Palm Problems? Check out this new diagnostic tool!

A comprehensive new online resource for diagnosing palm problems was released late last year:

A Resource for Pests and Diseases of Cultivated Palms: Symptoms of Diseases and Disorders

http://itp.lucidcentral.org/id/palms/symptoms/

The authors of this multi-agency initiative are all from UF/IFAS (University of Florida/ Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.)

Designed for non-experts, this tool enables the user to make a preliminary field diagnosis based on visual symptoms alone. As you enter observations into the key, the system narrows down the possible causes. When you click on one of the remaining diseases (such as ganoderma butt rot), disorders (like a nutritional deficiency), or insects (perhaps the palm leaf skeletonizer), the related fact sheet is provided.

You can also access the fact sheets directly and learn about palm anatomy from the handy illustrated glossary. The site contains instructions for using the tool, information about when and how to confirm the field diagnosis with a laboratory analysis, and a long list of references.

This new tool is only part of a larger site, A Resource for Pests and Diseases of Cultivated Palms:

http://itp.lucidcentral.org/id/palms/resource/index.html


Already up and running on that site is a similar tool, the Screening Aid to Pests:

http://itp.lucidcentral.org/id/palms/sap/index.html


Future upgrades include a palm ID tool and palm pest screening tools for beetles, scale insects, and mites.

The Gumbo Limbo Spiraling Whitefly Has Arrived

A recent sample submitted to the Extension Office confirms that the Gumbo Limbo Spiraling Whitefly (Aleurodicus rugioperculatis) has arrived in the Keys. This insect was first found in the United States in 2009 in Miami-Dade County.

Host plants include gumbo limbo, palms, woody ornamentals and fruits. Damage may include plant decline, defolation, and branch dieback.

Symptoms of an infestation include an abundance of white waxy material and sooty mold on the leaves. Females lay their eggs in a spiral pattern.

Refer to the following articles for detailed information about this new pest and the best strategies for managing it.

http://www.pbcgov.com/coextension/_pdf/gumbolimbospiralingwhitefly_mannion.pdf

http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/pdfs/urban_hort/Common%20questions%20about%20the%20gumbo%20limbo%20spiraling%20whitefly.pdf

Article written by Ellen Sculley, Monroe County Master Gardener
Photo Credits: H Glenn, UF/IFAS

Cotton Seed Bug update

The Cotton Seed Bug is on the move! It was originally found on Stock Island and Key West.






Identifying and reporting the cotton seed bug




For photos and more information see the Pest Alert at
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/pi/enpp/ento/images/Oxycarenus_cotton_seed_bug_alert_USDAcard_Feb2012.pdf


Several closely related species can readily be confused with each other and with the exotic species, and several have similar hosts; however, if you find a large number of small bugs in a cotton boll, the bugs are very likely to be the cotton seed bug. In this case, please contact DPI immediately at 352-372-3505.

Please send only dead specimens (killed in alcohol or frozen, then placed in alcohol). You can use rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol for this purpose. Indicate in a letter your name, the date and location where the specimens were collected, and a phone number and email address with which we can contact you.

The Miami-Dade Native Plant Society newsletter has an informative article about the Cotton Seed Bug, Wild Cotton and the Florida Statues.
http://www.dade.fnpschapters.org/pastnewsletters/2010/05.html

The links in this article were current as of May, 2013.

What's Bugging my Yard? workshops

Have you been wanting to know what insect is chewing holes in your plants or why your plant leaves are black and sticky? If the answer is YES, you can get useful information by attending any of the freeinsect workshops listed below and also learn how to identify and control insect pests and identify beneficial insects. If you have any insect smaples you want identified, bring them in a sealed Ziploc baggie or pill vial.

