Let’s Celebrate Pollinators! International Pollinator Week is June 21 -27, 2021. There is so much to cover about these invaluable garden friends. Let’s get started!
Why do we need pollinators? Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. They also sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce. Pollinating animals travel from plant to plant carrying pollen on their bodies in a vital interaction that allows the transfer of genetic material critical to the reproductive system of most flowering plants – the very plants that
bring us countless fruits, vegetables, and nuts,
½ of the world’s oils, fibers, and raw materials;
prevent soil erosion,
and increase carbon sequestration
This nearly invisible ecosystem service is a precious resource that requires attention and support – – and in disturbing evidence found around the globe, is increasingly in jeopardy. Pollinator Partnership, 2021. “Pollinators need you. You need Pollinators.” Published by Pollinator Partnership, San Francisco, USA. www.pollinators.org
What is Pollination? When a pollen grain moves from the anther (male part) of a flower to the stigma (female part), pollination happens. This is the first step in a process that produces seeds, fruits, and the next generation of plants. This can happen through self-pollination, wind and water pollination, or through the work of vectors that move pollen within the flower and from bloom to bloom.
Join the Buzz! Share your love of pollinators on our page and spread the word!
Click here and share the favorite POLLINATOR PHOTO you have taken in the comment section. Post by June 20, 2021 for a chance to win this fun Earth Works’ Pollinator Kit. Or post on instagram earth.works #ewpollinatorphotocontest #pollinatorhealth #pollinatorweek #pollinatorgarden
International Pollinator Week Pollinator facts: Our pollinators are in trouble with declining numbers worldwide. There are multiple causes including, habitat loss, pesticide use, invasive plants, climate change, and diseases.
In Florida, we have 300 native bees, 160 butterfly species that breed here and about 200 species that migrate through the state, and 3 commonly seen hummingbird species.
Bees are our most efficient pollinators. Practicing “flower Constancy,” searching for certain plants on their foraging trips. They go to and from the same species of flower. Pollinating a third of the world’s food supply.
Searching for nectar, butterflies pick up pollen and accidentally pollinate, not quite as efficient as the honeybee. Yet, several plant species, like milkweed and other wildflowers, depend on butterflies to transfer their pollen.
Hummingbirds are hungry creatures feeding most of the day. This makes them perfect pollinators for many flowers. Certain flower varieties have evolved to become even more appealing to these tiny birds. Gardening for Pollinators in your own yard can help! As natural habitats are being destroyed to accommodate new development, the importance of gardening to assist bee and butterfly populations is growing. Planting a pollinator garden in your yard helps combat this loss of natural habitats.
Selecting the right plants for your Pollinator Garden
BEES: Honeybees prefer white, yellow, purple, and blue flowers — they can’t even see the color red! Bees also need a nice-sized landing pad, so broad petal, daisy-like flowers are best. Finally, they need both pollen and nectar to feed the hive. So fruit-producing trees and shrubs, as well as native plants, fill the bill. BUTTERFLIES: If you want a well-attended butterfly party in your yard, invite your local butterfly species by planting their favorite host plants! Butterflies require specific host plant species to lay their eggs on, along with food and shelter. Then add some nectar plants, preferably with red, orange, yellow, and pink trumpet-shaped flowers, to feed your guest. HUMMINGBIRDS: Brightly colored, preferably red, tubular flowers that hold the most nectar are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. Plant these sugar-rich plants near and around your home and patio areas for the best opportunity to view these elusive and amazing birds.
Thank you to everyone who submitted to the Earth Works International Pollinator Week Photo Contest!
Plus, remember that for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Regular observation and timely corrective actions are the keys to preventing mealybug infestation that unchecked can kill your affected plants. A staff member’s Desert Rose appeared pest-free during May’s dry weather, but in June quickly became heavily infested with multiple stages of the mealybug life cycle. Silky cocoons appeared at the base of stems and flower buds as adult females scurried about and immature crawlers (nymphs) settled into gelatinous protected coverings littering the leaf surfaces with ants on patrol protecting and farming them. While feeding with their piercing mouthparts mealybugs excrete toxins into the plant and dump their honeydew waste on leaf surfaces that attract ants and fungus which in turn reduces sunlight and required photosynthesis for the plant.
