Native crops require pollination. Various insects and animals, including honey bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, bats, and birds, complete the pollinator-plant ecosystem by carrying pollen for reproduction. And each pollinator depends on a different selection of plants to flourish. But despite the multitude of pollinators available, one species of honey bee (Apis mellifera) is most relied on to help pollinate crops. The drastic decline in managed pollinators, especially bees, has indeed affected crop availability, quality and value too. (more…)
Things can get very dry in Florida. If you are trying to grow a garden or a yard of lush, green grass, it will demand that you water regularly and without end. Florida is constantly in a drought with water tables never able to fully recover from modern day demand of expanding population and the misguided pre-occupation on verdant lawns. If you want to end this trap of wasting natural resources and also save money on your water bill, there are a few water saving tips that you should know. (more…)
Florida sees a lot of severe weather; especially from June 1 – November 30. Whether it is storms, winds, hail or hurricanes Florida braces for it during these 6 months. According to Robert Garcia, the National Weather Service meteorologist, Florida reportedly experiences the highest frequency of tornadoes per square mile in the US. Natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes can cause complete devastation of homes, neighborhoods, landscapes and forests in the blink of an eye.
Just like you can safeguard your home through “windstorm mitigation” techniques, similarly you can prepare your landscape to better withstand strong winds and rain that is inevitable during hurricane season. Taking care of your landscape and maintaining it well around this time of the year will help it survive the storms. That really is the difference between minimizing damage and enduring a total loss to trees, beds and gardens. Wilcox Landscape & Nursery offers 5 tips to strengthen and prepare your landscape for hurricane season.
Prune and Maintain Shape of Trees And Plants
Trees that have been properly maintained are more likely to stand strong against the ravages of nature. Proper tree pruning is absolutely vital in spring to prepare them for coming storms and strong gusts of wind during hurricane season. Both young and old trees need proper pruning and canopies have to be thinned out, which greatly reduces the surface resistance of the tree so they can stand up to heavy winds during a storm. Do not mistake the harmful practice of ‘Lion tail’ cuts for proper thinning. Low-hanging branches and dead limbs need to be removed. Check for signs of rot or decay at the base of the tree to ensure that the foundation is not weakened.
Pick Wind-Resistant Trees and Plants First
Seeing the devastating damage from Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the University of Florida undertook detailed research on the kind of trees that can withstand gale-force winds and hurricanes. Prepare your landscape for thunderstorm or hurricane season by planting trees that are more wind-resistant. Some of the top wind resistant species of trees in Florida are Southern magnolia, Live oak, sand live oak, myrtle oak, certain holliesbald and pond cypress, Cabbage Palm and manyothergood selections. It is also better to avoid most fruit trees, sand pines, laurel oaks and sycamore trees where they can damage property or people as they are more likely to experience damage during a storm.
Plant Trees in Groups
Be smart and plant trees and bushes in groups instead of planting a single specimen tree. Groups of five or more trees planted about ten feet or less from each other are less likely to be blown over. The tree roots grow and interlock to reinforce and strengthen the adjacent trees. If you do not have the space to plant many large trees, then cluster together some large shrubs within a few yards of any large tree that you plant to help it withstand strong winds better.
Stake Young Trees and Plants
Stake new trees, including fruit trees and shrubs, with straps or dowels to prevent wind rock and root movement when the plant is getting established. There are a number of staking methods, such as single stake, double stake or angular stake that you can opt for depending on the type of tree, tree size and method of planting. All stakes should be placed deep in the soil to at least 60cm (2ft) depth or else it will not be able to anchor the plant properly. A newly planted tree takes at least 18 months to 2 years to firmly establish itself in the soil. Check and replace stakes when they fail or are broken, especially as you prepare for hurricane season and after a storm.
