The uncertainty of weather makes winter gardening a challenge in panhandle Florida. It is too cold for the summer vegetables, and the ups and downs of the temperature can make cool season crops a challenge. If it is warm too long the leafy, cool season vegetables will bolt, putting up flowers to produce seeds. When…Read more
There is a lot to be gained from having a tough reputation. Only those with an excessively stalwart disposition or lack of good sense will dare to make a challenge to the individual who holds this distinction. Unbending, rigid and durable are descriptors which invoke a firm, if not dogmatic, state of resiliency. With this…Read more
By the time this post is read, the Christmas gifts so carefully wrapped with care and love will be shredded beyond recognition. At least the list of seasonal activities and social engagements will have been somewhat reduced. The current five-week holiday period ends with New Year’s Eve and the start of 2024. Luckily this is…Read more
Christmas decorating traditions reflect the culture where the holiday is celebrated. The use of red and green as the colors for the celebration arrived with the European settlers centuries ago. Without the readily available accessories which could be delivered to home porches with the click of a button, the newcomers had to innovate. Local foliage…Read more
The winter weather has finally arrived. The temperatures have retreated to the seasonal averages and, fortunately, the rain has been sufficient to ensure good growing conditions. There are currently plenty of cool season leafy garden crops in production among panhandle Florida’s gardeners, but one vegetable offers a variety of uses and taste selections. Garlic planted…Read more
An often-heard refrain is “I hope it gets cold enough to kill all the bugs.” While the thought is understandable from some perspectives, it is totally impractical. Most bugs and other tiny critters, be they insects, arachnids or worms, are beneficial to human habitation of the planet. They provide a myriad of important, but often…Read more
One common complaint about vegetable gardening is it takes so long for the end product to be ready for harvest. In most cases the average is 90 days, but some can extend out to 180 or more. Another is the seasonal limitations of plants. The range of acceptable temperatures is relatively narrow for most, but…Read more
Many native plants and trees have finished their assigned annual task in the closing days of 2023 and are now in a state of rest. Their ultimate job is to produce seeds which will hopefully continue the species. While a majority of the seeds are small and easily overlooked, there is one “seed pack” which…Read more
The cool days and cooler nights of December have removed home gardening from the minds of many suburban residents recently arrived in panhandle Florida. Much of the region’s commercial vegetable production has moved to warmer counties in the extreme southern parts of the state. However, the holiday season has refocused the attention of many to…Read more
It is the time of year when visitors come crashing into panhandle Florida residences, especially those seeking an upgrade on their winter lodgings. The highways are clogged with traffic heading south in search of a willing relative or friend who might take in a traveler attempting to avoid unpleasantly low temperatures. The relatively salubrious climate…Read more
