Time to Plant Winter Vegetables

If you are a vegetable gardener in South Florida and you haven't planted your garden yet, its time to get busy. Unlike most of the world, winter is the prime growing season for most vegetables. Summers here are too tough on most crops. There are too many bugs and weeds and too much rain and humidity. November is the time to get stuff in the ground. Tomatoes, of course, are the most popular item with backyard growers, but you can also be successful with beans, carrots, onions, corn, eggplant, cucumbers or just about any other vegetable you can think of. With food prices rising and the economy slowing, more people will probably be trying there hand at growing their own food. If you are new to vegetable gardening, here are a few tips:

• Plant in full sun, in a well drained location
• Improve the Florida sand with compost if you have it. You can also mix in a little topsoil (muck) unless you are growing tomatoes. Tomatoes actually prefer sandy soil.
• Keep up with the weeds!
• Fertilize with a slow release fertilizer or weekly with a liquid fertilizer.
• Bugs are not as bad in winter but you still may have issues with caterpillars, or mites, especially toward the beginning and end of the growing season.
  
• Fungus diseases may be your biggest problem, especially if we get a spell of rainy, humid weather which sometimes happens here even in the winter. You can buy organic fungicides that are labeled for vegetables.
• Watering practices can be critical. Water as needed; don't try to follow a watering schedule. If its rainy or humid, water sparingly. If the humidity is low and its windy they will need much more frequent watering. Don't over water. Morning is best.

If all goes well you should have fresh produce on the table by New Years.
If you have any questions, comments or other tips, please post them below.

Top 10 Winter Annuals for South Florida

The time has arrived to start planning your winter flower garden in South Florida. Here is my list of the ten best annuals for winter in Florida, based on beauty, reliability and low maintenance.

1. Impatiens - this annual is a perenial favorite! Colorful, versitile, and relatively problem free. It only has a couple of drawbacks. It takes above average water which could become an issue if the water restrictions are tightened again this year and it is not cold hardy. In the unlikely event that we get a bad freeze this year, they may not survive.
2. Begonias - Wax begonias run a close second in popularity. Not as many color choices as impatiens but a little more drought tolerant.
   
3. Geraniums - shouldn't be planted until later in the season when its cooler and dryer. Plant in full sun to avoid disease problems.
4. Petunias - A GREAT choice! They come in a wide range of colors, are cold hardy and drought tolerant. Plant in full sun and watch for caterpillars and snails early in the season.
5. Kalanchoe - Very colorful, very drought tolerant. Plant in full sun. When they finish blooming cut them back and they will rebloom. Actually a perenial. If nursed through the summer they will bloom again next winter.
6. Pansies - Again, wait for cooler weather. They do wonderful from December to April. Sun or light shade. Very cold tolerant.
7. New Guinea Impatiens - Kind of expensive and need a lot of water, but they are spectacular!
8. Alyssum - Sweet alyssum is usually overlooked by Florida gardeners but it grows very well and makes a great border. Available in white and purple.
9. Snapdragons - Like pansies and alyssum they do better after it gets cooler, but I had some last this year from December until June with very little attention.
10. Lobelia - The low mounding variety are becoming more available in South Florida. Their vibrant violet-blue color is spectacular. They make a great facer or border. Some years they seem to do better than others. I wouldn't make a big commitment to them but mix in a few for their bold color.
    
    

Successful Impatien Planting

I've been growing and planting impatiens professionally for over 20 years in South Florida. I've pretty much learned what works and what doesn't work. Most of this will apply to all flowering annuals. Here are a few tips:

