When Should I Prune My Fruit Trees?
Every winter season in the Florida Panhandle is different. It can be wet or dry, frigid cold or unseasonably warm. We may have early frosts and early springs, or cold snaps in late march after fruit trees flower. While we cannot determine the exact time to prune the dooryard fruit trees in our rather variable region, here are some tried and true guidelines for pruning the most popular edible garden plants in northwest Florida.
Make the Holiday Season Bright with Patio Citrus
Can’t ever figure out that perfect gift to give at the holidays? During the next gift giving season, why not try something a little different. Give a patio citrus tree! It’s a unique gift to give or receive here in the Sunshine State. Continue reading to learn how to best care for patio citrus!
Winter Shrubs
The advent of the New Year finally brings the inevitability of cold and frosty weather. While nothing complements a nice eggnog or hot chocolate like a chill in the air, some northwest Florida landscape plants do not appreciate the dropping temperatures. Gardeners face a new set of challenges dealing with the effects of cold weather. However, read on to learn how a little planning and creativity can make plant protection in the landscape a relatively simple process.
Upcoming Events
January 5, 8, 9, or 10, 9:00 am – Noon. Gardening in the Florida Panhandle Course. Whether you’re interested in edibles or flowering plants or simply learning how to enjoy your yard more by working less, these classes are for you. Come and learn to garden more effectively in a Florida-Friendly way. The class will have a new and different Okaloosa County Master Gardener or Extension Agent each week to teach the class. Topics include Container Gardening; Orchid Basics; Herbs: Growing, Drying and cooking with Herbs; Getting Ready for another Lawn Growing Season; Bonsai Basics; Plant Diseases and Deficiencies; Landscape Design with Native plants and Shade Gardening. You won’t want to miss a single class.
This 8- week course is offered through the Center for Life Long Learning (CLL) and you will need to register at the University of West Florida Emerald Coast Campus at 1170 Martin Luther King JR Blvd. in Fort Walton Beach Jan. 5, 8, 9 or 10 from 9 am to Noon.
The CLL tuition is $50 but you can take up to 4 CLL classes for your $50 tuition. The Gardening in the Florida Panhandle class only will take place at the County Extension Office Annex located at 127 Hollywood Blvd NW in Fort Walton Beach on 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Monday mornings January 22 thru March 12. For more information please call 863-6548 or visit the CLL website at cll@uwf.edu. Space is limited.
Friday, January 12, 10 am. ‘Butterflies and Butterfly Gardening’ will be presented by Louise Biernesser and Annie McIlhenny, Florida Master Gardeners, at UF/IFAS Extension Santa Rosa, 6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton. Learn how to attract and keep butterflies in your home landscape by providing the right plants and the environment they need to thrive and reproduce. The program is free, and no preregistration is required. 2018 Milton Schedule of Events.
Friday, January 19, 10 am. ‘Butterflies and Butterfly Gardening’ will be presented by Louise Biernesser and Annie McIlhenny, Florida Master Gardeners, at the Gulf Breeze Library, 1060 Shoreline Drive in Gulf Breeze. Learn how to attract and keep butterflies in your home landscape by providing the right plants and the environment they need to thrive and reproduce. The program is free, and no preregistration is required. 2018 Gulf Breeze Schedule of Events.
Saturday, January 20th, 9am to 12pm – City of Tallahassee/Leon County Arbor Day Celebration – Join City and County Staff, UF/IFAS Leon County Extension Faculty and Master Gardener volunteers at the Apalachee Regional Park (7550 Apalachee Pkwy) for a tree planting in honor of Arbor Day. Citizens are invited to come help plant hundreds of trees in the park and also learn about the benefits of trees, how to properly plant a tree, and after the planting is done, take a tree identification walk. For more information contact Mindy Mohrman, City/County Urban Forester at 850.891.6415 or melinda.mohrman@talgov.com.
Saturday, January 27th, 10am to 1pm – Leon County Seed Library Spring 2018 Launch – Stop by the Leon County Main Library (200 W. Park Avenue) to check out vegetable garden seeds for the spring season. UF/IFAS Leon County Extension staff and Master Gardener volunteers will be there with advice and hands-on demonstrations to help you have a bountiful spring harvest. For more information, contact Molly Jameson at 850-606-5219 or mjameson@ufl.edu.
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