It may sound like an unnecessary question, but it’s not. When one stops to think about it, a rather long list of things to consider when planning a landscape could be made. In nature, many plants have defense mechanisms to ensure survival. These mechanisms may include ways to physically deter a predator, like thorns or…Read more
Florida has a great wealth of native plant material ranging from tropical to temperate species, but many gardens tend to be comprised largely of exotic, non-native species. It might pay to learn more about native plant options for the success and ease of maintenance they will impart in the landscape. Native plants have become adapted…Read more
There are a wide variety of bulbous plants which will thrive and produce beautiful flowers year after year with proper care. The time to plant many bulbs in the home landscape is getting late in May. Some, like caladiums crinum lilies, can be planted all year round, but run the risk of damage if they…Read more
Nature has a way of making life as easy as possible, but it will not happen fast, so planning is critical to success. One means is by putting some plants (trap crops) which attract beneficial and/or destructive insects. Insects are one of the main challenges in growing a vegetable garden. Warm weather and high humidity…Read more
The recent showers have been a welcome relief after a few weeks without the critical liquid from above. Irrigation and sprinklers can produce a bountiful vegetable garden, healthy shrubs and a lovely green lawn, but generous rains do it so much better and at a lower cost. April is an ideal time to plant many…Read more
The seasonal temperatures have moved panhandle Florida’s vegetable gardens from winter to the spring phase. Still, the unusually cool March has made it possible for a few winter holdouts to remain for early April 2023. While many of winter’s leafy vegetables are responding to the longer days by bolting, sending up flower spikes, a few…Read more
On June 1st, Atlantic hurricane season officially begins and lasts until November 30th. This six-month period places coastal zone residents, as well as many entire states, at an increased risk of tree liability potential. When a healthy tree fails structurally in a storm, insurance will pay for damage caused by it, less any deductible. Generally,…Read more
Citrus has long been associated with Florida. A popular advertising slogan of the 1970s from the Florida Citrus Commission invited people to “come to the Florida sunshine tree…” because “breakfast without orange juice is like a day without sunshine.” The Florida citrus industry began in the northeastern region of the state along the St. Johns…Read more
Panhandle Florida residents are able to enjoy a lifestyle with vast tracts of forested land having ample greenery, even in winter. Combined with the temperate climate (most of the year), the wildlands sustain an environment which is the envy of many Americans in more urban locales. Those acres stay lush during years with normal to…Read more
The official start of winter was just a few weeks ago and the landscape is dormant. With the exception of live oak trees, all the plants and trees which lose their leaves have dropped them to the ground. For panhandle Florida homeowners recovering from the holidays, early January is a tempting time to reflect on…Read more
