The Neighborhood Gardener – January

Happy New Year!

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January 17 is Florida’s State Arbor Day

While National Arbor Day falls on the last Friday in April, many states observe their own Arbor Day depending on the best tree-planting times for the region. Florida celebrates Arbor Day on the third Friday of January, the 17th this year. You can celebrate Arbor Day by planting a young tree in your landscape or helping with tree plantings in your community. Trees can reduce home energy costs and raise the value of your property, while adding shade and visual interest to your landscape. More

Outstanding Master Gardener Nominee

Each year Master Gardener volunteers from around the state are nominated to receive the Outstanding Master Gardener Award at the annual state conference. This award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding efforts in several Master Gardener projects and activities. The 2013 Outstanding Master Gardener Award went to Linda Krausnick of Marion County. There were a number of wonderful nominees this year, and this month we would like to focus on Charles Reynolds of Highlands County. More

Plant of the Month: Kale

Kale is a dark-green leafy vegetable that can be grown during the winter months in Florida. It's often referred to as a "superfood" because it's rich in iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K. Kale (Brassica oleracea L.) can be started from seed anytime from September through January or February. Be sure to plant it in a sunny spot and water regularly. To ensure success, pick Florida-friendly varieties like ‘Vates Dwarf Blue Curled’, ‘Tuscan’, ‘Winterbor’, and ‘Redbor’. More

January in Your Garden

January is the last month in most areas of the state to plant cool season crops like beets, broccoli, cabbage, and turnips. Now is also a great time to prune non-spring flowering shrubs and trees to improve their form.

For more month-by-month gardening tips, check out the Florida Gardening Calendar. Three different editions of the calendar provide specific tips for each of Florida's gardening regions—North, Central, and South.

Friend or Foe? Foe: Tea Scale

Tea scale is a major camellia and holly pest in Florida. It appears as a fuzzy whitish coating on the bottom of leaves and causes yellow speckling on top. Tea scale is a difficult pest to control due to its habit of primarily infesting the underside of leaves, making spray coverage difficult. You can manage the tea scale problems in your landscape with horticultural oil products or choose a systemic product for season long protection. More