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THINGS TO DO IN THE WINTER GARDEN, by Larry Williams, UF/IFAS Extension Agent
Gardeners can get a jump on the spring season by doing some things during the winter. In fact, some practices are best done at this time of year.
Apply a spray of horticultural oil emulsion to dormant fruit trees. This is a relatively nontoxic method of controlling overwintering pests such as scale insects. Gardeners who grow peaches, plums, and nectarines should not leave out this spray application. It's necessary on these pest-sensitive fruits to control white peach and other scale insects.
Container grown plants can be transplanted almost any time of year. But bare-root trees and shrubs should be int he ground promptly. Dormant season planting allows time for establishment before hot weather arrives.
Prepare and stick hardwood cuttings to root hibiscus, crape myrtle, fig, althea, forsythia, and other deciduous plants. Anyone who has not tried this simple method of propagation can get specific information from you UF/IFAS County Extension Office.
Start seeds of warm season flowers and vegetables indoors for transplanting outdoors in spring. Approximately 5 to 6 weeks is required to grow vegetable seedlings such as tomato, pepper, and eggplant to a transplantable size. Flowers generally take longer from seeding to transplanting size, about 8 to 12 weeks.
There is still time to plant some of the winter vegetables. Look for transplants of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflowers, kale, leek, and bunching onions. Others can be started from seed, including beets, carrots, celery, kohlrabi, mustard, English peas, radish, and turnips. Irish potatoes are also started in January and February from the cut tubers. Some garden supply outlets sell "seed potatoes" locally. Use these instead of grocery store potatoes.
Set out cold hardy flowers such as foxglove, pansy, petunia, and snapdragon. These hold up well during our brief winter frosts and freezes and flower much longer than if planting is delayed until spring.
Have a soil test done. Don't wait until spring, because laboratories are swamped with samples at that time of the year, causing delays. Your UF/IFAS County Extension Office can provide a kit containing instructions, a form, bags and a box for mailing the sample.
Beds that are bare now, but will be planted in spring, can be enriched by adding and incorporating organic amendments now. Apply peat, mushroom compost, manure, or homemade compost. Incorporate with the existing soil by tilling or spading to a depth of six inches. This allows time for increased biological activity to occur and settle down before planting next spring.
Ed. Note: The Okaloosa County Master Gardeners also offer soil pH testing free of charge. Contact the Extension Office for instructions on how to get your sample.
2012 Florida Arbor Day Celebration in Crestview, by Larry Williams UF/IFAS Extension Agent
In celebration of Florida's Arbor Day, free tree seedlings will be given away Thursday, January 19th from 8:30am until gone at Tractor Supply, 320 James Lee Blvd., Crestview.
This event is sponsored by the Florida Division of Forestry, The Natural Resources Conservation Service and the University of Florida Extension Service in Okaloosa County. FDF and NRCS will provide bare-root tree seedlings including flowering dogwood, flatwoods plum, and river birch. Seedlings will be available as long as supplies last.
University of Florida Extension agents Larry Williams and Sheila Dunning will conduct tree-planting and pruning demonstrations. Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions.
Arbor Day was originally founded in Nebraska on April 10, 1872, as a tree-planting day. every state recognizes Arbor Day but because of differences in climate, each state selects its own date to fit the best planting time for trees. Florida's Arbor Day is the third Friday in January. National Arbor Day is the fourth Friday in April.
Florida foresters and other tree experts take advantage of the cooler time of the year. Planting trees now allows young trees to become established by the time hot spring weather arrives.
USDA forester Glenn Roloff came up with 29 reasons for planting trees. Here are a few that make sense for our area:
- Trees prevent or reduce soil erosion and water pollution.
- Shade from trees can reduce utility bills for air conditioning by 15 to 50 percent.
- Trees help recharge ground water.
- Trees can screen out noise pollution and unsightly views.
- Trees will soften harsh outlines of buildings.
- Fuel wood, lumber, plywood and other wood products come from trees.
- Shade trees cool hot streets, which can be 5-9 degrees cooler than areas without trees.
- Trees and shrubs can significantly increase property values.
- Trees provide habitat for wildlife.
