be bulbs to purchase, however advanced purchase is recommended (order form attached) since supplies are limited. Please register for this event by Thursday, Oct. 9 th at 5pm by calling The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions, or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating.

2 Lawns & Gardens Lawns: You can take a break from watering your lawn this month, but don t give up on mowing. Allowing the grass to get overgrown and then giving it a severe cutting can be very stressful to your lawn. You should never remove more than one third of the leaf blade at any one time. Try to mow at the highest recommended mowing height for your grass species. St. Augustinegrass and Bahiagrass should be mowed at 3 to 4 inches and Centipedegrass at 1.5 to 2 inches. Grass clippings act as a natural fertilizer when left on the ground, returning nutrients that can be used by the turf for new growth. If piles of grass form on the ground (caused by infrequent mowing) then raking and removing the grass is acceptable to reduce thatch and disease problems. Most lawns can be fertilized this month using a complete fertilizer (containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) such as , , or similar product. In some areas, phosphorus may not be needed (a soil test through the extension office will help determine this) and a , or similar fertilizer can be used. If you decide to fertilizer your lawn this month, consider using a controlled or slow-release product for longer lasting results. Annuals & Perennials: Much of September gardening involves keeping the existing plants looking nice until new beds can be planted. Sometimes a little trimming is all that is needed to revive your plants, while others may require staking. Cut out dead or declining portions of plants and remove seed pods which can be saved for future sowing or shared with friends. Removing old and fading flowers may also encourage new blooms on some plants. If you need some added color to revive your beds but don t want to wait for pansy and petunia season, try planting some annuals like wax begonias, scarlet sage, and marigolds. Fall-blooming perennials such as angelonia and firespike will also provide added interest. Don t forget about the weeds either. If you remove weeds before they have a chance to set seed, then you will prevent additional weeds from sprouting next season. Shrubs & Trees: If you decide to get out and do some early fall pruning this month, remember to make pruning cuts back to a bud along the stem, back to a branch angle, or back to the trunk. This will encourage new buds to break and grow, and you won t be left with unsightly dead twigs. To reduce stress on trees caused by pruning, it is best to wait until the dormant season. However, most species of trees can handle light pruning (removing ten percent or less of the foliage) anytime of the year. Do not use pruning paints to cover wounds. They have actually been proven to be more harmful than helpful. If you fertilize your lawn this month then it may be unnecessary to place additional fertilizer down for trees and shrubs. Roots Calculating Fertilizer For Home Lawns Fertilizers should be applied at a rate determined by the type and amount of nitrogen present in the material. When applying a soluble (quick-release) fertilizer, it is now recommended that you apply no more than one-half of a pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet. If you apply a controlled or slow-release product, then you may apply up to one pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet. The pounds of actual nitrogen in every fertilizer can be determined by dividing the percent of nitrogen listed on the label into 100. For example, if you are spreading a slow-release fertilizer (this means that 16% of the bag is actual nitrogen content) you would divide 16% into 100 to find the number of pounds of fertilizer that will supply one pound of actual nitrogen. Therefore, = 6.25 lbs fertilizer = 1 lb actual nitrogen. If the same fertilizer is applied but is not in slow-release form, then only half that amount can be applied per 1000 square feet: = 6.25 lbs 2 = 3.1 lbs = 1/2 lb actual nitrogen. Applying the correct amount of fertilizer will help reduce nutrient runoff and leaching through the soil profile. It will also save you money and be healthier for your lawn. 2 *Sources include: excerpts from The Florida Lawn Handbook and UF s Solutions for Your Life website. *The use of trade names in this newsletter is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee of warranty of the products names and does not signify they are approved to the exclusion of others of suitable comparison.

3 The Edible Garden Vegetable Planting Guide September is a great time to get your fall garden growing! Beets Early Wonder, Detroit Dark Red, Cylindra, Red Ace, Little Ball Broccoli Early Green Sprouting, Waltham 29, Atlantic, Green Comet, Green Duke Cabbage Gourmet, Marion Market, King Cole, Market Prize, Red Acre, Chieftan Savoy, Rio Verde, Bravo Carrots Imperator, Thumbelina, Nantes, Gold Pak, Waltham Hicolor, Orlando Gold Cauliflower Snowball Strains, Snowdrift, Imperial 10-6, Snow Crown, White Rock Collards Georgia, Vates, Blue Max, Hicrop Hybrid Endive/Escarole Florida Deep Heart, Full Heart, Ruffec Lettuce, Crisp Minetto, Ithaca, Fulton, Floricrisp Lettuce, Butterhead Bibb, White Boston, Tom Thumb Lettuce, Leaf Prize Head, Red Sails, Salad Bowl Lettuce, Romaine Parris Island Cos, Valmaine, Floricos Mustard Southern Giant Curled, Florida Broad Leaf, Tendergreen Onions, Bulbing Excel, Texas Grano, Granex, White Granex, Tropicana Red Onions, Bunching White Portugal, Evergreen, Beltsville Bunching, Perfecto Blanco Onions, Multipliers Shallots Radish Cherry Belle, Comet, Early Scarlet Globe, White Icicle, Sparkler, Red Prince, Champion, Snowbelle Turnips Purple Top, White Globe, Just Rite Herbs can also be a great addition to your fall garden. Not only will you have fresh herbs for cooking, but planting herbs in and around your vegetable garden will attract beneficial insects (pollinators). Herbs that can be planted in September include Basil Mints Oregano Rosemary Tarragon Thyme Herbs can also be grown in containers on porches and patios if garden space is limited (just make sure they are receiving the proper amount of sunlight). 3

