Weekend Gardening: Expert Tips For The Month Of June
June 8, 2014
Here are gardening tips for the month of June from the Florida Extension Service:
Flowers
- Annuals to plant include celosia, coleus, crossandra, hollyhock, impatiens (pictured above), kalanchoe, nicotiana, ornamental pepper, portulaca, salvia, torenia, vinca and zinnia.
- Sow seeds of sunflowers. They are easy to grow if you have a sunny spot. Look for some of the new, dwarf varieties that can also be used as cut flowers.
- Remove old blooms (deadheading) to make flowers bloom longer.
- Allow the foliage on spring bulbs to grow. Do not cut it off until it turns yellow and falls over.
Trees and Shrubs
- Mature palms should receive an application of granular fertilizer. Use a special palm fertilizer that has an 8-2-12 +4Mg (magnesium) with micronutrients formulation. Apply one pound of fertilizer per 100 sq ft of canopy area or landscape area.
- Do any necessary pruning of junipers this month.
- Finish pruning the spring flowering shrubs such as azaleas, camellias, spiraeas, wisteria and forsythia by early June.
- This is the month to reproduce plants by budding.
- Check mulch around ornamental plants to be sure it’s two inches thick. Add mulch as needed to help keep weeds down and conserve water. Keep mulch one to two inches away from trunk or stem.
- Inspect maple trees, especially silver maple for infestations of maple soft scale. Look for a white substance with some black on one end. Individual maple scales are about 1/4 inch in diameter and resemble bird droppings. They occur mostly on leaves and can cause defoliation unless controlled.
- Inspect the undersides of azalea leaves for spider mites and lace bugs. If dry weather conditions exist, these insects can do some serious damage if not controlled.
- Check conifers for signs of bagworms. Call your local Extension Service for control measures.
Fruits and Nuts
- Harvest peaches, nectarines and plums as soon as they mature, before the squirrels and birds get to them
Vegetable Garden
- Side dress vegetable gardens with fertilizer containing nitrogen and potassium. A fertilizer such as a 15-0-15 can be used. Use approximately 2-3 cupfuls (1 to 1 ½ pounds) per 100 feet of row.
- Increase watering frequency and amount as tomatoes load up with fruit.
- Vegetables that can be planted outdoors include eggplant, lima beans, okra, southern peas, peppers and sweet potatoes.
- Sweet potatoes are started from plants or “draws”. Be sure to purchase only certified weevil free sweet potato plants.
- Check for the following pests and control them if necessary: tomato fruitworm, stinkbugs on vegetables and aphids on all new growth
Lawns
- Check for the lawn pests and control them if necessary: Spittlebugs in centipedegrass. They are more attracted to especially lush areas of the yard such as along septic drain fields and in areas where excessive nitrogen fertilizer has been used. Chinch bugs in St. Augustinegrass Sod webworm in all turf
- Start monitoring for mole cricket infestations and prepare for treatment.
Bacon And Eggs: Food Prices Up Slightly In Survey
June 8, 2014
Higher retail prices for several food items used to prepare breakfast, including bacon, eggs and bread, among other foods, resulted in a slight increase in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s latest Semi-Annual Marketbasket Survey.
The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $53.27, up $1.73 or about 3.5 percent compared to a survey conducted a year ago. Of the 16 items surveyed, 10 increased, five decreased and one remained the same in average price.
“Several typical breakfast items increased in price, accounting for much of the modest increase in the marketbasket,” said John Anderson, AFBF’s deputy chief economist. “The 3.5 percent increase shown by our survey tracks closely with Agriculture Department’s forecast of 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent food inflation for 2014,” he said.
Items showing retail price increases from a year ago included bacon, up 12 percent to $4.80 per pound; ground chuck, up 10 percent to $4.10 per pound; white bread, up 10 percent to $1.81 for a 20-ounce loaf; sirloin tip roast, up 9 percent to $5.03 per pound; eggs, up 8 percent to $1.98 per dozen; whole milk, up 6 percent to $3.68 per gallon; chicken breasts, up 6 percent to $3.51 per pound; flour, up 5 percent to $2.76 for a 5-pound bag; toasted oat cereal, up less than 1 percent to $2.93 for a 9-ounce box; and Russet potatoes, up less than one-half of 1 percent to $2.70 for a 5-pound bag.