• Location: Impatiens are very versatile. They can do well in pretty heavy shade or direct sun. The ideal location would be where they get morning sun and afternoon shade. In other words, an eastern exposure. But they can work almost anywhere. In the more sun they will be more compact and have more flowers but will need more water. In heavy shade they will get a little leggy and you need to be careful that they don't stay too wet.
• Soil: For best results the Florida sand will be amended with some organic material such as peat moss. But drainage is very important, so don't make the soil too rich! If the area hasn't been planted in before and is just native sand, I usually add a good potting soil mixture that contains peat, pine bark and some perlite. In later years there is usually enough old soil and composting mulch that I don't add anything.
• Spacing: I usually plant small annuals on 12 inch centers (12" from the center of one plant to the center of the next plant) . This will usually result in very tall, very full plants within a month or two. If you don't want them too tall or don't want the look of a solid mass of plants then you can, of course plant them further apart. Any closer than that is usually just a waste of plants.
• Planting: Don't plant them too deep! Apparently in some parts of the country it is common to plant them deep. Not in Florida. It is best to plant them so that the soil level of the plant is about a quarter inch above the existing soil level. If you plant them too deep they will be much more likely to get fungus and rot off.
• Fertilizer: I have always gotten the best results with Osmocote. It is a slow release fertilizer that is widely available. One application will last about 3 months in South Florida conditions. I use about a half tablespoon per plant spread evenly across the bed after planting. Some people prefer to put the Osmocote in the hole as they plant each plant. There are arguments for each way and both seem to do o.k. but I prefer topdressing. That way as the fertilizer dissolves it washes down through the whole root zone. Some gardeners prefer to use a liquid feed like Miracle Grow. It can give you great results but has to be reapplied every couple of weeks. I also find that sometimes people tend to over fertilize with liquid feeding. This results in large, dark green plants but with few flowers. Its hard to go wrong with Osmocote.
• Mulch: I always mulch impatiens with a good shredded wood mulch like cypress or dyed mulch. It help maintain moisture in the soil, slows down weeds, looks great and enriches the soil as it deteriorates. About an inch to an inch and a half is plenty. Again, just make sure that the mulch is not up against the stem of the plant as it may cause it to rot off. I usually just cover all the visible soil between the plants but don't mulch under the branches.
• Watering: Water them in good after planting. The soil should be well saturated. Then watch them carefully for the first couple of weeks. It is best to water plants as needed rather than on a set schedule. The size of the plant, the location, the soil and the weather will all effect how often they need watering. In the winter time, low humidity and strong wind will dry out plants faster than bright sun and warmer weather. When the plants are first planted, they have small root systems. The roots can't reach as far or as deep for moisture, so they will need to be watered more often. As the plants become better established they will need water less often, probably a couple of times a week on average. Ideally the plants should be thoroughly watered and then left till they are just starting to wilt a little and then watered heavily again. If they wilt too much it will cause damage or death to the plant. If they are watered too much, they will get diseases and die. Pay attention to your plants and they will let you know when they need water.
• Maintenance: Impatiens in winter usually require very little maintenance. There are few insect pests in the cooler months. Sometimes caterpillars show up early in the season and sometimes spider mites arrive in the spring towards the end of the season. I use Sevin on the caterpillars. If mites get bad late in the season I usually just pull the plants at that point. If you plant in November, you may need to re fertilize in late February if the plants are looking a little yellow or thin.
  

With proper planting and a little attention, impatiens should last from November 1st until about May. That is over half a year. All in all few annuals will give you more bang for your buck.

Choosing Healthy Impatiens

When you're ready to plant impatiens, first of all start with good quality plants! Some growers grow them in shade and some in full sun. After years of growing impatiens commercially and planting tens of thousands of them, I prefer them to be grown in full sun or light shade. Although impatiens are usually thought of as a shade plant, they can thrive in full sun, especially in the winter time. Sun grown plants tend to be fuller and stronger and have more flowers. And you can put sun grown plants into a shadier situation with no ill effects, whereas if you buy an impatien grown in heavy shade and plant it in a sunnier location it may sun burn. So here's what to look for:

• Plants should be compact (not leggy), with relatively large, dark green leaves. Plants with long internodes (the space between sets of leaves) have been grown in too much shade or too close together. You want symmetrical, kind of dome shaped plants.
• The plants should have flowers. Impatiens grown in the proper amount of light with the proper amount of fertilizer will start to have flowers very young.
  
