NEW YEAR - NEW HOPE - NEW PRIDE

I think most of us are ready for a new beginning. While we can't wipe the slate completely clean, we can begin again with the hope that 2002 will be a safe and successful year for America and the world. We also are hoping for a renewed economy where anyone that wants a job can have one. Even though we had American pride before September 11th, it was often secluded in a private portion of our hearts. We are all wearing it out where everyone can see it now! Even with the problems we have, America is still the best country in the world.

WINTER IN FLORIDA

Winter in Florida generally has high highs and high lows. Sounds funny, huh? I'll explain. As I understand it, in the north, when it gets cold, it generally stays that way. In North Florida, we may have a high on Monday of 80 degrees. Friday, the high temperature may be 38 and by Sunday, we're back to the 80's. Our lowest low at the beaches rarely goes below 26 degrees. West of the waterway is another story.

These up and down variations make it difficult for us to decide on what to wear. Our grass and landscape plants also get confused sometimes. If the weather is too warm in January, the azaleas start to put out blooms. A freeze in February will nip them in the bud.

Some years we mow our lawns all through the winter. Other years, it goes dormant early and we get a little break. However, there are other chores to do if mowing has become infrequent.

Winter is a good time to clean up shrub beds and replace sick or dead plants. Drought tolerant plants, such as pittosporum, sago, lantana and juniper do not do well where they receive large amounts of water. This is a good time to replace them with plants that like wet feet. We have lists. Not Christmas lists. Wet and shady lists. Just ask.

Keep the weeds out of the plants beds. Weeds rob plants of water and nutrients and harbor insects and disease. They will also "throw" seeds out into the grass. Grass is not competing very well with weeds when it is in a semi-dormant or dormant state.

Plants purchased in pots may be installed during the winter. Avoid putting in tender plants until March or April. You may dig up and move plants that are dormant.

Mulch should be replenished if it is skimpy. Mulches reduce soil temperature fluctuations, prevent packing and crusting, conserve moisture, help control weeds, and improve the appearance of the landscape.

Before you go out and buy mulch, go through the beds with a pitch fork and "fluff" what you have. You may be surprised at the amount that is there. After a time, mulch packs down and it may look as though you don't have much, when you really do.

After "fluffing" add mulch to about 3 inches. Be careful NOT to allow mulch to pile against the plant stem or trunk. This holds moisture against the wood which invites disease problems. Make a little air collar around each plant.

There is a beneficial practice that is being lost in the new age. Remember years ago when everyone raked their lawn? Now, lawn mowers pick up and bag the leaves or a blower puts them in a pile where they are scooped up and put into bags or into natural areas.

You may say "This is a good thing!". Yes and no. These are time saving and work saving methods, but we are losing some benefits.

When we rake (with a grass rake, not a garden rake), we remove much more than leaves. If you go out and look down into the grass, you will see dead, soggy grass blades, bits and pieces of chopped up grass, leaves and pine needles. These just lay there, collect moisture and block the sun's warm, drying rays.

Raking also breaks the crust on the soil that forms when we have a lot of rain or the lawns are over watered by any means. Often, algae can be seen as a layer of green growing on the surface of the soil. Raking breaks up this algae and other debris to make the soil better able to drain and dry out.

If you decide to do some raking, remember to wear gloves and lay-in a supply of your favorite pain killer. You may hurt but your lawn will love you.

If we have some cool weather, (It doesn't need to freeze for this to occur), you may see some red to purple color to the tips of the St. Augustinegrass blades. Don't be alarmed. This is normal. We always have some calls on this. It is NOT the purple plague.

Our lawns are heading toward dormancy. After the first good freeze, it will probably be mostly brown. That's OK. This is a resting stage. This may be Florida, but remember, it's NORTH Florida and we do get some cold weather.

THE DEFENDERS are applying the last lawn treatment for this year, paying special attention to brown patch fungus. Weed treatments are suspended until it is safe to again apply herbicides. Grass may not need to be mowed as often, but a few warm days will cause a little activity. Mow, as needed, not by the calendar.

Keep mowing at the same height. Three to four inches for St. Augustine and one inch in Bermuda. This will help blanket the grass from the cold. Grass mowed short during the winter encourages weeds.

January and February are months that we trim dormant trees, including fruit trees, and pampas. Most trees don't need to be trimmed. Sometimes we trim because the tree is too large for the area. Trees should be planted with their mature height in mind. Trimming to remove dead or damaged limbs is important or to keep limbs from crossing and rubbing, If the tree is large or you don't know what you are doing, it may be best to hire a professional. We can recommend someone.

If you have been trying to grow grass where there is too much shade, trimming may be an option. If not, investigate your choices for shade tolerate ground cover.

Crepe Myrtles should not be trimmed back drastically. We see this all too often. This causes excessive growth during the growing season causing the trees to be attractive to aphids. It also makes for some weak limbs. Did you know that different varieties of crepe myrtles have different heights at maturity? If you are planning on installing, figure out how high you would like it to grow and talk with your nursery professional about which variety you need.

Pampas grass should be cut back each year to keep it from becoming too large. When this happens, the center caves in and the whole plant falls over. Pampas grass can be drastically cut back and cleaned out with a pitchfork. It will come out next spring and look fresh and pretty.

Remember that pampas grass is great harborage for roaches, rodents and wasps. For this reason, we suggest it be planted someplace other than near the foundation of your home.

Anything that can be done to eliminate moisture in or on your house may keep your home safer from a long list of problems including: carpenter ants, termites, roaches, mildew, water rot and odor.

BENEFICIAL OR PEST?

An animal that is very active now is the eastern mole. It is a small mammal, averaging six inches with a short sparsely haired tail. The fur is very soft and differs from that of most mammals because the fur does not project toward the tail. With their fur pointing up, moles can move forward or backward within their tunnels without rubbing their fur the wrong way and trapping soil in their coats. The eastern mole prefers loose, well-drained soils. The characteristic mole ridges that lie just below the surface are foraging tunnels. These tunnels are created as the mole searches among the plant roots for the earthworms and insects on which it feeds. Moles are both beneficial and nuisance animals. They eat beetle larvae, ants and ant broods, moth larvae, pupa and slugs. But, their favorite food is earthworms. Earthworms are also beneficial, but if you have lots of them, chances are you will have some moles. Areas with abundant organic matter have more earthworms and more moles.

The damage caused by moles is almost entirely cosmetic. Although moles are often falsely accused of eating the roots of grass and other plants, they actually feed on insects. The tunneling of moles may cause some physical damage to the root systems of ornamental or garden plants and may kill grass by drying out the roots, but this damage is usually minor.

Our advice is to ignore them. They usually go away. In a couple of weeks, your neighbor will be on the phone saying "There's a creature in MY lawn!"

If they don't go away and you get tired of sweeping the walk where they push up dirt, trapping is recommended. There are three methods: Live, pitfall or choker-loop traps. If you're interested, we can furnish you with more information. We do not trap moles, but there are some trapping companies in town that do. We can recommend someone if you feel the need to eliminate them.

Take advantage of new beginnings, take pride in your nation and take the time to be appreciative of all we have. Happy New Year!!