I’ll be the first to admit that North Florida lawns are frustrating. With time, most people discover this.

Why are lawns so difficult here? The answer involves a combination of factors.

We are not far enough north to benefit from the better soils. Florida is known for sandy, low fertility, low water holding capacity soils.

Some areas of the country enjoy richer soils with better water and nutrient holding capacities. These better soils result in a more favorable lawn root environment with roots being more competitive and resilient.

Something else happens in more northern areas. The heavier soils and colder temperatures (sometimes resulting in the soil freezing) are natural means of inhibiting and/or controlling certain soil dwelling pests.

For example, nematodes are not nearly the concern in northern lawns. Many people that move to our area have never heard of these microscopic roundworms that play havoc in our low fertility, warm, sandy soils.

After a lawn has been in place for a number of years, allowing the nematode population to reach a threshold, the lawn begins to decline. And we have few legal, effective chemical control options for nematodes in Florida lawns.

Some other soil dwelling pests that northerners don’t have to deal with include ground pearls, small scale-like insects that bother centipedegrass roots. Mole crickets are not a pest much north of Central Alabama.

Years ago, a representative with the company that manufactured the once popular mole cricket insecticide Oftanol told me that in the absence of the state of Florida, they would not sell enough Oftanol to keep it on the market. Take-all Root Rot, a common soil dwelling fungus, plays havoc in our Florida lawns and it is difficult to control.

We are not far enough north to use the more trouble-free northern grasses to create a permanent lawn. These include bluegrasses, fescues and perennial ryegrass. At best, these grasses can be used to overseed our lawns during the cooler fall and winter months to create a temporary winter lawn. But they will not survive our hot, wet summers.

We are not far enough south to benefit from the lack of freezing temperatures during winter. A late freeze that occurred on April 8 a number of years ago resulted in much lawn injury. I saw lawns with 70 percent kill from this late freeze.

This is something that typically does not happen in Central and South Florida.

We deal with saltwater issues, high humidity, hurricanes and tropical storms, an array of lawn insects and diseases, and extremes in rainfall and temperatures.

It’s no wonder most people become dissatisfied with their lawns. Perhaps we should lower our expectations and enjoy the natural flora and fauna of our state.

Larry Williams is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EXTENSION CONNECTION: North Florida lawns are frustrating

May is here and our attention needs to be turned to hurricanes once again. With all of the wind, rain and tornado watches we have had, we need to be prepared for inclement weather should it strike us here in Northwest Florida.

According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 9-15.

With the official start date of June 1, we need to be ready. Now is the time to be mindful of approaching storms.

Let's stock up our supplies now, instead of rushing to the store once a hurricane is predicted. Make sure you have plenty of supplies on hand, order extra now instead of waiting.

Make an evacuation plan. Know where you will go should the need arise to leave the area. Plan more than one route to get to your destination as roads may be closed or gridlocked due to traffic.

Know your destination. Will you stay with relatives or go to a hotel? If you have pets, is the hotel you have chosen pet friendly?

Be sure to have enough supplies for everyone in your family if you stay home, including pets and some extras for neighbors who may not be as well prepared.

Necessities

Here is a partial list of needed items. You can customize it to meet your family's needs:

•Battery-operated radio to keep updated about hurricane conditions.

•Cash to buy needed supplies.

•First aid kit.

•30 days' supply of prescription and over-the-counter medications.

•Plenty of fresh batteries and working flashlights.

•Bottled water – at least two gallons per person daily, plus one gallon per pet daily.

•Post multiple copies of your evacuation route in your home and have a meeting place for the family.

•Have a list of motels with phone numbers ready if you need to evacuate.

•Cell phone, laptop and tablet chargers as well as extra cell phone batteries.

•Home owner's insurance, car insurance, banking information, birth certificates and all other important papers should be placed in a portable file or in waterproof zippered plastic bags.

•Pet leashes and carriers in an accessible place, along with pet vaccination records.

•Pet medicines and two-week supply of pet foods.

•Keep your car full of fuel. If we lose power, there will be no pumping gas.

•Propane for the grill – use OUTSIDE only.

