The Plant It and Forget it Approach to Winter Gardening by Norma Samuel, Ph.D., Urban Horticulture Agent

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1 MARION COUNTY GOVERNMNT Table of Contents: The Plant It and Forget It Approach to Winter Gardening FFL Principle # 2: Watering Efficiently Argentine Wonder Grass Timely Gardening Tips for Marion County 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 Azalea show time, February and March, is almost here. Soon Ocala will be covered with those spectacular blooms that signal the arrival of spring. Whatever you do, do not prune except for one or two of those wild branches that shoot out, because the buds for this spring s bloom were set last summer. Also, do not fertilize your azaleas until after they finish blooming. Clean up around them and add fresh mulch. This is also a good time to be shopping for lawn fertilizer since the application time is early March. If you ve had a problem in the past with February 2016 The Plant It and Forget it Approach to Winter Gardening by Norma Samuel, Ph.D., Urban Horticulture Agent Most of you have probably seen that popular television commercial where the host constantly repeats the tagline set it and forget it. That s kind of the approach I ve taken with my garden at winter time over the last few years. I select plants which are zoned for Central Florida for my landscape and because I don t like cold weather, I do not go outside to try and protect plants. So, my tagline when it comes to cold weather is: plant it and forget it. Sometimes, I will add some winter annuals like snap dragons and petunias to my garden. They can take Source; ifas.ufl.edu care of themselves for the most part. When the weather begins to warm up mid to late February, then I emerge to prune the dead plant material. Shortly thereafter, I would have new growth on my plants and lots of fun working in my garden in the hot weather. Now, you know my approach to stress free winter gardening! The most effective cold weather protection is achieved when you think about how you can protect your plants from cold weather damage long before the expected hard freeze. Plan to implement practices which will help to increase cold tolerance of the plants in the landscape. Here are a few practices that I strongly recommend you adopt. Right Plant, Right Place Select plants appropriate for USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Zone 8 9a. All of Marion County is now in Zone 9a. Plants adapted to the lower number will be more cold tolerant. Know the various microclimates which exist within your landscape and plant tender plants in the warmer areas. These can be along a fence to protect the plants from cold winds and areas with good drainage. Avoid low areas as these create frost pockets. Proper Plant Nutrition As a general rule of thumb, avoid late season applications of nitrogen. Excessive nitrogen application will stimulate a new flush of growth that does not get enough time to harden and is more

2 Page 2 Timely Gardening Tips for MARION COUNTY by Josephine Leyte-Vidal, UF/IFAS Extension Marion County Master Gardener (continued from page 1) spring lawn weeds, apply a pre -emergent herbicide in mid- February. Be careful. Read the label and be sure that the p r e - e m e r g e n t a c t i v e ingredient (a.i.) is safe for your type of turfgrass. For example, an a.i. that works with bahia will kill St. Augustine grass. The compost that you have been making since last season should be used now. Place one to two inches of new compost and work it into the soil so it will be ready for planting. Mid-February is the time to begin planting your spring vegetable garden. You can plant seeds for collards, cucumber, endive, and lettuce. Transplants can also be set out now, but be prepared to protect them against frost or freeze. The Plant It and Forget it Approach to Winter Gardening by Norma Samuel, Ph.D., Urban Horticulture Agent (continued from Page 1) susceptible to frost damage. The last fertilizer application for the year to lawns should be potassium at a recommended rate of ½ lb per 1000 square feet. Avoid Late Summer Early Fall Pruning. Pruning late in the season will also result in a new flush of growth that will be susceptible to cold damage. So avoid what seems to be the customary practice of whacking plants like crape myrtles back in the fall. Mid to late February is the right time to prune crape myrtles. Proper Mowing. Mowing turf at recommended heights will promote deeper roots that are known to be associated with increased cold tolerance. See Mowing Your Florida Lawn for mowing heights that are specific to your grass type ( Protection Before the Freeze. The day before the freeze is expected water landscape plants well. This will allow the soil to absorb more solar radiation and the heat will be reradiated at night; thus, keeping the plants warm. Adding a layer of mulch also helps to keep that heat around the root zone of plants. Sheets, quilts, black plastic, and frost cloths are Hort.uga.edu all appropriate for covering plants. The cover should extend to the ground and should not touch the leaves. The leaves that are in contact with the cover can suffer cold damage because of the transfer of heat from the leaves to the cold cover. Immediately remove black plastic the morning after the freeze as black absorbs the heat of the sun and will result in high temperatures that can damage the plant. There is also the option of moving plants indoors or inside the garage for some warmth. After the Freeze. If you did not protect plants like firespike and firebush, the entire plant may look mushy if it is not in a protected area. Avoid cutting frost damaged plants back until spring. Pruning them too soon will result in new growth that will only get damaged again with the onset of another frost. Types of Frost Damage. The damage resulting from cold weather may not manifest itself in some plants until months later. Symptoms may include: water soaked and wilted leaves, marginal leaf burn in evergreens such as hollies; splitting of the stem or bark; or frost cracks running the length of the tree; and desiccation (drying out) if the ground gets frozen within the root zone of the plant. Add these tips to your gardening calendar to ensure you are doing things at the right time. Have fun keeping yourself and your plants warm.