- Colorful fall leaves turn into valuable mulch.
- Trees help reduce stress in the workplace and speed recovery of hospital patients.
- Trees and landscaping can instill community pride and help cool tempers.
- Trees add beauty and grace to any community; they make life more enjoyable, peaceful, relaxing and offer a rich inheritance for future generations.
For more about Florida's Arbor Day, visit www.arborday.org/states/?state=FL
For more about the Arbor Day Celebration in Crestview, contact the Okaloosa County Extension Office at 689-5850 or 729-1400, ext. 5850, or the Florida Division of Forestry Office in Okaloosa County at 689-7838
CAMELLIA FLOWERS THAT DON'T OPEN, by Larry Williams UF/IFAS Extension Agent
Q. I have a couple of older camellia plants that produce plenty of flower buds but they fail to open. These are camellias that are twenty to thirty years old. The plants form flower buds but many of the buds never open. I've seen this happen over the years but I'm not sure why it happens. I've wondered about cold injury but could it be that consistent every year? The plants, otherwise, look healthy. Do you have any ideas or can you suggest a source for help with this problem?
A. If these camellia cultivars are otherwise known to do well in the area, the problem could be:
- Stress - Primarily drought stress could inhibit buds from opening.
- Freeze damage - Most of our camellia japonica cultivars produce flower buds and bloom during the winter. As the flower buds begin to swell, and particularly as they begin to open, the flower buds become more susceptible to freeze injury.Freeze injured flower buds fail to open. Also, those plants located in colder areas of the landscape will be more susceptible to cold injury. Camellia sasanqua cultivars are less likely to experience cold injury to their flower buds because they bloom mostly during fall and early winter when we are less likely to experience freezing temperatures.
- Too many buds on the plant results in the plant not having the reserves for each and every bud to open. Another situation may have to do with the specific variety. Thirty plus years ago people planted any camellia they could get their hands on because camellias were not as common or available. In the past there was definitely a more limited selection. Even though camellias have been part of our southern landscapes for many years, they are native to parts of Asia. Over the years there have been more and more introductions of cultivars. Some are not well adapted to our colder winters. You’d be wise to select cultivars that are known to do well in our area.
It’s interesting that some camellia cultivars simply are not well adapted to the Gulf Coast
and thus won't flower well even though they may grow well here. This is why some varieties are favored in Seattle, some do better in California, some do better in England and others perform well here.
CAMELLIA FLOWERS THAT DON'T OPEN, by Larry Williams UF/IFAS Extension Agent
Q. I have a couple of older camellia plants that produce plenty of flower buds but they fail to open. These are camellias that are twenty to thirty years old. The plants form flower buds but many of the buds never open. I've seen this happen over the years but I'm not sure why it happens. I've wondered about cold injury but could it be that consistent every year? The plants, otherwise, look healthy. Do you have any ideas or can you suggest a source for help with this problem?
A. If these camellia cultivars are otherwise known to do well in the area, the problem could be:
- Stress - Primarily drought stress could inhibit buds from opening.
- Freeze damage - Most of our camellia japonica cultivars produce flower buds and bloom during the winter. As the flower buds begin to swell, and particularly as they begin to open, the flower buds become more susceptible to freeze injury.Freeze injured flower buds fail to open. Also, those plants located in colder areas of the landscape will be more susceptible to cold injury. Camellia sasanqua cultivars are less likely to experience cold injury to their flower buds because they bloom mostly during fall and early winter when we are less likely to experience freezing temperatures.
- Too many buds on the plant results in the plant not having the reserves for each and every bud to open. Another situation may have to do with the specific variety. Thirty plus years ago people planted any camellia they could get their hands on because camellias were not as common or available. In the past there was definitely a more limited selection. Even though camellias have been part of our southern landscapes for many years, they are native to parts of Asia. Over the years there have been more and more introductions of cultivars. Some are not well adapted to our colder winters. You’d be wise to select cultivars that are known to do well in our area.
It’s interesting that some camellia cultivars simply are not well adapted to the Gulf Coast
and thus won't flower well even though they may grow well here. This is why some varieties are favored in Seattle, some do better in California, some do better in England and others perform well here.