•Five-day supply of canned food and a hand can opener.

•Diapers, formula and baby food if you have babies or small children.

•Fill your bathtubs with water for cleaning up, hand washing and flushing.

•Take your jewelry, cameras and other valuables with you if you evacuate.

Shelter supplies

If your family plans to go to a local shelter, know the rules ahead of time.

Is this a pet friendly shelter? Do they have services for the disabled? Will your family need to have masks and what are the COVID-19 restrictions? What supplies will be needed?

Check on the requirements ahead of time, so you know what you will need. Generally the following are needed in a shelter:

•Sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, sheets

•Food and drinking water for your family.

•Important papers and Identification.

•Snacks, games and toys for your children.

•Medicines and prescriptions for family members.

•Battery operated radio.

Most importantly, be prepared, know your plans and be organized. Remember to take all of your pets with you. They cannot fend for themselves during a disaster.

 If you want a more complete list of items needed, visit www.national-hurricane-center.org/hurricane-awareness/hurricane-checklist.

Stay safe Crestview and Northwest Florida!

Janice Crose: Additional Lifestyle articles

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HAPPENINGS: Prepare as hurricane season approaches

May Day (May 1) marks the end of the uncomfortable winter half of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. It has traditionally been an occasion for popular celebrations.

The day was the traditional first day of summer in many pre-Christian European pagan cultures.

Worldwide, the holiday has been celebrated with several horticultural presentations. Small baskets have been left anonymously on neighbor’s doorsteps. May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. In Germany, a tree wrapped in bright colored streamers was once delivered to a love interest.

Modern day May Day ceremonies vary greatly because May 1st also commemorates the fight for the eight-hour work day. In 1958, the U.S. Congress designated May 1 as Loyalty Day.

Calibrating water use

In North Florida, the month of May typically begins the dry season. So, while everyone is thinking about planting new flowers and trees, they should also be focusing on keeping the plants watered. Those with the forethought to have installed rain harvesting devices this winter, when the rain was plentiful, will be well equipped to deal with the upcoming dry season.

For those who didn’t, it may mean that May Day will be a day of labor, rather than an opportunity to exchange flowers.

Calibrating your sprinkler system means figuring out how long you need to run your sprinkler system to apply the correct amount of water.

In most Florida soils, the correct amount is 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of water. This rate varies depending on your location in the state. Heavier clay soils, such as in North Florida and the panhandle, may only need the 1/2-inch rate. In sandy soil, which doesn't hold water as long, you may need to apply the 3/4-inch rate.

Set out five to 10 coffee or tuna fish cans (any straight-sided can will do) around your lawn and landscape. If you have an in-ground irrigation system with multiple zones, place the containers in one zone at a time.

If properly designed, the sprinkler system has separate zones for landscape areas and the lawn. Scatter the cans at random within the zone. Repeat the procedure in every zone, because there may be differences in how uniformly water is applied in each zone.

If you use a hose-end sprinkler to water your turf, place the cans in a straight line from the sprinkler to the edge of the watering pattern. Space the containers evenly.

Turn on the sprinkler system for 15 minutes. Then use a ruler to measure the depth of water in each container. The more precise your measurement, the better your calibration will be.

Find the average depth of water collected in the containers. To do this, add up the depths in the different containers and divide that number by the number of containers. This will give you the correct rate in inches per 15 minutes.

The length of time can be adjusted to enable the system to deliver 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of water at each irrigating event.

Anything less leads to shallow weak root systems. Anything more is wasting water and adding to non-point source water pollution.

Then select the days that the system will run so that one inch of water is delivered every 5-7 days. Don’t forget to check the rain shut-off device and the rain gauge. Even in May we get a random downpour.

Calibrating your system helps you save water and money, and protects your grass and plants from disease.

For more information about this and many other gardening topics contact the Extension office, at 850-689-5850, or at 3098 Airport Road, Crestview.

Sheila Dunning is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EXTENSION CONNECTION: Set water usage to save money, prevent disease

If you’re like me, you’ve already started trying to figure out what the summer is going to look like for your child (or children).

Here are some dates to save for activities at your library:

Tuesday, June 1 — Reading logs available for ages 6-17.