What do mealybugs look like? Mealybugs in their immature nymph stages look like scale and are closely related to them and aphids. Over 275 species of mealybugs are distributed everywhere in the world except Antarctica. Mealybug adult females are oval, white, and mobile, while mouthless winged adult males are rarely seen during their one or two-day life span that’s spent focused strictly on mating.
Where do mealybugs live? Mealybug occurrences are common in the garden and on houseplants with the mobile females scurrying about under leaves, around their silky cocoons, stems, even plant roots with mealies readily moving from one plant to another. Mealies feed on many ornamental plant varieties, citrus, lawn turf and threaten greenhouse horticultural operations. They also have a highly specialized commensal relationship that ecologists find fascinating. “In this study, the fire ant Solenopsis invicta was found to take advantage of the shelters constructed by the leaf roller Sylepta derogata to protect mealybugs (Phenacoccus solenopsis) against their natural enemies,” according to scientists at the South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China. “This protective effect of fire ant tending on the survival of mealybugs in shelters was observed when enemies and leaf rollers were simultaneously present. Specifically, fire ants moved the mealybugs inside the shelters produced by S. derogata on enemy-infested plants.”
How do I get rid of mealybugs? Regular observation and having an action plan for dealing with threats before they get out of hand is the best approach to preventing mealybug infestation and resulting damage. Mealybugs can be removed manually and sprayed into a bucket for removal to avoid the same individuals returning to re-infest plants. Besides strictly using water Insecticidal soap and horticultural oil provide the next lowest environmental impact in mealybug management having no residual toxicity after dry that as a result protects other beneficial insects and pollinators. Neem tree seed extract is commercially available as neem oil containing azadirachtin that kills mealies, but is indiscriminate also killing beneficial insects and is moderately toxic to fish and amphibians, requiring overspray protection for water bodies and other potentially impacted areas.
Insecticide treatment options include Bonide systemic insecticide containing dinotefuran available in granules and spray. Additionally, Ferti-lome Tree & Shrub drench, is an effective foliar treatment for mealybugs, which is taken up by the roots and provides protection internally throughout the year. “Cover-spray applications of broad-spectrum insecticides often lead to secondary pest outbreaks,” according to the University of Florida. “Scale insects and mealybugs are secondary pests that may increase following such disturbances to the ecosystem balances in a landscape. For this reason, we often see more scale insect and mealybug outbreaks in landscapes that have been exposed to intensive broad-spectrum insecticide applications.” Biological controls include Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, a brown lady beetle common name ‘Mealybug Destroyer.’ Their young are able to feed on the mealies without being attacked by the ants guarding them. As with introducing any variety of beneficial insects to the garden, there can be predation of them by other animals and suitable amounts of prey must be available for them to stay.
There are two varieties known varieties of mealybugs that affect turfgrass in Florida. Rhodesgrass mealybugs attack Bermuda and St. Augustine grass. Tuttle mealybugs are believed to mostly impact zoysia grass. “Systemic products like neonicotinoids are preferred because they have longer residual activity inside plant tissue,” according to the University of Florida. “Several combination products that contain pyrethroids and neonicotinoids (e.g. bifenthrin + imidacloprid) may provide initial high knock-down rates followed by longer systemic control.” Thus, while we cannot expect to permanently rid our lawns and gardens of mealybugs, we can manage their numbers and reduce the damage threat by preventing mealybug infestation. In the case of the staff member’s Desert Rose due to the extent of its infestation neem oil was applied (two tablespoons of neem oil per gallon of water) to leaves, stems, and trunk, which will be repeated in seven to 10 days until satisfactorily under control. Garden Center Manager Matt Barlow recommendation for long-term control is use of the Bonide systemic insecticide as he does with his desert roses, which he’s found has been quite successful.