HERE'S THE FLOWERS FOR 2012 by Larry Williams, UF/IFAS Extension Agent
The Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) has announced the Florida Garden Select Plants for 2012. A jury of growers,, horticulturists, retailers, landscape professionals and University of Florida faculty members select these plants each year, which are deemed superior for Florida's environment. Note that some of the plants are listed for zones south of our area. Okaloosa County is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8.
Beach Sunflower - Helianthus debilis is a native ground cover that grows in hardiness zones 8-11. It's best used in coastal landscapes. It's drought and salt tolerant and thrives in full sun. This spreading perennial produces small yellow sunflower-like blooms much of the year. Here in North Florida, the plants usually die back in winter and regrow in spring.
Drift Series Rose Rosa x 'Drift' series will grow in hardiness zones 5-10. This miniature shrub rose grows 18-20 inches in height with a 2-3 foot spread. Used as a ground cover or in containers, this series is disease and drought tolerant and produces small flowers repeatedly.
Mule Palm X Butiagrus nabonnandii is a hybrid made by crossing the cold-hardy pindo palm with the more tropical queen palm. The result is a cold-hardy palm with a tropical feel that grows in hardiness zones 8-11. It is salt tolerant but needs good drainage.
Pond Cypress Taxodium ascendens is an underused native tree that looks very similar to the bald cypress. Despite its name, it has surprising drought tolerance once established. Another surprise is that it drops its needle-like leaves during the fall. But come spring, it produces light feathery foliage. It grows in hardiness zones 5-10.
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis has fragrant, edible foliage and grows in hardiness zones 8-11. This short-lived perennial blooms profusely in full sun with the ore common bluish purple flowers.. But white to pink flowers are seen on some selections. its form is an informal mound reaching a height of about 1 foot with equal spread.
Slender Weaver's Bamboo Bambusa textilis var. gracilis is a clumping, low-maintenance bamboo described as having a small footprint even at maturity. This graceful, fast-growing bamboo grows 20-30 feet in height in hardiness zones 8-11.
Sun Parasol Mandevilla Mandevilla x 'sun Parasol' series is a tropical, cold-tender perennial vine that is recommended for hardiness zones 10-11. Even though it may function as an annual in north Florida, it's worth the long bloom cycles of pink flowers during spring, summer and fall.
You can review these plants at the FNGLA website under the Community Programs tab www.fngla.org.
Beach Sunflower - Helianthus debilis is a native ground cover that grows in hardiness zones 8-11. It's best used in coastal landscapes. It's drought and salt tolerant and thrives in full sun. This spreading perennial produces small yellow sunflower-like blooms much of the year. Here in North Florida, the plants usually die back in winter and regrow in spring. Drift Series Rose Rosa x 'Drift' series will grow in hardiness zones 5-10. This miniature shrub rose grows 18-20 inches in height with a 2-3 foot spread. Used as a ground cover or in containers, this series is disease and drought tolerant and produces small flowers repeatedly. Mule Palm X Butiagrus nabonnandii is a hybrid made by crossing the cold-hardy pindo palm with the more tropical queen palm. The result is a cold-hardy palm with a tropical feel that grows in hardiness zones 8-11. It is salt tolerant but needs good drainage. Pond Cypress Taxodium ascendens is an underused native tree that looks very similar to the bald cypress. Despite its name, it has surprising drought tolerance once established. Another surprise is that it drops its needle-like leaves during the fall. But come spring, it produces light feathery foliage. It grows in hardiness zones 5-10. Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis has fragrant, edible foliage and grows in hardiness zones 8-11. This short-lived perennial blooms profusely in full sun with the ore common bluish purple flowers.. But white to pink flowers are seen on some selections. its form is an informal mound reaching a height of about 1 foot with equal spread. Slender Weaver's Bamboo Bambusa textilis var. gracilis is a clumping, low-maintenance bamboo described as having a small footprint even at maturity. This graceful, fast-growing bamboo grows 20-30 feet in height in hardiness zones 8-11. Sun Parasol Mandevilla Mandevilla x 'sun Parasol' series is a tropical, cold-tender perennial vine that is recommended for hardiness zones 10-11. Even though it may function as an annual in north Florida, it's worth the long bloom cycles of pink flowers during spring, summer and fall.You can review these plants at the FNGLA website under the Community Programs tab www.fngla.org.
