Simple, easy and low maintenance are not normally terms applied to growing vegetables in panhandle Florida, or anywhere else. To every rule, however, there are a few exceptions, and gardening is no different.Gardeners in the coming cool season have many advantages to go along with the challenges. Insects are few to non-existent, there are far…Read more
September is a month of curious contradictions and juxtapositions, at least for gardeners in panhandle Florida. Depending on the individual characteristics of the environmental factors of the year, events and occurrences can, and often do, cancel each other. Still, much can be accomplished during this transitional period from summer to autumn. The summer of 2024…Read more
The weather forecast currently states there is likely a reprieve coming from the hot and dry weather being experienced by the residents of Florida’s panhandle. Some locales in the northwest portion of the state have already experienced rain and cooler (albeit not cool) weather. While the change cannot come soon enough for the human residents,…Read more
Ever since June 20 of this summer, the days have been getting gradually shorter. On Sunday, September 23, 2024 the autumnal equinox will occur and the days will continue to get inexorably shorter. This change in the length of daylight is so subtle it is not noticed by most of the human residents of panhandle…Read more
Technically panhandle Florida is on the borderline of the sub-tropics by virtue of its latitudinal location. It is roughly halfway between the tropical zone and the northern temperate zone, getting, by most estimates, the best of both worlds. There are winters here and they are usually pretty mild, at least by Minnesota standards. A light…Read more
The likely aftermath of Hurricane Debby has the potential to be anywhere from inconvenient for some panhandle Florida homeowners to severe for others. At the very least there will be many twigs, branches and limbs to remove from the yard and landscape. Many will experience the loss of a favored tree, or its severe damage….Read more
The dog days of August are settling over panhandle Florida. This period is typified by the hot, humid days and nights which induce languid behavior in most of the residents, human or not. Dog days began during the ancient Roman Empire when Sirius, identified as the Dog Star, was present in the skies. If Sirius…Read more
One fact everyone can agree on is it is hot, and humid, in panhandle Florida. The heat and humidity have been a daily experience for weeks, starting well before sunrise and continuing past sunset. In all likelihood this sticky trend will continue for at least several months. Still, there are many home landscaping chores which…Read more
It has been really hot outside, and dry too. Any July in north Florida is usually in the low 90’s to nobody’s surprise, but in 2024 even the weeds are wilting between showers. This heatwave began in June and will run on for an indeterminate length. The landscape, along with people and pets, is reflecting…Read more
The soon-to-arrive month of July in panhandle Florida is known as a period for maintaining one’s landscaping and gardening efforts. While it is great to be outside for recreational activities, the lawn and garden chores can be a bit tedious in the heat and humidity currently occurring. Still, there are some very productive activities which…Read more