3 Page 3 FFL Principle #2: Watering Efficiently by Jack LeCroy, Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM Agent Water. What a powerful word. Some say this is what the future wars will be over. Not money, or power or religion but water. But why? Why should I care about water? When I first came to Florida I was inundated with numerous outlets that all had something to say about water conservation. Before I moved to Marion County I never knew about this side of Florida. Driving down Interstate 75 you see billboards showing that the University of Florida is Source: Ifas.ufl.edu working hard to conserve water. As many of you are not originally from this state I am sure that I was not the only one asking for more to the story when I moved here. Let s first define efficiently. To work in a manner that is wasting the least amount of time and effort. That makes sense. I don t think any of us would object to saving a little time here and there. Principle two of the Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM program deals with watering your lawn and landscape in the most efficient way possible. Here are some responses that I have received when I talk to people about proper watering techniques: Well it rains all the time here, why do I have to worry about water? or We are surrounded by water so it doesn t matter. Are they right or are they wrong? Being concerned about water is important in Florida for numerous reasons. We pull our water from the aquifer which is just a few feet below us. Do you know that is where our drinking water comes from? Also, with the rising population in Florida and with everyone pulling out of one main water source, the aquifer, it will become very difficult to supply water to everyone. With issues such as salt water intrusion and sinkholes arising in our state, water is an issue that everyone living in Florida needs to be aware of. Here in Marion County, we pay special attention to our springs such as Rainbow Springs, Silver and Juniper Springs. Water quality and quantity are two major concerns that are being monitored everyday with these water bodies. Watering efficiently also just means being smart with water use. A lot of times we can think of water as a plentiful resource. There are some times we think of water and think more is better in some cases when dealing with landscaping. Watering too much in your landscape can cause a host of problems that you will spend time trying to remedy. When do you water your grass? Do established shrubs still need to be under irrigation? How much water do you use per irrigation event? Is your irrigation 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. February Dunnellon Satellite Plant Clinic February 2, :00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Florida-Friendly Homeowner Water~Landscape~Energy 4-Part Series February 2, 9, 16, 23, :00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Rainbow Springs State Park $35.00 (lunch provided) Master the Possibilities Series Grow Your Own Food February 2, :00-11:30 a.m. On Top of the World 8415 SW 80th St, Ocala Freedom Library Gardening for Snow Birds February 5, :30-11:30 a.m. Freedom Public Library 5870 SW 95th St, Ocala Dunnellon Library Roses February 16, :00 3:00 p.m.