POINSETTIAS BRIGHTEN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, by Larry Williams UF/IFAS Extension Agent
The poinsettia is a highly prized Christmas plant. it is almost exclusively sold only during the Christmas Season.
The poinsettia was first introduced into the United States by our first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett. He had some sent to his home in Greenville, South Carolina in 1825. This Christmas flower has since borne his name.
The showy red parts, often called flowers, are not really parts of the flower. Instead, they are modified petal-like leaves, which botanists call bracts. The colorful bracts are formed below each flower. The true flowers are the somewhat inconspicuous small, green and yellow structures found in the center of the bracts.
When purchasing poinsettias, select plants that have green foliage nearly to the soil line. Older plants will usually have excessive leaf drop. The bracts should be large and extend over the lower green foliage. The most popular color in poinsettias is red. However, there are numerous shades of whites, pinks, purples and color combinations. Select only plants with small tight green button-like flower parts in the center of the bracts. These little buttons will eventually develop into the open yellow flowers. The display life will be shorter when flowers are showing lots of yellow and that are already producing pollen.
Poinsettias are predominately greenhouse grown as pot plants for Christmas in most of the United States. In South Florida they can be used as colorful landscape shrubs. In North Florida they may be frozen to the ground before flowering so are best used as pot plants. However, some people do carry the plants over here as container plants outdoors in protected areas of the landscape or by bringing them inside on cold nights.
Poinsettias can be used as cut flowers. To do so, the bracts need to be treated to coagulate the milky sap and reduce wilting. Immerse the cut end of the stem in hot water for one minute and then place immediately in cold water. An alternate method is to singe the cut end of the steam over a flame for a second or two and then place in cool water. Cut the flowers at least eighteen to twenty-four hours before they are to be used and store in a cool place in water.
Poinsettias help brighten the Holiday Season and can make beautiful houseplants. If the new varieties are properly watered and placed in a cool, sunny, draft free area, the bracts will remain showy for one to two months.
GROWING FRUITS WITH LIMITED SPACE, by Larry Williams UF/IFAS Extension Agent
Just because you only have a little space doesn't mean you can't grow fruits successfully. For high yields, you do need a spot that gets direct sun for at least half of the day. However, an area of only 10 square feet can support a gratifying amount of fruit production.
Some of the best small fruit choices for small areas are rabbiteye blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and muscadine grapes.
Blueberries require a soil pH below 5.5, so take a soil sample to find out what your soil pH is now. Peat moss can lower the pH if your soil has been limed in the past. All of the other fruits like a soil pH of 6.0 to 65. So you might need to add some garden lime if your soil pH is too acidic. Contact your University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Office in your county for instructions on taking and submitting a soil sample for pH testing.
The blueberry cultivar Tifblue has a vivid red fall color. Be sure to plant at least two varieties of rabbiteye blueberries together for pollination. The "Blueberry Gardener's Guide" is available on line at edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg359.
Strawberries are perennial plants by nature but in Florida they are best grown as annuals. Strawberry plants grown as annuals are planted fall (October-November) and harvested the following spring. Following harvest, the plants are destroyed. There are many varieties to choose; however, it's best to avoid planting the "everbearing" varieties of strawberries in Florida. The publication, "Growing Strawberries in the Florida Home Garden" is available online at edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs403.
Blackberries are very productive if you select the correct cultivars. Cultivars adapted to Florida produce large, attractive fruit. A good publication to help with growing blackberries in Florida is available online at edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs104.
Muscadine grapes are native to the Southeastern United States. An extensive breeding program has resulted in many improved varieties. Scuppernong is a cultivar of muscadine. Other popular cultivars include Cowart, Fry, Carlos, Summit, Higgins, and Nesbitt. The muscadine vine can be used as a patio shade arbor or a fence cover. However, the fruit can be messy when they fall and can stain certain surfaces.
