150 Years of Solutions for Your Life

One hundred and fifty years ago, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Morrill Act, which created the land‐grant university system, made higher education more accessible to more people, and promoted agricultural science and the mechanical arts. The University of Florida is proud to be a land grant university which supports the local Extension offices in all 67 counties of Florida. Extension and the land grant universities support education, research, and outreach. Today, the land‐grant system includes 107 institutions in all 50 states and several U.S. territories.

Today’s land grant fact:

Tired of watering, fertilizing, and mowing your lawn?

Photo by Tyler Jones,
University of Florida, IFAS

In 2010, UF/IFAS formally announced the release of perennial peanut as an attractive groundcover.

Used also to feed livestock, its dense green foliage and small yellow-orange flowers are popular in neighborhoods.

After IFAS researchers collected wild specimens in South America in the 1950s, they created two types of the new perennial peanut and gave the plants away to ensure genetic diversity.

Full article at http://news.ufl.edu/2010/06/29/perennial-peanut/

Timely Tips for May - Part 1

By Andy Wilson, Horticulturist, Pinellas County Extension

May is a month of transition from spring to summer. For many people this will be the last time until fall to enjoy having windows open. As we all know, hot and humid weather is just around the corner. It’s a good time to get some things done in the landscape before summer’s heat arrives. Here are some lawn and garden tips for May.

Irrigation- Since May is a warm and usually dry month, St. Augustine grass lawns will quickly show drought injury if irrigation heads get clogged or in some other way stop working. Although diseases and insects can cause browning of lawns, if the browning follows the same pattern as the sprinkler head coverage it’s time to check the heads. It’s also a good idea to calibrate the system to make sure that about ¾ of water is being applied per irrigation. When watering established lawns the goal is to wet the soil to the depth of the root system and in our sandy soils this usually requires about ¾ inch of water. If much more than this is applied in one watering the water quickly percolates below the reach of the grass roots and is wasted. Calibrating an irrigation system is not difficult. Find out how here: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LH026

Mulching- The dry weather of May is usually followed by the beginning of the rainy season sometime in mid- to late-June. Frequent rains will encourage weed seeds to germinate. Applying about a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch now will help to discourage this. Several kinds of mulches are available including pine bark, pine straw, melaleuca, and recycled yard waste mulch. Pinellas County distributes free recycled yard waste mulch at several sites around the county. A list of locations with hours of operation can be found here: http://www.pinellascounty.org/utilities/PDF/mulch-flyer.pdf

Don’t Let Your Palm Go Topless- Although hurricane season begins June 1st, it is not a good idea to give palms what is commonly known as a “hurricane cut”, pruning off many green fronds, leaving the palm looking like a feather duster. Removing large numbers of green fronds stresses the palm by reducing its ability to manufacture food for itself. It also removes significant amounts of nutrients with the removed fronds, often worsening any existing nutritional deficiencies. If this is done repeatedly it can lead to bottlenecking, an unattractive constriction in the trunk. It is better to remove dead fronds as they appear throughout the year. Observations of wind damage to palms after some of the hurricanes that have occurred in recent years indicate that damage to palms that have been “hurricane cut” actually tends to be worse than on palms that faced the storms with a full complement of fronds. More information on pruning palms (and other aspects of palm care) can be found here: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP119

Starting a Bahiagrass Lawn

By Jane Morse, University of Florida/IFAS Pinellas County Extension Agent

Some of the advantages of a bahiagrass lawn are drought tolerance, low fertility requirements, relatively few disease problems and only one primary insect problem (mole crickets). Disadvantages include tall seedheads that some people find unsightly, not much tolerance to shade, traffic or saltwater, and lower performance in alkaline soils.

There are four varieties of bahiagrass available for home lawns. These varieties are Common, Argentine, Pensacola and Paraquay. All of these may be established by seed or sod. Only two of these four varieties are best suited for lawns. Argentine is relatively dense with a dark green color. It has good insect and disease resistance and tolerates cold temperatures well. Pensacola has excellent drought tolerance and tolerates either hot or cold temperatures well, but it produces an abundance of seed heads.

The best time to establish bahiagrass is during the spring or early summer months. This timing allows the grass to become established before the cooler months arrive and growth is reduced.

Properly preparing the soil before planting is critical. This should be done whether you are planting a new lawn or replanting an old one, and whether you are seeding or sodding. The first step is to remove any debris, brush, large roots, rocks, weeds or old tree stumps. Rough grade the site so it is sloped at 1 to 2 % away from the house (1/2 to 1 foot fall per 50 feet). Poorly drained soil may require installation of drainage lines. If an area cannot be leveled, use ground cover plants other than turf grass. Control of perennial weeds such as Bermuda grass and torpedo grass needs to be done during site preparation. Several applications of a non selective herbicide are usually required to get rid of these tenacious weeds.

