Florida Yards & Neighborhoods

Extension Spotlight

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:43:00 +0000

What to know what's going on at the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service?

Check out this month's issue of Extension Spotlight

Creating a Florida-Friendly Landscape

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:19:00 +0000

Designing a landscape is a daunting task. You may not be able to figure out where to put that new plant, much less create a new mulched bed or revamp an existing area. There are many tips that can help make this process much easier.

1. Decide why you want to landscape.
Aesthetics, environmental protection, improving resale value, noise reduction, climate control and wildlife habitat are just a few reasons people decide to landscape.

2. Determine how you will use your property.
Determine how much lawn you need for children or pets and how much time you want to spend caring for your plants.

3. Analyze the existing site.
Walk around your property with a clipboard and paper making notes of all the things you see. The factual information about your site is very important in creating your plan.

4. Prepare a land-use plan.
Using a ruler and graph paper you can create a scaled drawing of your property and include all the factual information you obtained from the walk around your yard. You will also want to make notes of your ideas for the new landscape on this paper.

5. Add the landscape plan to the sketch.
Determine what type of plants you want to put in your yard. Sketch them into your plan remembering to keep them away from the house, group them according to water needs and give them plenty of room to grow.

6. Incorporate the irrigation plan.
If you are planning on using an irrigation system of some kind, now is the time to draw a plan or contact an irrigation contractor to do so for you.

7. Select landscape materials.
Considering your maintenance requirements, it is now time to select plant material. Consult gardening books, local nursery professionals and the Extension Service for help.

8. Implement.
Purchase quality plants and make sure that you install them correctly.

9. Maintain.
Proper maintenance including irrigation, fertilization, pruning, mowing, mulching and pest management are crucial to the health of your plants. Make sure that you are environmentally
aware when maintaining your landscape.

10. Enjoy!
The final step takes a long time and a lot of hard work to get to, but if you follow the Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles and attend a landscape design workshop you will have a
low maintenance landscape to enjoy!

For a list of upcoming landscaping workshops go to http://polkfyn.com.

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:01:00 +0000

Spring is a good time to clean up, plan and prep your landscape for planting. Even though we escaped a cold winter, many plants were damaged and there is still work to do in the yard to clean up after winter. Where should you start?

1. Prune back all of the freeze damaged plants in your landscape. Don’t dig them all out of the ground, as most of them will come back as the temperatures begin to warm.

2. After the pruning is complete, there will be more visible mulched areas. Take the time to weed and remulch as needed. A clean, mulched landscape is a great way to start fresh!

3. If you want to replace some of your freeze damaged plants, now is the time to start researching what to replace them with. Remember to take the time to make sure you are choosing the Right Plant for the Right Place. Download a copy of The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Guide to Plant Selection & Landscape Design to help you make the right choice.

4. This is also a great time of year to make sure your irrigation system is functioning properly. Check your rain shut-off device and make sure it works. They need periodic maintenance and do need to be replaced every few years. Make sure all filters and emitters are cleaned, irrigation heads are not spraying impervious surfaces and that they rise high enough to effectively water the plants.

5. While you are maintaining your irrigation system. Take this time to calibrate your sprinkler system. For each zone, distribute uniform cans (6-8 tuna cans will work perfectly) throughout the zone. Turn on the zone for 15 minutes. Turn off the irrigation and use a ruler to measure how many inches are in each can. Take an average of those measurements to determine how many inches are applied in 15 minutes. Do this for each zone. Then, change your timer so that ½ inch is applied in each zone.

6. Clean out bird feeders and birdbaths. If you haven’t been vigilant about these over the winter, make sure your bird feeders are cleaned out and refilled. Scrub birdbaths and refill them. Never use soap or bleach to clean them.

7. After your yard is ready for spring, you can start planning for new plants and gardens. Plan a spot for wildlife and a spot for vegetables. Add a shade tree. Install a piece of garden art. Add a bench in a shady spot where you can sit and enjoy your yard.

Refer to the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ principles whenever you work in your yard and

consider attending a free informational workshop to help you make your yard Florida-Friendly!

