Volume XX Number XX Summer 2017, Issue 1 Greetings! In this Issue Title Page FFL Plant...1 Upcoming Programs.. 2 Master Gardener Program 3 Summer Lawn Care...4 All-American Selections...5 As the Urban and Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent for St. Johns County, I enjoy providing horticulture-related education, programs and diagnostics to help our clientele have sustainable FloridaFriendly landscapes. This quarterly newsletter aims to provide a forum for information that is both timely and relevant to what is happening in your lawns and landscapes. Additionally, it will provide information on upcoming programs and events offered by UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns County Horticulture Department. I value the opportunity to serve my community, and look forward to working with you. Sincerely, Terra Freeman, St. Johns County Urban and Commercial Horticulture Agent Florida-Friendly Landscaping Plant Highlight: Lanceleaf Coreopsis / Coreopsis lanceolata One of 14 native coreopsis species found in Florida, this clumping, semi-evergreen perennial boasts 1 inch bright yellow flowers from March through August, with peak bloom in late spring. Lanceleaf coreopsis prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soils, although it is drought tolerant once established. A must for any pollinator garden, coreopsis attracts butterflies and provides pollen and nectar for native and honey bees. For more information contact: UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns County Terra Freeman terraf@ufl.edu (904)209-0430 FAX (904)209-0431
Upcoming Programs Florida-Friendly Fridays Workshops will provide in-depth training on the 9 principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping (FFL) Classes will take place on Fridays, from 9 am to noon, at St. Johns County Extension May 19: (Located in Auditorium) Introduction to Florida Friendly Landscaping Right Plant, Right Place Register online at: https://floridafriendlyfridaymay19.eventbrite.ca June 30, (Located in Wind Mitigation Building) Water Efficiently Fertilize Appropriately Register online at: https://floridafriendlyfridayjune30.eventbrite.ca July 28, (Located in Wind Mitigation Building) Mulch Attract Wildlife Register online at: https://floridafriendlyfridayjuly28.eventbrite.ca August 25, (Located in Auditorium) Recycle Yard Waste Reduce Stormwater Runoff Protect the Waterfront Register online at: https://floridafriendlyfridayaug25.eventbrite.ca Pre-registration required as spaces are limited! Use Eventbrite registration links listed by each program to register or call/e-mail Harriet at front desk at: (904)209-0430 / hfleming@sjcfl.us UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns County Auditorium: 3125 Agricultural Center Dr. UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns County Wind Mitigation Building: 3111 Agricultural Center Dr. 2
Master Gardener Plant Clinics and Help Desk Is your lawn suffering from insect damage? Is your citrus tree exhibiting symptoms of a nutrient deficiency? Wondering what crops will grow in Florida this time of year? Master Gardeners are available to answer your diagnostic questions at the Extension office Help Desk at (904)209-0430, most weekdays from 9 to noon. You can drop a sample off, or call in with your questions. You can also bring your diagnostic questions to the Master Gardener Plant Clinic on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, from 10 am to 2 pm, located at Home Depot at 1750 US Hwy 1 South, St. Augustine. St. Johns County Master Gardener Program Applications The Florida Master Gardener program is a volunteer training program designed to help University of Florida Cooperative Extension faculty disseminate research-based information about horticulture to the public. UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns County is accepting applicants for the 2017 Master Gardener Program. The program provides participants with 50 hours of horticulture training and requires participants to donate 75 hours of volunteer time within their first year in order to become certified. The charge for the class is $100 and covers books and training materials. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, May 31, and classes will be offered on Wednesdays, from August 2 to October 11. Interested St. Johns County residents should contact Terra Freeman at terraf@ufl.edu or call (904) 209-0430 for an application and Sprouting Kit. To learn more about the St. Johns County Master Gardener program, visit http:// stjohns.ifas.ufl.edu/lg-master_gardener.shtml. Rabbiteye Blueberry Production Workshop will explore the basics of planting and maintaining a productive blueberry crop including cultivar selection, site preparation, irrigation, fertilization and pruning. Workshop will include tour of blueberry gardens, so please wear boots or other appropriate shoes and attire for walking outside. Friday, July 21, 2017, from 10 am to 11:30 am $5.00 fee; Register online at: http://blueberryworkshop.eventbrite.com Located at UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns County Wind Mitigation Building 3111 Agricultural Center Dr. 3
Summer Lawn Care Tips Expect to start mowing your lawn on a weekly basis in May. If you haven t already done so, sharpen your mower blade and set it to proper height for your lawn type : - St. Augustine and Bahiagrass should be mown at a height of 3 to 4 inches, unless a semidwarf cultivar, in which case set your blades to 2 to 2.5 inches. - Centipede grass should be set to a height of 1.5 to 2 inches - Zoysia should be maintained at 1 to 2 inches. Do not remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade per mowing event. If you did not apply a complete fertilizer in March or April, do so in May. - Apply no more than 1 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet. - If you fertilized in March, June would be an appropriate time to apply an iron only application. If iron wasn t applied in June, do so in July. During daylight savings time, irrigation can increase to two times a week with ½ - ¾ inch per zone. If there has been sufficient rainfall through the week adjust irrigation accordingly. Lawns will provide visual indicators when they need to be watered. These clues signal the proper time to apply 1/2 to 3/4 inch of water: - Leaf blades fold in half - Grass has a bluish-gray color - Foot tracks remain in the grass Chinch bug activity is a threat during the hot summer months. Main areas of concern are hot, dry areas of the lawn next to roadways, sidewalks and driveways as they tend to dry out the quickest. Methods for monitoring include: - Visually inspect yellowed areas at soil surface and base of turf. - Cut both ends out of a big metal can, such as a coffee can. Slowly fill with water and count chinch bugs that float to top within five minutes. Keep water level above grass and if nothing appears during the five minute period examine three or four other areas. - Vacuum near a damaged area for about two minutes using a handheld vacuum cleaner. Remove filter, dump material on sidewalk and look for nymphs and adults. Repeat in several damaged areas. Chinch bug damage Chinch bugs: nymph adult by Joe Kirby, UF/IFAS Extension Horticulture Program Assistant Properly maintained lawn 4
My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece Claude Monet The gardens in the Arboretum at the St. Johns County Agricultural Center were chosen as an AllAmerican Selections (AAS) Display Garden in 2015. We are so proud of this significant honor as our gardens are one of just two AAS display gardens in Florida. St. Johns County Arboretum earned this distinction by proving years of ongoing excellence in their award-winning demonstration gardens. All-America Selections is an independent, non-profit organization that evaluates new varieties of seeds and plants in trial gardens located in regional areas of the U.S. and Canada. Each year varieties that perform best in all the trial gardens in North America are announced as AAS National Winners. You will find many AAS winners in the ornamental and vegetable demonstration gardens in the St. Johns County Arboretum. Most varieties are grown from seed and nurtured by St. Johns County Master Gardeners. The displays and varieties are refurbished several times a year based on the season and weather. The latest new varieties mingle with old-fashioned favorites. There are stunning displays of hollyhock, petunia, dianthus, celosia, and marigold to name just few. Examples of edible landscaping will show how to find room in your garden for vegetable and herbs. Compare varieties of tomato, okra, eggplant, basil and pepper to find the best one for your garden. Be sure to visit the gardens in the St. Johns County Arboretum often as the everchanging vistas are truly worth your time. Article by St. Johns County Master Gardeners Brent Applewhite and Shirley Barber Photo by Shirley Barber 5