New year’s gardening resolutions for 2017

We all need to look towards the future for personal improvement and goal setting.  The backyard gardener should be no different and the New Year is a great time to make some resolutions that will benefit any landscape.  Let's look at some tips, techniques and strategies that will make your horticultural experience in Southwest Florida the best in 2017.

Your first resolution should be to water properly. 

Ø  Water your lawn and other plants only when they show signs of stress. 

Ø  Calibrate your sprinkler(s) to apply 1/2 to 3/4 inch of water per application.

Ø  Mow lawns high to encourage a deeper, more drought and pest tolerant root system.  

Ø  Use a drip or micro-spray irrigation system to more efficiently water plant and flower beds.

Secondly, feed your palms correctly.    Nutritional deficiencies not only lead to unthrifty looking plants, but may also to the eventual death of the palm.  All of these nutrients must be provided in proper balance for good growth and healthy plants. A complete palm fertilizer in a slow-release formula is the best maintenance fertilizer to use on a regular basis as per the label instructions.  Broadcast the fertilizer under the canopy and not up against the trunk or in thick bands.  As a general recommendation, we suggest that you get your palm on a granular fertilizer - 8-2-12-4 (or 8-0-12-4) applied in November, February and May as per label directions.  In August, use a 0-0-16-6, again as per label directions.

Next, make sure to prune your palms responsibly.  Palms need to retain all of their good, functional leaves.  These leaves are the "solar panels" of the palm- food making devises needed to keep the plant alive.  Premature removal of good fronds unnecessarily weakens these plants which may predispose them to secondary problems.  What are some acceptable reasons for pruning a palm?  Removing dead fronds makes the palm look better and improves the overall appearance of the landscape.  Dead fronds which are loosely attached to the palm may fall and injure people or damage property.  Removing flower/fruit clusters is also fine.  Over-pruning can be detrimental to a palm, however. "Hurricane cuts", as they are called, stresses the palm to a point where there is an increased chance of disease and insect invasion.    New fronds take time to emerge and green fronds should be protected and preserved. 

Next, resolve to plant the "right plant, in the right place".   Sensible selection of plant materials based on some knowledge of the plant is always best.  For example, a shade-loving plant will not do well in a full-sun site.  A plant that requires a somewhat drier environment may rot in a site regularly watered.  A tree that may grow up to sixty-foot tall and over one-hundred feet wide would not be a good choice planted next to a house.  Get to know your plant materials and analyze your site before you plant.  Let our Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program (FFL) help you with this!

In 2017, use pesticides properly! Key to the proper use of a pesticide is making sure to READ THE LABEL, THE LABEL IS THE LAW!  The pesticide label is a legal document that must be followed to the letter. The label gives you a wealth of information such as which pests it will control, what hosts it can be applied to, how to mix the chemical, when it should it be applied, how much and how often and how to protect yourself and the environment.  Each label will contain a Signal Word that will call attention to the degree of toxicity of each individual pesticide.  For instance, a Caution label indicates that it is slightly toxic.  A Warning signal word will indicate a pesticide that is moderately toxic.   For a home garden, stick to materials with Caution labels to help minimize safety issues or use suggested non-toxic cultural controls.

The last resolution that I would like you to ponder for 2017 is to get to know your bugs, especially good bugs.  Good bugs can also be called beneficial insects.  Beneficial bugs are all around us and help maintain the balance of nature as it relates to insect pests in and around our landscape.  A lady beetle eating an aphid is an example of this. These insects are generally orange with black spots but may also appear in shades of brown, red or black, with or without spots.  The larvae look like a miniature alligator with a scaly, elongated black and orange body.  Both adults and larvae eat aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, whiteflies, and mites.  Another beneficial insect is known as the lacewing.  In both brown and green forms, this insect produces a larva built for killing and eating aphids.  Large pincher mouthparts grab prey and suck fluids from them.  Let our office help you identify good and bad bugs. 

