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pH News
passion for Horticulture
Master Gardener Newsletter
Dates to Remember in December
December 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Central Florida Fairgrounds Demonstration Garden
7:30A‐8:30A. Tuesdays
December 7
Tree Give Away
8A‐12N Tibet Nature Preserve
8777 County Toad 535, Orlando
December, 2013
Inside this Issue:
Page 2: From My Side of the Fence
Page 3: What to Expect in December
Page 5: New Publications
Page 7: Horticulture Q & A
Page 8: Holly Days Party
Page 9: Exploration Garden
Page 10: Vegetable Garden
Page 11: Master Gardeners Specials
December 11
Master Gardener Lunch n Learn
Using Wildflowers in the Home Landscape
12N‐1:30P, Wednesday, Azalea Room
December 12, 14 & 18
Plant Nutrition, Fertilizers & Irrigation
9A‐10:30A, Saturday, OC
10A‐11:30A. Wednesday, OC
6P‐7:30P, Thursday, JB
December 15
Holly Days Party 1P‐4P
Pat Fusco (see article)
Gardening Tips? Plant Swaps?
Gardening Give‐a‐ways? Plant
Shows? Plant Sales?
Send articles to Carol Jespersen
marjesp@gmail.com
Edmund L. Thralls, FCHP, APH
Environmental Horticulture
Orange County Extension
http://orange.ifas.ufl.edu
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 Family Services Division.

From My Side of the Fence
“As is the garden such is the gardener. A man's nature
runs either to herbs or weeds.”..Francis Bacon
Master Gardener Volunteer Training has only three weeks
left. Final Evaluation and Graduation for 29 new trainees
happens on December 17th. Some of you may be short for
recording Continuing Education Hours and with three more
weeks of training, join some of the classes; there is plenty
of room.
The monthly Lunch ‘N’ Learn will be on Wednesday,
December 11th, at noon in the Azalea Room. The topic will be “Using Wildflowers in the Home
Landscape” and will be presented by Lisa Roberts, Executive Director of the Florida
Wildflower Foundation. As usual, hot dogs and a few snacks will be available.
Are there good projects that you are working on that would win awards at the Annual Master
Gardener Conference? Sure there are --- the Community Awareness Project (Plant Fair) that
builds camaraderie among Master Gardeners as well as introduce local citizens to the services
at the Cooperative Extension Service. How about the Mobile Plant Clinic that is an outreach
activity for “increasing the visibility of the Master Gardener Volunteer Program” around the
county? There are others. Contact the Chairperson of the MG Advisory Committee and let
them know you are ready to help draft an award winning proposal that will document activities,
success stories, and prepare the final award submittals that must be completed by July 2014
for the upcoming year presentations.
Think safety in your homes this holiday season. “Most important of all, during the holiday
season stay safe and make sure your family stays safe as well. Here are a few things to keep
in mind: (Source: Florida Sheriffs Association)
* Decorations can be fun, and beautiful during the holidays. Make sure you read all the
instructions on the box of holiday lights you are putting up, though. If you string too many
lights together, or use lights rated for indoor use outdoors, you could be risking a fire. Also
make sure you turn all your holiday lights off when leaving home, just in case.
* Many people like to light candles during the holidays. Make sure you only light candles when
someone is going to be in the room.
* When it gets colder, a space heater comes in handy. It can easily catch fire, however, if it is
knocked over or if it overheats or shorts out. Never leave a space heater unattended.
* Make sure you don’t have a big pile of holiday gifts easily visible through the windows of your
house, especially when you aren’t at home. Close the curtains or blinds to keep criminals from
“casing” your home for a burglary.
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* Always lock your doors, even at night while you are home sleeping. If you leave your windows
open while you sleep, make sure they aren’t easy to reach from outside your house. It isn’t
unheard of for criminals to enter a home through an unlocked door or open window while a
family is asleep inside.
Thank you all for being valued volunteers as Orange County Master Gardeners. May you all
have a safe and most joyous holiday season.
“And when thou art weary, I'll find thee a bed of mosses and flowers to pillow thy head.”