These items showed modest retail price decreases: bagged salad, down 4 percent to $2.61 per pound; deli ham, down 3 percent to $5.21 per pound; apples, down 3 percent to $1.59 per pound;
vegetable oil, down 2 percent to $2.85 for a 32-ounce bottle; and orange juice, down 1 percent to $3.24 per half-gallon.
Shredded cheddar cheese remained the same in price compared to a year ago, at $4.47 per pound.
Price checks of alternative milk and egg choices not included in the overall marketbasket survey average revealed the following: 1/2 gallon regular milk, $2.46; 1/2 gallon rBST-free milk, $3.87; 1/2 gallon organic milk, $3.97; and 1 dozen “cage-free” eggs, $3.33.
The year-to-year direction of the marketbasket survey tracks closely with the federal government’s Consumer Price Index report for food at home. As retail grocery prices have increased gradually over time, the share of the average food dollar that America’s farm and ranch families receive has dropped.
“Through the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer retail food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home, on average. Since then, that figure has decreased steadily and is now about 16 percent, according to the Agriculture Department’s revised Food Dollar Series,” Anderson said.
Using the “food at home and away from home” percentage across-the-board, the farmer’s share of this $53.27 marketbasket would be $8.52.
According to USDA, Americans spend just under 10 percent of their disposable annual income on food, the lowest average of any country in the world.
Wahoos, Biscuits Split Doubleheader
June 8, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos split their doubleheader with the Montgomery Biscuits on Saturday night at Riverwalk stadium in Montgomery. The Wahoos overcame a late 3-1 deficit to win the first game 4-3, before falling short behind a tremendous start from Jon Mostcot, 1-0, in the second game.
Brodie Greene led the Wahoos offense in game one by going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Greene provided an RBI single in the top of the seventh to pull the Blue Wahoos within one, before Rey Navarro doubled home two, giving Pensacola a 4-3 lead. Justin Freeman (S, 1) slammed the door shut in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.
Robert Stephenson (W, 3-5) started for Pensacola, he allowed 3 R/ER over 6.0 innings and walked three and struck out three to earn his third win of the year. Andrew Bellatti (L, 1-4) was charged with two of the three ninth inning runs out of the bullpen. He suffered his fourth loss of the year and his first blown save of the season.
In the second game both starting pitchers matched each other all game long. Moscot (L, 4-4) had just one blemish, despite allowing just two hits and facing only one batter over the minimum. He surrendered a solo home run to Taylor Motter, just actived before the game from the disabled list, in the fifth inning. The homer snapped string of 11 straight batters retired by the Blue Wahoos starter. He retired 17-of-19 he faced for the game.
Offensively, Pensacola was unable to mount a threat against Dylan Floro (W, 6-5). The Blue Wahoos scattered their three hits and never got a runner past second base. Floro earned his sixth win of the year. Moscot was the hard-luck loser despite allowing just two baserunners all game to go with four strikeouts.
The series continues with the fourth of five games Sunday evening. The Blue Wahoos send RHP Mikey O’Brien (2-3, 4.43) to the mound against Biscuits RHP Roberto Gomez (1-3, 6.00). First pitch is set for 5:35 from Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery.
by Tommy Thrall
One Injured In Highway 29, Bluff Springs Road Accident
June 7, 2014
One person was injured in a two-vehicle crash Saturday morning on Highway 29 at Bluff Springs Road.
Their injuries were not considered serious, and they were transported to Jay Hospital by Escambia EMS. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the call.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
McDonald’s Robbery Under Investigation
June 7, 2014
A robbery last night at a Pensacola Boulevard McDonald’s is under investigation.
Two men reportedly held up the restaurant at gunpoint just before 10 p.m. Friday. A witness said the two male suspects were wearing bandanas when they entered business and demanded cash before fleeing the restaurant.
A manhunt by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office followed in the area around the restaurant, which is located at Pensacola Boulevard and West Burgess Road, . There’s was no word from the Sheriff’s Office of any suspect descriptions.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call Crimestoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
No Serious Injuries In Highway 97 Guardrail Crash
June 7, 2014
There were apparently no injuries in a single vehicle crash on Highway 97 south of Walnut Hill Saturday morning.