Are you ready for 2017?  Let the Charlotte County Extension Service help you with all of your horticultural educational needs.  For more information on all types of gardening subjects, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.

Resources:  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/

The kalanchoe – blazing holiday color

Have you seen the colorful flowering succulents called kalanchoes in garden centers nestled amongst the poinsettias, Christmas cacti, and Norfolk Island pines?  Kalanchoes offer long-lasting florescent flowers which make a great holiday gift plant.  This Holiday gift plant keeps on giving as it can be put in the landscape for re-bloom purposes next season. 

There are many, many types of kalanchoe in cultivation with over one-hundred and twenty-five species available.  The kalanchoe known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana  is native to Madagascar and was introduced in 1932 by Robert Blossfeld.    Grown for its red, pink, yellow, white and salmon flowers, the species  is named after Mr. Blossfeld, a German hybridizer.   This plant blooms as a result of shorter days at this time of year just like poinsettias.  The small, four-petaled flowers are arranged in clusters that combine to make a stunning flower head.  Indoors as a potted plant, the flowers will last for some time when kept in a bright sunny area.  Do not overwater as root rots can develop.  Allow the soil to dry between waterings and make sure to take off any decorative foil wrap to ensure proper drainage. 

Once the weather has settled sometime in March, your kalanchoe can be planted outside in a full sun to part shade  location.   Gradually adjust the plant to outdoor conditions as it can otherwise sunburn.   Well-drained soil is essential and once established, the kalanchoe can be considered highly drought tolerant and recommended as a Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ plant.  The glossy scalloped leaves will serve as a groundcover of sorts during the summer when there will be few if any flowers.  Kalanchoes will also look good in rock gardens, in raised planters and in stand-alone containers.  Once the day length begins to shorten in October, new flower buds will begin to develop.  Now while Holiday kalanchoes may have had their daylight artificially manipulated to induce flowering, outdoor specimens will adapt to the natural light cycles and most likely begin to bloom in January and then on through spring.  They can be cold sensitive and will most likely require some frost/freeze protection if cold weather settles in. 

While most kalanchoes can grow up to one-foot tall, there are some named dwarf cultivars such as ‘Pumila’ and ‘Tetra Vulcan’.  Otherwise the color selection is based on your taste.  Both single and double-flowering varieties are available in a range of almost florescent colors.  The kalanchoe is just another nice Holiday plant to consider as a gift to others or for yourself!  For more information on all types of plants suitable for gift-giving, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.

Resources:

Gilman, E. F. (2014) Kalanchoe blossfeldiana .  The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

Trinklein, D. H. (2014) Care of Flowering Potted Plants.  The University of Missouri Extension Service.

Winter, N. ( 2016) Kalanchoe brings top holiday color.  Mississippi State University Extension Service. 

Davenport,  M. (2007)  Kalanchoe.  Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service

The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Guide to Plant Selection & Landscape Design (2010)the University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

Enjoying your poinsettia after the holidays

What seasonal plant better rings in the Holiday than the cuetlaxochitl!  For that matter, what is a cuetlaxochitl?  Would the name Euphorbia pulcherrima ring a bell?  No?  How about the poinsettia?  This holiday charmer has a rich history that equals its brilliant color.

The name “cuetlaxochitl” is the Aztec word for the poinsettia.  In fact, before the poinsettia became a famous houseplant, the Aztecs used it in their fall celebrations.  As history goes, Joel R. Poinsett, United States Ambassador to Mexico, introduced the plant to the United States in 1825.  “The most beautiful Euphorbia” or Eurphorbia pulcherrima, was well on its way to becoming a botanical and economic success story.  By 1836, the plant was known by the name poinsettia in honor of Ambassador Poinsett.

