The Science and Art 
of Growing and Using Plants 
for Food and Aesthetics

Are You Ready for Hurricane Season?

Listed below are a few items that should be considered by commercial nurseries preparing for hurricanes. The items are not listed in any particular order and are not intended to be exclusive. For a more complete list please read “Hurricane Preparedness List for Nurseries” - Thomas H. Yeager, Ph.D. Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida.  This Extension publication may be found at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP076 or contact Liz Felter or Todd Hurt for a copy.

General Considerations - More than 6 Months Pre-hurricane

Develop an emergency contact list and keep numbers current. Some possible contacts might include: employees, insurance companies, hospitals, pharmacies, counselors and clergy, USDA Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, County Emergency Management Agency, university extension offices, power companies, plumbers, electricians, equipment dealers, trucking companies, allied supply companies, landfills, chemical spill companies, portable toilet companies, other nurseries, and suppliers of young plants. Stow valuable papers in a dry place. This would include papers such as: insurance policy, payroll, plant, pesticide and equipment inventory; photographs of nursery including buildings, equipment, and vehicles; and computer disks of valuable information. Obtain crop insurance. Federal loan assistance will not be available unless you have crop insurance.

General Considerations - 2-6 Months Pre-hurricane

Obtain items such as: weather radios, plumbing supplies, batteries, tools, lumber, nails, tarps, ropes, shade cloth, greenhouse parts and covers, fuel storage with hand pump, substrate components, portable lights, and batteries.

General Considerations - 1-2 Days Pre-hurricane

Irrigate plants and remove water from reservoirs. Obtain cash because electronic fund transfers may not be possible after a hurricane. Fill fuel tanks and fill sprayers with water. Print out payroll, plant inventory, fertilizer, and pesticide inventory.

Web Sites

1. Hurricane and Natural Disaster Brochures: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/hurricbro.html
2. National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
3. National Weather Service: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/index.html
4. Storm 2001: http://www.gopbi.com/weather/special/storm/
5. Central Florida Hurricane Center 2000: http://flhurricane.com/
6. Florida Hurricane Reports: http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/fl/hurricane.html
7. University of Florida Publications: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu

ORLANDO -

The Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association (FNGA) is urging nursery growers to phase out production of 11 commercially grown plants thought to be invasive. FNGA, in cooperation with the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC), is asking nursery growers to stop propagating, selling, and using 11 species after joint talks have resulted in agreement that the plants are invasive in Florida.

Invasive plants are becoming an epidemic problem in some natural areas of Florida. More than 1,000 plants growing in the wild in Florida are non-native. FLEPPC has identified about ten per cent of these that are highly aggressive and have displaced native species due to lack of natural pests and controls. The 11 species identified by the two groups are relatively minor commercial production plants in the Florida nursery market.

According to Ben Bolusky, FNGA Executive Vice President, “Nursery growers in this state have a very good record of environmental responsibility, and recognizing which plants are becoming potential ecological problems. We look forward to continuing the invasive species dialogue and to doing what’s right for Florida.”

FLEPPC Chair Tony Pernas said, “Our organization is pleased to be working with FNGA to identify several non-native species that have ecological effects and should no longer be commercially available. We appreciate this productive relationship that is taking a pro-active approach to addressing the invasive species problem.”

Over the years, plants now becoming invasive have been introduced by the government for erosion control, forage, and other agricultural uses, by nursery growers for their horticultural value and through accidental introduction. Widely known invasive plants are Brazilian Pepper, Australian pine, Chinese tallow, hydrilla and melaleuca. In response to the significant management challenges and expense of controlling numerous invasive non-native species in natural habitats, public land managers in several states and regions have established Exotic Pest Plant Councils, with the first being founded in Florida in 1984. FLEPPC’s membership numbers more than 300 public and private land managers, university faculty, citizens, and businesses. FNGA represents Florida’s leading 1,900 nursery growers, landscape professionals, garden center retailers and allied suppliers.

Several meetings of the FNGAFLEPPC ad hoc group focused on plants identified as “invasive, economically important” horticultural species. Discussions identified plant species that had become established in natural areas; the mode of spread and reproduction of the plant; specific varieties of a particular species that are invasive (where differences among varieties exist); and potential alternative plants to be substituted for the highly invasive ones.

