Even the best irrigation system can waste water if it is run too long or operated incorrectly. You might be able to save water by regularly maintaining your irrigation system.

Test & Repair

Test your irrigation system periodically to make sure it’s operating correctly. It doesn’t matter when you do it, but you may want to schedule a time of year, like when the time changes in the spring and fall, to make sure it doesn’t slip your mind.

Make sure that all the sprinkler heads are working, and unclog or replace heads that are malfunctioning, broken, or missing. Clogged nozzles can cause dry spots in the landscape, but can often be cleaned in no time at all. Leaking lines should be repaired and old nozzles with warped spray patterns should be replaced.

Adjust Heads

Heads can be moved by collisions with feet and lawnmowers, so check them all frequently for alignment. Adjust heads so they’re watering only your landscape—not sidewalks, streets, or driveways. Sprinkler heads aimed at these surfaces waste money and water. It’s easy to unscrew a spray head cover and reinsert it into the body, aligning the nozzle pattern with the plants it’s meant to irrigate. Adjust sprinkler heads to be at right angles to the soil surface. Tilted heads throw more water to one side, causing dry spots. Make sure heads pop up above the turfgrass canopy. It is not uncommon to have to raise heads a couple of times a year.

Set Controller

Set your controller (also called a clock or timer) to water only as much as plants need. Different plants have different water needs, so make sure you know how much water they should be getting before setting the controller. Change your controller settings with the seasons so you’re watering with the correct frequency. Plants tend to need less water during cooler weather, when their growth has slowed and water evaporates more slowly. Consider turning the controller off during the summer rainy season. For more information, read “Operation of Residential Irrigation Controllers.”

Calibrate

You may also want to calibrate your sprinkler system to determine how much water your system is applying in a given amount of time. Many times, we’re over- or under-watering our lawns without knowing it. Calibration is an easy process that can be done by anyone.

1. Gather five to ten coffee cans, tuna cans, jars, or other straight-sided containers; these will catch irrigation water. Containers that are 3 to 6 inches in diameter work best.
2. a) If you have an in-ground system, place the containers in one zone at a time, scattering the cans randomly throughout the zone. (You’ll need to repeat this procedure in each zone.)
   b) If you use a hose-end sprinkler to water your turf, place the containers in a straight line from the sprinkler to the edge of the watering pattern. Space the containers evenly.
3. Turn the water on for fifteen minutes.
4. Use a ruler to measure the depth of water in each container. The more precise the measurement, the better your calibration will be. Measurements to the nearest 1/8 of an inch should be adequate.
5. Find the average depth of water collected in the containers by adding up the depths and dividing by the number of containers.
6. To determine the irrigation rate in inches per hour, multiply the average depth of water times four.

Now that you know your sprinkler system irrigation rate, you can apply water to your turf more efficiently. For example, if your sprinkler system applies water at the rate of 2 inches per hour (or a 1/2 inch per fifteen minutes) and your grass needs up to 3/4 inches of water, then you would need to run your sprinklers about twenty-three minutes.

Repeat

Regular irrigation system maintenance will save you money in water bills and in large repairs that result from neglecting the system. Use these tips as a guide to worry-free irrigation!

To view the original article please visit http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/water/articles/systems/maintenance.shtml.

Your May Landscape To-Do List

 
Warmer temperatures are here with summer on the near horizon. These warm temperatures bring immense growth to the landscape. This month, it’s important to follow these simple steps to ensure a healthy landscape – watch for chinch bugs, finalize all shrub pruning and mow your lawn weekly.

Chinch bug season is March through November in many parts of Florida. During this time, it is important to be on the lookout for chinch bug damage in your lawn. If you think you have chinch bugs in your lawn, the first step is proper identification since the damage caused

You should be able to spot chinch bugs if you look closely – adult chinch bugs are black with white patches on the wings. Check the soil surface and base of the grass blade. Also, pull out a few blades of grass, take off the bottom leaves and see if there are any chinch bugs. Try this in a few spots within the damaged area. Another option is to use the vacuum method. Use a dust buster or hand-held vacuum cleaner, and pick a spot within the damaged area to suck up the dirt. Vacuum the dirt in this area for two minutes. Then, look at the contents within the vacuum to see if there are any chinch bugs. A third option is the can method. Cut out the top and bottom of a can and insert it into the dirt. Fill the can with water up to the top of the grass. Wait a few minutes and see if chinch bugs float up to the surface of the water.