After extensive work and marketing in the plant industry including the famous Paul Ecke Ranch, the poinsettia is now an indispensable part of the Holiday season.  They are actually woody tropical perennials with colorful bracts in shades of red, white, pink, and assorted novelty multicolor types with spots or blotches.  The modified leaves or bracts are the colorful portion of the plant.  The actual flowers are insignificant - small green and yellow structures in the center of the bract cluster.  Selection of an individual plant will of course vary with your particular color desires.  Poinsettias may be multi-stemmed or single-stemmed; some are even trained into a tree-form.  Regardless, make sure that the plant is not broken and check for insects (whiteflies) and diseases before purchasing.  While we may think of the poinsettia as a pot plant, keep in mind that it does make a suitable subject for outdoor culture in our area.  Also, Poinsettias are not poisonous, although some people are mildly allergic to their sap.

After you have enjoyed your poinsettia for the Holiday, harden it off in preparation for planting outdoors by slowly acclimating it to the outside environment.  Select a full-sun planting site that will provide a moist, well-drained soil.  Very important item - locate a spot that is not near artificial light sources such as streetlights or light from windows.  If the dark period required for setting flowers is interrupted, flowers will form late or not at all.   Flower buds are usually set by early October, as the nights become longer.  Feed poinsettias monthly applications of a complete fertilizer starting in March through October.  Water as needed to keep the soil moderately moist.

Pruning will also help develop a bushy, attractive plant.  Prune poinsettias back to about eighteen inches in the early spring.  Pinch new growth when it reaches twelve inches back so that there are four leaves left per stem.  Repeat this process until September 10^th and no later.  There must be enough time for this final growth to mature before setting buds.

While poinsettias are very sensitive to cold, if freeze damage occurs, prune out the truly dead portions in March.  The remainder of the plant should recover without a problem.

Don’t be the only one without a poinsettia in your yard in 2017!  Not only can you treasure the blooms at Christmas, but also have a decent tropical shrub that will be ornamentally useful for years to come.  For more information on all types of Holiday plants, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.

Resources: 

The History of the Poinsettia (Paul Ecke Ranch), 2016.

Black, R. J., Tjia, B. & Sheehan, T. J. Poinsettias for Florida  Landscapes. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, IFAS.

Park Brown, S. (2013) Poinsettias at a Glance. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, IFAS

Yellow stars twinkle in the backyard garden

Some fruits are either feast or famine and the star fruit is one of those wonders.  This fall, not only was our starfruit at the East Port Environmental Campus Demonstration Garden producing, several Master Gardeners were also bringing in bags of extra fruit to share – nice!  Whether you call it carambola, star fruit or five-finger, the fruit tree known scientifically as Averrhoa carambola is exotic, tasty, and makes a nice ornamental yard tree. Why not try this tree fruit in your own back yard?

First, let me quote word for word from our UF/IFAS publication, "People who have been diagnosed with kidney disease should not eat carambola (star fruit) unless their doctor says it is safe for them to eat. This fruit may contain enough oxalic acid to cause a rapid decline in renal function." Please keep this important warning in mind.   Originally from Southeast Asia, the carambola has been grown in Florida for over one hundred years and is commercially produced in Dade, Lee, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. This fruit is commonly seen in produce departments in most grocery stores and is familiar to almost everyone. The carambola tree is small to medium in size, evergreen to semi-evergreen depending on winter temperatures and may have a single or multiple trunks. The small, but colorful pink to lavender flowers are about three-eighths of an inch long. The flowers are followed by a fleshy waxy berry from two to six-inches long with five lobbed ribs that appear star-shaped when cut in cross-section. It takes about seventy-five days from the time the fruit sets until it is ready to pick. There are also about twelve edible seeds per fruit. Carambolas really appreciate being protected from windy sites. As a matter of fact, wind damaged trees will show browning or distorted leaves, some stem dieback, fruit damage and general stunted growth. Keeping carambola trees pruned to about twelve feet tall will also help increase hurricane resistance. Select a site to plant your carambola that is in full sun, out of the wind and is well drained. If necessary, plant the tree on a mound of soil to raise it up above areas that sometimes flood. Build the mound three to four foot high and four to ten feet wide using native soil. Carambolas are not tolerant of salty conditions and also may show nutrient deficiencies in high pH soils. As the tree matures, it tolerance to cold and freezing will improve. Generally, at temperatures of twenty to twenty-four degrees Fahrenheit, large branches and even mature trees may die. Accordingly, some protection may be necessary during the coldest of our winter weather.

