http://www.marconews.com/news/news/columnists/eileen-ward/?partner=RSSmarconews.com Stories: Eileen Warden-usnews/columnists/eileen-wardhttp://www.marconews.com/news/2012/feb/10/hissssss-teria-over-snakes/?partner=RSSSnakes and alligators are two of the most feared species we live with on the edge of the Everglades. According to National Geographic News, Florida has unfortunately developed an established population of three large, alien constrictors or snakes. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:21:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-300160-734543news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLHissssss-teria over snakesmarconews.comhissssss-teria-over-snakesurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-300160-734543Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2012/feb/02/gardening-learning-how-propagate-plants-exciting-w/?partner=RSSPlants can be propagated by sexual or asexual means. Sexual propagation is starting plants from seed. Multiplying of plants from vegetative plant parts such as shoots, roots and leaves or bulbs and corms is called asexual propagation. Asexual propagation will grow plants with the same characteristics as the parent plant. It is the best method of reproduction when a plant produces seeds which are difficult to germinate. The most common method of asexual propagation is from cuttings. Cuttings can be made from stems, roots and leaves. Cuttings should be taken from healthy plants and placed in a warm, humid environment to encourage root development and prevent them from drying. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:12:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-299330-734535news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Learning how to propagate plants is an exciting way to share your plants with othersmarconews.comgardening-learning-how-propagate-plants-exciting-wurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-299330-734535Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2012/jan/28/fruit-trees-bear-essentials/?partner=RSSBlossom and fruit drop and fruit splitting are fairly common problems for fruit trees. While losing blossoms and small fruit from your fruit trees can be disturbing it is usually a natural process. Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:19:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-298859-734530news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Fruit trees ... the bear essentialsmarconews.comfruit-trees-bear-essentialsurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-298859-734530Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2012/jan/19/gardening-protecting-your-pink-hibiscus/?partner=RSSAs I mentioned in my last column, many pests can feed on hibiscus making this a very high maintenance choice for your landscape. Chewing insects include caterpillars, grasshoppers, snails and slugs, beetles, cut worms and leaf miners. Piercing-sucking insects include scale, mealybugs, spider mites, aphids, whiteflies and thrips. These pests are more of a problem in areas of poor circulation. The grenade scale can be hard to see because it blends with the bark. This soft scale will cause branches to die back. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:56:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-298014-734521news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Protecting your pink hibiscus marconews.comgardening-protecting-your-pink-hibiscusurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-298014-734521Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2012/jan/12/hibiscus-has-tremendous-flower-variations/?partner=RSSHibiscus plants are blooming profusely all over Marco right now. This plant seems to love the cold weather. Perhaps it is because the severe cold helps control some of the insects that constantly cause the blossoms to drop. Whatever the reason enjoy the beauty of these glorious flowers. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:04:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-297362-734514news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Hibiscus has tremendous flower variationsmarconews.comhibiscus-has-tremendous-flower-variationsurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-297362-734514Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/dec/29/shift-gears-new-year/?partner=RSSJanuary is here and we will still experience cold temperatures since it is the second coolest month of the year. The average will be in the 65 degree range with highs in the 70s or low 80s and lows in the 40s or 50s. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:37:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-296271-734500news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLShift gears for the new yearmarconews.comshift-gears-new-yearurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-296271-734500Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/dec/22/decorate-those-palms/?partner=RSSChristmas in Florida. The balmy weather, palm trees swaying in the gentle breezes off the Gulf of Mexico with Christmas lights twinkling on their fronds and yards with green grass and colorful flowers. Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:54:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-295746-734493news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Decorate those palmsmarconews.comdecorate-those-palmsurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-295746-734493Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/dec/15/gardening-education-nonnative-plants/?partner=RSSI have often encouraged Marco Island residents to become better stewards of our land by learning good horticultural practices and how to identify and remove invasive, exotic plants. When nonnative plants spread extensively and displace native plants they become invasive and cause damage to the native ecosystem. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:11:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-295188-734486news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: An education on nonnative plantsmarconews.comgardening-education-nonnative-plantsurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-295188-734486Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/dec/08/gardening-your-plants-and-cold/?partner=RSSThe winter cold has not really arrived yet this year! As a northern transplant, I love the cold weather because it always puts me in the holiday spirit. It makes my work a lot easier as well and this is always a welcome break for people in the landscaping business after a long, hot grueling summer of backbreaking work. Unfortunately, we will have to keep mowing and trimming a bit longer while we wait for the lower temperatures to arrive in. Our landscapes have gone into a slight dormancy as the recent lower temperatures have been low enough to cause a slight slowing of growth for tropical and subtropical plants. Tropical plants and annuals do not normally adapt to withstand temperatures below freezing and can be injured when temperatures reach below 50 degrees F. Fortunately, freezing temperatures are rare for South Florida and even more rare on coastal islands like Marco. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:38:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-294470-734479news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Your plants and the coldmarconews.comgardening-your-plants-and-coldurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-294470-734479Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/dec/02/gardening-its-not-snow-its-patch-florida-pusley/?partner=RSSWhat is that weed that reminds us northerners of snow on our lawns? The weed is Florida pusley (Richardia scabra) and is a native to Florida. Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:45:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-293844-734473news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: It's not snow, it's a patch of Florida pusleymarconews.comgardening-its-not-snow-its-patch-florida-pusleyurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-293844-734473Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/oct/27/gardening-are-weeds-invading-your-turf/?partner=RSSCooler weather means that it will be safe to have your lawn treated with a herbicide to try and bring those pesky weeds under control. Treating your lawn for weeds with temperatures in the 90s can stress and damage your turf. There are herbicides labeled for use in hot temperatures but my observations show stress to the grass with these products as well. I watched as several spray companies did serious damage to St. Augustine lawns trying to kill weeds this summer. The result was a thicker bed of weeds as the grass was unable to compete. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:35:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-290425-734437news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Are the weeds invading your turf?marconews.comgardening-are-weeds-invading-your-turfurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-290425-734437Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/oct/13/gardening-feeding-green/?partner=RSSIt is time to think about fertilizing your shrubs, trees and lawns. Our sandy soil allows nutrients to readily leach from the soil so it is important to replenish these nutrients with fertilizer. You want to apply fertilizer while it is still warm, as the plants won’t take in the nutrients if they become dormant with the cold weather. It will be important for your plants to be strong and healthy going into the cold months of winter. Healthy plants will withstand stresses from cold weather better than underfed, unhealthy plants. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:26:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-289268-734423news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Feeding the greenmarconews.comgardening-feeding-greenurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-289268-734423Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/sep/29/gardening-control-your-thatch-it-controls-your-law/?partner=RSSThatch is that brown layer of living and dead organic material that develops between the green vegetation and the soil surface. It imports a sponginess to the turf. Thatch consists of dead and dying leaves, stems, stolons, rhizomes and roots. Its purpose is to insulate the grass plant against sudden temperature changes, to cushion against wear, to reduce excessive water evaporation, and to stabilize the soil and protect it against compaction. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:20:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-287904-734409news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Control your thatch before it controls your lawnmarconews.comgardening-control-your-thatch-it-controls-your-lawurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-287904-734409Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/sep/22/gardening-rain-and-heat-take-heavy-toll-your-lawn/?partner=RSSSeptember is here with another month of heat and heavy rain. This month is the height of hurricane season, so tropical rains and wind are likely. Remember all of the hurricane preparation and clean up tips to help you through this period. Also, keep a close eye on your lawn right now. We just had a hot dry period soon to be followed by some very wet weather. These climatic changes are perfect for the breeding of new generations of chinch bugs. They are everywhere right now. Chinch bugs like to lay their eggs when it is dry and then the eggs hatch with the rains. Watch for the telltale yellowing followed by brown spots. Part the blades of grass to find the little black bugs with white wings running in the soil or on the base of the blades. The newly hatched bugs are orange. Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:17:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-287346-734402news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Rain and heat take a heavy toll on your lawnmarconews.comgardening-rain-and-heat-take-heavy-toll-your-lawnurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-287346-734402Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/aug/26/gardening-summer-heat-can-be-killer-when-working-o/?partner=RSSWhew! Summer temperatures are here. Just walking from the house to the car is grueling. If your job involves work in that grueling environment for eight to 12 hours, every day it can become dangerous enough to kill you. Outdoor workers and players should be aware and conscious of the people who work or play with them and watch for signs of distress or illness. Encourage those who work for or with you to sit in the shade and drink cool water as needed. False bravado or the desire to impress the boss, have no place in these temperatures and should be discouraged. Fri, 26 Aug 2011 19:20:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-284989-734375news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Summer heat can be a killer when working outsidemarconews.comgardening-summer-heat-can-be-killer-when-working-ourn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-284989-734375Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/aug/12/its-ixora-kind-summer/?partner=RSSThe ixora are in their full flowering glory right now. During the summer months the ixora is one of the most colorful flowering shrubs in our landscapes. Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:56:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-283843-734361news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: It’s an ixora kind of summermarconews.comits-ixora-kind-summerurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-283843-734361Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/aug/05/gardening-august-and-all-outdoor-challenges-come-i/?partner=RSSAugust is here and temperatures this month will have highs of about 90-95 and lows in the mid-70’s. With more than eight inches of rain this is usually one of the wettest and most humid months. Keep in mind that though it may be a wet month, transpiration is very high during the hot weather. I wrote about this in another column. Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:58:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-283332-734354news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: August and all the outdoor challenges that come with itmarconews.comgardening-august-and-all-outdoor-challenges-come-iurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-283332-734354Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/jul/31/gardening-yellowing-lawn-problem-and-solution/?partner=RSSLast year, Doug Caldwell of the University of Florida Extension Office, had a column about yellowing St. Augustine lawns. My own lawn suffers every year from the yellowing he described as being caused by excessive growth and loss of nutrients from heavy summer rainfall. Every year at the beginning of September, I watch as my lawn turns an undesirable yellow color. The soil here in Old Marco is basically shell. Digging a garden requires a pick ax and lots of brawn. This type of soil does not hold its nutrients and needs its fall fertilizer sooner than a lawn with more desirable soil. Another great example of how fertilizer ordinances can be harmful to some plants, but I digress. Sun, 31 Jul 2011 10:00:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-282702-734349news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Yellowing of the lawn – The problem and the solutionmarconews.comgardening-yellowing-lawn-problem-and-solutionurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-282702-734349Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/jul/22/gardening-dont-let-storm-rock-you-hurricane/?partner=RSSWith hurricane season upon us you should know how to minimize wind damage in your landscape. Trees and shrubs can grow too large or unbalanced to be able to withstand windstorms so it is wise to learn how to prune and shape trees in order to minimize damage. Avoiding storm damage begins with the initial selection of your plants. You should take into consideration the branch and trunk strength of the trees being considered for planting, how strong their root system is, and their placement near buildings and utilities. Trees planted in wet areas like right of way swales or close to sidewalks and driveways can have stunted root systems allowing them to blow over easily. A regular system of pruning should then be established. Pruning should develop a sturdy well-spaced framework of healthy branches with an open canopy that allows air to move freely. Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:32:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-282072-734340news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMarco Island, FLGardening: Don’t let a storm rock you like a hurricanemarconews.comgardening-dont-let-storm-rock-you-hurricaneurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-282072-734340Change0Usablehttp://www.marconews.com/news/2011/jul/15/gardening-keeping-your-rainy-season-lawn-turning-j/?partner=RSSThe summer rainy season got off to a slow start with an unusually dry June. We were all hoping for rain and we got what we wished for! Last weeks’ rain caused a flush of growth in the garden that will continue through September. During the summer months we can have 20 inches of rain in the blink of an eye. With this in mind, the realities of lawn maintenance during the summer months in South Florida can be quite harsh. Within two weeks an entire yard can look like it’s been neglected for months. Remember Marco Island is in the sub-tropics. Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:54:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-281478-734333news/columnists/eileen-wardEILEEN WARDMARCO ISLANDGardening: Keeping your rainy-season lawn from turning into a junglemarconews.comgardening-keeping-your-rainy-season-lawn-turning-jurn:publicid:www.marconews.com:news-Story-281478-734333Change0Usable