The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program is a grant-funded program in cooperation with the University of Florida, the Alafia River, Hillsborough River and Peace River Basin Boards of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and Polk County. The program emphasizes creating and maintaining attractive landscapes to enhance the community and protect our

valuable natural resources.

Be a Friend to Pollinators!

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:22:00 +0000

Season of Bounty..Season of Renewal

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:57:00 +0000

Do you enjoy growing and canning your own produce? Did you know the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service offers canning and preserving classes? Enjoy this guest post by Carol Leffler, Polk Master Gardener and Florida Master Naturalist

****

Last year was a very kind year in my gardens. As I look to the New Year, that brings forth an accounting of the successes of the past vegetable gardening season, and plans for the future.

Canning is back, but since the 1970s, I’ve never been far away from it. It is gratifying to produce the food for home use, and most of all, to know something about the source of that food and/or how it was grown.

This year, those of you that were close at hand for fabled stories from my backyard know that I was crowned, unofficially, as The Bean Queen. All told, after two crops of green beans planted, I harvested and pressure-canned 72 pin

ts. I have to admit that I ran out of jars, and out of time to deal with the last four or five pounds, which met their duty in the compost pile. Other things I canned during 2011 included apple pie filling (9 pints), peaches (18 pints) and tomatoes (16 quarts). All of the latter were bulk purchased.

So, what is the exact “plan” for a canning garden? Some folks work strictly from a

calendar of “to do” days for perfect timing for planning their gardens. My planning this fall centered on the times I would be “out of town” for one event or another. Those needs, along with the seed-planting calendar, dictated my work. Luckily, the two goals met in the middle, and everything worked out. This worked so well in that I got not one, but two crops of green beans planted. The really miraculous bit of luck was that every time I planted a crop this fall (and now winter), rain has appeared for a week or so, and (ta-dah!) germination and early growth were guaranteed without my presence! Again, that was just plain luck.

I have never had issues getting green beans to grow, but timing is sometimes an issue. This year my goal was to time the plantings so that I would get a crop big enough for major canning opportunities. It is one thing to plant a dooryard garden for fresh use. It is quite another to achieve the timing necessary for successive crops to be available for preserving the crop. Producing food for yearlong use was my goal in 2011. I took a number of steps to maximize success.

 During 2009 and 2010, I worked to incorporate green manures into the garden. This usually took the form of straw, initially added to the garden as row mulch. Anything that accomplishes “double-duty” makes my list. A bale usually suffices, bought from The Hay Exchange in Plant City.

 Continued annual additions of peat moss, topsoil, cow manure, and home-mulched materials, which have been a process since 2005.

 Completed garden site solarization during the summer of 2011.

 Spaced vegetables closely together, which discouraged weed growth and maximized water retention. (This also provides a really neat home for my friendly garden toad!)

 Provided limited areas, mulched by straw, as walkways through the garden. This also discouraged weeds and retained moisture.

 Used one overhead-watering device, only on an as-needed basis, reaching the entire garden area.

 Plantings were 30 days apart. This allowed for each crop to mature so harvesting would be almost continuous for six weeks.

The cultivar used was a standard bush bean variety advertised to perform well under drought stress. It was not the usual seed or brand I had used in the past. While it wasn’t my first choice, I took a chance this year and was richly rewarded. Sometimes, you just get lucky! I was soooo happy with the quality of the produce, that I decided that rather than use the fourth picking of the first crop for canning, I would let the first crop go to seed.

This yielded an enormous amount of harvested seed to store for use in 2012—an entire quart jar of bean seed. Wow.

Usually, one picking of the plants yielded about eleven pounds of green beans. Roughly speaking, that’s about one plastic grocery bag full. That yielded about 16 pints of processed product. In order to snap that many beans, I only needed about one sci-fi Saturday afternoon movie. How relaxing! I usually canned the next day. No sense in getting obsessive about it; they keep a night in the fridge!

The first job of the new day was to locate and stack the canning jars into the dishwasher. While they are washed and sanitized (which does not substitute for sterilizing), I assemble the rest of the materials I need—lids, rings, salt, canner, jar lifter, pressure cock, and, oh yes…counter space!

