FOR RELEASE: 23 February 2003
Daniel F. Culbert,  County Extension Director

                                                        WHAT'S HOT IN FLORIDA YARDS (Part II)

Today's column is the second part of a presentation on current landscaping issues in our local Florida Yards.  The presentation was  made at Gardenfest!, and is based on review of  the kinds of questions that have been presented to our Master Gardeners over the last year.  

CITRUS TREE QUERIES
 
Some common questions presented to our Master Gardeners deal with another local landscape signature - our citrus trees.  Issues seem to heighten when the flowers fail to appear on young trees (they are just not old enough to bloom), how to deal with the pests on the newly emerging leaves in March, June and September (bring it in to identify), how to prune it like I see in the groves (don't), and how to rejuvenate that old tree into a new one (it might be less effort to replant).

We have several new citrus pests in the groves which can impact our dooryard trees.  Citrus Canker has not been found in our county - YET.  Stop by the Master Gardener office or our website and take a look at a photo of what canker looks like.   If you think you have it, DON'T bring it in.  Call for help.  Some of the property owners in SE Florida are embroiled in a legal battle and want to keep their canker exposed trees.  Does it make sense to keep a tree that will die from diseases, not to mention that will contribute to the demise of one of our keystone economic industries of our state?

Many dooryard citrus pests can be managed with horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps.  Bring these pests in to identify them first and to learn if sprays are really needed; often they are not.  For example, there is a "friendly fungus" that looks like a scale insect that actually consumes scale insects.  Besides specific pests, we find that many dooryard citrus trees are starved and over watered.  Citrus trees need to be fertilized three times a year with a blend of fertilizer designed specifically for citrus trees. Irrigation should be applied to the root zone, but the leaves and trunks should not be irrigated.  (That is, of course, unless the roots have suddenly popped out of the bark or foliage).
 
ANTS OR TERMITES?

Next on the list compiled by Master Gardener Alan Morton were the many questions we field about those creepy crawlies found inside the home. Number one household insect question: is it an ant or a termite?  (Answer, does it have a thin waist or thick belly?) 

As far as termites are concerned, there is little that the homeowner can do by themselves if they have termites. Best thing is to arm yourself with some good information from our office on how a termite lives (and can be killed) and how to buy pest control services.  Then, call several professionals, listen to their proposals, and choose the one that best suits your needs.  We can't offer referrals to specific companies, so our advice there is, ask your neighbors and friends if they have had good service from one of our local termite experts.
 
Take a good look at the new termite baiting techniques to see if they can be useful in your situation.  If you are building a new home, get educated on the new laws concerning termite pretreatments used during construction.  And here's a final piece of advice: termites will not cause your home to fall down overnight: so spend a little time first learning how to think like a termite before you make your necessary economic choices.

There are many different kinds of ants, and several excellent products that can be used to keep them under wraps.  Some of the best ant control products are a clean kitchen, good moisture management, tight fitting windows and doors, and a caulk gun.  If you see ants indoors, don't freak out and hit them with the spray can.  Watch them carefully for a moment, see where they are headed and where they came from, and then you will know where to place that bait or where to close that void. 

Outside, fire ants are another story.  There are some neat management ideas on the horizon for controlling fire ants, like a fly that lays its egg in the ant, causing the fire ant to lose its head. I've heard a lot of wild stories out there about home remedy fire ant solutions - they are all amusing, but ineffective.  But for now, use the baits to control the mounds as they appear in dryer times for best control, and use the contact insecticides if that mound is in a place that requires immediate relief. Another outdoor pest is the white-footed ant.  It too will need carefully considered chemical treatment for relief.  Bottom line - Read the pesticide label- the Label is the Law!

And our final cluster of popular questions according to Alan deal with turf.  Right now our lawns look brown, and that is frustrating to many. Here's a couple of ideas to think about: first, the grasses we use for turfgrass here in Florida are all TROPICAL.  This means that when NIGHT temperatures are below 70 degrees Farenheight, the plants go dormant.
Secondly,  return to some of my earlier comments about cold temperatures - frost will kill grass leaves, but the stems and roots will recover quite nicely when we warm up.  Finally, take a good hard look about the functionality of turf in your landscape. 

