Dates to Remember in January:

January 11 &13, Basics of Vegetable Gardening

6:00P-7:30P, Thursday, JB

9A-10:30A, Saturday, OC

January 16, “How to Lead” Public Events Training

10A-11:30A, Tuesday, OC

January 17, Lunch ‘n Learn, Caitlyn Glatting

Farm to School Community Programs

12P-1P, Wednesday, OC

All Members MG Meeting

January 18 Don’t Trash Those Leaves - Composting

6:30P-8P, Thursday, OC

January 24, Downtown Demonstration Garden Workday

8:30A-11A, Wednesday, 201 S. Rosalind Ave.

January 24, Beekeeping 101: Is Beekeeping for Me?

6P-8P, Tuesday, OC

January 25, Annual MG Recognition Banquet

5:30P-8:30P, Thursday, OC

January 30, Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM

6P-7:30P, Tuesday, OC

January, 2018

Page 2: From My Side of the Fence

Page 3: What to Expect in January

Page 4: Tips for Plant Freeze

Protection

Page 8: New and Revised

Publications

Page 9: Jan. Sunday in the Garden

Page 10: Jan. Gardening Calendar

Page 11: Q&A

Page 13: Meet the Master Gardener

Page 15: FFL Demo Garden

Page 17: Dec. Sunday in the Garden

Page 18: MG Specials

Gardening Tips? Plant Swaps?

Gardening Give-a-ways? Plant Shows?

Send articles to Carol Jespersen

marjesp@gmail.com

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Services is an Equal Employment Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer

authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function

without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or national origin. Orange County Extension Service is a Division of the

University of Florida, a department of the Orange County Health and Family Services Division.

White Stopper

“Eugenia axillaris”

Amy T. Vu

Urban Horticulture

UF/IFAS Extension

Orange County

2

From My Side of the Fence

By Amy Vu, Urban Horticulture Extension Agent

and Master Gardener Coordinator

Happy 2018, Master Gardeners!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with

loved ones around you.

Let’s start off the year strong! We will continue to have

our 3 regular plant clinics: UF/IFAS Extension Orange

County Office (Monday-Friday, 8am-12pm and 1pm-

5pm), Leu Gardens (Wednesday 3pm-5pm), and the

Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (Tuesday 9am-12pm). I am so happy to see that

many volunteers decided to take a permanent shift! We also have many public event

opportunities that are already listed on VMS. THANK YOU for your dedication!

Please “Save the Dates” for the following events in 2018:

Banquet: January 25, 2018

Plant Festival: March 3, 2018

Healthy Living 5K Milk Run: March 24, 2018

Introduction to Master Gardener Day: April 25, 2018

Yay for change! Our continuing education training will be a little different in 2018. We will

continue with Lunch ‘N Learn every month on Wednesdays, however, we are cutting back

on Advanced MG trainings. I am bringing in a new series called “How to Lead”, where

participants will learn how to guide and teach the community. In these trainings, Master

Gardeners will be provided with the resources, discussion points, materials, and more to be

able to do more outreach to the community. Please check VMS under “General Events” to

find the dates for them.

January 16th (10am-11:30am) “How to Lead” Public Events Training: This is a great training

for those interested in volunteering at public events. We will discuss the process of how to

pick-up bins, how to set-up tables, how to document clientele contacts, and more.

January 17th (12pm-1pm) Lunch ‘N Learn: Caitlyn Glatting, Central District Farm to School

and Community Coordinator will be discussing some of her programs in Central Florida

January 25th (5:30pm-8:30pm): Annual UF/IFAS Orange County Master Gardener Banquet

Thank you Master Gardeners for all that you do!

