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Butterfly Gardening Timely Gardening Tips by Linda Porter, Master Gardener Intern MARION COUNTY GOVERNMNT August 2014 Table of Contents: Butterfly Gardening Timely Gardening Tips by Linda Porter, Master Gardener Intern Butterfly Gardening Butterflies are not just the pretty boys of the insect world. They are interesting, Taylor Demonstration beneficial insects with a fascinating life cycle. They are important pollinators and both Garden: A Themed the caterpillars and adult butterflies are themselves a food source that will attract Garden birds to your garden. Upcoming Events When it comes to gardening to attract and retain butterfly populations, you must be Published by Norma Samuel familiar with the butterfly lifecycle. Do keep in mind as you plan your garden that you UF/IFAS Extension Marion must provide both larval food sources, for the caterpillars, and nectar food sources, County Horticulture Agent for the adults. The key element is to remember that different butterfly species have different and often very specific larval plant requirements. Timely Gardening Tips for It all starts with the egg. The newly fertilized MARION COUNTY by Josephine Leyte-Vidal, UF/IFAS female will lay her eggs on the leaves of the Extension Marion County Master plant of her choice. The eggs will hatch in a few Gardener to several days, or will perhaps overwinter, depending on the species. The eggs hatch into Is it hot enough for the larval form, the caterpillars, and begin to you? Yes it’s Florida. this feed voraciously on your plant. The caterpillars is the time of year that will grow before your eyes, usually molting finds residents gardening several times, and sometimes defoliating the at sunrise or after dinner plant. Don’t worry, the plant will grow back, Zebra Longwing until dark. Some palms usually. may be showing stress by yellowing. An application After feeding like there is no tomorrow, the larvae will enter a resting stage, called of magnesium sulphate pupation. In order to pupate, the caterpillar attaches itself to a twig or even a usually helps. Be sure to structure like the eaves of a house. This is when the miracle of metamorphosis read the instructions as occurs. The pupa forms a hard coating, called a chrysalis, and hangs in place for a to how much to apply. period of time, the length depending on the species. The internal organs of the Luckily, this year our caterpillar reorganize into the adult form, the butterfly. If you’re very lucky, or you rainfall has been steady watch YouTube, you may see a butterfly emerge from the chrysalis. If you do see it and very close to the struggling, don’t be tempted to help. The butterfly needs to struggle to pump fluid normal for this into its wings to fully expand them. It will then rest for several hours while its wings area. Some of us have dry. turned off our irrigation systems to avoid As adults, most butterflies are generalists. They will feed on the nectar of a variety of overwatering which plants, though they may have preferences as to flower size, shape, and color. They creates fungal diseases. Page 2 Timely Gardening Tips for Butterfly Gardening MARION COUNTY by Linda Porter, Master Gardener Intern by Josephine Leyte-Vidal, UF/IFAS (continued from Page 1) Extension Marion County Master Gardener (continued from Page 1) may also feed on pollen as a protein source. Butterflies, however, are much pickier about the host plants they choose for egg laying and larval growth. Even when not reproducing, they tend to stick close to their preferred larval host plants. Continue to dead head and lightly prune back Let’s use the zebra longwing as an example. This is the Florida State Butterfly. Its flowering plants. This will larval host plant is the purple passionflower and encourage more budding as an adult it is a generalist, feeding on flower and new growth. This nectar and pollen. If you plant purple month is the last time passionflower, you’ll get a bonus, as it is also the poinsettias can be larval host plant for the gulf fritillary. Another pruned, If done later, the favorite butterfly is the monarch. It seeks out red bracts will not form plants in the milkweed family for its larval form, for December. particularly butterfly weed. Like the others, the adult monarch feeds on flower nectar. Gulf Fritillary August 15th is the date to begin planting cool season As a word of warning, do not use pesticides in your butterfly garden. Larvae will vegetables. Prepare the die if they feed on treated plants. When purchasing plants, be sure to ask if they soil by adding composted have been treated with pesticides. organic matter, or slow release pelletized fertilizer In addition to providing an appropriate array of plants, what else can the gardener to the surface. Tilling is do to attract and retain butterfly populations? Butterflies, especially the males, are not recommended. Plant often drawn to damp surfaces where they will “puddle,” meaning