Some Gardening Suggestions for 2002

This is a good time to reevaluate your landscape practices and projects. Gardening is supposed to be enjoyable, and unless some degree of planning is included, there is a danger of creating a monster, in the form of a time and labor- intensive past-time.

Following are some tips for those who love to garden, but also need time for other things.

v Keep annual flower beds relatively small, and locate them for the maximum effect. Smaller, well kept beds are much more attractive than large mass plantings that require many hours to maintain.

v Reduce fertilizer rates on the lawn and in shrub beds to a level that maintains acceptable green color and a moderate growth rate. There is no point to growing shrubs and grass extremely fast only to have to prune and mow more often.

v Plant trees and woody shrubs during the fall and winter. Establishment is easier because less heat stress and water loss occurs during the cool season.

v Cut your losses and remove or replace a “problem plant.” In almost every landscape there are one or more kinds of plants that require constant pampering, and in some cases continue to decline even with good care.

Sometimes the reason is that a particular plant is simply not adapted to the area, or it might be located where the amount of light or moisture is not acceptable. At any rate, if a plant has been pampered for a couple of years and still looks puny, remove it and find something better. There are too many plants on the market that will thrive under various conditions to fret and continue to spend extra money on one.

v Recycle leaves, prunings, pine needles and other organics by composting or using this material as mulch. Raked or bagged leaves for example, can be taken directly and used as mulch, requiring that they be handled only once.

v Watch the weather cycles and schedule gardening activities accordingly. Doing things at the wrong time probably results in more wasted effort by gardeners than anything else. The application of weed killers in lawns is a prime example. If the time of application is off by as little as 2 weeks, effectiveness can be lost. Check with your Extension Agent, garden center or turf professional for recommended timing of herbicide applications.

v Quit trying to grow lawn grass in deep shade. All of the turfgrasses prefer full sunlight, though some tolerate light to moderate shade. Consider other options under large trees and in other dark spots in the landscape. Select and establish a shade tolerant ground cover or shrub planting. In many cases, natural mulches in these kind of areas can be attractive.

v In the spring vegetable garden, don’t rush the season by planting too early. Many of the vegetables grow and produce the edible parts based upon accumulated heat units, rather than days from planting. So, wait until the soil temperatures warm before planting tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and other warm weather vegetables.

Question of the Week: Will pomegranates grow here and if so, where can I get some information about them?

Answer: Yes, the pomegranate will grow in Northwest Florida. It makes an attractive tree, reaching a maximum height of 20 feet. The flowers are a flaming orange red, followed by fruit, once trees are old enough to begin producing. “Purple Seed” and Spanish Ruby” are popular dooryard cultivars.

Some local retail nurseries, garden centers and specialty fruit nurseries offer young pomegranate trees during the dormant season. The University of Florida Extension offers a two page document on the subject. Contact your local Extension office and ask for Fact Sheet HS-44, “The Pomegranate,” or download it from the website at edis.ifas.ufl.edu.