Stop Crape Murder!

It is that time of year when the crape myrtles are starting to loose their leaves and go dormant for the winter.  Resist the urge to over prune these poor trees.Unfortunately, many homeowners and landscape professionals prune crape myrtle trees too severely. Topping--commonly called "crape murder"--can be very damaging and disfiguring to the tree. This practice results in a "witch's broom" appearance and a tree that is no longer in proportion.

Crape myrtle may need little or no pruning if planted in full sun away from walkways and roads and in areas with room for plant growth. In these locations, trees form a round canopy that often extends to the ground. Reasons for pruning crapemyrtle (or any plant) are to improve plant structure and alter plant size, shape, and appearance according to human perceptions and landscape function. Well pruned crape myrtle provide an interesting, sculptural feature in your landscape during it's dormant season and beautiful color in the growing season.

For more information on pruning crape myrtles or other trees visit: 
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep399
http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/lawn_and_garden/crape_murder.html
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep399
http://hort.ufl.edu/woody/pruning.shtml
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg087

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Walkabout Photos

Thanks to all 84 walkers who join us for the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Walkabout.  We had perfect weather to enjoy the landscapes of historic Palmetto.  Photos can be viewed at http://picasaweb.google.com/112564141574467714222/FloridaFriendlyLandscapingWalkabout#

Join us for the Walkabout!

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Walkabout

Join us at the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Walkabout to stroll through historic Palmetto’s Florida-Friendly landscapes gathering ideas to for your own yard.  Observe beautiful water conserving, environmentally friendly landscape designs.  Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions and point out highlights.

This FREE tour will take place October 30^th from 9:00 a.m. - Noon.  Pick up your map at the First United Methodist Church parking lot, 330 11^th Avenue West, Palmetto.  For more information please call Michelle at (941) 722-4524. 

Note: This is a self guided walking tour.  Please come prepared with appropriate footwear, hat and sunscreen.

Squirrels in the Landscape

Squirrels can make interesting wildlife neighbors and often can be attracted to your landscape with minimal effort. Attracting squirrels with feeders, however, is not recommended because it often causes more problems than benefits. One of the major reasons that squirrels cause problems here in Florida is because people feed them using a bird feeder or a corn cob feeder designed specifically for squirrels. Feeders often encourage more squirrels to live in an area than can be supported by the neighboring habitat. When this occurs, squirrels may search out nesting sites in your home and cause property damage. Many squirrels that take up residence in an attic or garage ceiling can be traced to a feeding situation. Should the food ever be reduced or eliminated (you move, go on vacation, or you quit feeding them, etc.) the squirrels often respond by chewing up nearby vegetation.

Grey squirrels are one of the most frequently encountered native Florida mammals. They have large, bushy tails and chisel-like front teeth that can chew through almost anything. The bark on certain trees is enjoyed by squirrels. This can cause small to moderately sized branches to die and then fall from the canopy. 

Unfortunately, there is not a lot that can be done to control squirrel populations. They have ample natural habitat and food with our native vegetation. They are territorial so as soon as one dies or is killed there is another one to take its place. They can be legally caught in live animal traps and relocated to another site with the approval of the property owner. Poisons cannot be legally used to control squirrels.
  

Sometimes squirrels can be repelled from garden areas with a hot pepper spray. Blood meal and garlic also seems to repel squirrels. Landscape cloth can be laid over garden areas to prevent digging by squirrels.

The above information was compiled from the following sources http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/giam/index.html and

http://brevard.ifas.ufl.edu/Forms%20and%20Publications/PDF/Feeding%20Squirrels.pdf

New Florida-Friendly Resources

Great new publications for you to use in your Florida-Friendly Landscape™.  Check out:

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Pattern Book - zone 9A
Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Pattern Book - zone 9B

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Planting Selections & Landscape Guide

Protect the Waterfront - Especially Our Estuaries

(Robinsons Preserve)

Celebrate National Estuaries Day on September 25, 2010

Estuaries are places where freshwater mixes with salty water from the sea. Teeming with life, our nation's estuaries provide vital habitats for 80 percent of the world's fish and shellfish species, including many that are listed as threatened or endangered. Estuaries are one of our nation's most valuable natural resources, creating more food per acre than the richest farmland.

In the past 100 years 55,000,000 acres of estuarine habitat have been destroyed. Bays once filled with fish and oysters have become dead zones filled with excess nutrients, chemical wastes, harmful algae, and marine debris.

Estuaries require everyone’s help and hard work to keep them clean and safe. There are many things you can do to help protect estuaries and to conserve the valuable natural resource in estuarine ecosystems.


Click here to learn 10 things you can do to help protect our estuaries.

Information from Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and Estuaries.gov