Joani's Corner

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Joani
by Joani MacCubbin

March, 2003

Welcome back to Joani's corner. Finally Spring appears to be here. The days have been in the 70's so most of us find ourselves outdoors instead of shivering indoors around the fireplace.
I've been working out in the yard for the past two weeks and find that doing anything inside the real chore. Cooking and cleaning can wait!!

This month in Joani's Corner:

I'll tell you what I've been doing in the yard to get rid of the winter blahs.
How about starting a potted garden?
A few things to watch out for like Black Snakes and Brown widow spiders.

Controlling insects with radio waves.

GARDEN CHORES
BUT WITHOUT THE SWEAT!

Some of our plants are not looking very good and our lawns are mostly brown. It's not that tropical feeling that we expected to have all year round. If you don't like that mostly brown look, I have a little list for you to ensure some color in your landscape during the winter months.
Potted Patio Garden (click to enlarge)	As the temperatures climbed into the 70's I found myself outside planning and scheming, raking and pruning, cleaning up the old clay pots and making frequent trips to garden center. I just drive up, open the trunk and tell the sales person to fill it up! I want color and plenty of it......no more brown stuff! I started with 2 small areas of our yard that are mostly shady with lots of root competition from nearby trees and shrubs. After many tries at digging around trying to find enough loose soil to actually plant something, realization hit ......this isn't going to work.
Alternative??? Why yes.....a potted garden! Over the years we've collected quite a few clay pots and bowls so a decision was made to put them to work. They were gathered together, arranged and rearranged to make a pleasing look.	Potted Shady Garden (Click to Enlarge)
Potted Sunny Garden (Click to Enlarge)	Then off to the garden center to purchase a few bags of a good quality loose potting soil and some flowers. Flowers chosen were: petunias, geraniums, lots of impatiens, million bells (calibrachoa), dianthus, snapdragons, stock, gerbera daisies and alyssum. Filler plants: dusty miller, wormwood and evergreen giant. All flowers chosen were in shades of pink, lavender, purple or white as these are my favorite colors. There is one exception as in the photo. I also like the idea of theme gardens! You might like to chose a color scheme or a theme for your landscape.
As you decorate the inside of your home......you can decorate the outside also with colorful plants. Next came the pruning. If in doubt, even though it appears quite dead, check the stem or trunk. Scratch it a little with your fingernail, if it is green you are in luck it will survive......if brown, dead is dead and it won't revive no matter how much water or fertilizer you apply. If partially brown prune it back to the green. Some shrubs have been damaged back to ground level. They will probably come back as the soil may have kept the roots warm enough to ensure it's survival. Hibiscus is a good example.	Potted Theme Garden (Click to Enlarge)
Some shrubs may need to be shaped a little or stray branches removed to look pleasing. DO NOT prune crape myrtles.......there is no reason at all to do this, unless a branch is in your way. LEAVE THEM BE......you'll get more flowers and the tree will look more attractive without that large knot where you prune it every year. And.......your tree will be much happier not having to recover from severe pruning every year. How this practice ever started is not known....probably by someone who hated crape myrtles! The lawns need to be fertilized now. Tom fertilized last week and in two days there was such a difference....... as if by magic the lawn became beautifully green and started to grow. It's also a good time to mow to get rid of all that brown dead grass. Next a little raking .....the oaks are losing their leaves. Don't put them out for the trash man....use them for mulch in your flower or vegetable garden. Finally I did a little cleaning up......if you have stains on the patio or your patio furniture,......you know the kind, icky green algae and the dreaded black mildew. Get a pump up plastic spray bottle. Make up a mixture of half bleach and half water. That will usually take care of it without scrubbing. Rinse after an hour or so. The yellow stuff you see gathering in your driveway and on your patio furniture is pollen, just wash it away with a hose.

I Don't Like Spiders & Snakes
(but that ain't what it takes...)

There are few things to watch out for while you're out in the yard or enjoying your patio.

Southern Black Racer:

Southern Black Racer

First of all this is not a poisonous snake and considered very beneficial. The southern black racer is a slender and fast-moving snake. This snake can really move out......10 - 12 m.p.h. This snake is very common and often found in our yards. It's probably the snake most frequently seen throughout mainland Florida to the lower keys. If you see one.....most likely there will be another nearby. The black racer is active during the daytime and doesn't mind being around people at all. Even if you see one......chances are that you'll run before it does

Not only do these snakes live in our yards, but they are excellent climbers and swimmers and.......as in our yard, we often see one or two just resting on top of low shrubs or intertwined in shrubbery.

The scientific name of this snake is constrictor it does not constrict it's prey but overpowers its prey by simply grabbing it in its jaws and pressing it against the ground until it stops struggling. Racers are opportunistic predators whose diet is as varied as their choice of habitat. It feeds on frogs, lizards, snakes, rats, mice and birds and their eggs. In Florida, frogs, lizards and small snakes make up the majority of the racer's diet.