Twenty-four plant species were identified by FLEPPC as being both invasive and available in the horticultural trade. Through dialogue with FNGA nursery growers, 11 of the 24 were identified as being of relatively minor value in the current market.

The 11 plants are Albizia lebbeck (Woman’s tongue), Bauhinia variegata (Orchid tree), Bischofia javanica (Bischofia), Cupaniopsis anacardioides (Carrotwood), Macfadyena unguis-cati (Cat’s claw vine), Melia azedarach (Chinaberry), Nephrolepsis cordifolia (Sword fern), Psidium guajava (Guava), Rhoeo spathacea (Oyster plant  large variety), Syzgium cumini (Java plum; jambolan), and Thespesia populnea (Seaside mahoe).

Due to conservation problems associated with these species and their limited economic significance to the industry, FNGA recommends these 11 species no longer be propagated, grown or marketed in Florida. For other species, which may also threaten conservation areas and are economically important to the industry, further recommendations are pending until information being developed by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Regional recommendations also may be developed as a result of that information.

The Florida Nurserymen & Growers Association represents Florida’s environmental horticulture industry, with a value added economic impact of $5.3 billion. For more information, contact FNGA at 1533 Park Center Drive, Orlando, Fla. 32835 or call 407/295-7994; e-mail FNGA@aol.com; www.fnga.org.

A New Exotic Spider Mite in Florida Eutetranychus sp.

Follow this link: http://doacs.state.fl.us/~pi/enpp/ento/eutetranychus.html

Diaprepes Weevil Alert 
6 April 2001

Bill Schall, Palm Beach County Extension Faculty & Lance Osborne, Ph.D. MREC

Current changes in Texas plant shipping requirements has helped fuel a heightened sensitivity to the presence of Diaprepes abbreviatus weevils attacking potted, container and field grown plant materials. This insect has a very large host range. The adults feed on the foliage and lay their eggs between leaves that are "cemented" together by the female. Larvae hatch and drop to the ground where they move into the soil and begin what can be very destructive feeding on roots. There are a number of good sites on the Internet that detail the biology of this pest listed in the other web sites of interest below.

Diaprepes is considered a very difficult pest worldwide, and additional control strategies research is ongoing. A beneficial nematode has shown some promise for control at rates of 1 billion per acre of soil surface. Additional resources need to be directed toward this effort.

Current Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry (as of April 2, 2001) Texas shipping compliance requirements are available from their main office in Gainesville, Florida at (352) 372-3505 ext. 162, or by contacting your local DPI Inspector. An excerpt from their memorandum dated March 30, 2001 states treatment requirements for containerized ornamentals as follows:

"Must be grown in a greenhouse which would prevent any infestation by Diaprepes abbreviatus, or

All nursery stock not grown in a greenhouse must be sprayed for adults with an approved insecticide within 14 days of movement and be soil drenched with bifenthrin or have bifenthrin incorporated in the mix as follows:

Bifenthrin granules incorporated into potting mix at a dose rate of 25 parts per million (ppm). Dosage is based on the bulk density of the potting mix.

Bifenthrin drench: (provides 6 month certification period)

Use bifenthrin at the appropriate labeled rate in 100 gallons of water, based on the bulk density of the potting media to achieve 25 ppm. Apply to individual containers to the point of saturation, generally 1/5 volume of the container. Plants must be treated within 30 days of movement. Always follow the product label."

Soil incorporation rates of bifenthrin (Talstar for ornamental formulations) are based upon the bulk density (dry weight per cubic yard) of the soil media. A light Canadian peat soil mix has a bulk density of around 200 - 300 pounds per cubic yard. A heavy, woody ornamental container mix with high percentages of Florida peat and sand is closer to 1000 pounds per cubic yard. The heavier your mix, the more granular Talstar has to be incorporated to meet the 25 ppm threshold. Soil incorporation rates are available within the table found on the FMC Talstar Nursery Granular label, and soil drench rates are available on the Whitmire Talstar N label which can be accessed by entering Talstar in the search engine at the following site: http://www.greenbook.net/free.asp

Materials with labeling for foliar treatment of Diaprepes include certain formulations of Talstar, Orthene, Sevin and Dursban. Care should be taken to insure that you do not use a material that is phytotoxic to your crop.

Other web site links of interest:

The featured creatures site for Diaprepes, with lots of great pictures - a picture is worth a thousand words, etc., etc., etc.):

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