March and April for the Birds

The Garden Club of Switzerland is hosting Amy S. Koch, President, St. Johns Regional Audubon presenting, "Our Birds Need Native Plants," on March 19 at the Bartram Trail Library 60 Davis Pond Blvd  from 10-noon. The presentation is open to the public.  Master Gardeners in St Johns County can get CEUs for attending. If you plan to come please contact Dianne Battle at battled@gmail.com or 703-635-4236.

Click here to open the presentation resources:  Why Do Birds Need Native Plants?                                  In April, we hope to connect with the St Johns County Regional Audubon Society to lead our garden club and interested Master Gardeners on a tour of the new  St John Audubon Regional Society's Native Plant Garden at the St. Augustine Visitor Center.  The garden is designed to provide wildlife support for the area's birds. More information will be posted as it is available.

African Violets: a traditional "cure" for the winter blues

Cheerful little African Violets can certainly chase away the February blues.  Shipra Panda from The Heart of Jacksonville African Violet Society has information on how to care for them.  They are having a show and sale on 3/28-29.  

See this document for resources and show information:  African Violet

Looking Ahead to the New Year Presentation Cancelled

 

As 2024 draws to a close, we hope you have a special holiday and are looking forward to a bright and busy New Year.

We regret to say that the January presentation had to be cancelled.  We look forward to offering it sometime in the future.  In the meantime, a speaker from the Heart of Jacksonville African Violet Society will be providing an introduction to African Violets at the Bartram Trail Library on Wednesday, February 19, at 10AM.  All interested persons are invited to attend.

Here's a suggestion for your January calendar to help you plan to enliven your landscape and garden.   Master Gardener, Shirley Barber, will be presenting her favorite garden flowers, "Besties in the Garden,"  Shirley has been designing and maintaining the All-America Selections flowering landscape for over a decade at the St. Johns County Extension Gardens.  We think her ability to choose some of the most beautiful and easy-care flowers is amazing.  If Monet was alive today, he would gladly fly to America to see and paint the gardens she has produced.  Save yourself the air fare and come to the Bartram Trail Library on January 15 at 10AM (Manatee Room).  The presentation is free and open to the public.  For additional events sponsored by our club see our calendar page.

January 15, 10AM Bartram Trail Branch library, presentation by Master Gardener, Shirley Barber, "Besties in the Garden."  Get some inspiration for  brightening your landscape this spring.

All American Selections Display Garden Designed by Shirley Barber at the St. Johns County Extension Center

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