Yard And Lawn Fertilization In South Florida

Proper fertilization is crucial in a quality lawn. Too much fertilizer can create a spongy, or “thatchy” lawn, making watering and weed, disease or insect controls difficult. The most effective fertilizers are balanced, slow release, full nutrient blends containing the macro, micro and trace nutrients that Florida lawns require.

Fertilize lawns, trees and plants only to maintain health. Over fertilizing lawns aggravates pest problems and stimulates excessive growth. Under-fertilizing lawns may lead to thin grass or weeds. When excessive fertilizer is applied, it can leach past the root zone and into the groundwater, the source of our drinking water. Excessive fertilizer application also contributes to pollution in Florida's springs, rivers, streams, lakes and bays.

While the soil generally provides most of the nutrients needed for optimum plant growth, there are times when fertilizers are needed. Fertilizers contain one or more essential plant nutrients and can be applied to landscapes to improve plant growth and quality or to correct a nutrient deficiency. There are many fertilizers available to consumers at local lawn and garden centers. With so many choices, it's easy to get confused. It is important to get information about fertilizers and associated fertilizer terminology to help you make educated decisions when purchasing fertilizers and using them in the home landscape or garden.

Fertilizers available to consumers for use in the landscape will also have variable properties depending on brand and formulation. Many fertilizer materials are inorganic or synthetic. Examples of inorganic nutrient sources that may be used in blends include ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, and potassium chloride. Other fertilizer materials are organic, including animal manures, composted materials, and plant or animal residues.

In Florida, phosphorus has been removed from most fertilizers due to a controversial theory that using it in plant fertilization promotes algae bloom - "red tide" - a natural phenomenon in the Gulf of Mexico. The EPA has now targeted phosphates, one of Florida's largest industries due to our natural phosphate deposits. In many states, phosphates have been banned from dishwashing detergents.

Fertilizers encourage plants to grow faster and greener or develop more blooms and fruit. Fertilizing can be done by applying composted organic material, packaged fertilizer or a specific mineral, such as iron. Commercial landscapers are most familiar with the plants, greenery and soil in your area. They are usually therefore your best bet when it comes to fertilizing and your other landscaping needs.

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Yard And Lawn Check-Ups In Florida

We go to the doctor for a check up when the doctor says we should. We have to make sure all systems are running as they should, to catch any potential issues in the early stages before they become big problems. We do the same with our cars, letting our mechanics put them up on the rack and look under the hood and check all the belts and hoses, again making sure all systems are go. That is a very important thing for us to do, keeping an eye on everything and making sure everything is as it should be. So should we not also do this with our yard and gardens?

 This is another very wise move that protects our investment. We have a lot of time, money and hard work invested in the places we live and some money spent now on upkeep can save a lot of money from being spent later on due to little problems that became big ones. 

The Total Plant Health Care program will relieve you of the burden of inspecting your own plants and diagnosing the presence of insects and diseases and determining treatment if it is required. Often, insects and diseases will have done a great deal of damage by the time their activity is visible to the untrained eye. Continual monitoring by Zimmerman plant health professional will reveal activity early while less radical treatment can still be effective.

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Hurricane Season 2015 Outlook In Florida

http://www.weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/hurricane-season-outlook-atlantic-2015-el-nino

Hurricane season is coming, and for us here in Florida that means be ready. Of course in Florida we know to watch out for stormy weather year-round. But especially now. We have quite a hurricane history here.

1906
The worst hurricane in 170 years killed one hundred railroad workers in the Keys. The eye passed over Miami. At least 34 people were killed when it reached the Pensacola area.

1909, 1910, 1919
A series of bad hurricanes hit the Keys. They damaged the Seven Mile Bridge and caused major damage in Key West.

1921
The last major hurricane to hit Tampa and the Florida central west coast caused over a million dollars in damage. The storm passed across the state and exited at Jacksonville.

1926
The eye passed over Miami. Wind gusts were estimated at 150 miles per hour. Most buildings in Dade and Broward Counties were damaged or destroyed. There was major flooding of all coastal sections, downtown Miami, and downtown Ft. Lauderdale.