It’s always a good idea to have a soil analysis done whenever planting is undertaken. This will provide you with information about the soil including its pH (acidity or alkalinity). Depending on which soil analysis is done, it can also provide information about the fertility of the soil and pH adjustments that may be required. To obtain a soil sample, collect several small plugs from the top 6 inches of the soil in the area to be planted. Throw all the samples together, mix them up, then take at least a cup’s worth to be analyzed. Analysis can be provided by Pinellas County Extension. (For detailed information on collecting a soil sample: http://plantingpinellas.blogspot.com/2008/04/collecting-soil-sample-for-ph-testing.html) Extension can also provide the mailing materials for a more in depth analysis done by the University of Florida

Next, install irrigation equipment if desired. Add any desired soil amendments. Just make sure that all organic soil amendment materials are sterilized to prevent the introduction of weed seeds. Rototill to loosen compacted soil and improve the speed and depth of rooting. If soil amendments, lime or fertilizer have been added, till the soil deeply down to about 6 or 8 inches.

Finally, do a final grading just prior to planting to provide a smooth planting bed. The site can be hand-raked and dragged with a hand-pulled drag. Large areas can be smoothed by tractor-drawn equipment with a tiller rake or grading box and then hand-finished. Irrigation can be used to settle the soil before planting. Hand-rake to break up a crusty surface prior to seeding.

Seeding or sodding are the next step and these will be covered in my next article. Can’t wait. . . see this publication: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh013 or Google “Establishing Your Florida Lawn IFAS.”

Information for this article came from University of Florida IFAS publications:

Bahiagrass for Florida Lawns: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LH006

Preparing to Plant a Florida Lawn: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LH012

Controlling Crabgrass

By Jane Morse, University of Florida/IFAS Extension Agent, Pinellas County

If crabgrass has taken over your lawn, early February is the time to put out a pre-emergent herbicide. Pendimethalin (sold as Pendulum, Pre-M, Turf Weedgrass Control, Halts Crabgrass Preventer) provides excellent control of crabgrass and is safe at the recommended rate on mature, actively growing grass (Bahia, Bermuda, St. Augustine and Zoysia). Apply herbicide when daytime temperatures reach 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit for 4-5 days in a row, or usually about the same time that azalea plants start blooming in the spring. Plan to reapply herbicide about 2 months later for season-long control.

If weeds are a recurring problem in your lawn, follow these steps to have a healthy, thick lawn that will out-compete most weeds:

1. Start off with the right grass. Bahia is best suited for sandy, acidic soils that are subject to drought. St. Augustine is better suited for mildly acidic to alkaline soils that are subjected to salty conditions. Also choose grasses based on the amount of care that you are willing to provide. Bahia has a low maintenance level, St. Augustine a moderate level, while Zoysia and Bermuda have a high maintenance level. For areas of dense shade choose a shade-tolerant ground cover or use mulch.

2. Mow at the right height. Set those mower height adjustments high for St. Augustine and Bahia grass which should be mowed at a height of 3 to 4 inches. Dwarf St. Augustine grasses (Delmar, Jade, Seville) are mowed at 2 - 2 ½ inches. Bermuda is mowed at ½ to 1 ½ inches and Zoysia 1 - 2 inches. Proper mowing height and frequency will get rid of many annual weeds.

3. Mow often. Only 1/3 of the leaf blade should be removed each time the lawn is mowed. The shorter it’s mowed, the more often it needs to be mowed. Repeatedly removing too much of the grass blade (more than 1/3) will eventually kill the grass. Keep the mower blades sharp for the best cut. Mow when grass is dry.

4. Water only when it needs it. When 30% of the lawn starts to show symptoms of wilt (i.e. folded leaf blades, bluish-gray color, foot-prints that last for more than 10-15 minutes, and soil is dry), water the grass (unless rain is expected in the next day). Apply ½ to ¾ inch of water each time the lawn is watered. Overly wet lawns promote sedges, spurges and dollar weed, as well as root rots. When watered and mowed correctly the grass will develop a deep root system and will not require water as often. Water in the early morning when dew is still present. Watering late in the evening promotes disease development.

5. Fertilize correctly. Lawns that have been over-fertilized are much more prone to getting chinch bugs, brown patch, grey leaf spot, pythium blight, powdery mildew and thatch. Under-fertilized lawns are prone to getting take-all root rot, dollar spot and rust. Of course, if the lawn gets attacked by these insects and diseases, large areas die off, leaving a perfect place for weeds to sprout.

Fertilize St. Augustine two weeks after the start of spring regrowth using a complete fertilizer (16-4-8) containing slow-release nitrogen (e.g., Isobutylidene diurea [IBDU], Sulfur-coated urea [SCU], urea formaldehyde, cottonseed meal, or poly-coated sources). Sewage sludge products are also a slow-release nitrogen source, but avoid them if you have palms. Apply 1 pound of nitrogen to 1000 square feet of lawn (divide 100 by the first number on the fertilizer bag to get the pounds of fertilizer to apply per1000 sq. ft.) e.g. 6.25 pounds of 16-4-8 fertilizer per 1000 square feet. Apply ferrous sulfate or a chelated iron source in July. For Bahia grass apply a complete fertilizer with slow-release nitrogen in March and August and an iron source in May.

6. Scout. Watch turf closely for symptoms of disease or insect attack. Keep track of any problems on a calendar and note the location where symptoms first appeared. Knowing when to expect a certain disease or insect pest (i.e., chinch bugs, brown patch, etc.) will help to catch problems early before much damage can be done. Pest problems should be greatly lessened or non-existent when proper maintenance steps are used. Using these steps will lessen the need for pesticides, fungicides and herbicides and help to keep our environment clean.

For more information call the Extension Service’s Horticulture Help Line at 727-582-2110, visit our website at: pinellascountyextension.org; or visit the University of Florida Turfgrass website at turf.ifas.ufl.edu.

Make Your Yard as Green as It Can Be

By James Stevenson
Extension Educator

Here at Pinellas County Extension, our departments work together to teach sustainability; that is, ensuring that we enjoy a quality of life that will be available to future generations. Perhaps you would like to “green” your life. How about using the New Year to make changes to your landscaping practices? By the end of 2008, you may find yourself with a few more dollars, a garden of beautiful flowers and a happy family.

Sound too good to be true? Consider these 10 tips for a greener, cheaper, 2008.

1. Plant A Tree – I remember planting a tree with my father when I was a little boy. We’ve watched the tree grow over the years, and it now shades my parents’ house while providing food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. The shade from a tree planted on the west side of a building can help cut air conditioning use. Call us for a list of trees that will fit nicely into your landscape.

2. Add Drought-Tolerant Native or Non-Invasive Exotic Plants – Unless you live on a waterway, plant selection for Florida yards are best made with drought-tolerance in mind. Many plants that have evolved in dry, sandy soil make wonderful garden additions. Call us or come by for a list of drought-tolerant plants for Florida gardens.


3. Service Your Lawn Mower – Make sure your lawn mower is in tip-top working order. The price of gasoline does not show any signs of lowering, so we must make sure our gas-powered engines are running as efficiently as possible


4. Reduce Lawn Area – You may decide to give up on the whole lawn idea. Think about the cost of irrigation, lawn mowing, fertilizer and pesticide which is spent on growing grass which is cut, bagged and thrown away (at a cost!). Consider converting your yard into a series of beds featuring flowers, shrubs, trees and even vegetables and herbs.


5. Convert To, or Install Low-Flow Irrigation – If you must irrigate, choose low-flow irrigation systems. These are cheap and easy to install and put the water right where the plants need it (not in the street or driveway!).


6. Install a Rain-Barrel – One way to save money on watering potted plants is to use what is free – rain. This spring we will be offering a rain barrel workshop where you can learn to connect clean, 55 gallon food containers to your down-spout to collect rain that falls on the roof.


7. Get The Family Involved – Get them up from in front of the TV and spend some quality time doing light chores outside. There will be plenty of interesting discoveries to be made; bugs, flowers, butterflies, everyone will be so enthralled they won’t notice they are working!




8. Grow Your Own Herbs And a Few Vegetables – Growing your own herbs is easy and rewarding. Once you start, you will never shell-out $2 for a small bag of basil that has been imported from South America and tastes of plastic. Growing a few vegetables only costs pennies for a packet of seeds, and is a great way to get kids interested in gardening (AND eating vegetables!).


9. Compost – Putting vegetable scraps into the garbage disposal grinds them to slurry that will end up in the Gulf. And you pay to send it there! Try backyard composting of vegetable and fruit scraps, yard clippings, leaves and coffee grounds. Once rotted-down this rich organic material makes wonderful, moisture-conserving mulch.


10. Sick Plant? Call Us First – Our Extension educators are ready to take your call about any garden-related question you may have at the Extension Service’s Horticulture Help Line at 727-582-2110. Most people call when they have a sick plant. As we have nothing to sell, we have no need to try and foist some chemical off on you which you may not even need. Our advice may be as simple to follow as “you may wish to reduce the amount you are watering” or “sounds like you are using the wrong type of fertilizer.” Our unbiased advice comes from the many years of horticultural experience and the latest research from the University of Florida. Our Educators are available Monday through Friday from 9:00am- noon and 1:00-4:00pm .