The driver of a Ford F-150 was southbound on Highway 97, ran off the road, over-corrected and crossed back across Highway 97, hitting a guardrail adjacent to the northbound lane. The truck then rotated, traveled behind the guardrail and struck several trees.
The accident was discovered just before 6 a.m. The driver of the truck had already left the scene when first responders arrived, and a search by the Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue confirmed that no one was thrown from the vehicle.
The Florida Highway Patrol reportedly later made contact with the driver by phone, and he was not seriously injured.
The accident remains under investigation by FHP; further details have not been released.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Most Escambia County FCAT Scores Up For 2014
June 7, 2014
The Florida Department of Education released the second round of FCAT scores Friday, including reading in grades 4-10, math in grades 4-8 and science in grades five and eight.
In Escambia County elementary schools, reading scores remained the same, with 56 percent of fourth graders and 55 percent of fifth graders reading on or above grade level. In grades 6-10, reading scores improved except for the ninth grade were 45 percent of students were on grade level.
In math, scores were down from 58 to 55 percent of fourth grade students on grade level, while grades 5-8 showed improvement. Fifth grade scores dropped from 59 to 53 percent proficient in science, while tenth grade science scores were up from 42 to 45 percent.
Below are school by school results for Escambia County District 5 schools. To see scores from every Escambia County school, click here.
Century Woman Claims $47K Lottery Prize
June 7, 2014
A $47,260.74 lottery ticket sold in Century has been claimed by a local woman.
Sheila D. Lee of Century purchased the winning Fantasy 5 ticket for last Wednesday’s drawing at Becky’s Mini Mart, 9010 North Century Boulevard. The ticket was one of five winning tickets. Other winning tickets matching all five numbers were sold in Wesley Chapel, North Port, Davie and Palm Harbor.
The 300 tickets matching four numbers won $127 each. Another 9,863 tickets matching three numbers won $10.50 each, and 97,135 tickets won a Quick Pick ticket for picking two numbers.
Wednesday’s winning numbers were 5-22-28-29-36.
This was the second big winning Fantasy 5 ticket sold this year at Becky’s Mini Mart in Century. In February, a Monroeville, Ala., man purchased a $121,183.96 winning ticket at the North Century Boulevard store.
FWC Law Enforcement Report: Clothes Were Scattered On The Ground
June 7, 2014
Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekend ending June 5.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Lieutenant Hahr was patrolling the Escambia River Wildlife Management Area at Cotton Lake. After reaching the boat ramp, he observed a car parked near the ramp with clothes and other personal belongings scattered around it on the ground. A woman was sitting in the front seat and, as he got closer, he observed a male subject hiding behind the car.
When Lieutenant Hahr approached them, the man quickly put on a pair of shorts and stated that they had been swimming in the river and that something had bitten both of them several times while in the water. Neither of them had any indications of any kind of serious medical condition.
Lieutenant Hahr noticed that the car was registered in Georgia and had a broken steering column with ignition wires hanging out.
He attempted to identify both subjects but the man provided a false name. When asked about the spelling, the man admitted that he had a warrant out of Alabama. The woman finally located a bill of sale for the car and it was not stolen. The man was arrested on the warrant and transported to the Escambia County Jail.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Lewis was patrolling the Blackwater State Forest when he checked a primitive camping area. As he pulled up to the site, a woman in the camp quickly tried to hide a small wooden box.
Officer Lewis asked her what was in the box and she stated that it was a game. Officer Lewis requested permission to look in the box and located cannabis and other drug paraphernalia. The woman also admitted to possession of additional cannabis and paraphernalia located in her tent. Officer Lewis issued her a notice to appear for possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Officer Lewis was checking the primitive campsites in Calloway Swamp when he located several people in possession of alcoholic beverages. While explaining the violations, he observed a bag of cannabis lying in a woman’s purse in the campsite. The woman and another man admitted that it belonged to them. A small amount of additional cannabis and paraphernalia was located. Officer Lewis issued both subjects notices to appear for possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week;however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
Expect Lane Restrictions Sunday, Monday On Hwy 90 East Of Beulah Road
June 7, 2014
Drivers can expect eastbound land restrictions and delays on Highway 90 east of Beulah Road in Escambia County on Sunday from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. and Monday from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. as crews resurface and make repairs to the roadway.
All planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather