Web Art in the Woods
With cool, foggy mornings you may have noticed the large number of spider webs hanging on low vegetation. Some of them have unusual shapes. One of the most notable is the bowl and doily spider. This spider (Frontinella pyramitela) is a species of sheet web weavers found throughout the United States, including Northwest Florida.
Be Proactive to Ward off Armillaria Root Rot
Recently, an Extension Agent in the Florida Panhandle received a picture of some mushrooms popping up in a client’s garden. These particular mushrooms were in a spot where leftover mushroom compost had been dumped. The compost was previously used to grow oyster mushrooms and the client was hopeful that she had more oyster mushrooms growing in her yard. Unfortunately, the lab results came back stating the mushrooms in question were Armillaria spp.
Lookout for Early Spring Weeds
Spring 2018 is barely out of the starting gate. All kinds of plants are sprouting and producing blooms! This week’s last gasp of winter temperatures slowed the progress, but only slightly.
Much like the Easter egg hunts a few weeks ago, a search of the landscape can bring multiple surprises. Two colorful plants, spiderwort and rustweed, which are growing in the region fit into this category.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm CST. The Walton County Master Gardeners would like to invite you to attend “Plant This Not That”, 732 N 9th St., DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433! This workshop will feature Walton County Horticulture Agent Daniel Leonard and Master Gardener Andrea Schnapp and will demonstrate how regardless of where you are from and which plants you’ve always loved, there is a low-maintenance Florida-Friendly plant that can give you the same look without all the problems! Learn which favorite lookalikes flourish in Florida and why, which commonly sold plants to avoid and how to best maintain your new plants for peak performance. Seating is limited, so call (850)-892-8172 to reserve your spot! Cost of the program is $5 (cash or check only) and will include presentation handouts, educational publications, plant raffle for some of the highlighted varieties, and light refreshments! We hope to see you there!
Saturday, May 5, 9:00am-12:00pm
Gardening friends of the Big Bend spring plant sale. Located at the NFREC in Quincy Florida SR267 at 155 Research Road. Follow this link for more information.
Saturday, May 12, 2018 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
2018 UF/IFAS Leon County Extension Open House and Plant Sale
In addition to finding out about the many programs and activities offered through your local Extension office, the Spring Open House also hosts many community partners who will be onsite to share information. This free event also includes the annual Master Gardener Plant Sale, stocked with a variety of Florida-friendly plants. Master Gardeners have been working hard and have well over 1,000 plants, including native trees and shrubs, three different native milkweeds, houseplants, and succulents, all of which are well adapted to the Big Bend area. There will also be a silent auction of specimen plants, arts, and crafts that will benefit the Leon County 4-H program. A selection of Mother’s Day gifts inspired by our Demonstration Gardens will also be available, including homegrown bouquets arranged by the Leon County 4-H Horticulture Club. Contact Mark Tancig (tancig00@ufl.edu) for more information and/or visit our Eventbrite site
