SPRING 2002 VVVolunteerolunteerolunteer Vol 15, Issue 1 NEWSNEWS Deadly Beauties: Keeping the Garden Coordinators Corner Safe for Your Pets Dear Master Gardeners, By Sally Deneen Source:PETsMART.com It seems impossible that 2002 is already here. 2001 was a year marked by great work and success by Master A leafy green yard is a retreat from everyday stresses for Gardeners throughout the state. We hosted the 2001 people, but could present a minefield of health problems International Master Gardener Conference and Trade Show for rambunctious pets if youre not careful. in Orlando and continued our work with the Epcot Take the lawn, for starters. Be sure to remove water dishes, International Flower & Garden Festival. Master Gardeners food bowls and your pets from the yard before applying throughout the state donated over 328,000 hours of pesticides, which can attack the nervous system and cause volunteer time to the citizens of Florida. This is a value your pet to vomit, salivate excessively, urinate, or even die of over $5.5 million. It has been a busy year. suddenly. Let your pets return outdoors only after sprays have dried or even the next day, suggested the Professional Due to the impact of the events of September 11, 2001, Lawn Care Association of America, based in Marietta, our society will never quite be the same. It has been very Georgia. Use dry granular pesticides? Wait until the dust inspiring to see how the country has come together. Your has settled to let Rover roam. service and dedication is more important than ever to the University and our county offices. Your diligence in Beyond that, even some common plants you may be planning promoting environmentally friendly landscape practices to buy to spruce up your yard are toxic to most animals, to the citizens of the state helps protect our environment according to the American Animal Hospital Association, a and conserve our precious natural resources. Last year Denver-based professional organization for veterinarians. Florida Master Gardeners reported over 366,000 clientele The organization suggests keeping your pets and small contacts. Well Done!! children away from several plants, including: The 2002 Continued Training Conference is scheduled for (See PETS on Page 9) October 28-30 at the Sheraton in Gainesville. Mark your calendars, as it will be an event you wont want to miss. You will be receiving more information about this event as we get closer. Last year was a great year, but 2002 Inside this Issue should be even better. Thanks for all your efforts and Happy Gardening. Deadly Beauties .............................................. 1 Seashore Paspalum for Florida Lawns .................... 2 Sincerely, A Letter From the Dean ..................................... 3 Management of Southern Chinch Bugs in lawns ......... 4 CCA Update ................................................... 4 2001 International Master Gardener Conference ....... 5 2001 Master Gardener Conference Memorabilia ........ 6 Tom Wichman FYN Corner .................................................... 7 State Master Gardener Coordinator Southeast Regional Master Gardener Conference ....... 7 2002 FNGA Florida Plants of the Year ..................... 8 Wild News ..................................................... 9 Jadera Bug .................................................... 10 Non-Target Effects to Monarch Butterfly Research ..... 11 Featured Plant: Weeping Yaupon Holly ................... 11 This edition of the Master Gardener Volunteer 2001 Master Gardener Awards of Excellence Winners .. 12 News is coedited by Laura Alexander, Bart Schutzman, and Tom Wichman. http://hort.ufl.edu Page 1 Seashore Paspalum for Florida Lawns · Produces a dense root system, which is By L.E. Trenholm important in giving turfgrass good tolerance to most stresses Many of you may have heard me talk in the last year or two about a new turfgrass species that is now available for home What are the disadvantages of seashore lawn and golf course use. Or you may have seen newspaper paspalum for home lawn use? articles about a new grass. Some of you may have already Like any other grass, this one is not perfect. Before you started getting phone calls at the Extension offices from tear out your existing lawn, consider a few of the pitfalls: people asking about this new grass. Or you may have seen plugs of the grass available at Home Depot outlets throughout · Poor shade tolerance- not as good in shade as the state. Some of you may have heard bits or pieces of St. Augustinegrass. information about the grass, but you may not know the whole · Low mowing requirements this grass performs story. What grass are we talking about? Well, seashore best when mowed at 0.75-1.5. During the paspalum of course, and here are some of the most common summer, this results in scalping of the grass questions and answers. when mowed only