Mealybugs are a threat to a variety of plants in our Florida gardens. Soft stemmed perennial foliage plants are particularly susceptible to mealybugs such as this clients’ coleus.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Happy Gardening!
Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Between June and September, Jacksonville receives as much precipitation as the other eight months combined, which brings not only lush lawns and gardens, but mosquitos, chinch bugs, and fungus. During extended periods of rainfall, cut back your automatically timed irrigation scheduled watering. Soil aeration, fertilization, and cultural practices, including cutting lawn turf at the proper height and watering at the appropriate time of day, all reduce the threat posed by summer lawn and garden pests and pathogens. While taking measures to remedy these threats to the lawn and garden we discourage overuse and runoff of treatments that can harm beneficial plant and animal species and the environment.
Mosquitos quickly get our attention biting exposed skin after hatching from stagnant water in as little as 24 hours. To minimize the health threat from mosquitos eliminate stagnant water collection receptacles in the landscape. Properly maintained ponds and water gardens are NOT breeding grounds for mosquitos. Still, birdbaths and bogs without filtration or aeration can be a mosquito haven that’s remedied with Mosquito dunks, the solid form of Bacillus Thuringiensis. Low-lying areas of the landscape that hold water also serve as a breeding ground for mosquitos. When mosquitos are present, avoid getting bit with a non-oily application of Natures Way All Natural Repellant, which kills and repels nuisance flying insects and is safe for people, pets, and the environment.
Southern chinch bugs are ever-present in the Northeast Florida environment. Their 3-4 life cycles per year cause damage in full sun and drought conditions, especially to St. Augustine lawn turf. Proper timing and application of pesticides are critical to addressing the threat from chinch bug eggs along with nymphs and adults. Increasing irrigation and dumping high nitrogen fertilizer on chinch bug-infested turf can cause more harm than good to the landscape and environment. Contact the Earth Works lawn care division for professional fertilization, disease, weed, and pest control service. Get Your Free Quote.
Fungal pathogens, including mold and mildew that prey on lawn and garden plants, are of particular concern during the rainy season. However, other fungi species, including mycorrhizae, are beneficial to plants and animals, demonstrating the importance of good cultural practices to only rid your garden of fungal pathogens. Take care of your soil with periodic aeration and soil amendments combined with targeted fungicide treatments available at Earth Works Garden Center to remedy downy and powdery mildews, root rot, and various other fungi in the lawn and garden. Also, ask the Earth Works lawn care division for a quote on such services.
Mosquitos, chinch bugs, and fungus are a threat with lush lawns the same as for rutted-up ones that hold water.
Plus, remember that for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online and at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine. Happy Gardening!
June lawn and garden tips for Northeast Florida start with the recognition that Summer begins on June 20. This is also the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year as the Sun is at its highest point in the sky. June 1 is the first day of hurricane season. Rainfall totals for Jacksonville between January and June 2021 were 17”, which is one inch above average. However, May was a dry month with less than a half-inch of rainfall, with most of the monthly totals coming in February and April. As a result, the soil is dry and irrigation and hand watering crucial. Fortunately, the chance of rain increases each day of June historically to the greatest daily likelihood coming at the end of July. June is typically a wet month averaging nearly six inches of rainfall, with last year’s total being 8.9 inches. In June 2012, Jacksonville received over 21 inches of rain, with 12 inches of it associated with Tropical Storm Debby. Rain is good, but not too much.
June’s climate in Northeast Florida is typically prime time for planting a wide assortment of warmth and full sun-loving flowering plants and shrubs. Rising soil and air temperatures of spring and early summer make for good conditions for planting palms and drought-tolerant choices, including African Iris, bromeliads, bulbine, crotons, figs, fountain grass, lantana, agaves, birds of paradise, junipers, and fruit trees. Vegetables for planting directly in the ground in June include okra, peas, squash, spinach, and sweet potatoes as the heat becomes too much for most cooler season vegetables. Remember to water new landscape plants daily for the first month, which is an allowable exception to the twice per week watering restrictions for the region.