that they sip cucumber, squash, moisture and mineral nutrients from wet soil, so you might keep a small wet area peppers, peas, beans, available to them. Butterflies also prefer a quiet air zone and will look for places collards, cabbage, kale, where they can rest where the air is not turbulent. spinach, beets, potatoes, and tomatoes. I hope you will consider adding at least a few butterfly-friendly plants to your garden. Keep in mind that many of these same plants will attract hummingbirds, bees, and other beneficial insects that will beautify your environment and aid in pollinating your plants. For a comprehensive list of butterflies found in Florida, their preferred larval host plants and habitats, take a look at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw057. Page 3 The Taylor Demonstration Garden: UPCOMING A Themed Garden LECTURES/EVENTS: Educational seminars and events by Audrey Edwards, Master Gardener Intern are presented by UF/IFAS Extension Agents and/or Tired of your current landscape; new to the area and haven’t a clue about the Master Gardeners. plants; or you have a tendency to buy plants first and then ask where do I put it? Unless otherwise indicated, to pre-register, please call One way to narrow your plant choices and determine plant placement is to have a 352-671-8400 or e-mail theme for your garden. Themes will help you focus on the types of plants for the [email protected]. area and the plant will tell you where it needs to go – “right plant, right place”. August There are five major categories for flower themed gardens. They include color, texture, native, light, and personal. The simplest type of flower themed gardens is On Top of The World to select plants based on the color of their blooms. A monochromatic themed Master the Possibilities garden would have plants that have the same colored blooms. As an example, Series white blooming flowers against a deep green background of leaves provides a Building Your Florida Soil striking contrast of color in a shady area. If monochromatic is too boring, an August 15 analogous or complementary color scheme may be more lively. Analogous themed 10:00-11:30 a.m. gardens use several shades of color on either side of the primary color chosen. If Master the Possibilities Education red is the primary color, analogous colors would be different shades of pink. Center, On Top of the World Complimentary colors would be those colors on the opposite side of the color 8415 SW 80th St, Ocala wheel, i.e., yellow and purple, orange and blue, etc. Register by visiting: www.masterthepossibilities.com Textural themed gardens combine plants and flowers with various dimensions and contours. Combining plants that have a tall thin stem or delicate flowers, with plants that have deep bold veins and large leaves will make the space feel larger or smaller, depending on where they are placed. September Native themed gardens use the plants indigenous to the area. These plants have Demonstration Garden adapted to the area and tend to require less maintenance and water after they have Tour been acclimated to your garden. This does not mean that a native plant normally September 3 found along a river bed will thrive in a sunny dry area of the garden. Remember 10:00-11:00 a.m. “right plant, right place”. UF/IFAS Extension Marion County Demonstration Gardens Example of a Light themed gardens are dictated by 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala monochromatic garden the amount of sunlight it receives. If your area is particularly shady due to building structures or trees, the plants Freedom Public Library that will thrive in this area may be Ask the Experts September 5 limited. Most plants that bloom require 10:15 –11:00 a.m. a certain amount of sunlight each day; Freedom Public Library therefore, an assessment of the amount 5870 SW 90th Street, Ocala of light is necessary. A personal themed garden is another Vegetable Garden Expo easy way to help in the selection of plants. Personal theme gardens include: September 6 butterfly garden, herb or culinary garden, vegetable garden, fern garden, ginger 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. garden, fairy garden, royal garden, moon garden, sensory garden, English garden, Marion County Extension Service remembrance garden, and the list goes on. It is easy to see which plants will fit into 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd, Ocala each of these categories. Page 4 The Taylor Demonstration Garden: A Themed Garden by Audrey Edwards, Master Gardener Intern UPCOMING (continued from Page 3) LECTURES/EVENTS: (continued from Page 3) As an example of using this method for re-design or improvement, the five Master Gardener Interns from the Class of 2013 and two Master Gardeners met for the purpose of putting together a landscape plan for the Taylor Demonstration Marion County Public Library Headquarters- Garden – a shade garden.
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