once a week. · Weed control seashore What is the cultivar being sold in Home Depot? paspalum is sensitive to many This is a cultivar called Sea Isle 1. It was developed at the common herbicides and may be University of Georgia and has injured or killed by their use. In extensive research behind it. It is addition, most herbicides for use in golf course fairways or currently on the market are not tees, athletic fields, and home labeled for use on this species lawns. It grows like crazy in the yet, although the chemical summer months and slows down companies will be expanding when days become shorter and those labels to comply with temperatures drop. It does increased use of seashore produce some seedheads in the paspalum. middle of the summer. We are · Seashore paspalum tends to currently testing some other become thatchy, particularly cultivars of seashore paspalum for when over-fertilized and over- use in home lawns at the irrigated. This may mean University of Florida. Some of increased verticutting needs for these may also become available homeowners. for home lawn use in the near future. How do I establish seashore paspalum? Where does this grass come from? If youre buying plugs of the grass, buy enough to plant The species is native to coastal tropical areas worldwide. It them approximately one foot on center this means that came to the southeastern United States in slave ships, where each plug you plant is about one foot from the other plugs it was used as cargo hull bedding. As the bedding was tossed around it. Keep it well irrigated for the first week- in very out on the banks, the grass established. Seashore paspalum hot, sunny weather, water it lightly a few times a day so thrives in hot, full sunlight conditions and does especially that the roots dont die out. The grass will initially establish well in coastal areas with a saline water environment. its root system, with no visible changes to the shoot system. After about a week, you will start to see new runners, or What are the advantages of seashore paspalum stolons, emerging from the plugs and spreading out into for home lawn use? the bare areas. When this happens, cut back on the irrigation Some of the main advantages of seashore paspalum are: to once daily or even every other day for about a week. You · Excellent tolerance to saline or recycled water can apply small amounts of fertilizer about two weeks after · Excellent wear tolerance planting. The optimal way to fertilize paspalum is to apply · Good tolerance to reduced water input, but does 0.25 - 0.5 lb. of soluble nitrogen per 1000 square feet every require water to remain green other week for about six weeks. At this time, you should · Relatively low fertility inputs needed to produce have good cover and you can reduce your fertility to a a dense, dark green lawn maintenance regime. Depending on the temperature and · Tolerates a wide pH range soil conditions, you can drop irrigation to once or twice a · Tolerates extended periods of low light intensity, week about three weeks after you plant. If the grass is such as from prolonged cloudy or rainy periods looking drought-stressed, irrigate more frequently if there · Dense growth habit discourages weed isnt ample rainfall. competition http://hort.ufl.edu Page 2 How do I fertilize seashore paspalum after its How do I mow seashore paspalum? established? In contrast to St. Augustine grass, paspalum should be mowed Again, this grass responds best to low doses of fertilizer at a low height somewhere between 1-1.5 inches. Higher applied regularly over the growing season. Were still looking mowing will accelerate thatch buildup and will produce at specific fertilizer rates for home lawn use, but as a general seedheads. Ideally, paspalum should be mowed at the lowest guideline, fertilizing as follows should produce a healthy, possible height at least twice a week during the summer dense lawn: months. A rotary mower can be used, although a If youre in north Florida, apply 2-3 lbs. of nitrogen per reel mower will produce a better cut. 1,000 square feet per year. Apply ½ lb. of N at each application more than that can produce excess These basics will help you to grow a healthy, dense growth and increase thatch buildup. seashore paspalum lawn. As with many of the In central Florida, follow the same guidelines, newer grasses, were still experimenting with but apply 2-4 lbs. of N per 1,000 square feet yearly. fertilizer rates, sources, and timings, and still In south Florida, 3-5 lbs. of N per 1,000 square looking at other aspects of home lawn management feet will produce a nice green lawn. for this species. Remember, a nice lawn is going to require Look for a fertilizer with a high amount of potassium (K). hard work and proper fertilization, irrigation, and mowing This will enhance stress tolerance and paspalum will take practices regardless of what grass you have.