-Amy Vu, Urban Horticulture Extension Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator

3

What to Expect in January By Ed Thralls

It is difficult to understand that we are approaching the middle of winter when the

temperature was in the 80s just two weeks ago. Average daytime temperature in

January will be near 72-degrees F. The expected rainfall is less than 2.5 inches this

month and hopefully it won’t come in one day. Many of the plants in the landscape are

still very green; some are flowering and probably shouldn’t. Put off pruning out

damage that may be evident at this time of year because there is the possibility of a few

cooler days before the end of winter. Also, hold back on fertilizing in the landscape for

the same reason. New growth that may be stimulated by pruning or fertilizing could

become easily damaged with temperatures near freezing. However, sharpen the lawn

mower blade and continue mowing to keep weeds under control.

The lawn should continue to be watered once a week in accordance with the Water

Management District rules at this time of year if the plants need water. To keep turf

and plants alive, they need one inch of water per week so you may need to adjust your

irrigation controller to make this happen. Audit the irrigation system: is the coverage

adequate, are there damaged and broken sprinkler heads that need to be replaced, and

are streets and sidewalks being watered too?

Let the turf and plants tell you when to water. Look for signs of wilting, the grass

blades on St. Augustinegrass will close up to conserve moisture, touch the soil to see if

it is dry. These are all signs that irrigation may be needed. If you need to keep the

Zoysiagrass green, it will need to be irrigated during the winter season even though it

has drought tolerant qualities.

Add mulch in the planting beds and around trees and shrubs 2”-3” thick to reduce the

rate at which water is being evaporated from the soil and to insulate the soil from the

cooler winter temperatures.

There is still time left to plant out cool season vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower,

collards, lettuce, potatoes and Swiss chard. Flowering plants will look nice in both the

landscape and the garden. Consider calendula, dusty miller, pansy, petunia and sweet

pea. Herbs perform very well this time of year. Plant out bay laurel, chives, coriander,

fennel, garlic, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Now would also be a good time to

get the bulbs into the landscape including African iris, amaryllis, blood lilies, crinum,

day lilies, and daffodils.

4

Did you make a New Year’s Resolution that you can keep? I was able to keep last years

resolution to improve my landscape with better Integrated Pest Management

techniques. I have reduced my use of pesticides by 25% over the previous year by

targeting pest treatments with more environmentally friendly control methods

including eliminating plants that are “pest magnets” and replacing them with Florida-

Friendly plants (I did not add any native plants this time).

The new Horticulture Classes and Workshops for 2018 are now posted on the UF/IFAS

Extension Orange County Eventbrite Website www.gardenflorida.eventbrite.com. We

will need volunteers to conduct registration and pass out materials to attendees. Also,

there will be an additional teaching opportunity each month at the Jessie Brock

Community Center (old Dillard Elementary School) in Winter Garden. To indicate your

willingness to help us with these evening and Saturday classes volunteer in VMS.

Finally, on March 24, 2018 from 9:00AM – 1:00 PM (approximately), the UF/IFAS

Extension Orange County will host the Healthy Living Expo. There will be the 5K Milk

Run through the T.G. Lee property next door, several 20 minute educational topics and

other events. Mark your calendars and join us at the Extension Education Center and

learn about “green” things you can do to improve your quality of life.

Tips for Plant Freeze Protection in Central Florida By Rob Kocol

Most Master Gardeners have their prized specimens along with many homeowners

having thousands of dollars invested in their lawns and landscapes. I hope to provide

you some very useful information and tips on planning for what to do, before and after

a low temperature or freeze event. These strategies may help to prevent or minimize

plant losses.

There are two types of freezes; radiational or advective. The thing to remember is that

radiational freezes or frost occurs on calm, clear nights when heat rapidly radiates from

the surface to the above environment. If the air is moist, ice deposits or frost will appear

on most surfaces. This type is easier to deal with by reducing the radiant heat loss

under calm conditions, from plants and soil surfaces in order to minimize freeze

damage.