4 HORTICULTURE AT THE FAIR Get Your Plants Ready For The County Fair In October 2008 Baker County Fair Enter your favorite plants in the horticulture October 3 rd 11 th competition for a chance to win cash prizes! Horticulture Superintendent: Dr. Kyle Brown and the Garden Club of Baker County Chairperson: Cindy Jenkins Competition is open to all growers of horticulture plants (adult and youth judged separately) Exhibitors will be limited to 25 entries. Exhibitors may enter more than one entry in each class but not more than one of the same cultivar or variety. Each entry must be labeled with common or botanical name if known. The show committee will assist with identification if needed. All entries must be cleaned, groomed, and free from disease and insects. Failure to do so may disqualify the entry for judging. All entries must have been grown by the exhibitor and in his or her possession for at least three months prior to the Fair. Entries will be accepted on Monday, September 29 th and Tuesday, September 30 th from 1pm 4pm and 6pm 8:30pm, as well as on Wednesday, October 1 st from 9am 1pm. Plants will be judged Thursday, October 2 nd. No one but judges and clerks will be allowed in the exhibit area during the judging. Decisions by the judges are final. Exhibitors must pick up plants on Sunday, October 12 th from 1pm 6pm. Any plants left after that time will be donated to charity. The Garden Club of Baker County and Master Gardeners will care for your plants. All matters not covered by these rules will be decided by the show committee. Premiums for Ribbons Blue - $3 Red - $2 White $1 Best of Section - $4 Best of Show - $5 Horticulture Exhibit Guide for Entry Tags and Registration Book Exhibitor Number assigned in order of arrival of entries Department - Horticulture Division Adult or Youth Section A Flowering/Fruiting Plants Class 1 Bromeliads Class 2 Orchids Class 3 Other Section C Special Display Class 1 Containers Class 2 Mounted Section E Cacti & Succulents Class 1 Cacti Class 2 Succulents Section B Foliage Plants Class 1 All Entries Section D - Bonsai Class 1 All Entries Section F Hanging Baskets Class 1 Flowering Class 2 Non-Flowering Section G Any entry that does not fit other sections For more information about the fair please visit 4

5 BULB SALE ORDER FORM Daffodil # bulbs Cost # of bags Subtotal Bulbicodium 3 $2.50 Carlton 5 $2.50 Chinese Sacred Lily 3 $5.00 Double Chinese Sacred Lily 3 $5.00 Erlicheer 3 $2.50 February Gold 5 $2.50 Flower Carpet 3 $2.50 N. Pseudonarcissus 3 $2.50 Nony 3 $2.50 Pipit 5 $2.50 Soleil D or 3 $2.50 Sweetness 3 $2.50 Thalia 3 $2.50 Trevithian 3 $ Total Cost $ Customer Name: Phone: Mail to: Growing Daffodils Bulb Order Baker County Extension 1025 W. Macclenny Ave. Macclenny, FL Fax to: Attention: Growing Daffodils Bulb Order DO NOT SEND MONEY YOU WILL PAY AT PICK-UP Questions??? Contact: Alicia Lamborn

6 Baker County Extension Service 1025 West Macclenny Avenue Macclenny, FL Phone (904) Fax (904) Website: Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit No. 17 Macclenny, FL ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Upon request, for individuals with documented print related disabilities, this publication is available in alternative format. Contact the Baker County Extension Service for more information. For individuals with disabilities requiring special accommodations, please contact the Baker County Extension Service at least 5 working days prior to the program in order for proper consideration to be given to the request, For TDD service, call the Florida Relay Service Center at Soil Testing Consider having your soil tested this fall before fertilizing or installing new plants. Soil testing is available through the Baker County Extension Office and the University of Florida s Extension Soil Testing Laboratory. The soil test will determine the ph of your soil and the amount of nutrients that are available to your plants. It will also give you recommendations that are specific to your lawn, garden, or crop. The ph and lime requirement test is $3.00. The soil fertility test, which tests ph, lime requirement, and available nutrients, is $7.00. You may stop by the extension office to pick up your soil testing kit or call if you have additional questions. 6 F.A.W.N. Florida Automated Weather Network The Florida Automated Weather Network provides up-to-date weather information throughout the state of Florida. You may view weather reports from over 30 weather stations around Florida, including one right here in Baker County. Reports will include information on air temperature, soil temperature, rainfall, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity and other data. Visit F.A.W.N on the web at: For Extension Programs offered around the state, see the IFAS Extension Web Calendar at