JUNE PRUNING IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA
Remember the five D’s of pruning, pruning a plant anytime it is dead, dying, damaged, disfigured, or showing signs of diseased wood. Shrubs that bloom in spring typically set their blooms on old wood from the prior season, whereas summer-blooming shrubs typically set blooms in spring on new growth from the same year. Thus, trim your spring bloomers immediately after their flowers bloom to allow for the preservation of buds for next year. Prune your summer bloomers in late winter or early spring to encourage new growth before bud setting. Ask Earth Works garden center staff for help with your specific plant pruning requirements.
JUNE FERTILIZATION & SOIL AMENDMENTS IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA
It is essential to match the nutrient needs of your landscape and house plants with the appropriate NPK (Nitrogen, phosphorus & potassium) provided by various fertilizers. For example, balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 has an equal percentage of nitrogen for green leaf development, phosphorus and potassium for root growth, and setting blooms and fruit. Soil testing provides a baseline of information for knowing your plant’s nutrient needs, and testing is free in Northeast Florida at the University of Florida IFAS Extension Office. Learn more about their services in our blog “Soil Testing in Northeast Florida.”
Long-standing recommendations were to fertilize your lawn in spring, followed by an additional application in summer and then a winterizing fertilizer application which prepares the sod heading into winter dormancy. However, in 2007 the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) passed the Urban Turf Fertilizer Rule that reduces the amount of phosphorus and potassium allowed for release during lawn fertilization to negligible percentages, basically defined as low or no phosphorus and nitrogen. Dozens of counties have rules more strict than the state rule prohibiting nitrogen and phosphorus entirely between June 1 and Sept 30 due to the increasing frequency of devastating algae blooms. Duval County does not.
Most of your houseplants do well with monthly liquid fertilization during their growing season. However, because of the wide assortment of plants in the typical landscape, please research their nutritional needs and consider using slow-release fertilizers. In addition, create setbacks around water bodies and pathways to storm drains to avoid fertilizer pollution. Earth Works lawn care division provides aeration and top dressing services to replenish lawn nutrients that reduce your fertilization and watering needs.
JUNE POND CARE IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA
The warmest months of the year are times you expect to enjoy your pond and water garden the most, but anxiety arrives if your fish are suffering as a result of a poorly designed & equipped, dirty, overstocked pond that all contribute to low dissolved oxygen. There you are trying to enjoy some time pondside as that Summer warmth cooks the O2 out when the fish need it most. Supplemental aeration helps during these times of Summer by raising the dissolved oxygen levels. Learn more in our blog “Low Dissolved Oxygen: Koi Summer.”
JUNE PEST CONTROL IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA
June’s heat and moisture make for good conditions for and an explosion of lawn and garden pest species. Chinch bugs, sod webworms, grubs, mole crickets, and fungus are a few of the species attacking the lawn while aphids, thrips, whitefly, leafhoppers, leaf miners, and leafrollers go after the flower beds, trees, and shrubs. The Earth Works lawn care department has a seasonal pre and post-emergent pesticide treatment program and provides instant quotes for all available services. In addition, the garden center has a wide assortment of organic pest control solutions, including Horticultural oil, bacillus thuringiensis, and copper fungicide, along with broad-spectrum bifenthrin, systemic insect spray, and granules.
Nurturing predatory species of beneficial insects in the garden, such as ladybugs, green lacewings, and praying mantis, will reduce dependence on chemical treatments for these pests and support a sustainable ecosystem. Wrapping up June lawn and garden tips on the topic of pollinators, Join the Buzz by Entering our Social Media Contest. Share your love of pollinators on our Facebook page and spread the word! Share the favorite POLLINATOR PHOTO you have taken in the comment section—post by June 20, 2021, for a chance to win our fun friends of pollinator kit.
Plus, remember that for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online and at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine. Happy Gardening!
