MARION COUNTY GOVERNMNT November 2013 Table of Contents: Shorter Days Timely Gardening Tips by Kathleen Patterson, FYN Coordinator Shorter Days What’s Bugging You? Two weeks ago we “fell back” and changed our clocks back by one hour as daylight savings time ended. For me this means getting up and driving to work just as the sun rises and driving Versatile Herbs home after the sun has set. This makes it rather difficult for me to get out and garden except Cooking with Herbs and Spices on the weekends. Are you ready for the cold of winter, the sight of your landscape all brown and faded? If not, then read on. Crazy for Clerodendrums Upcoming Events Yes we do live in Florida, but not in the tropics. In South Florida the residents may enjoy Published by Norma Samuel beautiful color all year round. Here we have to find plants that will give us color in the UF/IFAS Extension Marion County landscape and survive our cold winters. The easiest of these plants are the evergreens that never drop their leaves. Look for unusual color, texture, and leaf shape to create a colorful landscape. Two of my favorite evergreens are Mahonia bealeii and Mahonia fortuneii. They Timely Gardening Tips also produce small flowers and berries as an added bonus. Don’t forget to add a few plants by Josephine Leyte-Vidal, UF/IFAS that produce berries such as the many hollies that are native to our area. Extension Marion County Master Gardener I like to incorporate ornamental grasses that add a shimmering texture as the wind blows thru Article previously published the narrow leaves or the seed heads that range in color from ivory or tan to pink as in our November, 2011 native Muhly grass. These grasses can be as short as twelve inches or as tall as six feet so check the size and growth habit before purchasing. November ushers in a dry season in North Central Two relatively new Nandina hybrids; N. Blush Pink and N. Flirt offer shades of orange and red Florida. The dry season is and are not inclined to become invasive as is the N. domestica-Heavenly bamboo. These two the optimal time to install new additions make a beautiful border plant, only obtaining a twenty four inch height. turf grass because the cool Simpson’s Red Stopper offers glossy green leaves and berries that range in color from pale days require less water and yellow to dark orange. there is less competition from new weeds. Once the A few vines will also offer some color throughout the winter. Coral honeysuckle, turf is installed it needs to Carolina jessamine, and flame vine provide orange or yellow blooms that stand out in the be watered daily with 1/2 winter landscape. inch of water for the first two weeks. After the two weeks, wean the turf to 3/4 inch every 10—14 days. The dry season also creates ideal conditions for spider mites to visit your garden. Look at your leaves for yellow spots and curling. Evergreens such as cedar or Blush Pink Nandina juniper will show browning of the needles. Page 2 Timely Gardening Tips for Shorter Days MARION COUNTY by Kathleen Patterson, FYN Coordinator by Josephine Leyte-Vidal, UF/IFAS Extension Marion County Master (continued from Page 1) Gardener (continued from Page 1) Bella rouge camellia is beginning to show plenty of buds in our Florida-friendly Test for these pests by demonstration landscape in front of our office. These grow only four feet tall by four feet holding a paper under the wide and have beautiful pink blooms. The gold breeze miscanthus (zebra grass) is distressed branch and tap the beginning to plume quite nicely as well. branch sharply with a stick. Don’t ignore the drift roses that bloom profusely all year long yet are wonderful ground Look for little specks that cover roses. Another great groundcover is the new purple pixie loropetalum that only move on the paper. A grows eighteen inches tall. Miticide should take care of the problem. Read the label and follow the directions carefully. Now is the time to plant cool weather annuals like carnation, foxglove, pansy, petunia, shasta daisy, and Drift roses snapdragon. Plant beets Last are the annuals that offer bold color in the dead of winter. Pansies, snapdragons, and broccoli, cabbage, carrots, chrysanthemums don’t mind cold temperatures and they last throughout the winter. The Chinese cabbage, collards, pansies and snapdragons in my yard are planted in November and look good until May kohlrabi, mustard, onions, when the heat finally gets the best of them. radish, and spinach. Fall has arrived even if the leaves are not changing color and falling off the trees. Welcome to Florida where we have two seasons-winter and summer…. and if you stop