Citrus Greening - Description, Identification, Management

 

Citrus greening, a serious disease spread by the Asian Citrus Psyllid, appeared in Florida in 1998.  This fatal disease, Huanglongbing disease (HLB), has spread across the world.  As of today there is no prevention or cure.  Useful informational links for this presentation are here - Citrus Greening Information Links, Citrus Greening Vector  and a recipe for Gluten Free Banana Orange Bread.

St. Johns County Assistant Horticulturalist, Sarah Thomlinson, spoke with our club about the disease as it manifests itself in northeast Florida.

Here is her presentation:

And here is her handout.

We had a hands-on activity trying to diagnose the causes of the decline in the citrus grove just outside of our garden at Alpine Groves using a hand-held magnifying glass.  I was sure every plant was infected with citrus greening, but actually the plants were suffering from a variety of issues:  nutrient deficiency, sooty mold, canker, brown spot, etc.  Of the 5 samples, only two had citrus greening.  We misdiagnosed almost all the plants.  Sarah, whose specialty is citrus greening, was able to identify the real maladies.  Mostly the citrus had not been maintained properly with a fertilization schedule, and appropriate pesticides and maintenance practices.  If you suspect your citrus has a problem, get in touch with your appropriate UF/IFAS Extension service to get a proper diagnosis and treatment regime. 

Sarah diagnosing a citrus

nominal rust damage on orange

Nutrient deficiency

As for Citrus Greening, there are several improvements being made, including new citrus cultivars for our area that are tolerant.  New maintenance practices have been developed for the homeowner and professional agriculturalist.  See the presentation above for ideas.

The bottom line: do your research on new varieties that are citrus greening resistant and follow the proper maintenance routine to help them stay healthy.

catching some rays on a citrus tree

Lights Out Northeast Florida Shows Birds the Way

 

The night of September 21 is projected to be busy with over 400 million night-migrating songbirds in flight.  We had an extremely interesting and relevant presentation by Elizabeth Filippelli, Conservation Director for Duval Audubon, and for Lights Out Northeast Florida, a joint effort between the Duval and St. John's Regional Audubon Societies and the Jacksonville Zoo and Garden.  

Here is her presentation:  Lights Out NE Florida. I had prepared a handout to give attendees some background on the role that darkness plays in enabling night-migrating songbirds to successfully navigate their spring and fall migrations using the stars to orient themselves.  We are more than halfway through the fall migration, a particularly dangerous journey because many of the migrants were just hatched in the spring and don't know the route.  

Darkness is not only essential for successful bird migration, but all species evolved to live in a regular diurnal cycle of light and dark.  Human- created artificial light has detrimental effects on plants and animals.    See the handout, Songbird Migration Resources.  The central point of Elizabeth's presentation, however, was that we can something about it.  From reducing and modifying nocturnal lighting to minimizing one of the greatest hazards to flying birds:  reflective windows.  Both residents and businesses have a stake in making bird-safe changes to nocturnal lighting and to windows.  Over 40% of residences (three stories or less) are responsible for collision deaths.  And over 60% of collisions prove fatal to birds; many deaths occur days after impact because brain swelling kills the bird long after the accident.  After listening to Elizabeth, I collected a post-presentation resource, Reducing Bird Fatalities. 

Presenter Elizabeth Filippeli holding two books she found interesting.  Ornitherapy and Blue Mind

  

Safe Passage for Our Migrating Songbirds

September is the busiest month for songbird migration   Millions of migrating songbirds are nightly traveling overhead beneath the garden universe of stars they use to guide  themselves to their overwintering destinations.  Many of them just hatched this spring, and, unfamiliar with the route, they rely most heavily on the stars to guide them.  Last year's District IV Newsletter described efforts to help them achieve safe passage in order to welcome them back in the spring once again to sing in your garden. 

The Garden Club of Switzerland would like to welcome members of the public, including St. Augustine Garden Club members, to attend our first presentation:  Elizabeth Filipelli, Conservation Director for Duval Audubon.  She will discuss the perils of light pollution and glass to migrating bird collisions and will provide information on how humans can help.  St Johns County Master Gardeners may apply for 1 CEU Credit. 

Bartram Trail Library  60 Davis Pond Blvd, Fruit Cove 10AM 9/18

additional opportunity to tour the Native Plant Garden at Alpine Groves afterwards.

 

Contact Dianne Battle if you plan to attend   email.  battled@gmail.com  703-635-4236

Speak, Friend, and Enter

An ADA-accessible walkway offers access to the garden

It didn't take long for the County to act on this feature.  We can't wait to fill in the border and to get our old garden bench moved from its current location to this area next to the walkway.

This will make the garden entrance not only accessible but inclusive.  An invitation to come on down and enjoy the plants and animals.  Please remember, however, that this garden does not have maid service, so take nothing but pictures and make sure everything is tidy and inviting for the next guests.

Move this bench next to the walkway to create a gathering spot.

Steve Davies with the newly-installed birdbath

And a great big "thank-you" to Steve Davies of the Garden Club of St. Augustine for helping me move the birdbath to the garden.  It's color matches the flowers and berries of the firebush, red sage, and rouge plant that surround it - not only emphasizing the chromatics but the plants themselves offer convenient cover from the raptors that keep a keen eye out for a prospective meal.  Now, I just have to find that solar water fountain I put in my car last year...