• Check for insects. The most common pest on impatiens is caterpillars. Look for caterpillar damage and check the undersides of the leaves. They will usually be small green or grey caterpillars.
  

• Most important! Look for signs of fungus. Fungus will kill your impatiens faster than anything. If you see a lot of empty, water-logged looking pots among the plants for sale those were probably impatiens that rotted off. Look at the bottom edges of the plants. If you see rotten leaves or bare stems, there is probably fungus among the plants. Also look for black looking stems or brown spots on the leaves. If there are signs of fungus among the plants, I would buy elsewhere.

Generally, just be observant and use common sense. Buy from a nursery that looks clean and organized, where the plants look healthy, cared for and well spaced. Don't shop for price alone. I usually buy annuals in 4 to 41/2 inch pots. Smaller sizes, like the 18 packs are often too small and have a lower survival rate. Larger sizes like 6 inch cost a lot more and with impatiens there is only about 2 weeks difference. So unless you need them to be large now for some impending occasion, 4 inch are usually best.

Most of these tips will apply as well for all annuals including begonias, petunias and other winter flowers.

Next time we'll discuss the right way to plant them for maximum success.

Getting Impatient for Impatiens?

It is almost time to start planting South Florida's favorite winter annual: impatiens. They are popular for good reasons! They grow easily, bloom profusely, and last for 6 to 7 months. If planted at the beginning of November, with just a little attention and no freezes, they should last until May.

I usually like to wait until the first week of November to plant them. They are available in the nurseries sooner than that, but planting them early is risky. It's not just the heat. Although impatiens have a reputation for needing a lot of water, nothing will do them in faster than too much water. High temperatures, frequent rain and high humidity are a recipe for fungus diseases that can spell disaster in your flower bed. And often in South Florida, October is still pretty wet. By November it will be a little cooler and a little drier and your impatiens will be much happier.

In my next post I'll talk about how to select healthy impatiens and later, how to plant them.

Garden Mums

Your summer annuals are probably starting to look a little burned out by now and its still too early for winter annuals. If you are looking for some flowers to fill the gap and brighten up your garden for fall look to Chrysanthemums! There are many colors of "garden mums" now available. These are not the same large flowered chrysanthemums you buy in the grocery store. Those are greenhouse grown and are intended to brighten up indoor spaces. They won't survive long out in the real world. But most garden centers in Florida now sell the garden mums. They have smaller flowers, but pack a lot of color. Fall is their natural blooming season. They don't bloom non-stop for months like impatiens or begonias would. But when they bloom, they really bloom. Typically the entire plant will be covered in little flowers that last a few weeks. When they finish blooming you can cut them back and they will bloom again in a few weeks. They are a perennial and with a little attention will often live through the summer and bloom again next fall. You can usually find them in small 4 to 41/2 inch pots for $1.50-$2.00 up to large tubs with plants a couple of feet across for around $20. Choose plants with lots of buds that are just beginning to open. That way you'll get the most time out of your bloom.

Bougainvillea - Preparing for the Big Bloom

Possibly the most spectacular blooming plant in Florida is the Bougainvillea. They bloom off and on throughout the year, but their biggest show is in the middle of winter. If you own a Bougainvillea you know that they grow incredibly fast during the warmer months and need frequent pruning to control their size. But one of the keys to a great bloom in the winter is to not prune them too late in the fall. They should be cut way back in September and then turned loose to do their thing. So now is the time to put on your heavy gloves and give them one final cut back for the year. You will probably need to shape them up a little from time to time, but any heavy pruning after October may seriously impact their big bloom.

A couple of other tips for getting the best bloom from your bougainvillea:

• Full Sun: The more sun your bougainvillea gets, the more it will bloom. An Ideal location will provide full sun and shelter from cold winter winds.
• Fertilizer: Fertilize regularly through the spring and summer. Give it one last shot in September or October. Use a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus and not too high in Nitrogen. A fertilizer formulated specifically for bougainvillea or blooming tropical plants is best.
• Water: NOT TOO MUCH WATER. Bougainvillea thrive on dry conditions. Water only when they look wilted.
  