Jars are sterilized in a boiling water bath; then beans are blanched in boiling water (I use the same water). Jars are then filled with beans, salted (not mandatory), fresh boiling water added, air removed, rims wiped, and then lids and rings added. These steps are pretty quick in succession. Then the canner is loaded and…it’s TV or reading time again until the processing time elapses.

After removing the jars from the pressure canner, it’s a “hop-skip-and-a-jump” to hearing that special little “ping” as each jar seals. If you don’t hear it, then that jar can be reprocessed with the next load, or refrigerated and eaten in the next few days. I prefer to re-process, because—that was the goal in the first place. It all depends on if the next canner load is already full.

I offer two comments if you are a novice. First, I cannot tell you the times that I run into someone that tells me that they water bath green beans and believe that it is an safe acceptable method. Preserving food—particularly canning, because you cannot see the pathogens that may result—is a process that should be strictly applied.

Second, a note about glass top stoves—they are not recommended for canning. Because of extreme concentration of heat during canning, cracking has been known to occur. If you read the small print on your manufacturer’s warranty, you will probably find an exclusion clause. I use a JennAire™ with standard coil heating elements for canning.

As for 2012, there’s all that seed. And those seventy-two pints will cover a lot of great meals. That’s just a little bit more than once a week or, gee, I could even have company!!

Yes, I had a lucky year! Hoping your gardening is full of luck in 2012!

Fun Facts: Historically, wars (hungry soldiers) played a major role in the development of food preservation. The French invented canning during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s. Unfortunately for the soldiers, the can opener was not invented for another 30 years! Canning was introduced in the U.S. as a way to preserve food around 1830, although Mason jars were not introduced until 1858.

Harbor Happenings

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Read the latest issue HERE

Polk County Master Gardeners Teach Students How to Grow Their Own Food

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:06:00 +0000

Principal Brian Kier and teachers Tracy Miller, Patti Frier and Sarah Smokay of the Davenport School of the Arts working along side their Polk County Master Gardener Advisor Mike Howell have finally realized their dream of adding agriculture to school supported activities.

Seven months of planning, meetings and much back breaking labor in heat and cold have resulted in 8 raised beds for growing vegetables, 5 raised beds for growing blueberry plants, a Hydro Stacker system for growing food hydroponically as well as a large butterfly garden. A large plot has also been tilled for the growing of melons, pumpkins and potatoes, among other crops. Expansion into a small citrus grove is also planned. Irrigation for the entire garden is provided through a micro-jet water conservation system.

Over 200 children of the current student body has been impacted by this initial phase. The school staff expects this number to increase as knowledge of the garden spreads through the school and student families.

The Florida Master Gardener Program is a volunteer-driven program that benefits UF/IFAS Extension and the citizens of Florida. The program relies on dedicated volunteers who have an interest in gardening and in giving back to their communities.

Think you might be interested in becoming a Master Gardener? Read more about the history of the program and how to become a Master Gardener.

Contributed by Mike Howell

Polk County Youth Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:57:00 +0000

The Polk County Youth Fair is this week at the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service!

Congratulations to the 2011 Graduating Class of the Polk County Master Gardeners

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:04:00 +0000

The 2011 class of Master Gardeners graduated at a graduation and awards ceremony on Thursday, January 12, in Bartow. The following Polk County residents are now Florida Master Gardeners. Master Gardeners are a core of volunteers that assist in delivering information to residents on how to design, plant and care for their plants and landscapes in a Florida-Friendly way.

Phyllis Brooks

Kathy Byrum

Dan Chase

Betty Chen

Mike Fisher

Isidro Flores

Sara Gray

Dorothy Hazelbaker

Dan Hice

Carol Ann Huffman

John King, Jr.

Vera McDonnell

Rhonda Paprocki

Sheldon Ramnarine

Bonnie Schlirf

LaWanda Sutherland

Lucy Underwood

Wayne Vick

Charles Weir

Tom Willard

Evelyn Wright

Richard Zaccardi

Congratulations to the new Polk County Master Gardeners!