Wednesday August 4, 2:00 pm to 3:30pm
Key Largo Extension Office, Suite 244 Nelson Government Center
102050 Overseas Highway, bayside

Monday, August 9, 9:00 to 10:30 am
Marathon Government Center, EOC Meeting room
2798 Overseas Highway, bayside

Monday, August 9, 2:00 to 3:30 pm
Big Pine Key Community Park meeting room
End of Sands Road

Tuesday, August 10, 9:00 to 10:30 am
Key West Gato Building conference rooms
1100 Simonton Street

Digital Diagnostic and Identification System DDIS

If you have a plant problem that you can't figure try the University of Florida Digital Diagnostic and Identification System http://ddis.ifas.ufl.edu/ddisx/home.jsp

By signing up you can be able to fill out an online form about your current plant issue:

Plant Disease
Insect (Plant)
Insect (Non-plant)
Livestock
Management/Physiology/Nutrient
Plant/Weed

After filling in the form, you can upload photos of the problem. Your DDIS form and photos will be send to your County Extension Agent. The Agent will review the information and send you a reply.

Check it out!

Ask an expert update

If you have a plant or insect problem you cannot solve then Ask an Expert is a great place to start in answering your question. I have updated the Ask an Expert widget, now you can upload a digital photo to help in describing the problem you are trying to solve.

I look forward to helping you answering your questions.
Kim Gabel, Environmental Horticulture Agent
UF/IFAS Monroe County Extension Service
kgabel@ufl.edu
http://monroe.ifas.ufl.edu

Are your trees ready to weather the upcoming Hurricane season?

Hurricane season starts June 1st, now is the time to prepare your landscape to weather the upcoming hurricane season.

Now is the time to examine the trees surrounding your home. Look at the whole tree from the crown to the root flare.
• Is the bark sloughing off from the trunk?
• Are any trees leaning towards your house?
• Look up in the tree canopy, use your binoculars: Do you notice any broken branches that have turned brown? If the tree has started to put out new leaves closely examine if the branch tips are brown and the bark is separating from the wood?
• Do any trees have tight V crotches on the main trunk or rubbing branches?
• Did the tree get uprooted?
If you answered yes to any of these, then it may be prudent to prune, stake or remove your tree depending on the tree’s condition and possible targets the tree can hit.
For any tree branches above your head or that you have to stand on a ladder with a chain saw to prune that is a job for a professional tree trimmer. Look for someone who is ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) certified and licensed appropriate in Monroe County or your city. Check the local yellow pages or the ISA website www.isa-arbor.com for a listing of certified arborists in your area. Get three bids, so you have a better understanding of the job’s cost, the amount of tree work to be done and how the debris will be removed from your property.
Remember that some communities in the Keys, such as the City of Key West, have tree ordinances that mandate prior permission for tree removals, even those located on private property. Tree trimming ordinances are designed to protect our trees from improper pruning practices and indiscriminate tree removals. But if the tree is deemed to be hazardous it can be removed after approval from your local City Tree Commission or Monroe County Biologist.
Or if you have recently replanted your landscape the question to ask: Can my landscape stand up to this year’s storms?
For the newly replanted landscape things to keep in mind are:
• Dig a proper planting hole that is 2 to3 times as wide as the original pot and plant no deeper than the top root flare
• Use the native soil taken from the hole and mix no more than 40% with a moist peat moss, or professional potting mix
• Make sure the root ball is not kinked or girdled, if so prune out the problem or return to the garden center for a replacement
• Stake the tree with a tripod mesh straps or dowels. The key is to allow the tree to bend in the wind to develop taper, not be rigid and inflexible.

University of Florida has a website: Trees and Hurricanes - http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/treesandhurricanes/ that can help guide through:
- What to do following a hurricane
-Establishing a wind-resistant urban forest
-Managing a wind-resistant urban forest
And an online booklet: "Assessing Damage and Restoring Trees After a Hurricane (English and Spanish).

If you want a hard copy stop by the Key West Extension office -1100 Simonton Street, Suite 2-260,or Key Largo Extension Office - 102050 Overseas Highway, Suite 244

Photo Credit:
Kim Gabel, UF/IFAS