by our office you can check out some of the new releases of plants that are a must have for our Central Florida Landscape! What’s Bugging You? by Linda Krausnick, Master Gardener Find out what local residents are calling in about. When do I plant bulb onions in North FL, and what are the best varieties? While onions can be grown from seed, sets, or transplants, transplants are considered the easier method over seeds and produce better bulbs than onion sets. Whatever the method used it’s important to look for short day hybrids that are well adapted to Florida’s winter growing season. Transplants can be put out any time between December and February. For suggested varieties, planting and growing tips see: http://santarosa.ifas.ufl.edu/documents/lg_onions.pdf. If you can’t find onion transplants locally try the internet. Page 3 UPCOMING Versatile Herbs LECTURES/EVENTS: by Pat Greenfield, Master Gardener Educational seminars and events When you hear the word “herb”, what comes to mind? Most people would say “cooking”. are presented by UF/IFAS Some might say “health”, and both would be correct. But herbs have many other less Extension Agents and/or Master Gardeners. commonly known uses, and it’s not just the leaves that are used. The flowers and roots, as well as the entire plant may be used. It depends on the particular herb in question and Unless otherwise indicated, to how it will be used. pre -register, please call 352 -671-8400 or e-mail Here in Florida we have an over abundance of insects, both outside and inside our homes. [email protected] This is where the versatility of herbs can help, especially if you are trying to avoid harsh chemicals and poisons. During the summer months mosquitoes are a nuisance. Try keeping containers filled with the leaves of basil, pennyroyal, santolina, southernwood, scented geraniums (citronella), and wormwood. You can even rub the leaves on your skin to repel the little blood suckers. December Another problem insect is the ant. Leaves of pennyroyal and tansy will repel them in your home. Bay leaves deter weevils in flour, grains, rice and pasta. Leaves of feverfew, Demonstration Garden southernwood and wormwood, and the flowers or leaves of lavender and santolina will Tour repel moths. December 4, 2013 10—11 a.m. But herbs have many other uses besides insecticides. The leaves of catnip and tansy repel UF/IFAS Extension Marion County mice and rats. Horseradish root can be ground up and put in your dog’s food to dispel Master Gardeners Demonstration worms and improve their body tone. Comfry leaves cure septic sores on animals and also Gardens make excellent liquid fertilizer. Lemon balm and monarda (bee balm) attract bees, and if planted in or near your garden will help encourage pollinators. Valerian roots attract Tuesday Gardening earthworms to your garden. Series: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Herbs can also be used as companion crops in your vegetable garden. Bush, pole and lima December 10, 2013 beans like summer savory and marigolds but not fennel. Beets like dill and fennel. Brassicas 10 a.m.—Noon like chamomile, mint, rosemary, sage and thyme. Carrots like rosemary, sage, and UF/IFAS Extension Marion County wormwood but do not like anise or dill. Cucurbits like nasturtiums but not aromatic Auditorium herbs. Tomatoes like basil, marigolds, nasturtiums but not fennel. Dyes can be made from herbs for coloring yarn, fabric and other objects, The root of salad burnet is used in tanning leather. Soapwort roots are made into shampoo for upholstery and delicate fibers. The oil from poppy seeds is used in varnish, paint, soap and lamp oil. These are just a few uses of herbs, and hopefully, after reading this you now have a broader view of the versatile herbs and will try some in your home. Page 4 Cooking With Herbs and Spices by Pat Greenfield, Master Gardener It’s that time of year when the temperatures have cooled and gardening is at a minimum. Our attention turns to the coming holidays, and we are filled with memories of the aromas of savory meats and veggie casseroles cooking and the smell of spicy goodies baking. This is an ideal time to use those herbs and spices you’ve been growing in your garden all summer. Cooking with herbs and spices not only enhances the natural taste and aroma of foods, but can add nutritional value as well. Depending on the particular herb or spice selected, all or only one part of the plant is used including root, stem, bark, leaf, flower, fruit or seed. Generally an herb comes from a green or herbaceous plant with soft stems, while a spice is from the root, bark or seed of a woody plant.