Because of the dreaded Pierce's disease of grapes, which kills European and American bunch grapes in our area, it's best to plant either muscadines or Florida bunch grapes because they are resistant to the disease. Visit edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs100 or edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg105 online for more information on muscadine or bunch grapes.
Much information on home fruit production is available through the UF/IFAS Extension Office in your county and online at solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu.
Some of the best small fruit choices for small areas are rabbiteye blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and muscadine grapes.
Blueberries require a soil pH below 5.5, so take a soil sample to find out what your soil pH is now. Peat moss can lower the pH if your soil has been limed in the past. All of the other fruits like a soil pH of 6.0 to 65. So you might need to add some garden lime if your soil pH is too acidic. Contact your University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Office in your county for instructions on taking and submitting a soil sample for pH testing.
The blueberry cultivar Tifblue has a vivid red fall color. Be sure to plant at least two varieties of rabbiteye blueberries together for pollination. The "Blueberry Gardener's Guide" is available on line at edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg359.Strawberries are perennial plants by nature but in Florida they are best grown as annuals. Strawberry plants grown as annuals are planted fall (October-November) and harvested the following spring. Following harvest, the plants are destroyed. There are many varieties to choose; however, it's best to avoid planting the "everbearing" varieties of strawberries in Florida. The publication, "Growing Strawberries in the Florida Home Garden" is available online at edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs403.Blackberries are very productive if you select the correct cultivars. Cultivars adapted to Florida produce large, attractive fruit. A good publication to help with growing blackberries in Florida is available online at edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs104.Muscadine grapes are native to the Southeastern United States. An extensive breeding program has resulted in many improved varieties. Scuppernong is a cultivar of muscadine. Other popular cultivars include Cowart, Fry, Carlos, Summit, Higgins, and Nesbitt. The muscadine vine can be used as a patio shade arbor or a fence cover. However, the fruit can be messy when they fall and can stain certain surfaces.Because of the dreaded Pierce's disease of grapes, which kills European and American bunch grapes in our area, it's best to plant either muscadines or Florida bunch grapes because they are resistant to the disease. Visit edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs100 or edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg105 online for more information on muscadine or bunch grapes.
Much information on home fruit production is available through the UF/IFAS Extension Office in your county and online at solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu.
YOUR FIREWOOD COULD BE "BUGGED" by Larry Williams, UF/IFAS Extension Agent
Many insects like to overwinter in wood. A wood pile is an ideal place for some insects to survive the winter. They don't know that you intend to bring their winter home indoors during the cold weather.
During the colder weather of fall, winter and early spring, you can unknowingly bring in pests such as spiders, beetles, and roaches when you bring in firewood. It's best to bring in firewood only when you are ready to use it. Otherwise, those pests could become active and start crawling around inside your warm house. Many insects are potential problems indoors and there are many choices on control measures once insects move into your home. However, preventing the insects from getting indoors is the best approach.
If you store wood indoors for short periods of time, it's a good idea to clean the storage area after you have used the wood. Using a first-in, first-out guideline as much as possible will reduce your chances of insect problems.
It's best to keep your wood pile off the ground and away from the house. This will make it less inviting to insects and by being dry, the wood will burn better.
It's not difficult to keep the wood off the ground. You can stock the wood on a base of wooden pallets, bricks or blocks which will allow air movement under the wood. It may be more difficult to keep the wood dry; but you can cover it with plastic or store it in a shed. Regardless of how you store your firewood, avoid spraying it with insecticides. When burned, insecticide treated wood may give off harmful fumes.
Some critters that live in firewood can be harmful to humans. To avoid a painful sting or bite from insects, scorpions, or spiders, it is a good practice to wear gloves when you pick up logs from a wood pile. None of the several species of scorpions which occur in Florida are capable of inflicting a lethal sting; however the site of the sting may be sore and swollen for some time,
Firewood can be a good source of heat during our cold weather. If you're careful with how you handle your firewood, hopefully it will warm you, not burn or "bite" you.
Note: There are regulations in Florida regarding the transport of firewood! Bringing firewood from one area to another may result in transporting diseases! Check out http://santarosa.ifas.ufl.edu/documents/lg_firewood_2011.pdf to read more on this problem.