This snake is black with a white chin with reddish eyes. These snakes can be very long, 6 ft. or more but more often an adult snake is between 3 and 4 ft. long.

Even though it isn't poisonous it will strike and bite when cornered. It does have needle sharp teeth which will cause bleeding. Don't try to pick this snake up as it will bite repeatedly. If annoyed it will vibrate it's tail, making a buzzing sound similar to the sound that a rattlesnake makes. March through June is their breeding season. Six to twenty-five eggs are laid from May through August. Baby snake hatchlings are from 6 to 9 inches long.

We have 5 or 6 of these black snakes lurking in our yard all the time and we live in a housing development. They seem very brave and feel it's their yard instead of ours. Just last week I was heading down to our greenhouse. I heard a little rustling in the leaves and before I knew it a black racer came across my path, by accident I stepped on it.....I stepped back and stepped on him again.....it wrapped around my legs......I screamed...... (that's a requirement) and I ran like lightning back to the house. I'd prefer they'd live elsewhere.

Brown Widow Spiders:

I remind everyone every year about this spider. They are poisonous and are often found under patio tables and chairs. They hide in areas that were created when constructing commonly used plastic patio furniture. Before the 'eating out' season begins, check all your furniture especially where young children might be playing.
I spray these nests with 409 when I find one and it takes care of the problem. You might prefer to use one of the more common home ant and roach sprays.

These spiders don't make the traditional orb type web. The brown widow spider obviously did not get high marks in web construction. Please refer to the photo. This nest was found under one of our plastic chairs on the patio.

Although the bite of a widow spider is much feared, widow spiders are generally nonaggressive and will retreat when disturbed. Bites usually occur when a spider becomes accidentally pressed against the skin of a person when putting on clothes or sticking their hands in recessed areas or dark corners. The brown widow spider's venom is twice as potent as a black widow venom but doesn't inject as much venom.

Anyone bitten by this spider should preserve the creature in rubbing alcohol for positive identification. Most spider bites are not considered dangerous, but if you suspect one of the widows or the brown recluse spider, get medical attention immediately.

THE 2003 ALL-AMERICA ROSE SELECTIONS WINNERS

The All America Rose Society has just released it's winners for 2003. Being chosen as a winner is a difficult thing to do. These roses have to perform well in any climate for at least 2 years and 3 years for climbers. These winners can be seen at Walt Disney World. The four roses are:

Hot Cocoa - This rose is a floribunda. Height is 51/2 ft. with a spread of 4 ft. Flower color is burnt orange with a smoky cast to the topside and a deep rust under the petals. Flowers are ruffled, 4" across with 25 to 30 petals and a fruity scent. Leaves are dark, glossy green. Disease resistance is excellent.

Hot Cocoa

..
Whisper	Whisper - is hybrid tea, grows to 51/2 ft. tall with a spread of 4 ft. This rose does well as a perennial border and blooms constantly. Flower color is creamy white, 5 inch blooms with 30 to 35 petals, light fragrance. Disease resistance is good.

Cherry Parfait - This beautiful rose is a grandiflora, growing to a height of 5 ft. and width of 4 ft. It is also a continuous bloomer producing 2 to 5 blooms per stem. The blooms of Cherry Parfait are white and edged with red . Fragrance is light. Foliage is glossy green and dense. Disease resistance is excellent.

Cherry Parfait
Cherry Parfait

Eureka

Eureka - It's a floribunda. This rose grows 3 1/2 ft. with a spread of 3ft. A very vigorous and strong rose. Can be used as a border or as an accent rose. Flowers are yellow with a golden center, have a light fragrance and are 4" across. There are 25 to 30 petals per bloom. Foliage is dark green and glossy.

Insect Control with Radio Waves

Research is now underway to test the effectiveness of using radio waves to kill destructive insects in agricultural products. Even though it's been known for over 70 years that it can work, using it on a commercial scale has not yet been done.

Electromagnetic waves of radio frequency can make molecules vibrate and heat up the same way that microwaves heat food. The research that's being done is trying to apply this technique to control pests in orchards, packing houses and food plants. They're attempting to kill these insect pests without killing the taste or texture of the food.

The University of California and 4 Agricultural Research Laboratories have been working on a four year study to see if these radio waves can be an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to the use of chemicals to rid fruits and nuts of live insects.
Work is being done in Texas to treat citrus against the Mexican fruit fly.

In the State of Washington a laboratory is bathing tubs of apples and cherries in radio waves in an attempt to kill a particular moth larvae without killing the fruit's quality.
In California testing is being done to rid walnuts, almonds, pistachios, figs and raisins of moth larvae.

And on the market now is a mosquito killer that emits radio waves that supposedly guarantees to eradicate mosquitoes in your yard. It's a bit pricey but if it works it could be well worth it.