Inorganic Mulches

Inorganic mulch is anything that is not an organic material, in other words, anything that is not made from plants or plant byproducts. Inorganic mulch has the benefit of being more permanent. But that is also its biggest disadvantage because, unlike organic materials, it does not break down and enrich the soil.

Traditionally inorganic mulch has usually meant rock or gravel. There are a wide variety of rocks available to give a range of different colors and textures. Rock is as close to permanent as you can get. It doesn't float away easily and most of all, if done right, it is beautiful. Rock will usually cost much more initially, but won't have to be replaced regularly like wood mulches.

The most popular rocks are crushed marble and egg rock. Crushed marble comes in white, brown, green, grey and pink. Egg rock is smooth, rounded river rocks and comes in several shades. There is "white" which is a mixture of white and light browns, "brown" which is mostly medium browns and another which I know as "river jacks". It is a mixture of black, grey, brown and reds. River rocks usually are graded by size and offered in 3 or four different sizes. The smallest river rocks, usually 1/4 to 1/2 inch are called "chattahoochee".

Other available types of rock are crushed granite that is usually black and white speckled, lava rock, which is available in red or black and another volcanic rock that is one of my personal favorites. Different companies sell it under different names, but I know it as Timber-lite. It is rough textured, medium sized pieces that are mottled brown, black and tan. There is also a rock sold as "Cedar Bark Rocks" that is a brown rock that looks very much like chunks of cedar bark. If you like the looks of bark but don't like the fact that it is prone to floating away, this might be a good choice. There are also some fancier, more expensive rocks available if you are looking for something really special. Among others there are "Mexican Beach Pebbles" that are round, flat smooth rocks that come in a number of sizes and colors. In the picture above are Columbian River Rocks in red and gold.

If you are considering using rock in your landscape here are a few tips:

• Light colors like white marble chips look spectacular when you first put them down, but they quickly get dirty looking from algae and debris like grass clippings and leaves. A darker color will camouflage a lot of that and look better longer. That is one reason I like the Timber-lite.
  

• Lava rock usually doesn't do well in shady, wet areas. Moss, algae and pilea tend to get rooted in the large pores and is very hard to control.

• Rock is usually available in bulk, by the cubic yard or in 1/2 cubic foot bags. By the yard is usually about 25-50% cheaper, but it is a lot more work. Unless you are doing a large area that will require several yards, I would go with the bags. If you have it delivered in bulk, you have to pile it somewhere and then shovel it into a wheel barrel to distribute it where you want it. Then you have to clean up where the pile was. With the bags, you just carry them to where you want them, open them and dump them. Usually you want the rock about an inch and a half to two inches deep. That means that a bag will cover 3-4 square feet. Usually large rocks, like extra-large egg rocks will need to be a little deeper and small rocks like chattahochee, not quite as deep. The reason being that big rocks mean bigger gaps between them. If you like the look of the extra large egg rocks, I would suggest buying about half extra large and half medium. Spread the medium first and then the large on top. You get better coverage that way, saving some money, but still get the look of the larger rocks. If you buy by the yard, a yard will cover about 150 square feet.
  

• Always use a good weed mat under your rock. In our sandy Florida soil rocks have a way of slowly sinking into the sand and disappearing! A weed mat will keep them on top.
  

• Always use some type of edging between rock areas and lawn. I usually use a commercial grade plastic edging but you can use stone, brick or any other you like. If you don't use some type of edging. the stones will invariably get spread into the lawn and the lawn will grow into the rocks. If you try to edge with a power edger, you will be hitting rocks which is hard on the machine and dangerous for you.

