Central Florida Landscapes ENEWS

August 2016

In This Issue...
Six Things You Need to Know About the 2016 Florida Water Bill
Comparison of Fall Establishment of Plugs of Zoysia and St. Augustine Grasses in Central Florida
New Publications
Upcoming Events...
Six Things You Need to Know About the 2016 Florida Water Bill
By Dr. Mary Lusk, Regional Water Resources Specialist, UF IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
 
A new water law became effective in Florida on July 1, 2016. Most famously known as the "Water Bill," this Florida legislation was 2 years in the making and has a little something for everyone, from Florida homeowners to farmers to developers and environmentalists. Here are 6 key things you need to know about the 2016 Florida Water Bill.
  1. The bill creates the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act, which is aimed at protecting Florida springs fed by the Floridan Aquifer. The legislature finds that many of these springs are threatened by excessive groundwater withdrawals and by polluted runoff. The state must now establish minimum flow levels (MFLs) for these springs, which set a limit at which further groundwater withdrawals would be harmful to the spring area ecology.  
  2. Under the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act, a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) must be established anytime a Florida Outstanding Spring is found to be impaired by a given pollutant. The BMAP must outline priorities for identifying sources of the pollutant and taking corrective action. Specifically, this law requires any municipality within a Florida Outstanding Springs BMAP to adopt fertilizer ordinances and to begin a program of septic system remediation.
  3. The 2016 Florida Water Bill codifies the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI). The CFWI is a collaborative water planning body authorized to pursue alternative water supply projects within areas of Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, and Lake Counties where there is restricted water supply.
  4. The law goes beyond emphasizing enrollment in the state agricultural BMP program by mandating a new emphasis on BMP implementation. Agricultural producers within BMAP areas will be required to enroll in BMP programs and provide documentation of BMP implementation, or they must set up a water quality monitoring program on their property.
  5. Water management districts are directed to promote expanded cost-share criteria for additional conservation practices, such as soil moisture sensors and other irrigation improvements, water-saving equipment, water-saving household fixtures and software technologies that can achieve verifiable water conservation.
  6. Finally, the Water Bill puts expanded emphasis on South Florida ecology, specifically the detrimental conditions associated with excess water flows from Lake Okeechobee. While agricultural BMPs are already extensively in place for the watershed, the law now stipulates that where water quality problems are detected for nonagricultural nonpoint sources despite the appropriate implementation of adopted BMPs, FDEP and water management districts shall institute a reevaluation of practices so rules can be revised to require implementation of the modified practices within a reasonable time period.  
Read the full blog here.
 
Comparison of Fall Establishment of Plugs of Zoysia and St. Augustine Grass in Central Florida  
by Grantly Ricketts, UF/IFAS Extension Osceola County 
 
Zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass are warm season grasses. The temperature in central Florida can be different from the temperatures in north and south Florida. The 2015-2016 fall/winter was mild, with a temperature averaging 55 degree Fahrenheit. Since there was no information on the establishment of different varieties of turfgrass in central Florida, sod producers and residents of central Florida depend on information from north and south Florida. With this in mind, there is a need for a turf grass applied demonstration site specific to central Florida.
 
The experiment site was divided into twenty 14 feet by 14 foot plots, with each plot containing 30 samples of different cultivars. Ten cultivars of zoysiagrass and ten cultivars of St. Augustinegrasses were established by plugs in early November. The shoots and roots were measured every 30 days over a three month period to record growth rate.
 
All 10 St. Augustinegrass cultivars established at a faster rate than all 10 Zoysiagrass cultivars. At an average temperature of 55 degree Fahrenheit, the St. Augustinegrass cultivars' runners increased in length between 4 inches and 14 inches while zoysiagrass cultivars showed very insignificant increase in shoot growth. At the end of the study, roots and shoots of zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass evaluated, all cultivars of St. Augustinegrass roots grew about 4 inches while zoysiagrass roots increased by about an inch.
 
Conclusion: St. Augustine cultivars are more actively growing in winter compared to zoysiagrass. During mild winter, although zoysiagrass cultivars did not show much signs of active shoot growth, the roots are actively growing.
New Publications  
  • Frequently Asked Questions About Huanglongbing (HLB; citrus greening) for Homeowners

Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, is a serious bacterial disease that affects citrus in Florida. Florida residents enjoy growing citrus for a variety of reasons, but growing citrus in today's disease climate is not an easy task. This seven-page document is designed to help Master Gardeners and homeowners answer commonly asked questions about HLB. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp326

  • Huanglongbing (HLB; citrus greening) and Nutrient Deficiency Identification

Huanglongbing (HLB) is a bacterial disease that is spread by an insect, the Asian citrus psyllid. This two-page fact sheet, which is best viewed as a PDF, explains how to tell the difference between HLB symptoms and symptoms from nutrient deficiencies.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PP/PP32800.pdf 

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp328   

  • Huanglongbing (HLB; citrus greening) Leaf and Fruit Symptom Identification
Huanglongbing (HLB), commonly known as citrus greening, is a bacterial disease that affects all citrus varieties. This two-page fact sheet describes the leaf and fruit symptoms of HLB.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp327   
  • Palm Wilt Diseases

A single table to help you identify the four wilt diseases. http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/GardenPubsAZ/palm_wilt_diseases.pdf 

Upcoming Events 
  
Check out our NEW & IMPROVED website, http://orange.ifas.ufl.edu/cflandscapes.
  
2016 Central Florida Pesticide Training & Testing Schedule -   Click here
  
First Thursday of every month at 8:30am - Commercial Pesticide Applicator License Testing at the UF/IFAS Extension Orange County. 8:30am-12:30pm. Pre-registration required. Must bring a valid picture ID and voucher. 
Obtain a voucher and register at: http://pesticideexam.ifas.ufl.edu

August 3 - Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMP) at the UF/IFAS Extension Osceola County, Kissimmee. 8:00am-4:00pm. CEUs Available!
Registration: Click here
 
August 24 - Review & Exams for Ornamental/Turf and Private Ag Applicator Pesticide Licenses at the UF/IFAS Extension Seminole County, Sanford. 8:00am-4:00pm. CEUs Available!
Registration: Click here
 
September 15 - Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMP) at the UF/IFAS Extension Orange County, Orlando. 7:45am-4:00pm. CEUs Available!
Registration: Click here

UF/IFAS Extension Orange County Classes & Events

 

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  Until Next Time,
Celeste 2012 
Celeste
Celeste White
Commercial Landscape Management
UF/IFAS  Extension  Orange County 
6021 S. Conway Rd
Orlando, FL 32812
Phn: 407-254-9210
Fax: 407-850-5125
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