(1928) Okeechobee Hurricane
The eye of the hurricane moved ashore near Palm Beach causing widespread destruction. Nearly 2,000 people died when the dikes broke on Lake Okeechobee, causing massive flooding.

(1935) Florida Keys Labor Day Hurricane
This was the strongest storm ever to hit the United States. The winds were estimated up to 250 miles per hour. This small but intense storm (category 5) caused significant damage. Hundreds of World War I veterans who had been sent to the Keys to build the Overseas Railroad were killed. The storm surge floated an entire train away.

(1960) Hurricane Donna 
This hurricane had 150 mile per hour winds. It caused major damage in the Keys.

(1992) Hurricane Andrew 
This hurricane hit Miami. It was the most costly natural disaster to hit a United States city in modern times. It caused $30 billion in damage.

 Hurricanes can cause a lot of damage to our plants and trees which can in turn damage our homes. When a hurricane makes landfall, the shear force of hurricane strength winds can destroy buildings, topple trees, bring down powerlines, and blow vehicles off roads. Better to prepare our trees and plants before this can happen.

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 http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Summer Tree And Plant Care In Florida

Yes, the hot days of summer are right around the corner and here in Florida that just means a lot more of what we have throughout the rest of the year, weather-wise. Plenty of muggy, plenty of sunny and plenty of buggy. We, and our plants, experience more concentrated heat, more intense humidity, and greater numbers of six-legged visitors during our long hot season of the sun. 

Every time of year brings with it charms and challenges unique to the seasons we live through. With summer everything seems sped up and magnified with extreme heat and intense storms. Yet at times the air grows heavy and the wind stills and we bask in the heat like a lizard basking peacefully on a rock, lazily watching the day go by. 

Our trees and shrubs, our bushes and flowers, and our fruits and veggies experience the ups and downs of the summer months more intensely than we do, being as they are outside and living through it up close and personal, as it were. We need to be especially aware of what our plants need and what we can do for them in the long hot months to come.

While water can come quickly in the rush of our usual afternoon thunderstorms there may come in some areas a lack of moisture from not-uncommon dry spells that linger from time to time. If you experience dry summers, or a dry weather pattern, you may wish to water your garden to keep it looking its best. Most common garden plants prefer an average of 1 inch of water a week. It is best to apply that inch all at once to encourage plant roots to sink down more deeply in the soil. This enables more hardy growth. When watering, apply water directly to the ground rather than getting a plant's foliage wet; water sitting on the leaves can lead to disease. Soaker hoses can be very effective for this purpose.

Time for cutbacks? Maybe so if we are speaking of faded blooms from the spring season. Remove spent blooms from many of your annuals and perennials. This can lead to you seeing more flowers. This is called deadheading and the process prevents plants from producing seeds so they put more energy into beautiful blooms. Some plants can self-seed to the point of being weedy in the garden. This is yet another case of less being more.

Summer is always a time of rapid plant growth. And that growth does not discriminate so we sometimes have to, at least when it comes to weeds. Many pesky weeds love summer heat and quickly take the jump from tiny to gigantic. It is very important to pull them from your garden as weeds steal moisture and nutrients from your plants. Many types of weeds also encourage insect pests and diseases to pop up in your garden. Weeds can take over your yard and garden very rapidly in the summer.

Mulching is a good idea all year-round. One of the best things you can do for your flower beds is to put down a 2-3" layer of a good quality mulch. This will go a long way to reducing the number of weeds that pop up in your gardens. However, mulching does a lot more than just keep weeds down. It also reduces water loss from the soil, helps maintain a constant soil temperature, and gives your gardens a neat and finished look. 

Absence makes the heart grow fonder...and the plant grow stronger. At least that is the case when it comes to summer yard and garden pests. In your garden and yard be sure to watch for signs of disease and insect damage. Catching problems early can make a big difference in being able to control pests and diseases before they have a chance to cause major destruction. Soonest begun, soonest done. Because insects and disease seem to be drawn to weak or stressed plants, the best way to reduce your chances of infestation is to promote healthy, happy plants. Like weeding, keeping an eye on pests and diseases in your yard should be done all year. But midsummer seems to be particularly popular for these gardening obstacles.