Besides rock, there is also now rubber mulch! It is made from recycled tires and dyed in a variety of colors, including blue and green! It is very permanent. It is available in different textures and grades, some with the steel belts completely removed, some not. If it is going to be in a play area or someplace you might be walking barefoot, it is very important that you get it with all the steel removed. It is fairly expensive, usually $10-20 for a 1 cubic foot bag, but the price seems to be coming down. It can give a very nice effect and is a good use for old tires. It washes away easier than rocks but not as easily as wood. Again, I always use weed mat and edging with rubber mulch.

Using Mulch in Your Garden

This is probably a good time to talk about using mulch in your garden. First, it may be a good time, because by late August, your probably getting sick of pulling weeds about now. Secondly, if you already had mulch, Tropical Storm Fay probably just washed it all away and you're thinking about replacing it.

Mulch serves several very important functions and is almost always a good idea.

1. It slows down weeds! Nothing stops them in Florida, but you need to use every weapon at your disposal to give yourself an edge.
2. It helps retain moisture. O.K. that's not an issue right now, but in a few months it will be.
3. It helps regulate soil temperature.
   
4. It helps prevent disease. Mulch stops soil from splashing up on the lower leaves of a plant, which helps stop the spread of some fungus diseases.
5. Mulch beautifies the garden, giving it a neater, more finished look.

There are many choices when deciding on a mulch. There are organic mulches, like wood chips and pine needles, etc. and there are inorganic mulches like rocks. In general, organic mulches are better for the soil and are less expensive (at least in the short run). As they decompose, they enrich and become part of the soil. Inorganic mulches are more expensive on the front end, but more permanent. Individual taste will determine which looks better.

If you decide on an organic mulch, most people in South Florida use shredded wood mulch. The two most common are cypress mulch and dyed, recycled wood. The cypress has a beautiful, natural look and smell and will usually last about 6 months, although the color will fade to kind of a gray color after 2 or 3 months. The recycled mulch is made from used lumber and plywood, etc. and is usually dyed red, but sometimes can be gotten in gold, black or some other color. It doesn't look as natural. Some people like the look better than cypress, some don't. Again, its personal choice. It does retain its color much longer than cypress and lasts a little longer. Plus it has the benefit that it doesn't use up cypress trees, a disappearing resource. When red mulch is fresh, some of the dye does come off easily so plan on having red hands after you spread it (and a funny smell) and if it comes in contact with concrete driveways and sidewalks it will leave a stain that is sometimes hard to get off. Other common organic mulches are:

• Pine Bark Nuggets- they are beautiful but are very prone to floating away and seem to harbor carpenter ants.
• Wood chips - from tree trimmings. The biggest benefit-they are often available free. On the minus side, they decompose very fast and sometimes contain unwanted seeds.
• Pine Needles - Often called "pine straw". They decompose fast but give a beautiful natural look. They are especially useful in areas that already have pine trees. You can buy a few bales to mulch the beds initially and then rake the falling needles in to the beds regularly to replenish.

There are countless other possibilities from lawn clippings to peat moss, but these are the most common and practical for use in South Florida landscapes. Just a few more tips for using organic mulches:

• If buying cypress or recycled wood, look for wood that is shredded rather than chips. In other words look for long, fibrous looking pieces. They will interlock and form a solid mat after a few days that will be less likely to float away in rainy weather.
• Make mulch a minimum of 1 inch deep. 2 inches is better.
• Usually with organic mulch, it is better not to use any kind of weed mat underneath. The mulch seems to stay put better when it is in direct contact with the ground. Also, as the mulch decomposes it will form a layer of soil on top of the weed mat. That will allow weeds to start above the mat and then put roots down through it, making them that much harder to pull.

In the next post, I'll talk more about inorganic mulches.

Gardening with Air Plants

This is one of the arboreal bromeliads, often just called "air plants" They do best just hanging in a tree rather than planted in the soil. This is a Tillandsia bulbosa. There are hundreds of species of tillandsia (about 650 at last count), some of them native to Florida. The most common member of this family is probably Spanish Moss. But there are many others with large beautiful blooms. In any swampy area you will find them growing high in cypress trees with bright red flowers. Many make great landscape plants that will really give your garden that tropical rain forest feel. You'll usually find them for sale at plant sales and garden shows. Just wire them to a tree, in the shade of the canopy and they will usually attach themselves over time. They just live off whatever moisture and nutrients they get from the air soil they will appreciate a spritz with the hose occasionally, especially in the winter when the humidity is lower. If you think they need some fertilizer you can spray them with a weak solution of liquid plant food like Miracle Grow.