Carambola normally have two major crops per year ready from August through September and from December through February. There will also be scattered smaller crops. A five year old tree can produce up to one hundred pounds per tree. Mature trees can eventually supply you with over two-hundred and fifty pounds a year. It is no wonder why carambola tree owners are always giving fruit away to friends and neighbors! A complete fertilizer suitable for tropical fruits used as per label directions will keep the tree productive and healthy. In addition, foliar applications of micronutrients may be needed to ward off deficiencies. Variety selection is as much an issue of what is available in the local garden centers, and what your personal tastes are. Carambolas are either sweet or tart - some tart varieties will even sweeten up if left on the tree to ripen further. ‘Arkin’ is a cultivar that originated in Florida, has a sweet flavor and is very well suited for backyard production. ‘Lara’ is another variety from Florida that is also sometimes available. ‘Fwang Tung’ is also recommended.   Local box store garden centers and specialty nurseries regularly carry carambola.  Carambola is a great dooryard fruit tree that is easy to grow and produces an abundance of tasty fruit.  Perhaps give one as a gift to someone this Holiday Season! For more information on all types of fruit to grow in our area, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.   

Resource: Crane, J. H. (2013) Carambola Growing in the Florida Home Landscape. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

Cousin of the lychee, the longan

The longan tree in our East Port Environmental Campus Demonstration Garden produced a good crop of fruit this year.  It is one of the few fruit trees producing fruit in August, so the small brown fruit were a welcome seasonal taste treat.  A family member of the lychee, the longan tree is an attractive evergreen all by itself – the fruit is just an added bonus!  Best grown in the warmer parts of Charlotte County or in noted microclimates, the longan may be something to try.

Originating in Southeast Asia, the longan reached our country in 1903 and has been a commercial crop in south Florida since the 1990’s. It is well adapted to the subtropics where there is a period of cool, but not freezing winters, and dry periods in the fall and winter.   Because of weather conditions, longan trees may not bear fruit every year.  In a good year, a mature tree can produce over fifty pounds of fruit.  The twelve-inch long evergreen leaves are shiny and dark green in color.  The flowers are small and arranged in what are called panicles.  The clusters of fruit that develop are round to oval and around an inch in diameter.  A brown leathery covering surrounds the white pulp which surrounds a dark brown seed.  The pulp is sweet and has a unique flavor.  Keep in mind that it takes, from flower to fruit, over one-hundred and forty days. 

Once established in a full sun site, the longan is very drought tolerant, but does not take flooding well.  The longan also does not like salty conditions which will cause leaf burn and general dieback.  As mentioned, the longan can take our subtropical climate for the most part, but can be damaged or killed when temperatures approach twenty-seven degrees F.  Growing unpruned upwards to thirty-feet tall, it should be trained to maintain a height of about fifteen feet tall.  Also consider fruit thinning.  By reducing about fifty percent of the fruit set when they are about one-quarter of an inch in the spring, each remaining fruit will be significantly bigger and more appealing.  This will help individual fruit approach the desired one and one-quarter of an inch (or bigger) diameter size which will have the most flesh and the best flavor.  Test a few fruits for taste before you harvest the entire cluster.  Longan fruit can be stored in a plastic bag in a refrigerator for up to seven days.

A number of box store garden centers regularly carry longan trees for sale.  In Florida, the number one cultivar planted is ‘Kohala’.  This has been found to be the best variety and is recommended for backyard plantings.  The biggest pest likely encountered will be birds eating the ripe fruit.  Bird netting works well to exclude the birds and protect the crop.

If you are looking for a non-citrus fruit tree to try, the longan might be a good choice for you.  Try the fruit ahead of time by visiting Pine Island tropical fruit growers in August to sample some of these tasty morsels!  For more information on all types of fruit to grow in our area, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.   

Resource:  Crane, J. H., Balerdi, C. F., Sargent, S. A. & Maguire, I. (2013) Longan Growing in the Florida Home Landscape.  The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.  

The palmetto weevil blues

“Oh no!” – was I all I could say as I noted the telltale brown fronds and slightly tilted, leaking canopy.  Our prized Bismarck palm was marked for death as masses of unseen three-inch long palmetto weevil larvae tunneled inside eating the heart out of this majestic palm.   Growing up to fifty feet tall, the stunning palm known as the Bismarck palm has become a popular landscape subject throughout Southwest Florida.  Planted as an accent specimen in many landscapes, beautiful silver-blue Bismarck palms tower over other plantings to the pride of homeowners.  Is this a good choice for your landscape? 

Originally from the island nation of Madagascar, Bismarckia nobilis have been popular landscape subjects in Southwest Florida for some time.  Potentially growing to an enormous size of up to sixty feet tall and twenty-feet wide, the Bismarck palm is widely sold in local garden centers and nurseries. The growth seen in these palms is fairly rapid and the one planted at our East Port Environmental Campus Demonstration Garden in Port Charlotte grew from a five-gallon, three foot plant to well over twenty-feet in about six years.  Site selection is very important and you should definitely “plan before you plant”.   Keep in mind that this palm often outgrows small residential lots as its gigantic proportions make everything around it look puny.  Bismarck palms are best planted in full sun on well-drained soil.  Once established, they are highly drought- tolerant and moderately salt-tolerant – good characteristics for our area.  A recommended fertilizer program for all palms includes the use of a granular 8-2-12-4 (or 8-0-12-4) in November, February and May, and a 0-0-16-6 in August, applied as per label directions.

Bismarck palms are best suited to Hardiness Zones 10A and 11.  Charlotte County has some zone 10A right along the coast, but further inland the zone changes to 9B – a potentially cooler area.  However, the Bismarck palm has been planted well out of its hardiness zone range all the way north to Orlando.  While there may be some micro-climates in these cooler areas, there is the real risk of freeze damage.  Some Bismarck palms in Charlotte County visibly suffered from freezes several years ago.  Months after these events, the Extension Office began to receive calls from heart-broken clients with failing Bismarck palms.  While some were associated with lightning strikes, many seemed to show evidence of stress due to cold damage to the bud.  This damage then led to palmetto weevil invasion and eventual collapse of Bismarck specimens in the landscape.  While we have not had a severely cold winter in a few years, Bismarck palms are still randomly dying from time to time.   Unfortunately, recent observations have indicated that even “apparently healthy” Bismarck palms may be attacked by palmetto weevils.  This was the case with our specimen.  Palmetto weevils are large beetles which are normally attracted to palms under stress.  Stressed palms give off a chemical scent picked up by passing palmetto weevils.  Once they find a suitable host, the weevils release chemicals that attract more weevils to the feast, and an infestation is born. 

It is still considered a good management practice to keep your palms healthy and stress-free (no over-pruning for example) – this should keep palmetto weevils at bay in most cases.   One band-aide approach may include a chemical option.  A root drench with Imidacloprid (a systemic insecticide) as per label directions may afford some degree of limited protection, but there are no guarantees. 

The funeral for our Bismarck palm has come and gone.  We enjoyed it as a crown jewel in our Demonstration Garden for years, but knew that we could lose it someday.  So, if you decide to plant a Bismarck in your landscape, check your hardiness zone or micro-climate options, consider the ultimate height and width of this behemoth, fertilize it properly and keep in mind that there are some factors out of your control that could limit this palm’s long-term success.  Those who already have Bismarck palms established in the landscape, keep them stress free, keep your options open on palmetto weevil deterrents, and appreciate these big blue giants!  For more information on all types of palms, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.     