Advective freezes are much more difficult because windy conditions are normal

making plant protection more challenging. Tissue desiccation caused by these winds

5

only add to the “chilling injury” characterized by marginal or leaf tip burn to the total

loss of the leaf surface. Advective freezes occur when masses of cold air rapidly come

down from the north, dropping the temperature suddenly. Although radiant heat losses

also occur, the conditions are quite different than radiational type freezes.

It is also important to note that lawns and plants that have been subject to a gradual

decrease in temperature (over time) will help to acclimate and increase the ability to

withstand cold temperatures. Early winter freeze events without prior acclimation can

be very harmful or freezes after a long period of winter warming, will act to “de-

acclimate” lawns and plants and increase potential damage. This is something to be

aware of when the cold temperatures of late February can happen.

Some preparation or planning can begin to happen at the time of planting. Know

which of your plants are cold sensitive verses cold hardy or tolerant. Take advantage of

the naturally protected/shielded microclimate areas within your yard or landscape.

Group plants with like needs or requirements together. Doing this makes the job of

providing cold weather protection to them a lot easier.

Proper and ongoing cultural practices will help to further protect against cold or freeze

damage. Avoid hard late fall pruning that would encourage new bud or tender tissue

growth that would be very susceptible to freeze damage. This would also include Crepe

Myrtles (some commercial outfits don’t seem to know any better!). Lawns should be cut

on the high side because we know “the longer the shoots, the longer the roots”.

This contributes to creating a lawn that is more tolerant to stress and the buildup of

energy reserves. The proper timing of fall fertilization (low or no Nitrogen) along with

the application of micronutrients especially one high in potassium (K) will increase cold

tolerance and promote earlier spring green up. Landscapes that have been under the

continual care of a spray and fertilization company will generally do better and will

have greater resources to allocate to defense and recovery in the event of a freeze. Any

plant that has not been dealing with a pest or pathogen, a nutrient deficiency or

drought stress will do far better at dealing with any stressor including cold or freeze

damage.

In preparation of an imminent freeze one action to take is to go off the automatic

irrigation schedule and water thoroughly 48-72 hours before the freeze hits. Much more

heat can be stored and conducted in moist soil rather than dry. This can give the ground

a better chance to absorb some solar heat to later release back up at the root zone. After

you’ve watered, turn the irrigation system OFF; better yet turn off the water that

supplies the entire system! The worst landscape freeze damage I ever saw was done

6

after an irrigation system ran during the night of a hard freeze. The heartbroken

homeowner “just knew” the system wasn’t supposed to come on that night, only to find

out otherwise after the fact.

Regarding protecting and covering the plants; most potted plants can and should be

moved indoors or grouped and covered together in a protected place where perhaps

passive, radiant heat might be coming off a home or building.

When in doubt cover the plants & secure the cover! A good, secure cover will help

retain the latent heat coming from the plant and soil and not be carried off by the wind.

Sheets or black plastic might be okay but they always seem to show damage where they

made contact with the plant. Making a standoff frame or cage is ideal but time

consuming and costly. Frost blankets can be expensive and costs will add up when

dealing with a lot of plants. Because they are light weight, they must be secured well.

In my personal experience, blankets, comforters and bedspreads are best to use for

plant protection. Anyone who has been involved with pet or animal rescue is familiar

with the need for blankets, bedspreads, sheets and comforters. As a result, it seems that

just about every household has at least one or more of the above that is no longer

suitable for company or guests. Most are willing to give them away or sell at a very low

cost. Garage sales are a great place to start when also searching for blankets for moving

or to cover/protect furniture that may be in long term storage. Make sure to check out

local thrift stores or even ask family, friends or neighbors what they may have.

Commercial frost fabric is non-washable and not as durable as a blanket or bedspread.

You might even value the fact that you repurposed a comforter that might have wound

up in a landfill. I use a large plastic bin/container to fold and store my “plant blankets”.

Be careful in placing it in the garage though. The large, flat top is a very inviting place

to put things on and it tends to get buried quickly. You don’t want to have to scramble

to “dig it out” on one of the coldest evenings of the year.