Year Round Color with Bromeliads

If you appreciate tropical style landscaping, one of the best ways to achieve an authentic tropical look is with bromeliads. As a group they are amazingly versatile and can provide year round color. Most varieties fair best in the shade, but there are some that do quite well in mixed light or even full sun! The often spectacular blooms last for month's and many varieties have very colorful leaves that are quite striking when they're not blooming. By using different varieties you can have bromeliads blooming in your garden every month of the year. They always provide interesting form and texture in a tropical garden.

They actually require minimal care. Most varieties need very little in supplemental watering. That's because bromeliads store their own water. The leaves actually form small reservoirs where water collects and is slowly absorbed by the plants. The roots serve more as anchors than as a way of taking up water and nutrients. That's why some types of bromeliads actually grow better hanging in trees than they do in the ground.

There are hundreds of different varieties. Consult a book or your local garden center to see which varieties suit your needs. The initial price of a bromeliads may seem a little expensive. They usually cost from $10 t0 $30. But with a little attention they will multiply and last for years. The individual plants bloom once and then slowly die. But before they die, they will produce several off shoots, often called "pups". About once a year you will want to cut away the old dead and dieing plants and separate the pups. In most cases the pups will start off as little sprouts near the base of the mother plant. In time they will put out root systems of their own. At that point you can separate them with a pair of sharp pruners. Some varieties are more prolific than others, but in a few years you should have plenty to give to friends or trade for other types that you don't have.

The only pest problem I have had with them is snails. They love to hide in the damp centers of the plants during the day and come out and eat the leaves at night. An occasional application of snail bait in the area usually takes care of the problem. Or if there are just a few, and you can find them, you can just pick them out. Other than that the only trick is to get the right bromeliad in the right lighting conditions. If you put shade varieties in the sun, they will sunburn and never look good. Ask your supplier for advice and when in doubt, it is better to ere on the side of too much shade. A little bit of liquid fertilizer, like miracle grow, once in a while keeps them in top condition.

Next time you are looking for a plant to give your garden a little spot of low maintenance color, consider bromeliads.

Mid-summer Gardening

We're now in the middle of a typical South Florida summer. Hot days, hot nights, high humidity and plenty of rain. The good news is you don't have to water your garden and your plants are growing like gang-busters. The bad news is that the weeds, insects and fungi are also thriving. Plan on doing a lot of trimming and weeding over the next few weeks. Caterpillars are big problem this time of year. The best way to control them is to monitor your plants closely, try to catch them early and physically remove them. If you have to resort to chemicals, Sevin is a good all purpose caterpillar spray that is relatively safe to use. The trick is to find a chance to spray between rain storms. Your best bet is to do it in the morning before it gets too hot and when the insecticide will have a few hours in which to work before the afternoon thunderstorms start. Good luck.

Welcome to Florida Gardening

South Florida is one of the best places in the world for gardening. A huge variety of native plants as well as tropical and subtropical exotics thrive here and you can garden 12 months a year. But Florida gardening is not without its challenges. The bugs and the weeds also thrive 12 months a year and if you are from another part of the country, most of the plants here may be unfamiliar to you. And for the ones you know, the rules for growing them may be different.

I've lived in south Florida my entire life and have been in the landscaping and nursery business for almost 25 years. I've decided to start this blog to share some of the information that I've learned regarding Florida Gardening. I'm still working full time in the landscape business, doing primarily residential renovation projects, so I plan to write about real life gardening experiences, problems and solutions as well as my experiences with and recommendations for specific plants.

If you live in Florida or plan to soon and you are interested in gardening and landscaping, please come back often.