Friday, June 11 — Storyteller Pat Nease will enthrall ages 5 and up with stories about animals at 6:30 p.m.

Mondays and Wednesdays, June 14-July 21 — Ages 3-5 and 6-11, Storytime Classes at 10:15 a.m.

Tuesdays from June 15-July 20 — Ages 6-17, Library Class at Allen Park at 10 a.m.

Tuesdays from June 15-July 20 — Ages 0-2, Storytime Classes at 10:15 a.m.

Tuesdays June 15 and 29 and July 6 and 20 — Ages 6-17, Lego Free Play from 2-4 p.m.

Fridays — Teen Time for 6th-12th graders from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Friday, June 18 — Storyteller Pat Nease visits again, this time at 6:30 p.m. at Allen Park, 895 McClelland St., Crestview.

Friday, July 30 — Reader Awards with special guests Animal Tales at 6 p.m. at the Crestview Community Center, 1446 Commerce Drive. Summer readers who turned in their reading logs on time will receive a certificate. Teens will receive their prizes. Animal Tales will bring live animals and teach us how they use their tails.

We’ll see you there!

Heather Nitzel is the Youth Services Librarian at the Crestview Public Library.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CHECK IT OUT: Library releases summer schedule

I love conveniences and don't think I would have done well had I lived during the 19th century: Horses, buggies, dirt floors, outhouses, boiling laundry, carrying buckets of water to rinse the clothes and do dishes, no reliable refrigeration and so on.

We have an abundance of useful and time savings devices at our disposal these days.

We have electricity that powers our microwaves, lights in our homes, beautiful refrigerators, washers, dryers, as well as indoor plumbing and reliable vehicles. We also have grocery stores and restaurants galore, as well as fast food places.

More: More Janice Crose articles

We also generate a lot more trash because of these conveniences.

We receive our fast food orders in bags, wrappers and other containers, which is convenient, but generates a lot of trash. I don't have a solution, but realize that we are generating huge amounts of trash with our addiction to take-out food. I know there must be a solution to this problem.

Some jobs are becoming disposable. We now have self-serve check out stands in grocery and other stores; self-serve kiosks where we can order our own food, both in sit down restaurants as well as fast food.

We now have ATM machines that can accept deposits as well as dispense cash and we can pay our bills online.

While some of these may save time and money for the business, jobs are being lost and some people are suffering as a result of these job losses. I don't use self check out as I don't want to replace an employee with a machine, but the days are coming when we will have little choice.

There is "Flippy" the burger robot that is being used at some White Castle locations and the company is planning on expanding the robots to more stores in 2021  (https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/what-is-flippy-burger-flipping-robot).

Flippy uses artificial intelligence to assist in the kitchens of fast food restaurants. He never needs breaks, time off or vacation, so he is a great employee. However, as wonderful as Flippy is, he is replacing employees in the kitchen, which means less jobs.

There are certainly two sides to this innovative robot.

With the innovation of robots like Flippy, employees need to pay attention to their positions by being on time, paying attention to their job, and treating customers and management with respect, as well as keeping up with current industry technology and standards.

This ensures they will be a valued member of the team and grow with the business.

Let's not allow our jobs to become disposable. We can do better than that!

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HAPPENINGS: Our disposable lifestyle impacts jobs

After the intense cold we experienced, it appears that spring may actually be on its way. Spring will be here on Sunday, March 20.

Daylight Savings Time will be implemented on Sunday, March 14. Shortly we will be out of winter, with spring and then summer following.

For those of you who enjoy gardening, now is the time to prepare your flower beds and get them ready for planting.

More: More Janice Crose articles

Azaleas do well in our area and have such beautiful blooms. They come in a variety of colors and hold their flowers for about two weeks. I like having different colored azaleas in my front garden.

I need to replace some of them this year, so I will make a trip to the nursery. Some of the new Encore azaleas will bloom for longer than two weeks, so these may be an option if you want your  blooms to last longer.

Impatiens, salvia, petunias and verbena do well in the Crestview area and have flowers in a variety of colors. Sunflowers, asters, wild petunias and goldenrod also do well.