Turf works well to hold soil in place and is outstanding as a means to absorb excessive nutrients and runoff.  But it is a higher maintenance item in the landscape, and few of us have the resources need to have our own personal golf course or athletic field in our front yard.
 
Growing good grass require three basic ingredients: proper watering, proper fertilization, and proper mowing.  Established turf needs ½ inch of moisture every week, and don't water again until the grass just starts to wilt.  Get to know your time clock, where it is and how it is adjusted. Having it turn on for 10 minutes does not necessarily mean that the right amount of water is being applied.  Irrigation frequency is a big issue with our turf irrigation.  "Every other day, whether it needs it or not -  all throughout the year"  is wasteful and contributes to turf diseases. It may also be illegal.  Ask our Master Gardeners about sprinkler calibration. 
 

Turf fertilization is necessary for good grass, but don't overdo it. For our local situation, I've found that a 16-4-8 granular fertilizer with slow or controlled release nitrogen applied twice a year will encourage healthy St. Augustine or Bahiagrass, but should  not contribute to nutrient pollution of our Indian River Lagoon.  If that recipe scares you, please see our Master Gardeners for more information.

And mowing: when this task is DONE, the grass should be 3-4 inches high if you have a conventional grass lawn .  A closer shave will damage the plant and result in shallow roots, which will mean more frequent irrigation, increased fertilization, and get you into an endless circle of solving problems. 

The number one turf weed in our area is dollarweed.  The solution is often - turn off the water.  Dollarweed is an aquatic weed, and few of us have lakes as our lawns.  The number one turf insect is the chinch bug. Excessive fertilization or drought stress are often the real culprit with this little sucker.  Follow the rules and you avoid these problems.

If you have turf weeds, be sure to have them identified first.  Then our Master Gardeners can pull out the University of Florida herbicide recommendations and offer you some temporary, quick-fix solutions.   But use these chemicals only as "medicine" that will help discourage these problems as you get back to the basics of good lawn care.

And speaking of weeds, remember seeing all those robins a few weeks back?  While they were here, they were enjoying their meals by visiting local Brazilian Pepper trees.  Which means that a new crop of pepper seedlings will soon be on its way.  Pick them out from below your trees, fenced and power lines, favorite roosting places for these birds.  If you wait too long, they will become woody shrubs and trees that will take a lot more effort to keep in check.

THANK YOU INDIAN RIVER COUNTY

For those of you who may not have heard, I will be taking on a wonderful opportunity to initiate a new Extension Horticulture program -  in Okeechobee County - beginning in March.  I've been asked by the University of Florida to participate in the greater Everglades restoration efforts by training pesticide applicators, assisting the nursery, turf  and landscape industries, and establishing a new Master Gardener program for the residents of Okeechobee.

Nine years ago I initiated the local Extension horticulture program here in Indian River County.  I've seen our county grow in the number of informed residents who have learned to combine good environmental stewardship with beautiful landscaping.  I hope that if you are not familiar with the Florida Yards & Neighborhood program, you will stop by and learn about it from our Master Gardeners. 

As your Horticulture agent, I've enjoyed writing over 240 columns for the Press Journal, making hundreds of visits and public presentations, answering thousands of calls and office visits to local residents.  I feel confident that I've helped improve the technical competence and professionalism of our pest control industry.  But I really feel that what has made this possible in many respects is the dedication and service of a couple of hundred really special people who care about horticulture - your
very own Indian River Master Gardeners. 

There are currently 60 of these folks right now in the county , and I'm sure that they can handle many of your needs for unbiased research based information while the University of Florida and Indian River county secure a new horticulture agent for this county.  I thank you all for your continued interest in Florida Friendly landscaping.

If you need additional information, consult our website at http://indian.ifas.ufl.edu or call or stop by our office.  For questions about Florida Yards, our office holds Master Gardener Clinic hours at the Extension office (1028 20th Place, Suite D,
Vero Beach) during office hours, Wednesday morning at the North County Library in Sebastian, and the second and fourth Saturday of the month at the Environmental Learning Center.   Our phone number is 770-5030, and you can email us at indian@ifas.ufl.edu

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