High winds often come with freezes and the lightweight materials noted above tend to

“sail” or flap in the wind allowing freezing air under the fabric. Large safety pins, old

fashioned clothes pins or even rope will help keep things tied down. They are also

useful in creating a single, larger cover if needed.

In keeping the covers anchored under windy conditions, my favorite is to use landscape

or construction type bricks. They are easy to store and kept out of the way in the

garage. They can be stacked in a corner or lined up along a wall. Bricks can usually be

found at the big box stores or on Orlando’s Craigslist. Other types of anchors that could

be used are large rocks, firewood, camping stakes, large spikes/nails, weed cloth or

7

irrigation tubing “U” shaped anchors, sandbags, bags of mulch or piles of loose mulch

or dirt. One gallon milk or water jugs filled with water will also work in a pinch.

After a freeze, the full degree of damage done sometimes cannot be fully determined

until the plant is stressed by higher temperatures. Depending on the severity, some

plants may be very slow to recover and patience is required. Always look for green

colored tissue under the cambium layer to determine at what point the plant is still

alive before pruning. Use a light hand at first or it might be best to wait until all freeze

potential has passed for the season.

As with most things, prior planning is always best. Lastly, remember to UNCOVER the

plants after the freeze passes and it warms back up to daytime temperatures. Never

leave plants covered for more than 24 hours. Also consider watering again in about 2-5

days post, depending on warmer weather conditions.

8

New and Revised Publications https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/

Foliar or Bud Nematodes in Florida Strawberries

Foliar or bud nematodes are little-known nematodes that caused “crimp disease” in Florida

strawberries in the early 1900s. Recently, these foliar nematodes have been observed again in the

state, and seem to have come in with transplants from outside Florida. Foliar/bud nematodes can

devastate a crop of strawberries. Plants become stunted with curled up leaves, and produce few

or no flowers or fruits. This fact sheet written provides much-needed information on these little-

understood pests, summarizing the different types of foliar nematodes, their biology, life cycle,

damage symptoms, survival strategies, dissemination, and management options.

edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1184

UF/IFAS Standardized Nutrient Recommendations for Vegetable Crop Production in

Florida

Soil testing is a scientific tool for effective nutrient management that provides an estimate or an

index of the available nutrient-supplying capacity of the soil. This publication presents the

fertilization recommendations for vegetable crops based on soil tests performed by the IFAS

Extension Soil Testing Laboratory (ESTL).

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/cv002

Impervious Surface Thresholds and the Pace to Plant Technique for Planting Urban Red

Maple Trees A foundation of integrated pest management (IPM) in urban landscapes is to put the right plant

in the right place. This preventive tactic can reduce plant stress, pest infestations, and subsequent

pesticide applications. Many urban tree species have more insect and mite pests in urban

landscapes than in surrounding natural areas. This is due in part to stress created by impervious

surfaces like roads and sidewalks that make the air hot and the soil dry. For red maples (Acer

rubrum), more impervious surface area adds stress and worsens tree condition. This publication

focuses on selecting red maple planting sites that will help reduce tree stress and scale insect

pests by maximizing surfaces permeable to water.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1185

Caladium Cultivars 'Cosmic Delight', 'Fiesta', and 'Hearts Desire'

Caladiums are commonly grown in containers, hanging baskets, or planted directly in the

landscape as accent and border plants. New caladium cultivar introductions are important to the

Florida caladium industry, the greenhouse/nursery industries, and commercial landscape

maintenance companies. The UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center released three

new caladium cultivars, ‘Cosmic Delight’, ‘Fiesta’, and ‘Hearts Desire’, in 2015. This document

describes the characteristics, production potential, and performance of these cultivars.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep545

9

How to Calibrate Your Fertilizer Spreader

Fertilizer application is only effective if you ensure uniform coverage. This document discusses

the calibration and use of fertilizer spreaders for successful application.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh024

