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Saturday, May 25, 2013
Washington County News | A3
A major pest of ornamental shrubs, fruit trees By Matthew Orwat
Special to the News Many different species of scale insect infect citrus in Washington, Jackson and Holmes counties, and mid-spring usually is when gardeners notice them on their fruit trees and ornamental shrubs. Scale affects Florida homeowners and causes a host of problems in the garden and landscape. Citrus is particularly prone to scale infestations in North Florida. The Satsuma tangerine, Citrus unshiu, currently is a fruit that is highly prized by home gardeners in the Washington-Holmes-Jackson county areas and is prone to
scale infestations. Other plants especially prone to scale infestations are gardenias, Japanese magnolias and Southern magnolias. Now is the time to act to prevent heavy scale infestations since weather is warming and control methods cannot be used when daytime temperatures are very hot. This pest already has been observed at multiple locations throughout the Florida Panhandle in both home gardens and commercial production areas. Scale often reduces tree and shrub vitality by ingesting sap that otherwise would be used by the tree for growth and fruit production. They also might cause premature fruit drop and defoliation. A secondary pest that might
occur as result of scale is sooty mold. Sooty mold lives off of the surgery secretions of the scale and can cause citrus leaves to look black and eventually drop. The good news is that scale is relatively easy to control when managed in winter or early in the spring growing season. From October through May gardeners should use horticultural oil to control scale, particularly horticultural oil containing petroleum products. These products deprive scale insects of oxygen. This will smother them, but dead insects will need to be washed off if complete removal is desired. Applications should be timed correctly since horticultural oil applications can burn plants once
the outdoor temperature reaches 94 degrees. A good rule of thumb is to apply horticultural oil on cool and cloudy days to minimize leaf damage. Always consult the label
of each individual product before application and never apply more than the recommended amount. This last statement is especially crucial for horticultural oil applications, since increased rates are highly likely to damage plants. For more information, consult the UF/IFAS publication on citrus scale and the citrus pest management guide, which are available free of charge at the Washington County Extension Office and any other Extension Office throughout the state of Florida. For more information and to obtain Official UF publications regarding Scale Control, consult the UF/IFAS Washington County Extension Office, 1424 Jackson Ave. Suite A, Chipley. 850-638-6180.
Help Florida create tobacco-free schools Special to the News
Governor Rick Scott participates in a hurricane exercise on Monday to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season, which begins June 1.
Florida officials respond to Oklahoma tornado From staff reports TALLAHASSEE — Emergency officials from across Florida prepared to assist those affected by the Oklahoma tornado on Tuesday, following the destruction of Moore, Okla., by an EF5 twister on Monday. The state medical examiner’s office in Oklahoma revised the death toll from a tornado in an Oklahoma City suburb to 24 people, including nine children. Spokeswoman Amy Elliott said Tuesday morning that she believes some victims were counted twice in the early chaos of the storm. Authorities initially said as many as 51 people were dead, including 20 children. Elliott said nine children are confirmed dead, including seven who were pulled from the wreckage of an elementary school in Moore, 10 miles south of Oklahoma City. Teams continue to search the shattered community after the Monday afternoon tornado. The Florida State Emergency Response Team is in communication with emergency officials in Oklahoma and is working through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact to support response efforts. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to those impacted by yesterday’s tornado in Oklahoma,” said Bryan
W. Koon, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “Our teams are actively working through the proper channels to support the survivors and first responders as they work to respond to and recover from this devastating event.” Governor Rick Scott reached out to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin on Tuesday. “This morning I reached out to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and offered the heartfelt condolences of Floridians for families in the City of Moore whose community was devastated by yesterday’s tornado,” Scott said. “Florida is offering to help Governor Fallin with the recovery by providing any state resources we can to help get this community back on its feet. These families desperately need our prayers and support, especially as they continue the search for their loved ones. Americans help one another — especially in times of crisis — and I encourage Floridians to open their hearts and support credible organizations that are working to make this community whole again.” All Floridians can help the survivors of this event by donating through established relief organizations. Donating cash through established relief organizations allows for versatility to meet needs as they arise. If you have goods to donate,
be sure to confirm the need through a relief organization before donating. “The best way people can help is to send a cash donation to an established relief agency,” said Volunteer Florida CEO Chester Spellman. “Material donations have to be sorted and transported, which can create more work for emergency responders. Cash is versatile, effective and meets survivors’ needs as quickly as possible.” Floridians who wish to assist those impacted by the Oklahoma tornado are encouraged to follow the “3 C’s” cash, confirm, and connect. Cash — Financial gifts are the best way to immediately help survivors. Donate to an established relief organization. For a complete list of established relief organizations, visit: www.nvoad. org/members. Confirm — A community hit by disaster does not have the time, staffing or money to dispose of unneeded donations. Confirm any and all donations are needed before sending. Connect — Volunteers are a critical part of disaster response and recovery, but it is important to get connected to an established relief organization before traveling to impacted areas to help. For more information about how severe weather can affect Florida, and to Get A Plan!, visit www.FloridaDisaster.org,
K U B O TA
While it is not unusual for school boards to implement policies requiring that buildings be smokefree indoors, an increasing number of school boards throughout Florida have gone 100 percent smokefree indoors and out. Another important component of a comprehensive school policy is to prevent pro-tobacco influences from reaching youth at schools. Such policies ban tobacco industry sponsored materials and services, and do not permit school districts to accept gifts from the tobacco industry. Education is one of the most effective ways to prevent youth tobacco use and to keep them safe from exposure to SHS. Schools that are not smoke-free send conflicting messages to students about the dangers of tobacco use and the health effects of SHS. It’s important to continue teaching Florida’s youth about socially responsible and healthy behaviors, including not using tobacco. Teaching by example is the first step in doing so. Learn how to get involved at TobaccoFreeFlorida.com.
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1110102
Special to the News
While smoking is banned inside school buildings, not all school districts in Florida restrict smoking and tobacco use on all of their properties or at their events. Comprehensive smokefree school policies are an important step in building a healthier future for our youth. These policies create a safe and healthy environment for students, faculty, and staff, while sending a clear message that tobacco use is not a socially acceptable behavior and about the dangers of tobacco use. Smoke-free schools reduce exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) and encourage smokers to consume less of this addictive product — and to possibly quit. The importance of de-normalizing tobacco use through positive role modeling cannot be overlooked. If students don’t see teachers, coaches, school faculty, parents and visitors using tobacco, they will be less likely to think tobacco is acceptable and will be less likely to start using. Nine out of
10 current cigarette smokers started when they were teens. In Florida, more than 22,800 kids (under 18) become new cigarette smokers each year. Tobacco use initiation often leads to a lifetime of addiction, resulting in tobacco-related disease and premature death. Current data suggests that 369,000 Florida children, now under the age of 18, ultimately will die prematurely from their own smoking or from SHS. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines comprehensive school-based programs in its “Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tobacco Use and Addiction.” The first guideline recommends that schools develop and enforce policies to prohibit tobacco use by students, staff, parents, and visitors on school grounds; in school vehicles; and at all schoolsponsored events, on or off school property. In June 2011, Gov. Rick Scott signed a law amending the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act to give school boards the authority to designate all district property as tobacco-free.