August 2024
Your newsletter this month features what to do in the landscape, what's blooming now, upcoming workshops, and more!
As we welcome August with a hurricane, it is important to remember all of the hurricane resources UF/IFAS Extension has for Florida homeowners. Bookmark these! They are helpful every year as we prep, and storm cleanup is helpful even for our typical summer storms:
Your Central Florida Yard podcast episode: Hurricane prep for the landscape
Safely Clean Up
Assessing Hurricane Damaged Trees and Deciding What to Do
Restoring Trees After a Hurricane
Our farmer’s market tables will be back in September, and we are working to schedule fun fall workshops—make sure to check our event page for any updates and new workshops added.
Have you been staying up-to-date with our monthly podcast, Your Central Florida Yard? We are excited to share information to help you garden successfully, and if you are listener, we would love your feedback and ideas for episodes. Our latest episode is linked at the end of the newsletter.
Let us know how we can help by contacting our Plant Clinic with your questions!
Happy Gardening, Central Florida!
Your Central Florida Yard Monthly Checklist:
Your Lawn in August
Watch the weather and wait to run your sprinkler system. Too much water can cause pest problems.
Mow high and follow proper cultural practices during the summer months.
Keep an eye out for pests that thrive in hot, humid weather such as gray leaf spot.
Your Landscape in August
Cut back annuals and perennials to extend the blooming season.
Now is the time to fertilize palms and ornamental plants that are showing nutrient deficiencies.
Perennials looking leggy? Cut them back to encourage growth.
Wattle This Way
Are summer storms dropping dead branches and twigs onto your yard? Recycle them and create a "wattle" fence! Wattles, or hurdles, have been in use since the Middle Ages; originally used as portable fencing for grazing sheep. Over time, designs have evolved and many examples of beautiful woven fencing can be found worldwide.
Back to our summer storms. A clever and sustainable method of dealing with these fallen branches is to create a rustic wattle in your own yard.
Benefits include providing homes and nesting sites for beneficial insects, including native bees, as well as adding a fun and rustic element to a natural garden.
They are easy to construct: drive vertical supports into the ground (bamboo is ideal) and weave branches and twigs between these supports. As summer storms "gift" you with additional branches, don't send them to the landfill- simply add to your wattle!
Stay safe and happy "wattling"!
Support Florida Pollinators All Year Long
Landscapes that support our native pollinators are places filled with wonder! They help our environment by providing safe havens for our smallest of wildlife – bees, butterflies and more! Homeowners, institutions, developers – even apartment dwellers with balconies – can experience the reward of knowing that individuals CAN make a difference! Florida’s pollinators have life cycles that span the entire year. By following a few simple guidelines during the changing seasons, they will become a vital part of your landscape year after year! Read more here.
What’s blooming now?
Check out the August blooms (and more) in the UF/IFAS Extension Polk County Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Demonstration Garden in Bartow.
Clockwise from top left: Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), Chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus), Peacock Ginger (Kaempferia sp.), Spotted Beebalm/ Dotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata).
Gardening Workshops & Webinars
Join UF/IFAS Extension Polk County Gardening and Landscaping experts at our monthly workshops! For full workshop descriptions and to register, go to: http://polk countyextension.eventbrite.com
Dragonflies and Damselflies: Not just another fly!
Wednesday, August 7, 3:00 pm
Lake Wales Public Library
Lunch and Learn: Fertilizer Basics in the Lawn and Landscape
Tuesday, August 27, 12:00 noon
Haines City Public Library
Lunch and Learn: Let’s Talk Turf
Tuesday, August 27, 12:00 noon
Lake Crago Recreational Center, Lakeland
Growing and Cooking with Edible Flowers
Friday, September 6, 11:30 am
Online zoom
Winter Haven Public Library
Vegetable Gardening
Thursday, September 19, 4:45 pm
Winter Haven Library
Podcast
The new podcast from UF/IFAS Extension Polk County is here! Find Your Central Florida Yard where you listen to podcasts. New episodes are out the first week of every month. For more information about the podcast, check out our blog post.
Listen to the latest episode here.
Find us here:
UF/IFAS Extension Polk County website
UF/IFAS Extension Polk County blog
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
YouTube
UF/IFAS Extension Polk County
1702 US Highway 17 South
Bartow, FL 33831
863-519-1041
https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/polk
Gardening Questions?
Email the Plant Clinic: polkmg@ifas.ufl.edu
Anne Yasalonis
Residential Horticulture
Master Gardener Volunteer Program
Julie Schelb
Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program Coordinator