Fire ants are one of Florida's aggressive landscape pests
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JORDI: Fire ants are one of Florida's most aggressive landscape pests. Gardeners experience these biting and stinging insects almost daily. The easiest control method is to use baits.
There are a few important things to know about the baits in order for them to work well. The baits must be fresh or the ants will not touch them. Do not sprinkle them directly into the hole but instead place the bait away from the mound as the ants need to forage for them. If the bait becomes wet it is no longer useful. Apply during the warm seasons when ants are foraging (seeking food). During the extreme heat of the summer apply the baits just before dusk as the ant will seek food then to avoid the high heat.
Please, please, please follow the directions on the label. These labels have extensive research behind them and if you follow the directions the mound will eventually die - usually within weeks of the first application. Other methods of control are included and discussed in the publication attached. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LH059
Tree Growth Rings
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JORDI: The only way to know for certain how old a tree is to either cut it down or bore into the bark. The first method will obviously kill the tree and I am sure you do not wish use that procedure.
The second method requires a special tool called an increment borer. An increment borer puts a permanent hole in the tree which can potentially introduce disease. A perfect cross section of the tree is removed by the borer. The rings are then counted which would enable us to determine an approximate age.
If you believe you have a large, champion tree, consider contacting Nassau County forester, David Holly. He would definitely be interested in checking your tree out. If you indeed have an old or very large tree, David will assist you through the procedure of how to add your tree to the Florida registry. I know you did not ask this question, but the study of tree rings to calculate age is called dendrochronology. Sounds like the perfect trivia question to open up a normal family dinner conversation, doesn't it?
Peacock Ginger Flower
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JORDI: The best time to transplant any perennial is soon after it has finished blooming. Some gingers are ornamental and others are true gingers, Zingiber officinale, which can be used for seasoning and cooking. Both types of ginger grow best in partial to full shade. Full sun causes browning around the edges of the leaves.
True ginger root should be dug up in the fall after the green leaves have died back. The root should be dried in the shade. After is has dried, it can be cut and used for cooking.
Dozens of ornamental varieties are available some of which have beautiful, fragrant flowers. Consider planting Dichorisandra thrysiflora (Blue ginger), Alpinia zerumbet (Shell ginger), Curcuma (Hidden ginger) or Kaempferia spp. (Peacock gingers).
Blue ginger should be planted in warmer areas of Nassau County, Florida (which would mean in cold hardiness zone 9a). The blue-purple blooms are 6-8 inches long and occur from the summer through the fall. It has the potential of reaching heights of 8 feet but generally reaches on 5 feet.
Shell gingers can become somewhat weedy so consider choosing one of the dwarf variegated varieties and they can tolerate more sun than most of the others. Hidden gingers produce pink or white blooms in the summer and grow about 3 feet tall.
The Peacock gingers are my personal favorite and I have several varieties growing at my front door. Everyday I come home from work I see these beautiful plants with patterned leaves and pretty purple or pink flowers. They bloom from the spring through the fall.
Of course, the most common of all the gingers is the butterfly ginger, Hedychium spp., which would be a lovely addition to any landscape. Ornamental gingers give us a wide variety of flowering seasons, color and height. They are extremely easy to grow and a wonderful choice for the beginning gardener. True gingers: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV067
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Rebecca L. Jordi
University of Florida/IFAS
Nassau County Extension
Environmental Horticulture Agent III
543350 U. S. Highway #1
Callahan, FL 32011
904 548-1116 or 904 879-1019
http://nassau.ifas.ufl.edu