..John Keats
What to Expect in December
With a sigh of relief, hurricane season is officially over. However, some strong winds can occur and
a homeowner should survey the landscape looking for broken or weakened limbs in trees that can
cause harm to individuals or property. Play it safe and if in doubt, contact a Certified Arborist for a
professional evaluation. The average high temperature will be 73 and the average low temperature
will be 53. Of course there will be some extremes. Rainfall average is 2.3 inches so supplemental
irrigation may be needed for your water demanding plants. However, irrigation of turf should be
reduced to once every 10‐14 days.
Holiday plants are everywhere. Poinsettia is the most favorite holiday plant and was named after
the First U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, in 1828. Visit this web link for more
information: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/poinsettia/facts.cfm. The plant is not poisonous but the
latex “milk” that appears at the base of broken stems may cause a skin irritation. To extend the life
of the plant to Valentine’s Day, keep the soil moderately moist, fertilize with a quarter‐strength
liquid fertilizer, and keep the plant out of drafts. To have the plant re‐bloom next year, here is a
brief timeline to help you in getting a second year of flowering from your poinsettia: in July cut the
plant back to about 2/3 the height you desire for your holiday season; on October first, begin 14
hours of uninterrupted darkness each night, every night without interruption, and continue this
until the holidays arrive. Each night you do not provide uninterrupted darkness roughly equals a
one day delay in getting holiday color. (Hint: cover the plant completely with a cardboard box,
black trash bag, or place in a closet to exclude light).
Amaryllis, Cyclamen, Azaleas, Kalanchoe, Christmas Cactus, Norfolk Island Pine and Holly (“Deck
the Halls with boughs of … “) are other holiday plants to enjoy during the festive season ahead.
Cyclamen may be difficult to continue to grow after the holidays but the other plants should do
well to see future holidays with time and care. Norfolk Island Pine should be enjoyed for the short
holiday period and then disposed of in your yard waste. This tree can grow very large in the
landscape, often dwarfing single story homes. For more information see:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/ST/ST08300.pdf
Christmas trees that you purchase this season may not be from this region. If it is a live tree (in a
container with roots) and not grown in this region, the lack of extended cold season may adversely
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affect its long term health. So place it for street side pick up and let the local solid waste recycling
agencies convert it to compost. Cut Christmas trees that you purchase should be handled with care.
Do not let the tree dry out and become a fire hazard. Before you buy a cut tree, make sure the
needles are tightly attached to the tree. When you get your tree home, cut off a half inch slab off the
bottom to expose fresh wood and stand it up in a pail of water. Keep the pail full of water and the
tree should “drink” enough water to retain its needles. Don’t place any additives in the water such
as sugar ‐‐‐ the plant makes food in its leaves (needles) and does not take up sugar as food from the
water in the pail.
Carefully inspect your holiday plants for pests and good health before you buy them and before
you bring them into your home. Scale, mites, mealybugs, and more may be present. If you see
them before you buy them, make a purchase elsewhere. If you find them when you get home, use
low toxic measures to control them because they will be in your home, around your family
members and pets. A stream of water will wash many of them off (do this outside). Insecticidal
soaps and oils should take care of the remaining pests.
The last of the warm season vegetables, planted in September, will be harvested this month. The
average first frost date will be about December 15th. You can still plant out leafy vegetables in the
garden as they will continue to grow through March. Herbs grow well in this cool season. Select
from arugula, basil, chives, dill, fennel, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sweet marjoram and
thyme. Don’t hold back water to vegetables and herbs for best results.
Replant container gardens and landscape beds with cool season flowers such as alyssum, calendula,
carnation, chrysanthemums, dianthus, dusty miller, ornamental cabbage & kale, pansy, petunia,
salvia, snapdragon, sweet pea and viola should be considered for the planting beds.
Have a plan for protecting your cold sensitive plants, especially the tropicals. Temperatures in the
40’s and 50’s can do a lot of damage if the plants have not been protected. Fabric covers, row covers
or cardboard boxes will help. Sometimes, a small incandescent lamp or Christmas tree light can
provided enough warmth to protect the plants. By the time a frost shows up, the plants may
already be too severely damaged to recover in the spring. If they are in containers, move them to a
warm area.
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New Publications –November, 2013
’Fairytale Princess’ and ’Red Hot’: Red Lance‐leaved Caladium Cultivars
Caladiums are valued in landscapes and containers for their colorful and variable‐shaped
leaves. Two types of caladium cultivars exist in commercial production: fancy‐ and lanceleaved.