'Florida Beauty' Strawberry

‘Florida Beauty’ is a new strawberry cultivar released by the University of Florida and

commercialized in 2017. This document describes the characteristics, performance, growth, and

management of this cultivar. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1307

Citrus Tree Care for the Home Gardener in the HLB Era

Since the early 2000s, growing citrus has become much more challenging due to plant disease

pressure. HLB is the most devastating disease affecting Florida citrus, and threatens the survival

of the citrus industry. This document describes citrus growth and care while managing the risk of

an HLB infection. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp336

Sunday in

the Garden

with Pat Fusco

January 21st 2018 1:00pm-3:00pm

Buckingham Estates

6212 Bordeaux Circle

Sanford, FL 32771

Celebrating the last hurrah for Christmas and a new

beginning 2018!

Easy to get to-I-4E to exit 101A, left about a mile to Blinking

Red Light (Orange Blvd)

Right turn on Orange, first left at light on Markham Rd. and

then Buckingham Estates will be on right about half a mile.

Must stop at Gatehouse! Thru gate and then 2nd left on

Bordeaux Circle (Bentley section) will be the second house

on right. Probably the only house still with Christmas

decorations.

Pat has a jungle so there is lots of cuttings and plants

available! A variety of refreshments and some food will be

served.

Please use VMS to RSVP

Bedding Plants: Plants that can be added to the garden during the coolest months include dianthus, pansy, petunia, viola, and snapdragon. See: Gardening with Annuals in Florida

Bulbs: Crinum, agapanthus, and gloriosa lily bulbs can be planted now. Provide a layer of mulch for protection from cold temperatures. See: Bulbs for Florida

Camellias: Select and plant camellias this month. Visit local nurseries now for the best selection of colors and forms. See: Camellias at a Glance Vegetables: Continue planting cool season crops including beet, cabbage, turnip, lettuce, potato, and broccoli. See: Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide

Central Florida Edition

What to Plant

Deciduous fruit: Now is the time to plant deciduous fruit trees. This will give roots time to develop before the warm and dry spring months. See: Deciduous Fruit for the Home Garden in Central Florida

Cold protection: Frost or freezes are likely this month and next. Be ready to cover tender plants to minimize damage and make sure covers extend all the way to the ground. See: Cold Protection of Ornamental Plants

Irrigation: Lawns and landscape plants are dormant and need minimal irrigation. See: : Fertilization and Irrigation Needs for Florida Lawns and Landscapes

Shrubs and Trees: Prune non-spring flowering shrubs and trees this month to improve form. See: Pruning Landscape Trees and Shrubs

Arbor Day: Florida observes Arbor Day on the 3rd Friday of January. To celebrate, plant a tree in your yard or community. See: Arbor Day Foundation - Florida

Crapemyrtle: While crapemyrtles do not require pruning, removing seed pods, crossing branches and small twiggy growth improves the appearance and form of the plant. See: Crapemyrtle in Florida

Pests: To control scale on citrus, shrubs, camellias, and deciduous fruit trees, apply horticultural oil while plants are dormant. See: Landscape Insect Pest Management

Flo

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ing

Ca

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What to Do

What to Do Every Month

• Adjust irrigation based on rainfall. • Deadhead flowers to encourage new

blooms. • Monitor the garden for insects and

disease. • Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials and

water until established. • Mow lawns at recommended heights:

• St. Augustine & Bahia: 3-4” • Centipede: 1.5-2.0” • Dwarf St. Augustine: 2.5” • Zoysiagrass

UF Resources For Gardeners • UF/IFAS Publications (EDIS)

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ • Florida-Friendly Landscaping

http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/ • Solutions For Your Life

http://solutionsforyourlife.com • Gardening in a Minute Radio Program

http://gardeninginaminute.com • Florida Master Gardener Program

http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/mastergardener/

• Living Green http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu/

Comments or suggestions? Dr. Sydney Park Brown

spbrown@ufl.edu

11

Questions & Answers

Q: The leaves on one of my avocado trees have a brown tint on them. I’ve never

seen this before. What is it and how do I get rid of it?