Small to medium sized plants need special care in the summer and so do your big plants. Your trees are usually the most prominent feature in your yard and can make or break the good appearance of your property. Remember to inspect your landscape. Check your trees for damage or warning signs; specifically insect infestations and diseases. Also it may be time to prune dead, diseased or unsafe branches. Pruning often results in some of the most successful tree care programs. Finally, with hurricane season and our usual strong summer storms on the way it could be the best time to cable, brace or remove weak tree limbs.

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Landscape Mulching In Florida

Mulches are a vital part of the many-faceted southern landscape. They help our plants as they hold moisture in the soil, help prevent weed growth, inhibit certain soil-borne foliar diseases, and insulate the roots of plants from temperature extremes during summer and winter. Plants look more attractive with mulch at their base. Mulch also provides a buffer zone between the turf and woody ornamental plants and helps prevent trunk injury from weed trimmers and lawn mowers.

As popular as they are in contemporary landscapes, mulches are not a new concept. For as long as trees have grown in forests, leaves and needles have fallen to the ground, matted together, and formed a natural protective layer over the soil. The English word mulch is probably derived from the German word molsch, meaning soft, beginning to decay. It no doubt referred to early gardeners' use of straw, leaves, and loose earth spread on the ground to protect the roots of newly planted trees and shrubs. The presence of this ground level buffer layer no doubt discouraged digging by animals above ground that were hungry for tender roots.

Many different natural and synthetic mulches are available today, but all perform at least three basic functions: They reduce soil water losses, suppress weeds and protect against temperature extremes. In one study comparing various mulch materials with bare soil, soil moisture percentages in mulched plots were approximately twice as high, summer soil temperatures were reduced by 8 to 13 degrees, and the average amount of time required to remove weeds was reduced by two-thirds. The benefits for the healthy growth of plants is evident in these results.

The best mulch is organic, fine-textured and non-matting. Examples include pine needles (commonly called pine straw in the south), cypress shavings, hardwood chips, and pine bark mini-nuggets. Pecan hulls, a by-product of the pecan industry, are used successfully as mulch in south Georgia and North Florida. Fall leaves are an excellent and economical mulch and add valuable humus back to the soil as they decompose. It should be noted that grass clippings are not a good source of mulch because they tend to mat down and inhibit the flow of water and nutrients into the soil. They also may introduce plant pest seeds and weeds into ornamental plantings. Inorganic mulches such as rock, gravel and marble are good soil insulators. However these absorb and re-radiate heat in the landscape, increasing water loss from plants. Limit their use to shady areas of the landscape for best results. Apply mulches measuring 3 to 5 inches deep in an area extending beyond the canopy of the plant if possible. You need to spread the mulch in this manner as a small ring of mulch around the trunk provides little benefit to the plant. Organic mulches such as pine straw or pine bark break down and decompose over time and should be replenished at least once a year.

Geo-textile (landscape fabric) can be used instead of plastic film under mulch. The landscape fabric allows water, nutrients and oxygen to reach the roots of plants and prevents the growth of some weeds. For best results, install landscape fabrics on weed-free ground and avoid getting soil on top of the fabric. Avoid placing plastic film under mulches as it prevents water, nutrients and oxygen from reaching the roots of the plant. The plastic can kill your plants in the same way it inhibits the growth of unwanted weeds.
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Canopy Reduction In South Florida

A beautiful tree canopy beautifies your entire property. Canopy trees are able to photosynthesize relatively rapidly due to abundant light. The canopy layer provides protection from strong winds and storms, while also intercepting sunlight and precipitation, leading to a relatively sparsely vegetated understory layer. This may make landscaping beneath tree canopies more of a challenge as plants must be chosen which thrive in lower sunlight conditions.

Improving your yard's tree canopy (i.e. tree cover) can have numerous benefits, from reducing summer peak temperatures to improving the overall appearance of your landscape. Shade trees are a welcome addition to most South Florida yards. They not only make beautiful landscape specimens, they also help cut down on high summer power bills. Planting a tree on the South or West side of your property helps keep the hottest sun off the house.

 Some of South Florida's most beautiful shade trees are deciduous. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in winter. If you're planting a shade tree for energy-saving, a deciduous tree is a good choice. The leaves in warm weather protect your home from blazing sun. In winter, when the tree is bare, sunlight can get through the branches to help heat your home. It is a win-win tree canopy choice.

Trees that keep their leaves year round can provide a sheltering canopy to protect plants below from frost. They also act as a natural covering to keep winter temperatures a few degrees warmer in the area below them. Houses without these trees can suffer significant frost damage during freeze warnings while the houses right next to them collect little to no frost on their greenery.

 Once a tree has grown to a large size, reduction pruning may require removing branches with large diameters. This can wound trees, making the trees at risk for cracks and decay. Undesired new development can also sprout out of the cut branches. You should try to reduce tree size while you can maintain the form of the tree and minimize regrowth, before the tree becomes too large for the area in which the tree is growing.

Call For an Estimate

Palm Beach County: 561-968-1045

Including: Atlantis, Belle Glade, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Briny Breezes, Cloud Lake, Delray Beach, Glen Ridge, Greenacres, Gulf Stream,Haverhill, Highland Beach, Hypoluxo, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Jupiter Island, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Park, Lake Worth, Lantana,Loxahatchee Groves, Manalapan, Mangonia Park, North Palm Beach, Ocean Ridge, Pahokee, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Shores, Palm Springs, Riviera Beach, Royal Palm Beach, Singer Island, South Bay, South Palm Beach, Tequesta, Village of Golf, Wellington, West Palm Beach and all other communities

Martin County: 772-546-0811

Boca Raton and Delray Beach: 561-338-3533

Broward County: 954-968-1045

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Rugose Spiraling Whitefly South Florida Plant Attack

Who does not love the balmy, scented breezes and subtropical climate we enjoy almost year-round in Florida? We have an entire industry- tourism - based on the optimal living conditions we experience thanks to the wonderful atmosphere in our home state. But some visitors are more welcome than others, and some are not welcome at all. It is with no pleasure that we introduce the Rugose Spiraling Whitefly. 

The Rugose Spiraling Whitefly is a Central American import first collected in Miami-Dade County in March, 2009. This insect has steadily been making a northward trek and its' flight plan just make take right through your garden and landscaping. This pest is by no means a picky eater and will be quite content to munch through a lot of your greenery. Both larval and adult stages feed on and damage plant life. 

After hatching from eggs the Rugose Spiraling Whitefly larvae crawl around and begin to feed with their needle-like mouth parts on plant leaves. During this stage the so called "crawlers" are very small and may be difficult to observe. These crawlers will molt and go through several immature stages that are oval and at first flat, then they become more convex in shape. Some of these stages of the young whitefly will secrete long white filaments of wax. Note that these stages do not resemble a typical insect. In the warmer climes of south Florida these insects will likely
survive year round. 

The adult stage Rugose Spiraling Whitefly damages plants mostly not through intake but as a result of outflow. Research suggests the adult insect itself does not cause severe damage (on landscape plants) such as plant death or branch dieback. However the insects excrete massive amounts of sugary honeydew which provides an incubation ground for sooty mold. This mold can cause excessive damage to orchids as well as to cars and patios beneath infested plants. 

If your plants are falling victim to the Rugose Spiraling Whitefly the evidence will be clear. The undersides of their leaves will be covered with an abundance of the white, waxy material and the tops with excessive black sooty mold. In most cases you will note a white spiral or circular shaped clutch of eggs underneath the leaves of your plant. 

 The adult insects are larger than other whiteflies and are slow flying. This is not the same species of whitefly (ficus whitefly) that is currently causing damage through defoliation and branch dieback of ficus in south Florida. It will more than likely rapidly spread through more south Florida counties as well as making its' way to cooler northern areas.

Protect your trees and bushes from attack by Whitefly. Zimmerman Tree Services provides expert, licensed professional protection of your plants from infestation of the invasive, devastating Whitefly pests.There are different Whitefly treatment methods that may be applied to trees and hedges.
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