More About Covering Plants From Dr. Shibles

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:41:00 +0000

Protecting Plants from the Cold

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:14:00 +0000

How to protect plants from the cold: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

Florida Yards & Neighborhoods: Is the Cold Making You Reach for a Blanket? Share...

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:50:00 +0000

Florida Yards & Neighborhoods: Is the Cold Making You Reach for a Blanket? Share...: Hopefully everyone has been following UF/IFAS recommendations for protecting your landscape plants from the freezing temperatures. If you n...

Looking for a Great Christmas Gift?

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:12:00 +0000

...then look no further! The Polk County Master Gardener 2012 calendar is now available for sale!

The calendar is FULL of gardening information, photographs, useful planting guides and important gardening dates. This is THE BEST stocking stuffer, hostess gift, gift for a neighbor or fellow gardener that you will find in Polk County.

Contact the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service at 863-519-8677 to purchase a calendar for $8 (plus $2 for shipping and handling). For more information:

http://polkmastergardener.ifas.ufl.edu/calendar.shtml

Master Gardeners Inspiring Yards

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:24:00 +0000

Master Gardeners have the most inspiring and interesting landscapes. Many times you visit their home and are completely surprised by what you find behind a fence or hedge. They enjoy spending time in their yards, collecting unusual plants and experimenting with growing techniques. I always find great ideas for my own yard when I visit a Master Gardener's yard. Do you live near a Master Gardener? What kind of ideas for your own yard do you get from your friends and neighbors?

Rain barrels.

A beautiful spot to relax after a long day.

A garden path through a butterfly garden.

Shrubs, perennials and trees combined to create privacy (and a great view) from the pool.

Wildlife is important to Master Gardeners!

An inviting entrance.

Florida-Friendly landscape.

A traditional backyard transformed into a beautiful oasis!

Bricks and flagstones combined for paths and patios.

Muhly Grass-A Fall Showstopper!

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:14:00 +0000

Muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is blooming right now! If you take a drive around Polk County there is a good chance you will see the gorgeous blooms of this native grass. It is inconspicuous most of the year but it really shines during the fall months. This ornamental grass is drought-tolerant and easy to grow. It will grow about three feet tall and wide and looks best in small groupings or mass plantings. In the fall it sends up pink/purple feathery blooms. Muhly grass is a great addition to any Florida-Friendly landscape.

District Asks Homeowners to "Skip A Week" of Irrigation This Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:12:00 +0000

Overwatering in winter can encourage pests and disease

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is reminding residents who irrigate their lawns to “Skip a Week” or more of watering during the cooler months of December, January and February.

According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. One-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, then you can turn
off your irrigation system and operate it manually as needed.

“Overwatering can encourage pests and disease in your lawn,” said Sylvia Durell, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ project manager. “Too much irrigation can also make lawns less able to survive droughts.” Skipping a week of watering is as easy as “off” for residents with irrigation timers. “Turn the timer to ‘off’ for the week that you want to skip, and ‘on’ for the week that you want to water,” said Durell.

You can determine when your grass needs water when:
· Grass blades are folded in half lengthwise on at least one-third of your yard.
· Grass blades appear blue-gray.
· Grass blades do not spring back, leaving footprints on the lawn for several minutes after walking on it.

Watering only every other week at most during the winter will help conserve drinking water supplies that the public needs for critical uses during the dry season. In fact, if everyone skipped one week of irrigation this season, it could save an estimated 1.9 billion gallons of water.

Most of the region experienced a disappointing summer rainy season. In addition to entering the dry season, drier-than-normal conditions are expected to continue through next spring. All
16 counties within the District are under a Phase I water shortage alert.

For additional information about water restrictions and water conservation, please contact your local utility or visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SkipAWeek/.

Decorating Your Home WIth Florida's Nature

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:22:00 +0000

It's the time of year to start decorating and creating gifts for the holidays. Did you know that you can make some gorgeous gifts and decorations from natural items found in your yard? Take a look!

Create a festive wreath with palm fibers and found objects such as shells.

A great gift for a friend or neighbor! A candle tied with silver Saw Palmetto and jute.

Use a fallen palm "boot" on your holiday table. Fill with greenery, ornaments and pine cones.

Find a fallen tree branch to create this little reindeer.

Wrap a garden trellis in grapevine and hang Spanish moss, dried seed pods and treats for the birds. Add Christmas lights for a festive touch.

This colorful foliage arrangement was made from Croton and silver Saw Palmetto leaves.

Ginger cones and Coontie Cycad leaves create a show-stopping arrangement perfect for any holiday table!

Use your imagination and find your holiday decorations in your own yard. Look for colorful berries, evergreen vines, dried seed pods and branches to create something beautiful for your home or for a friend.

Thank you to Polk County Master Gardener Molly Griner for allowing me to take photos of her creative works!

Forsythia Sage is Blooming Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:43:00 +0000

Forsythia Sage (Salvia madrensis) is a show-stopper in the fall landscape. Its gigantic blooms (up to 12 inches long) cover the large plant and will bloom until frost occurs. This salvia will grow up to six feet tall but will freeze back to the ground each winter. Its drapey form is a complement to many landscape plants. It looks beautiful when combined with ornamental grasses, evergreen shrubs, and with other flowering plants. Salvias attract butterflies and humming birds so use this plant in your butterfly garden for a big impact. Check your local garden center for the Forsythia Sage!

Month-Long Accolades for Polk Master Gardener Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:23:00 +0000

Polk County Master Gardeners have received international and state acclaim during the month of October for educational and service projects sponsored in Polk County. David Shibles, Ornamental Horticulture Agent for the Polk County Extension Service, summed up the accomplishments of the group as “rewards well-deserved for the dedicated volunteer work that Polk County Master Gardeners do on a regular basis. “

Polk County Master Gardeners' Agri-Fest Program Wins International Award

Polk County Master Gardeners received the 2011 International Master Gardener Conference “Search for Excellence” (SFE) Award for its Agri-Fest horticulture project which teaches 4th graders about seeds and plants, and the consumer products that they produce in the county’s agricultural economy. The 1st place award in the youth project category was presented by Monica David, SFE Chair, of the University of Illinois during the organization’s conference held October 11-14 in Charleston, W.Va. to Polk County Master Gardener Carol Leffler and Polk County Urban Horticulturist Dr. David Shibles. Carol Leffler gave a short presentation about Agri-Fest, on behalf of the Polk County Master Gardeners, to 1,000 Master Gardeners attending the conference.

Agri-Fest “Horticulture” is a program that attracts 6,000 4th graders and 325 teachers annually in the spring. For 12 years students have been coming to the Polk County Extension Service from throughout the County for this program which is comprised of eight agricultural stations. Although the SFE Award was given for the Master Gardeners’ project relating to horticulture, students also visit other disciplines including citrus, blueberries, honeybees, livestock, forestry, phosphates, small farms, and the water cycle to learn about the local agricultural economy.

Polk County has experienced a 43% increase in population in the last decade. Most students are less likely to have direct experience with the historically agrarian lifestyle that is a basis of the Polk County economy, despite the continued importance of agriculture in their lives.

Polk County Master Gardeners redesigned the horticulture program in 2010, to focus on giving students hands-on experience and developed a teaching tool called “The Market Basket” to introduce students to the direct relationship between horticulture and their everyday lives. Students also potted a plant to take home. The result is that students find themselves learning to appreciate plants and beginning to think about land and water conservation as the basis for success in their environment.

Polk County Master Gardeners were awarded 1st Place in the Youth category for their Agri-Fest horticulture project at the International Master Gardener Conference in Charleston, West Virginia. Left to right: Monica David, Search for Excellence Chair, Dr. David Shibles, Polk County Master Gardener Coordinator, Carol Leffler, Polk County Master Gardener, and Tom Wichman, Florida Master Garden Coordinator.

The “Market Basket” activity allows students to directly see how seeds and plants produce consumer goods they use in their everyday lives.

Polk County Master Gardeners Shine at State Awards Conference

The State Master Gardener Conference was held in Orlando on October 24-26. The Polk County Master Gardeners were recognized at the conference as State Winners for projects in two categories for projects during the 2010-2011 year. The state recognizes twelve categories annually for excellent Master Gardener service to the state of Florida. Polk County was awarded sole recognition in the categories of “Community Beautification” and “Demonstration Garden.” The awards were presented by state Master Gardener Coordinator, Tom Wichman of the University of Florida.