A: This is an algal leaf spot on the Avocado. During a period from late summer

to late winter an alga produces leaf spots on avocado, barely visible at first, but

attaining 1/4 inch in diameter within a few months. The slightly

raised roughly circular spots are green, yellowish-green, or rust

colored, with rather smooth or fringed margins.

The alga eventually produces rust-colored, microscopic "spores"

on the raised surfaces of spots. For this reason, the disease is

sometimes called red alga spot.

Young spots are visible on the upper leaf surface. Later, as they

enlarge and become gray to white, they discolor the opposite,

lower side of the leaf dark green, olive-green, or brown. A

yellowish halo may surround these old spots.

Wind and rain carry the "spores" from diseased to healthy leaves. Copper fungicides

used for other avocado diseases have provided control in the past. Always read and

follow the pesticide label directions.

Q: I have started growing squash in my garden. I've

tried in the past and was less successful than this year

but it seems that I'm still doing something wrong. At

least this year I'm getting an actual vegetable. But as you

can see it doesn't look that great. They get to be about an

inch or 2 then rot and fall off.

A: Squash plants need pollinators to develop the

fruit. If there is insufficient pollination, the fruit will

grow up to about 2” and appear to rot. So add some

flowering plants near the garden to attract the pollinators and you will see more

squash fruit in your garden. Or hand pollinate.

Q: Attached is a photo of insects that keeps

showing up in my shower. Any idea what it is and how

to keep it out?

A: This is a young cockroach, perhaps a few days

old. You will need to remove its source of food, water

and shelter to keep it out of the house. They are not

impossible to control but it takes more than just spraying

12

an insecticide. Depending on the severity of the infestation, you may wish to seek

professional pest control help. An integrated pest management (IPM) approach is

the most effective method of cockroach control. Successful cockroach control

requires prevention and sanitation. Prevention and sanitation can be divided into

four categories: exclusion; and elimination of water, food and harborage. Read the

ENY-214 publication for more information. Q: Please tell me what kind of caterpillars these

are and how to control them if they aren't beneficial.

A: These are oleander caterpillars. They feed on

Oleander, desert rose, bougainvillea, Natal plum,

rubber vine and Mandevilla.

There are several natural enemies that include stink

bugs, tachinid flies, wasps and the Red imported Fire

ant. Removal of caterpillar-infested foliage is a most

environmentally-friendly method of controlling the oleander caterpillar. Prune off

infested leaves or hand pick the caterpillars, and dispose in the garbage. Wearing

rubber gloves for this task would keep the sap off your skin.

Application of insecticides should be considered as a last resort for this insect. A

microbial insecticide that is sold under various trade names (Thuricide, Dipel, etc.) is

a bacterium that kills only caterpillars that feed on treated foliage. These products

are readily available at garden centers.

Q: I have a bed of young liriope that is turning yellow, not from the base but

from the tips. Is there anything I should be feeding it or acidifying the soil! It just

started turning yellow the past few weeks but is spreading a getting worse.

A: If just a few weeks to a couple of month old, the cold snap we just had

could have put them into stress. Now that the weather has warmed up, they may

recover. Watering is important and an irrigation system will not be the best method

for irrigating them until they start showing new growth. Watering by hand, at the

base of the plant is the best method for a daily watering for the next several weeks.

Do not do anything to acidify the soil. Liriope is not an acid loving plant and by

acidifying the soil, it may not be able to take up the nutrients it needs for good

growth. Applying liquid iron to the soil may help them regreen.

This is also not a good time of year to fertilize such plants as it will grow tender new

growth that could be damaged by more cold weather that may show up before winter

is over.

