Table of Contents:

Gardening to Enhance Your

Child’s Education

The Other Side of Mistletoe

A Gardener’s Version of

The Night Before

Christmas

Timely Gardening Tips for

Marion County

Upcoming Events

Published by Norma Samuel

UF/IFAS Extension Marion County

Horticulture Agent

MARION COUNTY GOVERNMNT

December 2015

Timely Gardening Tips

for MARION COUNTY by Josephine Leyte-Vidal, UF/IFAS

Extension Marion County Master Gardener

We are now entering frost

season. Be ready to cover

your tender plants. Have

light blankets, towels, or

lightweight row cover that

will reach the ground

around the plant. Do not

use plastic sheets which

will freeze any leaf it

touches.

Now that the trees are

dropping their leaves look

for globes of dark-green

colored leaves. This may be

Mistletoe. Sadly, something

that we cherish for stealing

kisses is considered “Tree

Cancer”. Mistletoe roots

are inside the branch on

which they sit. In order to

(continued on next page)

Gardening to Enhance Your Child’s Education by Clara Weary-Davis, Master Gardener Trainee

When you think of gardening, what do you think of? Have you ever considered how gardening may increase and enhance your child’s interest in reading, writing, math, social studies and science? Gardening may provide an outlet for children to relax and unwind from the stresses of schoolwork and high stakes testing. Gardening is a great exercise, a wonderful life skill and it promotes healthy eating habits. We can foster memorable family moments with our children as well as our grandchildren. Gardening may be just the thing to enhance and spark your child’s education and academic interest.

Students are reading many different genres of text and are required to read and write about complex informational text. Think about various forms of reading you can expose your child to through gardening. Vegetable packets, plant tag labels can be used to teach children map and weather skills. The farmer’s almanacs provides a wealth of information and is a great resource to teach reading, math and science skills. Books about gardening,

insects, and weather are resources that can aid in enhancing your child’s reading skills. Shopping for used books at garage sales can teach your child the importance of economy shopping. A trip to your local farm or nursery can be a wonderful family outing. Encourage your child to write or draw about your new and exciting endeavor with gardening.

You may say I don’t have space for a garden, don’t let this hinder you. Be creative, start small. Build a planter or two; you will be utilizing math, drawing, and writing when creating your planters. Metal cans or five gallon buckets are feasible. Don’t forget to drill holes in the bottom for good drainage. A small window box or flower pots are alternatives. Try recyclables, such as plastic milk jugs, two-liter bottles, or water bottles. Paper towel rolls can create an experimental vertical garden. I’ve seen vegetable gardens growing in small plastic kiddie pools. The possibilities are endless.

Source: stockphoto.com

get rid of it you need to cut

the branch off at about two

feet from the clump. This

ensures that you remove all

the offensive roots.

Winter maintenance can

begin now. Fertilize annuals

and bulbs already growing.

Spread leaves or pine

needles as mulch instead of

putting them in the dump.

Control scale with a spray of

insecticidal soap and Volck

oil. Divide and replant

grasses and ground covers.

Search out and kill invasive

vines.

If you have vegetable

seedlings in the garden,

gallon milk jugs with their

bottoms cut out make

excellent mini greenhouses.

Place over each seedling and

remove the cap. Heat from

the soil will be trapped and

the plastic will allow sun to

pass through.

Page 2

Timely Gardening Tips for

MARION COUNTY by Josephine Leyte-Vidal, UF/IFAS

Extension Marion County Master Gardener (continued from page 1)

So now you are ready to plant your garden, here are a few tips and suggestions for starting your garden. Start with the right plants in the right place. You will need to plant your garden where it will receive the proper sunlight, six or more hours a day of full sun should be sufficient for the average vegetable garden. Know what you would like to plant. Soil testing would be very beneficial. You can have your soil tested at the IFAS Extension Soils Lab at a very modest cost of $7.00 per sample. Most gardens thrive best with a soil pH of 5.5-7.0. Depending on the results of your soil test, the Master Gardeners can recommend which plants are best. Adding organic matter to your garden, such as animal manure, rotted leaves or compost would be a great addition to any garden. Proper watering and fertilizing are important factors too. Include plants that will attract beneficial insects. Lady beetles, praying mantis and bees are just a few.

The pride, self-esteem, and confidence that gardening can bring are priceless. Gardening may be just what your child needs to enhance their educational future while giving them the life skills that will last a lifetime.

Gardening to Enhance Your Child’s Education by Clara Weary-Davis, Master Gardener Trainee

(continued from Page 1)

Source: Stockphoto.com

Survives

Transplanting

Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage,

Cauliflower, Collards, Kale,

Kohlrabi, Lettuce

Transplant

with Care

Celery, Mustard

Use

Seeds

Carrots, Onions, Radish

The Other Side of Mistletoe by Linda Johnson and Anne Lambrecht, Master Gardeners

UPCOMING

LECTURES/EVENTS: Educational seminars and events

are presented by UF/IFAS

Extension Agents and/or

Master Gardeners.

Unless otherwise indicated, to

pre-register, please call

352-671-8400 or e-mail terry.holt@marioncountyfl.org.

Page 3

Ever see those round green clumps up in the trees in winter? They are mostly in the live oaks and many times in the dead live oaks. That’s mistletoe. Yes, the green clumps with the white or red berries that are a part of our holiday decorations. Mistletoe is a popular plant every Christmas season because it was considered a symbol of love and friendship in Norse mythology. Mistletoe was sacred to the Druids and kissing beneath it echoes its ancient fertility symbolism. The Druids believed that because the plant was growing from dead branches, and stayed

alive throughout the winter, it must have mystical and life giving powers. They were not aware of the true nature of the plant.