Check with the nursery if you aren't sure that a certain plant will thrive in our area.

A great resource for wildflowers is flawildflowers.org. This website has an immense amount of information about wildflowers and how to attract birds, butterflies and bees to your garden.

Crape myrtle trees are deciduous and beautify our area and flower in the spring and summer.  Florida Dogwoods and Redbuds also have beautiful flowers.  There are also a variety of ornamental trees that flower. Ask about them at the nursery.

Hibiscus are one of my favorite flowering plants, but they don't do well in the winter or cold months. I keep them in pots and bring them in during cold spells. I like the blooms on hibiscus and the fact that they bloom most of the spring and summer.

Hibiscus also come in a variety of beautiful colors. I buy plants that will bloom right away, but you can plant seeds and watch them grow.

Roses can also do well here in the Crestview area. Make sure you choose a variety that does well in our plant hardiness zone. On the USDA zone map, we are zone 8b. (https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/)

Choose your plants carefully as they will thrive in the correct zone. Nurseries are a tremendous help in choosing the right plants and trees for your yard.

Enjoy the warmer weather and let's beautify Crestview with our flowers, shrubs and trees. Happy planting!

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HAPPENINGS: Spring is headed to Northwest Florida

Monday evening, I ordered some snacks from Walmart. I often order dog or cat food, snacks, coffee and other nonperishables from them and a few days later I receive a box in the mail with my order. Tuesday morning, I happened to look on my front porch and there were three bags of groceries on my front porch from Walmart.

What is interesting is that online it states that "next day delivery" is not available, but since I received groceries the next morning, this service is obviously being tested in the Crestview area. The future of easier shopping is coming quickly.

More: More Janice Crose articles

When I was a child in Southern California, we had a Driftwood Dairy milkman who had a key to our home. He would bring milk into the house and put it directly into the refrigerator. He would leave eggs, sour cream and other dairy items needed. If we wanted chocolate milk, we would leave him a note.

He would leave a bill once a month. Mom or Dad would leave him a check in the refrigerator. Having him deliver fresh milk was very convenient for my mother, who worked and had four kids.

I remember asking my dad if it was safe for the milkman to have a key to our house, and he said he trusted the milkman implicitly.

We never had any issues until the dairy quit offering this service. Then my parents switched to the grocery store. The milk wasn't nearly as tasty, and we ran out of eggs and milk.

Many stores now offer grocery delivery of some sort. In some cases, you can order what you need online and the store's employees pull your items. They then bring them to your car when you arrive at the store.

There are also online services, such as Instacart, that have their employees shop specifically for your needs and then deliver the groceries to your home for a fee. Instacart advertises that their shoppers know how to pick fresh produce and fruit. For those who are mobility challenged, this is a very beneficial service.

My mother used to tell me stories of the "bread man" coming around in a truck with fresh bread, as well as the milk man. In some ways there were more conveniences in the 1950s and 1960s, but it looks as though the tide may be turning.

I look forward to getting more groceries delivered and am thankful for delivery services provided by Walmart, Amazon, Instacart and others that deliver. Life is changing before our very eyes.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HAPPENINGS: Shopping is becoming more convenient

We have entered a new calendar year, but there is one piece of business still left to handle from 2020…taxes! 

I know many readers probably cringe at the thought of filing taxes, but there is a relief to be had in a financial tax refund for some. This year, the IRS will begin accepting and processing individual income tax filing on Feb. 12.

A variety of options are available to individuals seeking to file their taxes, such as visiting a business or financial professional specializing in offering tax preparation services; or purchasing filing software to prepare individual taxes on your own.

Qualifying individuals may utilize the IRS Free File Program to file taxes electronically, on-line for free, with partnering tax preparation companies. Visit the IRS Free File Program website at https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free to see if you qualify. 

More Extension Connection Articles: Click here to see more Extension Connection articles

This year, the Okaloosa County Extension office will be offering the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program for eligible individuals. This program is a free service and will begin in mid-February.  

Volunteers with training will be available to prepare and file individual taxes by appointment only for households with a total income of $66,000 or less; additional qualifying criteria will apply. 