13

Meet the Master Gardener

Diane Sappington By Marquita D. Anderson

1. How long have you been an MG (What year did

you join the MG program)? 1999

2. What is your favorite gardening interest?

I enjoy all aspects of gardening! In the last few years,

though, my favorite has become shade gardening.

It’s so low maintenance but yet so beautiful. There

are so many blooms in shade that most people don’t

realize exist.

3. What is your favorite plant?

This may sound “old fashion” but, the Peace Lily

(Spathiphyllum) is my ongoing favorite. It is very

versatile, an interior or exterior plant and there are lots of varieties. Also, a beautiful

shade bloom that with the right micro climate blooms all year round.

4. What has been your biggest garden challenge?

Biggest challenge used to be getting grass to grow where I wanted it to, instead of

where it naturally thrived. Now, that I know not to do that, it’s finding time to get out

into my own garden. My landscape design business keeps me quite busy making

others gardens look beautiful.

5. What do you like most about the Master Gardener program?

I love that everybody has the same interest in gardening, but a different knowledge

level in different areas. Even when you first meet someone there is something in

common already. You can’t find a better crowd of people. I also like helping people be

smarter about their landscape.

6. Other than gardening, do you have any other hobbies or interest?

I enjoy canning fruits and vegetables. I used to preserve all the fruits and vegetables for

the family, for the year, including growing some. I was an avid speed walker for 40

years. I like to sew, practice Yogo, read, spend time with my grand children and I do

enjoy my business helping people with their landscapes.

14

7. What is the biggest change you have seen in the Master Gardener Program over the

years?

With the move from the old building to our new facility it seemed to make our whole

attitude grow, as well, about our importance and desire to help others. All the

extension agents are top notch, but, Ed Thralls seemed to have brought us up a notch,

as we matured under his supervision. It seems he laid the groundwork to make things

keep growing.

8. Is there anything you would like to see us do that we don’t do now?

I can’t think of anything right now. Already great thoughts are keeping things moving

along.

9. Where did you grow up?

I grew up on a farm in Maryland. I came to Orlando in 1983 when my husband was

transferred with AT&T.

10. Where is your favorite place to be (vacation spot, maybe)?

I like the mountains in the fall. To see the leaves change colors and to enjoy some

cooler weather.

11. What was life before Master Gardeners?

I always did gardening while I raised three kids. Moving to Orlando I got into

landscaping more than vegetable gardening, basically because our neighborhood is full

of deer and I live under Live Oak canopies. I started working in landscape maintenance

while the children were still at home. From there I became a Landscape Designer and

started my design business. A friend suggested that I should look into the Master

Gardener program and the rest is history!

12. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself?

I feel like being a Master Gardener is a lifetime hobby. My wisdom is always growing

through all the education opportunities provided. It seems to me it will always linger

in my life. Whether I am minimally active or extremely involved, I think it will always

“wave” in my existence somehow.

15

Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM

Demonstration Garden By Phyllis Stopford

Most of us, especially Master

Gardeners, have had the

experience of seeing a plant in a

cultivated garden that we

would love to have in our yard

only to discover the plant was

not identified. This is exactly

how I became involved with

our downtown Florida Friendly

Garden and began the project of

providing plant labels for our

demonstration gardens. Marc

Frank, Extension Botanist,

UF/IFAS Plant Identification

and Information Service, has become an important resource in helping correctly identify

plants.

Recently while attending the Tarflower Native Plant Society meeting I discovered that

one of the plants in our downtown garden was listed as endangered. This was an

exciting find but before adding this information to the plant label I thought it best to

verify. After a flurry of emails, collecting and sending a plant sample to Marc Frank at

the UF Herbarium in Gainesville I was surprised to learn that our plant had been

erroneously labeled. Instead of the endangered, Eugenia confusa, commony known as

Red Stopper, Marc identified our plant as the Eugenia axillaris, commonly known as

White Stopper. Our plant sample is now included among the UF herbarium plant

specimens and our plant is now correctly identified in the garden.