Use Trees to Protect Your Home
Homeowners may feel nervous about planting trees near their home because of the fear of falling or uprooted trees during storms. But there are multiple benefits to having healthy trees in a landscape which outweighs the risk of them falling. Your landscape can help protect your home by taking the brunt of the storm on your behalf. The right plants and trees can be used to provide protection and can potentially either reduce hurricane impact on our structures or provide an extra margin of safety. The goal is to diminish the wind velocity that actually impacts your home. If the storm is packing winds over 100 mph, you will want to decrease that to 40 mph or below. This can be done with the right type and quantities of wind-breaking trees and shrubs, strategically located around the home in the most vulnerable areas.
Don’t Wait; Stormscape Your Home Today!
While hurricane season runs for 6 months, you will want to start planning today. If you’d like to purchase storm tolerant trees,palmsor other plants for your own yard or update your home’s landscape, then drop by at Wilcox Landscape & Nursery. We have a wide selection of trees ideal for Florida weather. To take a proactive approach and prepare a hurricane-ready landscape get in touch with us at 727-219-9549.
Florida native plants are beautiful and diverse. From the
colorful coral honeysuckle to iconic Spanish moss, Florida’s native plants are
strikingly beautiful and can enhance any garden. The variety ensures that
you’ll find the perfect addition to your garden whether it’s a groundcover or a
palm with many providing safe food sources for local wildlife too.
Aside from helping create a gorgeous and picturesque landscape, native Florida
plants help conserve water when appropriately planted. The setting is vital
here because attempts to grow a species dependent on wetlands in a dry higher
site will work against you if your goal is the reduction of water usage.
Native vs. Non-Native
Florida Plants
Florida’s native plants are iconic and represent the
beautiful, multifaceted state. The native plants support various species of
wildlife including butterflies, birds, honey bees, wild bees, and other
insects. Florida’s native plants are designed to thrive and grow within its
climate, soil, and wildlife making them a sustainable, healthy choice. Why
convert your garden or landscape to something appropriate for more tropic
climes when the versatility of Florida and its native plants are all you need?
Non-native plants in Florida, on the other hand, are either there by accident
or with intent. While most non-native plants in Florida support human
well-being, crop production, and landscaping, some become invasive and create
problems, particularly if they are fast-spreading.
Saving Water with
Native Plants
Florida can be very dry at times with drought conditions
being frequent. Its water tables constantly depleted from an expanding
population with its daily demands. If you a lush, green Florida garden is what
you’re hoping for, you know that regular watering is required. Want to save
natural resources and save money on your monthly water bill?
It can be done with the help of native plants.
First, consider adding native plants in your Florida garden or landscape that
need little to no water from external sources. Having evolved over the
centuries to the Florida soil and its moisture conditions, in a natural
habitat, native plants are better adapted than any non-native you try to
transplant.
A healthy, vibrant selection of diverse native plants can be used to take up
lawn space. The shade from shrubs and trees help decrease the loss of water
from your landscape as well. Using native groundcovers can also be useful in
taking up lawn space for the same purpose. In using the right native plant in
the right environment, you can have a scenario where you have an abundance of
plants that flourish on less water.
What Else Can Native
Plants Do For You?
Native plants in Florida are not only environmentally-friendly but they offer so many other great benefits you’ll want to know about.
Economic Benefits: Using native plants in your Florida garden or landscape brings a lot of economic benefits to local communities:
Fishing: The fish native to inland lakes and streams, including those that breed in the coastal areas, depends on native plant life directly for food and shelter or as a food source to attract their prey.
Hunting: The hunted wildlife are reliant on native plant species for their food sources and survival.
Tourism and Hospitality: There is much Florida wildlife that tourists come to see and they depend on native plants too. Tourists also come to see Florida’s beautiful springs and streams, and to maintain their natural habitat and features, native plants are vital.
Minimizing
Fertilizer Use: Much of the soil in Florida is nutrient-poor so
the only way some plants can be naturally grown is through the use of
fertilizers. While some plants do grow faster with the use of fertilizers,
others definitely don’t. You can save yourself this hassle by planting the
best native species for the given setting. Avoid over-fertilizing because
much of it will run off and potentially pollute water sources.
Minimizing
Herbicides and Pesticides: The use of native plants in Florid
greatly reduces the need for herbicides and pesticides. Keep it diverse
because monocultures of most plants will attract unwanted pests. You can
strategically use islands of flowers, shrubs, and trees to have less lawn
to maintain and water.
Florida has a selection of native plants that can not only be used to bring stunning diversity and beauty to your garden or landscape, but they can help you to reduce water usage as well. With a little research into what native plants grow best where, you can save money, help protect water as a valuable natural resource, and have a flourishing garden you can be proud of.
One of the best known and beloved species of butterfly in North America, the monarch butterfly is a familiar sight in our gardens and is the main attraction of one of the greatest annual migratory events in the world. Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies take their long southern journey from Canada and the United States to sites in California and Mexico where they can survive the winter.
Unfortunately, these migrating monarch populations have been declining steadily over the last three decades. Among the contributing factors for the decline are unfavorable weather, the degradation and loss of their natural habitats, disease, predation, and the rapid perpetual loss of host plants both nectar and larval.
The Vital Role of
Milkweed in the Monarch Butterfly’s Life Cycle
Life for monarch butterflies in the eastern United States centers around milkweed, a group made up of 100 plants that provide food, nectar, and shelter. Millions of migrating butterflies travel to overwintering sites each year and glide from one milkweed plant to another along with other native flowering plants.
The native milkweeds in Florida have a crucial part to play in the migratory life-cycle of the monarchs because they provide the essential resources needed in early spring for returning butterflies. There are 21 milkweeds native to Florida, their vibrant flowers offering bountiful, quality nectar for many pollinators including bees and hummingbirds.
Yet, very few of the milkweeds native to Florida can be found in nurseries or sold as seed. While Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is widely available and has an abundant nectar source, it doesn’t fully provide the nutrition monarch butterflies need and it’s not consistently used by monarch larvae. Many gardeners end up buying non-native tropical milkweed (Asclepias currasavica) as a solution since it’s common in the marketplace. It’s often, however, misrepresented as a native or misidentified which causes many problems.
A Rising Threat
Because of the rise of non-native milkweed species in the southern United States, monarch butterflies are cutting their migration short and as a result, they are catching parasites.
The native milkweed population in the Midwest has been greatly demolished between the widespread use of herbicides and other cultivation practices. Many believe that to be one of the biggest reasons the monarch population has dropped to around 14% of what it was in 1997.
In an effort to try and help the monarchs, gardeners have been adding milkweed species to their gardens including non-native tropical milkweed which can have some pretty devastating consequences on the species they are trying to save. These non-native tropical milkweeds don’t die out in late summer as native species do. These tropical cousins live all year, offering leaves for caterpillars and flowers to nurture adults.
Native milkweed dying out at summer’s end forced butterfly colonies to move on. With the non-native tropical versions, year-round colonies of monarchs have formed in some areas. The risk of exposure to freezing temperatures is there as a result which can be fatal to those in immature stages and adults.
It’s also led to the widespread infection of Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, a protozoan parasite that not only makes it difficult for the monarch butterfly to fly, but it also shortens their lifespan. Any parasite attached to native milkweeds dies off when they do. With the year-round longevity of the non-native tropical milkweeds, the parasite continues to spread.
Also, many commercially-grown plants have possibly been treated with systemic pesticides which make them potentially toxic to monarch larvae much to the frustration of well-meaning gardeners.
Help Protect the
Monarch Butterfly
What can Florida gardeners who want to create nurturing habitats for monarch butterflies do?
Visit your local garden center or nursery and specifically ask for native species of milkweed using their scientific names.
The best types of native milkweed for monarch butterflies:
Aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis)
Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Pinewoods milkweed (Asclepias humistrata)
Redring milkweed (Asclepias variegata)
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
By buying from local nurseries and vendors, you can also ask how the plants were cultivated and ensure they are free of toxic pesticides and herbicides.
The process of butterfly metamorphosis and the wonder of monarch migration have fascinated scientists and poets alike for centuries. In being perpetual students and conscientious gardeners, the monarch butterfly can survive to fascinate and be studied by future generations with restored habitats of safe native milkweed that’s free of parasites.
Focus on rebuilding landscapes with salt-tolerant native plants to mitigate future storm risks.