4 Page 4 UPCOMING LECTURES/EVENTS: March Dunnellon Satellite Plant Clinic March 1, :00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Freedom Library Vegetable Gardening March 4, :30-11:30 a.m. Freedom Public Library 5870 SW 95th St, Ocala Master the Possibilities Series Building Healthy Soil March 11, :00-11:30 a.m. On Top of the World 8415 SW 80th St, Ocala Dunnellon Library Ask The Experts March 15, :00 3:00 p.m. Fort McCoy Library Master Gardener Series Ask The Experts March 19, :00-11:00 a.m. Fort McCoy Public Library NE Highway 315, Ft. McCoy Forest Public Library Master Gardener Series Ask the Experts March 19, :00-3:00 p.m. Forest Library 905 South Hwy 314A, Ocklawaha FFL Principle #2: Watering Efficiently by Jack LeCroy, Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM Agent (continued from Page 3) putting out a uniform rate of water? Do landscape beds need to be on separate irrigation zones from turfgrass? Are you watering more of the street than your actual grass? We say to water your grass early in the morning so it will have the whole day to dry out. Letting your grass sit with wet foliage can promote fungus and other problems. I also tell people to water when they can actually see their irrigation system running. Irrigation problems can happen and if your irrigation system is on while you are in bed, you might not realize there is a problem until much later. We recommend ½ - ¾ inch of water per irrigation event. Also, did you know that Florida law requires a working rain shut-off device or switch on any automatic irrigation system installed after May 1, 1991 (FS )? As you can tell, there is a lot of information to know and understand about Florida s water system and how it connects with how you use water in your own home and landscape. Never fear because we are here to help. Source: stockphoto.com Argentine Wonder Grass by John Hall Love, Master Gardener Intern What if someone told you there was now a lawn grass that looks good, grows very well in Central Florida s sandy soil with no insecticide, with very little fertilizer, with watering no more than once a week, and it will go dormant during a drought to survive with no watering at all? With all those advantages, what if it also cost less than all other lawn grasses? You would want to know about it, right? Very likely you have seen it when you last drove past a cow pasture. Florida farmers and ranchers have known about the advantages of this cow pasture grass for years. Homeowners have also used it for years. It was a popular lawn grass back when few lawns had irrigation and few people hired gardeners or services to maintain their lawn. Environmentally responsible homeowners are choosing it to conserve water, reduce fertilizer leaching into ground water, lakes and springs, and to minimize use of chemicals. The name of this wonder grass is Argentine bahia (pronounced bă-hāy -ă). Argentine is one of two varieties of bahia grass recommended for Florida lawns. Many homeowners prefer Argentine over Pensacola bahia grass.

5 Page 5 Argentine Wonder Grass by John Hall Love, Master Gardener Intern (continued from Page 4) There are a few things to consider before deciding bahia is right for your lawn: Argentine bahia needs bright direct sunlight. It does not do well in shade under trees. Argentine bahia is not a short low growing grass; ideally it should be mowed at a height of about three inches, although it can be maintained a little shorter when growing fast during rainy seasons. Argentine bahia s color is not dark green like some other lawn grasses. It is normally more medium-green, although when getting adequate water and a little fertilizer it will have a beautiful emerald hue. Bahia puts up tall seed stalks if not mowed regularly but the Argentine variety produces fewer stalks. Once the sod is grown in tight with no bare spots, there will be fewer stalks. Most homeowners don t think this is a problem. Ifas.ufl.edu mole crickets though. Considering all of this, the advantages of Argentine bahia in sunny, sandy yards like most parts of Central Florida, far outweigh the disadvantages: Argentine bahia can be fertilized only a couple times a year and still look good. Few insects affect Argentine bahia; chinch bugs are no problem. Watch out for Fungus diseases rarely bother Argentine bahia that is not overwatered or in a naturally wet area. Argentine bahia needs very little water; one inch once a week is recommended. When well established it can survive the summer without irrigation. Argentine bahia lawns can be inexpensively and easily grown from seed. With adequate water, a reasonably good-looking lawn can be established in one season, after the second season it can look like it s been there many years. Argentine bahia can be grown in just about any soil type but it excels in sandy soils. For a great looking environmentally-friendly, inexpensive, low maintenance lawn in sunny spots of your Central Florida lawn, Argentine bahia is the one! For those of you born in February your birthday flower is the violet. The violet symbolizes faithfulness, humility, and chastity. There are about 400 species throughout the world, mainly in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Flower colors vary in the genus; many are violet as their name suggests, and some are blue, some pink, some white, and some are bi-colored.

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. Florida-Friendly Landscaping Book of the Month Sale Each month, we will be offering one of the books available in the Extension Bookstore at a substantial discount (sorry, walk-ins only). February s offering is Florida s Fabulous Butterflies By Thomas Emmel Regularly $15.95 on sale for $ tax 50% off until the end of February Foundation for the Gator Nation An Equal Opportunity Institution