CRAPE MYRTLE OR COAT RACK? 'Butchering' for blooms, by Larry Williams, UF/IFAS Extension Agent
You've probably seen crape myrtle trees pruned to look like a coat rack. Hopefully, you're not guilty of doing this. The term "crape murder" was coined to describe this drastic topping of crape myrtles.
Properly selected and correctly placed crape myrtles need little pruning. A crape myrtle that requires routine pruning to force it to fit into a smaller space should be considered for replacement with a smaller-maturing cultivar. To avoid having to annually "butcher" a nice tree, choose a smaller maturing crape myrtle.
There are crape myrtle cultivars that grow only 2 to 3 feet in height, such as Pocomoke. There are semi-dwarf cultivars that grow to about 12 feet or less in height, such as Acoma. Intermediate crape myrtle cultivars, such as Osage, grow to 29 feet or less in height. But standard "tree form" cultivars, such as Natchez, grow greater than 20 feet in height.
Topping trees is a bad practice. It weakens a tree by removing food reserves stored in the now removed wood. It radically reduces the size of the canopy, decreasing the plant's ability to produce food through photosynthesis. The large open cuts caused from topping invite wood-rotting organisms and ultimately decay. Topping results in dead stubs throughout the tree. Topping a crape myrtle forces the tree to produce unsightly root suckers. Ultimately topping results in an ugly, odd-looking, higher maintenance and short-lived crape myrtle.
Many people believe crape myrtles must be cut way back in order to produce an abundance of blooms. Flower clusters might be slightly larger on topped trees but topping usually delays flowering up to one month. And since the tree is smaller, it produces fewer flowers.
The long, weak shoots supporting large, heavy flower clusters on topped crape myrtles bend awkwardly and are more likely to break away from the plant.
When pruning crape myrtle trees, avoid cutting back or shortening branches much larger than the diameter of your finger, although cutting larger branches back to a side branch or to the trunk when needed is fine.
More information on crape myrtle selection and care is available online at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg266 and at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep399.
BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVERUSE PESTICIDES, by Larry Williams UF/IFAS Extension Agent
Pesticides are good tools when used properly. but overuse of pesticides in our lawns, landscapes and gardens can result in a number of problems.
Insects can become resistant to insecticides when a product if repeatedly used. Because many insect species reproduce rapidly, having many generations per year, a resistant population can develop in a short time. We've seen this happen in agriculture and in landscapes. Hundreds of insect species are know to have resistance to certain insecticides. The end result is an insect population that can no longer be easily controlled.
Pesticide over use can make some pest problems worse. For example, the insecticide carbaryl (Sevin) will kill many insect but will have little or no effect on aphids or spider mites. And repeated use of carbaryl will eliminate many beneficial insects that feed on these pests. So you may end up with much larger populations of aphids and spider mites than if you applied no insecticide at all.
Indiscriminate use of broad-spectrum pesticides such as malathion, pyrethrum, and carbaryl kill many insects, good and bad. Not all insects need to be killed. Less than one percent of all insects in Florida are damaging to plants and many are beneficial. These beneficial insects are the "good guys" of the insect world. They feed on harmful insects. And, as a result, help keep their numbers in check. Once you've made the mistake of killing off the good guys, such as lady beetles, you may have to increase the use of insecticides because the good guys are no longer there to help reduce the harmful insects. Conversely, if you eliminate all of the bad insects, the beneficial insects will not have anything to eat. Spraying every six-legged creature that exists is not a good idea. The overuse of pesticides can throw off the delicate, beneficial balance that exists in nature
We need to tolerate a few pests and a little damage. Attempting to maintain a pest-free landscape is not only impractical but it is a waste of money and time and may be detrimental to the environment. And besides, the number of pesticides to choose from is becoming smaller, partly due to environmental concerns.
Pesticides are not always the best choice when dealing with pests. Instead of blanketing your landscape with pesticides, use some strategy. There are many other options such as choosing pest resistant plants, avoiding excess fertilization and watering, eliminating a plant that has to be frequently sprayed, eliminating small pest populations by hand, etc.
While pesticides remain part of our pest control arsenal, care should be taken to use them wisely and correctly.