On another occasion, while performing our monthly maintenance at the downtown

garden, we found a beautiful plant had volunteered itself in our garden.

White Stopper

“Eugenia axillaris”

16

It had some of the telltale signs of

an invasive plant but before

removing from the garden we sent a

picture to Marc Frank to help

identify. We were disappointed but

not surprised to learn that it was

indeed invasive.

Marc identified it as, Jatropha

gossypiifolia, commonly known as

bellyache bush or cotton-leaved

physicnut. The capsular fruit open

explosively, flinging the seeds

considerable distance from the

parent plant. Needless to say a

special trip was made to the garden

to immediately remove it.

Interested in learning more about

our Native or Florida Friendly plants? Bring your garden hat, gloves and garden tools

and join our downtown garden team every 4th Wednesday, 8:30 – 11am. Our next

scheduled workday is Wednesday, January 24, 2018.

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/herbarium/

Upcoming Downtown Demonstration Garden Workdays

8:30A-11A, Wednesdays, 201 S. Rosalind Ave

Volunteer in VMS

January 24

February 28

March 28

April 18

May 23

June 27

July 25

August 22

September 26

October 24

November 28

Bellyache Bush (or)

Cotton-leaved Physicnut

“Jatropha gossypiifolia”

17

December Sunday In the Garden with Edith Welch

at Willow Bay Drive

We had a wonderful time Christmas Sunday Garden on December 3, 2017 at Willow

Bay Drive, Winter Garden. I want to thank all Master Gardeners and their guests who

attended this fun event. Thank you all for the delicious food and the wonderful

company. I also want to thank the homeowner, Dr. Galusha, who graciously allowed me

to host the event at his house and to show his lighted garden.

Replanting this garden is challenging. The front garden flooded every time it rains.

Also, this garden was full of weeds. The back garden was devastated by hurricane Irma

uprooting two pomegranates and three olive trees. Work is still in progress and I hope

to see a beautiful garden by Spring, 2018.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

18

Master Gardener Specials

January Birthdays:

2nd Gloria Harris

2nd Peggy Green

9th Sharon Bostrom

10th Aixa Garcia

15th Jim Rowell

17th Sam Wilson

19th Mary McKenzie

19th Paulette Smith

21st Ed Wardingley

23rd Tsehaye Samson

24th Patricia Fusco

25th Alicia Yeatman

29th Zabeda Khan

29th Frances Sanchez

Contributors:

Carol Jespersen

Ed Thralls

Amy Vu

Jenna Allen

Phyllis Stopford

Marquita Anderson

Rob Kocol

Diane Sappington

Edith Welch

Pat Fusco

Clinic Raffle Drawing: Jeanette Pollard is the lucky winner!

Future Articles:

Send articles to Carol at marjesp@gmail.com;

And cc: Amy and Jenna at amy.vu@ocfl.net and

jenna.allen@ocfl.net

Happy Gardening!

pH News

The information presented in pH News

comes from a variety of sources, including

not only official University of Florida and

Orange County Government, but also

unofficial sources and individuals. Every

effort is made to present current and

accurate information. The Master Gardener

Coordinator edits all of the pages presented

here for grammar, spelling, and corrects or

deletes information in an article that is not

appropriate for a Master Gardener

Newsletter. Each author of an article must

abide by University policies and local, state

and federal laws.

OCMG Twitter

twitter.com/ocmgs

OCMG Facebook

facebook.com/ocmgs

OCMG Webpage

orange.ifas.ufl.edu/mg

December Statistics:

Volunteer Hours .................... 634.41

Value .............................. $14,007.77

Soil Test ......................................... 3

Plant ID .......................................... 2

Insect ID ....................................... 34

Plant Care ..................................... 16