Mistletoe is a parasite. Actually, it is a hemi-parasite which means it primarily feeds off of other plants or trees (it loves oaks), but the plant can use photosynthesis to sustain itself if necessary. Mistletoe grows from New Jersey to Florida. It is also the state flower of Oklahoma.

Mistletoe has pointy, green, leathery leaves with waxy berries that are either red or white. The berries are eaten by birds and sometimes the birds leave their seed-laden droppings on a tree branch. This is when the attack begins. Within six weeks the mistletoe plant begins attaching to and penetrating the branch of the oak by a structure called the ‘haustorium’ through which it absorbs water and nutrients from the host tree. Healthy trees can tolerate a few mistletoe branch infections. But heavily infested trees may be weakened, stunted, or even killed, especially if they are stressed by other problems such as drought or disease. In order to remove this parasite from the tree’s system, you need to cut at least 18 inches down from where the mistletoe branch attaches or it will simply grow back.

Mistletoe does have a positive aspect though. It provides high quality food and habitat for a wide range of animals. Many birds eat mistletoe berries and use the plant for nesting sites. Mistletoe flowers are an important starter food source for bees early in the spring, and a broad array of animals depend on the leaves and young shoots for food. So, in addition to being a lowly parasite, it turns out mistletoe’s benefits could balance its detrimental effects.

So when someone holds a branch of mistletoe over your head (and the fake stuff doesn’t count), go ahead and smooch away. I, for one, am going to put it all around the house. Hopefully your significant other will get the hint.

December

Master the

Possibilities Series:

Kitchen Gardens December 11, 2015

9:00—10:30 a.m.

On Top of the World

8415 SW 80th St, Ocala

Ask the Experts: Dunnellon Farmers

Market December 11, 2015

4:00—7:00 p.m.

Ernie Mills Park

Bostick Rd, Dunnellon

Source: hort.uga.org

Source: hort.uga.edu

Page 5

For those of you born in December—your birth flower is the Narcissus. Formality, sweetness, self admiration, and egotism, are all represented by the Narcissus flower. The name is derived from the Greek mythology of Narcissus who fell in love with his own reflection in a stream. Transfixed by the stream, the gods believed he would die of starvation so they changed him into the flower to stay there forever. Narcissus are mostly native to the Mediterranean region, but a few species are found through central Asia

to China.

A Gardener’s Version of

The Night Before Christmas By Karen Geisler, Originally published in the Gardener, Nov-Dec 1983

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the yard the branches were bare and the ground frozen hard;

The roses were dormant and mulched all around to protect them from damage if frost heaves the ground.

The perennials were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of 5-10-5 danced in their heads.

The new-planted shrubs, had been soaked by the hose to settle their roots for the long winter's doze;

And out on the lawn, the new fallen snow protected the roots of the grasses below.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear but a truck full of gifts of gardening gear. Saint Nick was the driver - the jolly old elf

and he winked as he said, "I'm a gardener myself. I've brought wilt-pruf, rootone, and gibberellin, too.

Please try them and see what they do. To start new plants, a propagating kit.

Sparkling new shears, for the old apple tree. To seed your new lawn, I've a patented sower;

in case it should grow, here's a new power mower. For seed-planting days, I've a trowel and a dibble,

and a roll of wire mesh if the rabbits should nibble. For the feminine gardener, some gadgets she loves;

plant stakes, a sprinkler, and waterproof gloves; A chemical agent for the compost pit, and for pH detecting, a soil testing kit.

And last but not least, some well-rotted manure. A green Christmas year round, these gifts will ensure."

Then jolly Saint Nick, having emptied his load, started his truck and took to the road.

And I heard him exclaim through the motor's loud hum

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a green thumb!"

Page 4

UPCOMING

LECTURES/EVENTS:

January

Dunnellon Satellite

Plant Clinic January 5, 2016

10:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m.

Dunnellon Public Library

20351 Robinson Rd, Dunnellon

Master the

Possibilities Series Florida-Friendly Landscaping™

January 8, 2016

10:00-11:30 a.m.

On Top of the World

8415 SW 80th St, Ocala

Ask the Experts: Dunnellon Farmers

Market January 8, 2016

4:00—7:00 p.m.

Ernie Mills Park

Bostick Rd, Dunnellon

Dunnellon Library Trees and Shrubs for

Central Florida January 19, 2016

2:00—3:00 p.m.

Dunnellon Public Library

20351 Robinson Rd, Dunnellon

Page 5

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™

Book of the Month Sale

Each month, we will be offering

one of the books available in the

Extension Bookstore at a

substantial discount

(sorry, walk-ins only).

December’s offering is

Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening

for Small and Large Spaces

By Susan Morrison & Rebecca Sweet

Regularly $19.95—on sale for $11.97

40% off until the end of December

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LVZWQPV

N. Samuel Norma Samuel, Ph.D. Urban Horticulture Extension Agent III Master Gardener Coordinator

Page 6

Items below are

available for purchase at

the UF/IFAS Extension Marion County. We also

have many other items

available in our Shop Extension store. The

store is open Mon-Fri

from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Please come to see these

environmentally-friendly

products, as well as many

other agricultural-related

items.

Foundation for the Gator Nation

An Equal Opportunity Institution

The Master Gardener Plant Clinic will be closed for two weeks starting on Monday, December 21st to allow our

volunteers to spend time with their families

during the holiday season.

The Plant Clinic will reopen on Monday, January 4th at 10 a.m.

to assist you with your gardening questions.

2016 Plant Clinic Hours

Monday—Friday

10:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.

352-671-8400