Resources:

Broschat, T. K. (2016) Cold Damage on Palms.  The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

Broschat, T. K (2015) Bismarckia nobilis: Bismarck Palm.  The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

Weissling, T. J. & Giblin-Davis, R. M. (2016) Palmetto Weevil, Rhynchophorus cruentatus Fabricius (Insecta: Coleoptera: Curculionidae).  The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.

Be ready for roses

My roses always do really well during this time of year.  They are blooming nicely and seem to appreciate our present slightly cooler and drier environment.  While roses produce more flowers in summer, the flowers at this time of year are actually larger and have deeper color.  Not to say roses are without their challenges!   However, if well cared for, roses in our area can bloom all year long.   With some sensible selection, maintenance and grooming, growing a rose will provide cut flowers and beauty in any setting.

You are going to be much happier with your roses if you pick types that are suited for our Florida climate.  Low-maintenance roses such as "old garden roses" and shrub roses such as David Austin Roses® and the “Knock-out®” series require minimal care.  At the other extreme, high-maintenance, modern roses such as hybrid teas, require more grooming, fertilizing, irrigation and pest management.  Selecting roses grafted on Rosa fortuniana (also called 'Double White Cherokee') rootstock will grow larger, more vigorous plants that will produce more flowers and live longer than other roses.  Second to fortuniana is ‘Dr. Huey’ rootstock followed by multiflora rootstock which has the shortest life span here in Florida.  There are some rose plants (the older shrub varieties) that are satisfactory, as are dwarf roses, un-grafted and on their own roots.  Some good low-maintenance roses to try are 'Bourbon', 'China', and 'Bermuda'.  Check local garden centers and nurseries for these roses.  You may also check with regional specialty nurseries and Internet sources.  Also consider communicating with local rose societies and The American Rose Society at http://www.ars.org .

Roses need at least six hours of sun for best results.  The more sun the better, but if some shade is present, it is best to plant roses so that they receive morning sunlight.  This morning sun will help dry the early morning dew off which will help reduce leaf diseases such as black spot.  Roses like a well-drained soil with some amendments added to improve water-holding capacity.  Now, while generally we don't recommend adding soil amendments when planting woody plants, the rose is an exception which will greatly benefit from compost mixed into the upper twelve inches of soil.  Start a regular maintenance fertilizer as soon as new growth begins with a complete fertilizer including micronutrients and slow-release nitrogen for best performance.   As a final touch, good organic mulch will help retain moisture and suppress weeds.  When watering, it is best to apply irrigation to the soil surface so that the leaves are kept dry. 

Keeping a rose plant looking its best will involve some regular grooming and pruning.  Grooming is going to involve light and selective trimming such as removing dead flowers.  This keeps rose hips (fruit) from developing and redirects the plants energy back into the plant for more blooms.  If needed, more major pruning can be accomplished in February with a lighter follow-up pruning in August.  Removal of dead, diseased, damaged or spindly growth will improve the plants form and keep the height in bounds.  Flowers for the vase are best cut after the green sepals at the base of the flower fold back toward the stem and the outside petals loosen and start to unfurl.  Cut the flower with a sharp knife just above a five-leaflet leaf. 

Probably the biggest pest problem in our area is a fungal disease called black spot.  Most low-maintenance cultivars are fairly resistant to this disease.  However, removal of dead and diseased leaves will help as part of a sanitation effort.  Also, mulch will help create a barrier between the rose and the soil level.  Using drip irrigation will also help keep the foliage dry and thus less open to black spot infection.  Fungicides are also available to protect new growth.

Roses are definitely worthy of a spot in your landscape.  For more information on growing roses, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.  

Resource:

Park Brown, S. (2013) Growing Roses in Florida. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.