‘Florida Sweetheart’ is the most popular lance‐leaved commercial cultivar of all
colors. It produces wide lance leaves with a rosy color and relatively large tubers. ‘Florida
Red Ruffles’ is the most popular red, lance‐leaved commercial cultivar among caladium
growers, greenhouse growers, and nurseries. It has excellent sunburn tolerance.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep481
New Gerbera Daisy Varieties for Large Containers and Flower Gardens
Gerbera daisy is one of the most popular flowers in the United States. Recently, interest has
increased in growing gerberas in large containers for indoor or outdoor use. ‘Funtastic
Tangerine Eye’ and ‘Funtastic Golden Eye’ have been selected and tested specifically for
use in large containers. These cultivars produce large, powdery mildew‐resistant plants and
large, attractive flowers in orange‐red or yellow‐orange that complements the existing
Funtastic series of gerbera cultivars. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep482
Smartirrigation Apps: Urban Turf
We developed an app called Smartirrigation Turf to provide an easy‐to‐use mobile tool that
delivers information to improve irrigation scheduling for urban turf. Using the app instead
of a set time‐based schedule for irrigation, homeowners and others can provide irrigation
amounts to turf that more closely match water needs. This version of the app is applicable in
Florida and Georgia and is available to download in the Apple App Store and Google Play
Store. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae499
Spotted cucumber beetle
Spotted cucumber beetle is a major agricultural pest of North America. Another name for the
spotted cucumber beetle is “southern corn rootworm”. Many Diabrotica species cause
damage to field crops, especially corn, making these beetles a major agricultural concern.
Because of the subterranean nature of their larvae, these insects are hard and expensive to
control. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1008
Conserving Urban Wildlife in the Face of Climate Change
Virtually all climatologists agree that humans are increasing the rate of the Earth’s warming
by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. But you might be surprised to learn that
houses and residential neighborhoods are sources of greenhouse gases of carbon because
everything in a house that runs on electricity or gas is often derived from burning fossil fuels.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw381
Key to Common Bay Trees of Florida
Bay trees in Florida can be difficult to distinguish because their leaves all look alike at first
glance. The leaves of bays are all simple, large, elliptical, and evergreen. In addition, several
bay species grow in overlapping ranges and habitats. Many times two or more different
species of bay will be found growing right next to one another. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr379
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Native and Nonnative Crocodilians of Florida
Florida has two native species of crocodilians, the American alligator and the American
crocodile. These federally protected species are easily confused with nonnative crocodilians
found in south Florida, such as the spectacled caiman and the Nile crocodile. Some key
features used to distinguish these animals are the shape of the head, the shape of the snout,
and the pattern of nuchal scutes (bony plates in between head and shoulders). It is important
to report all nonnative crocodilians so that researchers may quickly remove them in order to
protect Florida’s native ecosystems. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw380
EDIS Top Thirty Publications in 2013
1. Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide
2. Common Poultry Diseases
3. Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools
4. Triangulation: Establishing the Validity of Qualitative Studies
5. Dealing with Snakes in Florida’s Residential Areas – Identifying Commonly Encountered
Snakes
6. Determining Sample Size
7. Transformational Leadership: The Transformation of Managers and Associates
8. “Black Snakes”: Identification and Ecology
9. St. Augustinegrass for Florida Lawns
10. Conducting an In‐depth Interview
11. Sulfites: Separating Fact from Fiction
12. Factors Affecting Egg Production in Backyard Chicken Flocks
13. Understanding Exchange Rates: A Weakening U.S. Dollar–Good, Bad, or Indifferent for
Florida Farmers and Agribusiness
14. Common Florida Spiders
15. Basic Elements of Equipment Cleaning and Sanitizing in Food Processing and Handling
Operations
16. Avocado Growing in the Florida Home Landscape
17. Bahiagrass for Florida Lawns
18. Zoysiagrass for Florida Lawns
19. Mango Growing in the Florida Home Landscape
20. Bird‐of‐Paradise
21. Understanding Motivation: An Effective Tool for Managers
22. Citrus Problems In The Home Landscape
23. Preventing Foodborne Illness: Clostridium botulinum
24. Cockroaches and Their Management
25. Basic Principles of Landscape Design
26. Mites That Attack Humans
27. Invisible Itches: Insect and Non‐Insect Causes
28. Blueberry Gardener’s Guide
29. Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ Bloodgood Japanese Maple
30. Drip‐irrigation systems for small conventional vegetable farms and organic vegetable farms
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Questions & Answers
Q: This past spring we added two Canary Date Palms (5ʹ CT) to our front yard landscaping.