The Community Beautification State Award was given for the “Little Gem Magnolia Project” in Fort Meade. Fort Meade resident and Master Gardener, Debra Howell worked with the Chamber of Commerce and city staff, along with Master Gardeners Pat Farris and Maria Carillo, to make this project a reality. The citywide project, “Fort Meade PRIDE,” resulted in plantings of Little Gem™ magnolias and vinca in large brick street-planters, beach sunflowers at public intersections, a butterfly garden at Peace River Park, and a program for community groups to adopt areas for additional beautification gardens.

The Demonstration Garden State Award was given for the “Florida Friendly Demonstration Garden” at the Polk Training Center in Lake Alfred. Master Gardener Molly Griner designed the project, which uses the nine principles of Florida Friendly Landscaping™ as a basis for demonstrating ways to make sustainable changes to landscapes while also conserving water. Thirteen volunteers contributed nearly 300 hours of service to this project, which has ongoing goals for education, both for the general public and students at the Polk Training Center.

Classes for those who wish to become a Polk County Master Gardener are held each fall from September to December. Requirements and more information can be viewed on the Polk County Master Gardener website at http://polkmastergardener.ifas.ufl.edu/.

For more information, contact: David B. Shibles, Urban Horticulturalist
UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service
(863) 519-8677 Ext. 109
gammatwo@UFL.EDU

Carol Leffler, Polk County Master Gardener
(863) 709-0840
harfe34@tampabay.rr.com

Rain Barrels in Southwest Florida

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:19:00 +0000

Rain barrels new trend across SWFL

Polk County Master Gardeners Win International Award

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:43:00 +0000

The Polk County Master Gardeners won first place in the youth category for their Agri-Fest program at the 2011 International Master Gardener Conference in Charleston, West Virginia. This much sought after prize is awarded to only one Master Gardener organization each year for extraordinary service to youth in their community.

Agri-Fest is an educational program sponsored by the Polk County Farm Bureau which has served 6,000 fourth graders annually for the past 22 years. Agri-Fest is comprised of program segments that teach students about the agricultural economy of Polk County, and is introduced to students by professionals from each discipline (horticulture, citrus, forestry, phosphate mining, livestock, honeybees, blueberries, and the water cycle). The program takes place at the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service facilities in Bartow.

The Polk County Master Gardeners have participated for 10 years by creating a program devoted to building the appreciation and awareness of the importance of plants to students’ daily lives. Even in a county widely known for its economic agricultural base, most students have little understanding of the connection between the land and their well-being. The prevalence of “subdivision life” has separated most students from interacting with, and understanding how, agricultural is practiced in their own county and is essential to their daily lives. Through Agri-Fest, we hope to foster the understanding and appreciation in the next generation of the environment, plants and agriculture. We view this goal as necessary to the future of agricultural in Polk County.

The horticulture program, as one of the specialized areas of instruction, teaches the basics of horticulture and methods that students can use at home. The program includes a short presentation on the basics and then hands-on activities to engage all students. Students get to touch plants, seeds, relate vegetables and fruits to the uses in products and to plant a small plant in a larger pot.

Agri-Fest is coordinated with fourth grade schoolteachers from 325 classrooms countywide. All schools are eligible, including public, private, parochial, home-schools, and special needs students. Pre-program materials are sent to each school, so that teachers can coordinate curriculum for the Agri-Fest experience. During the on site program, Master Gardeners also provide teachers and students with take-home materials—seeds, plants and written media. The program takes place over a period of two weeks in the spring, but planning starts months before.

The "Search for Excellence" program
The International Master Gardener Search for Excellence is the program that recognizes Master Gardener volunteer work throughout the United States and Canada. All Master Gardener programs benefit their communities but not all are Search for Excellence projects. Projects for this award must be outstanding group projects that have made significant and demonstrated contributions to their communities.

The Landscape Show

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:32:00 +0000

It is fun to attend The Landscape Show, held at the Orlando Convention Center, every fall. It is a great place to see new plants and landscape products and get ideas for the landscape. Here are a few photos from the show this year!