Call 850-689-5850 to schedule an appointment beginning Feb. 12; limited space is available. CDC guidelines for COVID-19 at the time of the appointment will be observed. 

For more information on filing individual taxes, contact Jill Breslawski, family & consumer science agent with the UF/IFAS Okaloosa County Extension, at 850-689-5850 or jbreslawski@ufl.edu.

Jill Breslawski is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: EXTENSION CONNECTION: Free VITA tax filing available in February

As families, not only have we have moved away from each other, but in many cases we now live clear across the country. Because of these long distances from our core families, we are losing some of our family stories and traditions.

In many families, not only do the family stories have a moral or a point, they also may teach family religious traditions, such as the Seder Passover, Easter and other holidays.

If we aren't careful, we may lose these family stories. We don't want to lose some of our traditions and important family history.

More: More Janice Crose articles

This story doesn't matter to anyone outside our family, but it is still a fun story and a good learning experience.

My grandfather was the youngest of 10 children and was reared on a large farm in rural Missouri. His first cousin was six months younger than him.

They truly were best friends and managed to get into plenty of scrapes as kids. Nothing ever went unnoticed in their tiny town; his parents always found out about the shenanigans and mischief.

It was hot and humid in the Missouri summer, and there was no air conditioning when plowing, so these two cousins would take off as much clothing as they could get away with and still be decent to other farmers passing by, or church friends, while they plowed.

One Sunday after church, my 8-year-old grandfather rushed home to finish some plowing in order to sow seed the next morning.

He was so hot, he began to leave a trail of clothes at the end of the rows he was plowing. The amount of clothes he was wearing at the end compared to what he had begun with was noticeably smaller.

He figured he was fast and could race and get his clothes before his parents got home from church, which was true.

He didn't count on his cousin hiding his clothes. Somehow, his cousin figured out what time his grandparents would be getting home from church and took my grandfather's clothes and hid them. By this point he was about down to his underwear.

In the 20s, neither children nor adults undressed that much in public, so this was a matter of embarrassment to our grandfather.

He learned that one can't leave their clothing where someone else can take and hide it, and one must stay decently clothed, no matter how hot the weather or how fast a runner they might be.

I know there was much laughter over that one incident in our family as well as many more funny incidents. Start writing these stories down so you don't forget the memories.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HAPPENINGS: Stories, oral traditions help retain family history

We don't know what tomorrow holds or may bring, but we can rest assured that the Lord will be in control, no matter the circumstances.

What are you looking forward to in 2021? Anything is particular? It appears many states will still be locked down, so there won't be much travel allowed.

The cruise ships have cancelled their sailings until at least May 1. We are fortunate that we live in Florida and have freedoms many other states don't enjoy.

We can still go out to eat, go see a movie at a movie theater as well as attend theme parks in Central Florida. We can go to the beach and get a haircut, which aren't allowed in other states.

So, what goals would you like to accomplish this year? The year will pass, but having clear cut goals will help us stay focused.

Here are some of mine:

•Spend at least 20 minutes more per day in Bible reading.

•Spend at least 15 minutes more per day in prayer.

•Exercise at least 15 minutes per day or more.

•Eat more vegetables and fruits.

•Cut out processed foods.

•Work on achieving financial goals in order to eliminate debt.

•Maintain relationships by phone or mail during this pandemic.

•Declutter one room at a time and organize what is left.

•Learn to listen to others, not just formulate your answer while they are speaking.

•Learn a new skill this year, sewing, gardening, knitting, and so on.

•Put the cell phone away during family dinners.

•Spend time with my spouse every day, and dwell on what drew me to him in the first place.

•Make someone smile every day.

•Encourage someone every day; give them a compliment.

•Journal my prayer requests, along with the answers the Lord provides.

•Memorize scripture.

•Memorize the Preamble to the Constitution.

•Learn who my local, state and federal representatives are and let them know my concerns.

•Plant some beautiful flowers.

•Join a weekly Bible study. There are many available on Zoom.

•Volunteer at the community garden.

•Study U.S. history and learn how our government should operate.

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HAPPENINGS: Plans for 2021 and beyond