Late summer we noticed leaf skeletonizers and what appeared to be early signs of nutrient
deficiency. Since then Iʹve been paying close attention to the health of the palm to detect any
issues as early as possible. This weekend I noticed
something new that was occurring on the new growth
in the crown. It appeared to be a white clumpy dust,
or possibly a white grit, in the center of a new spear
leaf and its surrounding sheathing. Iʹm currently
researching ifas online, but havenʹt found anything
yet to help me identify what this might be.
For background, on Nov 1st, my lawn and shrub
company performed their first full palm treatment to
address the nutrient issue and preventative pest
control. My understanding is this included a ground
and bud drench; fertilization and application of
fungicide.
Please find attached a picture(s) of the spear leaf for any help you can provide. I also removed a
small sample of the sheathing that I could bring by to the plant clinic if needed.
A: After discussing this with the Palm Specialist in Ft. Lauderdale: It isn’t a disease – I am
sure of that. It is hard to tell from the photo, but could it be spider mites or something similar?
It may be an insect, but since it seems to be mostly associated with the brown paper‐like tissue
that encloses the new leaf, I have a feeling it is not harmful at all. The leaflets look perfectly
normal, so I don’t think it is anything to worry about. It is always surprising what you can find
when you look at things closely all the time.
Q: We have a large (1m trunk diameter) Live Oak that has been under stress and care for over
10 years. In spite of our efforts the canopy has continued to thin and pieces of bark loosen near
the base of the tree.
The tree is located on the West side of our house probably 3m from
the house and 10m from Lake Sylvan. We are located on the East
side of Winter Park.
But just recently we have had conks appear near the base. Our tree
people have been reluctant to provide a positive a identification and
as a result, they have also been reluctant to give us a certain
prognosis.
The conks appeared on the North side of the tree and range in size
from about 1cm to just over 8cm. They are brownish red with a
circular pattern on the top side and an even medium brown on the
underside. Iʹve attached a number of pictures showing their
location on the lower trunk and some close‐ups that might help with
the identification. If there is any additional information or pictures that would be helpful, please
let me know.
It would be greatly appreciated if you have any suggestions as to what the fungus might be and
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what might be going on in the tree to encourage its rapid
growth. And also if it might be a significant negative
indicator.
Although weʹve been working for all these years to keep
the tree, weʹre concerned it might be time to change
direction. The tree has been a wonderful perch for a family
of Barred Owls that nests close by as well as a resting place
for Bald Eagles, hawks and almost everything else that
flies. So we want to make sure the end is near before we
take drastic action.
A: Thanks for the pictures of the conks on your oak tree. I am sorry to say but you have a
hazardous tree on your landscape and it should be removed at your earliest opportunity.
You have Heart or Canker Rot fungal disease. The first symptom of this disease is a white rot of
the heartwood and the eventual death of the cambium and sapwood. The decay removes lignin
and the wood becomes spongy. The conks exhibit dull brown peg like structures that may
exceed 20 inches in length on the outside of the tree.
Conks form in the summer and early autumn. The conks are smooth and shelf‐like and are fully
grown within one to two weeks. The top of the fungus is yellow to rusty red and the porous
bottom is rust color. Conks sometimes form at the base of infected trees among root flares.
Infected trees show symptoms of general tree decline including branch dieback, loss of leaves
and yellowing or browning of leaves in summer.
Trees weakened by drought stress, wounding or other injuries are most susceptible. Optimal
temperature for growth is 95°F. Old conks or remnants may continue to fruit for up to five years.
The recommended control is to remove hazardous trees to protect property and people. Time
pruning of infected branches to minimize exposure of susceptible tissues and when spores are
not disseminated (late winter or spring).
******************************************************************************
Annual Holly Days Party
And Luncheon
Host: Master Gardener Pat Fusco
December 15, 2013 1-4P Lunch @ 2P
6212 Bordeaux Circle, Sanford, 32771
This is a pot luck luncheon (please let me know what you are bringing).
There will also be a plant/gift exchange not to exceed $15.
Please bring your favorite dish to share!
If you are ATTENDING, please RSVP to planeprincess1968@gmail.com/817-909-6255
By December 14 (gated community)
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Paulette Smith
Butterfly gardening does not have to end in the winter; Florida butterflies are active most of the
year and use a wide variety of plants. So keeping
your garden in bloom through all seasons is
important. Most adult butterflies feed on flower
nectar; a few feed on aphids, manure, rotting fruit,
mud, or tree sap. If you have visited the Butterfly
Garden lately, you have seen a flurry of “flying
flowers” instead of the snowflakes northern
gardeners are enjoying this month.
Kelly has provided lots of nectar plants to sustain a
variety of adult butterflies: Firespike and Mexican
Fuschia Sage.
Also in full bloom this month are Cape Honeysuckle (orange, red, and yellow varieties), Redleaved
Hibiscus, Mexican Purple Sage, Blue Plumbago, and Cigar Plant.
If you are interested in adding plants to attract
butterflies this winter, look at Table 10 in the
EDIS publication “Butterfly Gardening in
Florida.” It lists the butterfly nectar plants for
central Florida and gives the bloom season.
Table 1 shows the ʺflight seasonʺ to indicate
the months when the adult butterflies are
active. The author, Jaret C. Daniels, PhD
spoke at the Master Gardener Conference in
October; he has posted his presentation on the
Conference Agenda website.
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Central Florida Fairgrounds
In the Vegetable Garden...............submitted by Alicia Yeatman
November in the garden has been a busy and productive time. We have had pole beans to
gather the entire month. Mustard, turnips, Swiss chard, kale, lettuce and radishes have been
harvested. Fennel was planted
along with additional mustard,
chard, turnips and radishes for a
continual harvest. Super sugar snap
peas will be planted on the fences
when the pole beans are finished.
The cabbage, collards, and broccoli
are growing, although a little
slower than normal.
Just before Thanksgiving we had a
pallet of mulch delivered to spruce
up the walkways and other areas.
(Thank you Ed) We will be busy putting it down in the coming weeks.
The wildflower and native plants areas are being cleaned out and some areas will be
reseeded with wildflowers next month. The fine garden photos were taken by MG Phyllis
Stopford.
There is still time to get needed volunteer hours for the year. Stop by the Fairground garden
and spend some time with us. All Master Gardeners are invited.
Master Gardeners Phyllis Stopford, Jon Rodeheffer, Jim Franklin, Dennis Abney, Sandy
Holdeman, Pat Fusco, Yvonne
Engwall, Susan Ledbetter,
Carol Jespersen, Virginia
Barton and Sue Napolitano
volunteered in the garden this
month.
Doreen Webb‐Walkerʹs name
was not listed in the volunteers
last month, I apologize.
Tuesday s from 7:30A to 8:30A
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Master Gardener Specials
December Birthdays:
9 th Carol McCrea
11 th Janine Rahaim
17 th Don McCarter
22 nd Grace Pierce
23 rd Jocelyn Phillips
24 th Kay Harris
29 th Susan Ledbetter
30 th Virginia Barton
31 st Sharon Hartman
December Anniversaries
20 th Jocelyn Phillips
21 st Carolyn Bird
21 st Lisa Tellechea
22 nd Sharon Bostrom
27 th Mae & Norm Singletary
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.
Contributors:
Paulette Smith
Alicia Yeatman
Ed Thralls
Carol Jespersen
Clinic Raffle Draw
Ali Emara Is the lucky winner of a “Florida
Master Gardener license plate”
Future Articles:
Send articles to Carol at marjesp@gmail.com
And cc: Ed & Frances at:
ed.thralls@ocfl.net & frances.simoneaux@ocfl.net
Happy Holidays!
November Statistics:
Volunteer Hours.………………534
Value……………………$9,964.20
Soil Tests……....……………....130
Plant ID………………………..143
Insect ID……….……………….26
Plant Problems………………....127
Disease Problems ……………..66
Other……………………………86
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