A variety of textures.

Interesting and creative displays.

Different types of Melaleuca mulch. Melaleuca mulch is available for purchase from the Polk County Master Gardeners!

An innovative way to grow vegetables and other plants. Maybe for the patio?

Native plants make an attractive display!

Xeric plants provide visual interest in a container.

Tropical plants in all shapes and sizes.

A variety of decorative landscape rocks.

There are many beautiful annual bedding plants on display!

Perennial Peanut varieties 'Ecoturf' and 'Needlepoint'.

Fall Gardening Tasks

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:18:00 +0000

It may not feel like it yet, but tomorrow is the first day of fall! As fall weather moves into central Florida, things in the landscape will start to slow down. Grass will grow more slowly and hopefully the weeds will too! As usual, there are some garden chores that need to be tackled at this time of year. These chores will help clean up the landscape you abandoned during the hot summer months (totally understandable) and get everything neat and tidy so that you can relax the rest of the fall and winter months.

1. Revive ornamental grasses
Do you have ornamental grasses in your landscape? This is a great time of year to prune them back if they are looking bad. If they are still flowering, or getting ready to, make sure you wait until they are done. If they need to be pruned back, the easiest way to do this is to use electric hedge pruners or large clippers. Cut the grass back to about eight inches high. You may also wish to divide up your grasses at this time of year. After you cut the grass back, use a sharp shovel to divide up the grass. This is a great way to create more plants for the yard or share plants with friends and neighbors.

2. Divide plants

In addition to dividing your ornamental grasses; there are other plants that you may wish to divide. Perennials such as liriope, African iris, flax lily, bulbine, and herbs such as rosemary and tarragon are easy to divide. You may want to cut them back to the ground and then divide the clump into smaller sections using a sharp shovel.

3. Move plants that have outgrown their space

If you have let things get a little out of control over the summer months, now is a great time to move plants that have outgrown their allotted space or have self-seeded themselves and created a crowded landscape. Find a new spot for the plant that has more room than its current location. You want to find a spot that will allow your plant to spread without having to continually prune it during the growing season. This may be a great time to create new mulched beds or expand existing mulched beds in your yard. By dividing and moving plants you may be able to create new planting areas for free by using plants you already have, or consider doing a plant exchange with your friends or neighbors using the plants you have divided or removed.

4. Mulch

As you clean up the plants in your mulched beds, you may find that you need to re-mulch. Remember that you need to have three to four inches of mulch in your beds. This will help keep down weeds, reduce erosion, and keep the soil moist. If you find that you need to re-mulch, choose a by-product mulch such as pine bark, pine straw, eucalyptus, melaleuca, oak leaves, or compost. The addition of mulch will also help create a clean and neat look in the mulched beds that you have worked so hard to clean up.

5. Plant trees and shrubs

After you have cleaned up, divided, and pruned your way through the landscape, you may find that you want to add more trees and shrubs to your yard. Fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs in central Florida. Choose plants that are the appropriate size for your yard and utilize local plant lists, such as those available from the Florida-Friendly Landscaping program.

Take advantage of the cooler fall temperatures to clean up your landscape, and remember to follow the principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping while doing so. For more information on fall gardening tasks contact the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service.

Events in Polk County This Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:26:00 +0000

The Eternal Orchid, 49th Orchid Show

September 17, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

September 18, 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Lake Mirror Center, 121 S. Lake Avenue, Lakeland

See orchid displays, purchase orchid supplies and visit the repotting table. Sponsored by the Ridge Orchid Society. $2 admission.

The Cardboard Boat Challenge and Lakes Festival

Saturday, September 17, 8:30 a.m. - noon (race starts at 10:00 a.m.)

Lake Hollingsworth Boat Ramp, Lakeland

The City of Lakeland, Lakeland Clean & Beautiful and Lakes Education/Action Drive present a fun-filled boat race where teams compete to create and race a boat made of cardboard. Stop by for free environmental information and register to race! Registration fee is $40 per team. For more information call (863) 834-8429 or (863) 221-5323.

Raising Vegetables for Farmers Markets

September 17, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service

1702 US Hwy 17 South, Bartow

contact: Mary Beth Henry at 863-519-8677 x 110 or mbhenry@ufl.edu for more information or to register

Fall Color for the Landscape

noreply@blogger.com (Anne) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:57:00 +0000

Your landscape might start to look at little stressed after a harsh Florida summer, but there are some plants that will revive the landscape going into the fall months. These plants will add some interest to your landscape with their unique characteristics. Remember that even in Florida, there are many plants that will change color, produce berries, or flower only in the fall months. The ten plants that we have listed are Florida-Friendly if they are installed following the right plant, right place principle.

Goldenrod (Solidago sp.)
Goldenrod is a fall-flowering perennial that grows tall and stands out in any perennial garden. The yellow flowers cover the plant late summer through fall. Goldenrod will spread through the garden. It looks nice against a fence, combined with other wildflowers, and combined with butterfly plants such as Pentas and purple Salvia.

Beach Sunflower (Helianthus debilis)
Beach Sunflower flowers continuously from spring through the winter months, making it a good addition to a fall flower garden. Beach Sunflower is low-growing and will spread and seed itself in the garden. Combine Beach Sunflower with ornamental grasses such as Muhly grass for a beautiful fall landscape bed.

Cigar Plant (Cuphea ignea)
The orange flowers of the Cigar Plant are perfect for a fall flower garden. Cigar Plant will grow to about three feet tall and has dark green leaves. Plant this flowering perennial in a butterfly garden as it attracts nectaring butterflies and hummingbirds.

Lion’s Tail (Leonotus leonurus)
Lion’s Tail is another orange flowering plant for the fall garden. It will grow quite large, up to six feet tall and three feet wide. Combine Lion’s Tail with ornamental grasses, Salvias, evergreen shrubs and butterfly plants.

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
In the fall, the bright purple berries of the Beautyberry stand out in any garden. Beautyberry is a deciduous shrub that will grow to about six feet tall. This weepy, informal shrub can be grown in sun or shade gardens, woodland gardens, natural areas, or in bird and butterfly gardens. Combine Beautyberry with evergreen shrubs.

Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaries)
Muhly grass is one of the most attractive fall-flowering plants in Central Florida. The grass produces showy purple/pink blooms that rise above the grass. Muhly grass is drought-tolerant and only grows two to three feet tall and wide. Combine Muhly grass with Goldenrod, Beach Sunflower, and other perennials. It is also attractive when combined with evergreen shrubs.

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
This large shrub grows as an understory shrub, so it does the best in shady areas under trees. The large oak-like leaves of the Oakleaf Hydrangea will turn red to purple in the fall and the large white flowers are also showy during the fall months. They start out as white flowers and turn to pink. This shrub will grow six to eight feel tall and wide, and is beautiful when combined with evergreen shrubs such as azaleas, and grown under oaks and pine trees.

Mexican Sage (Salvia leucantha)
The purple blooms of the Mexican sage start in the early fall and will continue to cover the plant until it freezes back in the winter. This large perennial can grow three to four feet tall and wide, so give it plenty of room to grow. The purple flowering plant looks beautiful when combined with ornamental grasses, yellow-flowering perennials, and evergreen shrubs such as Coontie Cycads.

Forsythia Sage (Salvia madrensis)
Everything about the Forsythia sage is big. The plant can grow up to eight feet tall and the blooms can get up to a twelve inches long. Forsythia sage will bloom from fall until frost. The plant will freeze back to the ground in the winter in Central Florida. The yellow flowering plant is attractive when combined with purple flowering plants, Pentas, ornamental grasses and blanket flower.

Silver-Leaved Aster (Pityopsis graminifolia)
The Silver-Leaved Aster is a low-growing perennial. The silver-green foliage is a nice contrast to the yellow flowers of the plants. This is a tough native plant that can be combined with other wildflowers and perennials, ornamental grasses and native drought-tolerant shrubs.

Look for these plants at your local nursery to add some fall color to your landscape. If you have any questions about the plants listed above, please contact the UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service. To see more plant photographs, go to Flickr.