Current Research

1. Organic Nursery Production: Development and Demonstration

• Russell F. Mizell, III, Gary W. Knox, Timothy D. Hewitt, Timur Momol, and Alejandro Bolques; with assistance from Ed Duke (Florida A&M)

• Intention is to produce nursery crops using certified organic fertilizers, IPM and certified organic pest control methods, and minimizing other high input areas of production.

• Funded by USDA/CSREES and CCAP.

• Project is terminating in 2006.

2. Evaluating Potential Invasiveness of Landscape Plants in North and South Florida

• Sandra B. Wilson, IRREC (Ft. Pierce), and Gary W. Knox, NFREC (Quincy)

• Various landscape plants and their cultivars were evaluated for growth, ornamental characteristics and potential invasiveness (fruit production and seed viability) in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 (Quincy) and 9 (Ft. Pierce). Plants under evaluation were:

  • Nandina domestica (“Heavenly Bamboo”) and 10 cultivars

  • 15 cultivars of Miscanthus sinensis (“Japanese Silver Grass”)

  • 10 taxa of Pennisetum species (“Fountain Grass”)

  • Paspalum quadrifarium (“Evergreen Paspalum Grass”)

  • 10 taxa of perennials

• Partially funded by Florida Department of Environmental Protection, UF/IFAS Invasive Plant Working Group and FNGA.

• Project is terminating in 2006.

3. New Plants for the Nursery and Landscape Industries

• Cooperation with USDA U.S. National Arboretum to evaluate Lagerstroemia, Styrax, Clethra and Callicarpa species.

• Cooperation with university faculty from about 15 Southeastern states to formally evaluate plants (the group is formally called USDA SERA 27 ANursery Crop and Landscape Systems@).

• Multistate evaluations of the following taxa:

• Lagerstroemia Species (crape myrtles)- FL, MS, TN, AL, TX. Six replications of 32 cultivars at each site.

• Camellia Species – FL, MS, TN. Eight replications of 22 species and cultivars at each site.

• Evaluations of other taxa including yellow-flowering deciduous magnolias, large-flowered deciduous magnolias, evergreen Magnoliaceae, Hydrangea species and cultivars, Miscanthus and other species of ornamental grasses, Mahonia species and cultivars, Hibiscus species and cultivars and Stachyurus species.

• Research project with on cutting propagation of yellow-flowering magnolia cultivars (in cooperation with Jyotsna Sharma, NFREC).

Current Extension Projects

1. Seminars, Workshops and Field Days for the Nursery and Landscape Industries and for Master Gardeners

• Green Industry Update: This annual seminar is jointly presented with the University of Georgia.  Attendance in 2005 totaled over 50 landscape professionals in Jacksonville and over 120 landscape professionals at Quincy.

• Field Days and Short Courses: I organized a Magnolia Field Day in March 2005 attracting over 120 home owners, Master Gardeners and Green Industry professionals.  

• Demonstration Plantings at NFREC-Quincy: I coordinate and oversee demonstration plantings of crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia species), magnolias (Magnolia species), ornamental grasses (over 20 taxa) and ornamental vines (over 30 taxa).

• County Extension Faculty: I assist county faculty with programs and growers= problems upon request.

• Presentations have been given at many other programs in recent years, including: Northeast Florida Horticulture Trade Show, Tampa Spring Expo, Central Florida Tree and Landscape Maintenance Conference, International Master Gardener Conference & Trade Show, Southern Nursery Association Research Conference, Ornamentals Northwest Seminars at the Far West Trade Show, Southern Region IPPS Annual Meeting, and Great Southern Tree Conference. 

2. Statewide Extension Goal Team, ATo Create and Maintain Florida Friendly Landscapes”

• Co-leader (with Laurie Trenholm) of the Statewide Goal Team that plans, develops materials for, and assists in implementing local county programs relating to residential horticulture and commercial horticultural services (including “Florida Yards & Neighborhoods”, “Florida Master Gardener Program” and “Green Industry BMPs”).

• Florida Yards & Neighborhoods” program (FYN) is an Extension program designed to conserve and protect Florida=s natural resources by teaching residents and professionals how to create and maintain beautiful, environmentally friendly landscapes.