Chinch bug damage typically occurs in open, sunny areas near sidewalks and driveways as well as in the middle of lawns. The damaged area usually starts small, but when left untreated, the patch will get larger as the chinch bugs move to continue feeding on healthy turf. The speed of the chinch bug damage depends on the density of the bugs and the turf’s overall health.

To avoid a chinch bug invasion, now is a good time to use a preventative treatment on your turf. Also, proper maintenance practices can help eliminate the environment for chinch bugs. First, make sure you mow your St. Augustine grass at a height of 3-4 inches to create healthy turf and eliminate undue stress. Also, water appropriately to avoid dry spots in the lawn.

 Finish Pruning Shrubs

Finally, if you haven’t already started, make sure to mow your lawn weekly. Now that the temperatures are heating up, the turf is rapidly growing. Weekly mowings ensure that no more than 1/3^rd

These simple steps will help get your landscape into summer-ready shape!

Source: University of Florida IFAS Extension – http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh036

 If you need a shrub that can shine in the shade, Oakleaf hydrangea could be just what you’re looking for.

Characteristics

Oakleaf hydrangea is a coarse-textured native shrub that works well as an understory planting under larger trees like live oaks.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Each spring, Oakleaf hydrangea puts up huge cone-shaped clusters of white flowers that will stay on the plant for months, eventually changing to a light pink or purple. Several cultivars are available that offer superior flowers.

The broad, dark green leaves are oak-shaped, giving the plant its name. They make an attractive backdrop for other plants. The leaves are largest on plants grown in the shade, reaching up to 8 to 12 inches long and almost as wide. They turn red, bronze or purple in the fall and may stay on the plant well into winter, though ultimately the plant is deciduous.

Even when its stems are bare, Oakleaf hydrangea still adds interest to the landscape thanks to the interesting bark that peels back along its stems.

These large shrubs can reach 6 to 10 feet tall and have an even wider spread. Dwarf forms are also available.

Known scientifically as Hydrangea quercifolia, Oakleaf hydrangea is suited to USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5-9a.

Planting and Care

Oakleaf hydrangea will perform best if planted in a fertile, well-drained soil, but it will also tolerate other conditions. Pick a spot that has partial to almost full shade. In some climates Oakleaf hydrangea can be grown in full sun, but in Florida it needs at least some shade.

The plant can be somewhat sprawling and is known to send up new shoots, so be sure to leave it plenty of room to grow. If you have limited space, try one of the more compact cultivars like ‘Pee Wee’.

Follow UF/IFAS guidelines for planting shrubs, and provide water until the plant is established. After that it should require little irrigation or other maintenance, aside from watering during extended dry periods or pruning occasionally to maintain form.

Information posted was orginally published by

Flowers

> Hold on to poinsettias if you intend to plant them in the landscape after the cold weather is past. March is typically a safe planting month.

> Deadhead (remove old flowers) pansies and snapdragons to keep them blooming. If petunias start looking leggy, prune back hard and fertilize to force new growth.

> Cold sensitive bedding plants can be covered with leaves, pine straw, blankets, or row covers for protection. If using plastic, make sure to remove during warm sunny days and keep plastic from touching plants to avoid damage.

Fruits and Nuts

> Prune grapes in January or February. For muscadines, prune all branches that are less than 3/16” in diameter, leaving 2 to 3 buds per spur. Remove most of the spurs located at the top of the trunk to prevent crowding and bushiness.

> Now is the time to prune deciduous fruit trees. There are different training methods depending on the type of tree. The University of Florida has more info on pruning and training at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg345.

> Harvest citrus that are ripe before the freeze if temperatures are going to drop below 28°F for at least 4 hours. If fruit are not ripe, leave on the tree because citrus will not ripen once picked.

> If citrus scab has been a problem in the past, February is the time to apply a copper fungicide as new leaves emerge and 2/3 of the blossoms have dropped.

> Prior to a severe freeze, protect graft unions of young citrus by banking clean sand around the trunk just above the graft union.

> Now is the time to purchase and plant bare root fruit trees like pears and plums.

> Fertilize fruit trees in mid-February. For most fruit, use a citrus blend or peach/pecan special.

Lawns

> Service your lawnmower. Clean the mower, sharpen the blades, drain and replace the oil, drain or use up the gasoline and grease all fittings. Please remove the wire to your plug before working on your mower.

> Even though lawns may be brown, if there is little to no rain for several weeks, lawns may need supplemental water. The Irrigation Ordinance allows watering once per week if needed. Watering days for odd # addresses are Saturday and even addresses on Sunday.

> Pull cool season weeds like chickweed or Asiatic hawksbeard if they are going to seed. If warm season weeds were a problem last year, be prepared to treat before seeds germinate. Germination is based on soil temperatures, so treatment time can vary from mid-February to early March. Treat when day temperatures reach 65 to 70 F for 4 or 5 consecutive days. This usually is when azaleas and dogwoods are blooming.

Trees & Shrubs

> It’s time to prune deciduous plants, if needed. Remove rubbing branches, diseased or dead branches, and suckers from the base. Don’t prune spring flowering shrubs or trees until after bloom. Examples include: azalea, redbud, Japanese magnolia, and spirea.

> Prune roses and strip any remaining leaves from plants to reduce disease problems.

> Fertilize young ornamental plants in late-February or March with a specialty or 16-0-16 type fertilizer.

The beauty of pollination. (A short video)

Nature at Work

This is an extraordinary video.  You’ll be glad you took the time to watch it.

This is a backflow devise for an irrigation system.

The backflow device keeps contaminated water from reentering your irrigation, or sprinkler system’s water supply; thus prevent our drinking water from becoming contaminated.

This particular backflow is naked. We highly recommend insulating your backflow to prevent freeze damage. It’s a simple process requiring foam wrapping.

Just call us if we can be of assistance.

Don’t let your backflow go naked another day!

Your support is greatly appreciated!

Ambrosia beetles are known for attacking various woody plants, causing some limb and stem dieback. There are at least 30 species of ambrosia beetles in Florida, several of which are non-native. Typically ambrosia beetles have a symbiotic relationship with a fungus, and the beetles carry fungal spores on their bodies.

When the beetles bore into a tree, the fungal spores infect the tree. The fungus grows inside the tree, disrupting the flow of water and nutrients. The fungus grows on the living wood of the tree, and the Redbay ambrosia beetle adults and larvae feed on the fungus. Most ambrosia beetles attack trees and shrubs that are stressed, dying, or dead. Plant stress may be the result of drought, flooding, freezing temperature damage, wind damage, or very poor cultural practices. Of the many ambrosia beetle species in Florida, several species attack avocado trees, but do not generally cause the entire tree to die. In contrast, the Redbay ambrosia beetle attacks healthy trees. The Redbay ambrosia beetle and its associated fungus (which causes laurel wilt disease) can cause death of the entire tree.

The Redbay ambrosia beetle appears to be most attracted to woody plants in the Lauraceae (laurel) family although there are reports in Asia of the beetle attacking some plant species in Fabaceae (peanut family) and Fagacea (Oak family). Florida has numerous species in the Lauraceae family; some of these are forest species, some of ornamental value, and one, avocado, is a major commercial fruit crop species. At present, the Florida avocado industry covers about 7,400 acres and is estimated to be worth about $13 million annually. Recent research in Florida has shown that avocado cultivars appear to vary in their susceptibility to the fungus that causes laurel wilt. Preliminary results to date suggest ‘Brogdon’, ‘Miguel’, ‘Donnie’, ‘Simmonds’, ‘Lula’, ‘Bernecker’, and ‘Monroe’ avocado trees were more susceptible to laurel wilt than ‘Reed’, ‘Choquette’, ‘Catalina’, ‘Florida Hass’, ‘Winter Mexican’, ‘Hass’ and ‘Hall’. Larger trees appear to be more affected by the laurel wilt pathogen than younger trees. Redbay ambrosia beetles are more attracted to physically wounded Redbay trees than to non-wounded trees. As a result, pruned avocado trees may be at greater risk of attack from this beetle than are non-pruned trees.

At present there are no registered fungicides for avocado that will control laurel wilt. Control of the Redbay ambrosia beetle is also very difficult. Adult beetles must be in the immediate area of aerial sprays to be controlled; detection of adult beetles involves monitoring traps and/or scouting groves; once adult beetles bore into the trees, contact insecticides are ineffective. Trees that have died (including the trunk) from an infestation should be burned, as chipping will not kill developing larvae, which remain as a source of new beetle infestations.

Source: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs379