The Robins are here EARLY! The first time was in March. The groundhog prediction is right on! Spring is on its way “north”.
This is the second time catching the Robins gathering in this tree for a stop on their migration.
If I wasn’t taking a break from pulling down some vines, I wouldn’t have noticed them up high in the River Birch.
Propagation
Propagation
— Read on leavesfordays.com/2019/02/13/186/
Good read!
So you’d like to start a garden.
Does the thought of digging a new garden make you just opt for a large potting container instead?
This is no one’s favorite garden chore, but there’s no way around it. Your chosen site will probably have grass on it or at least weeds. These must be cleared somehow before you can plant anything.
Tilling without removing the grass or weeds is best done in the fall so that the grass will have a chance to begin decomposing during the winter. Even so, you will probably see new grass and weeds emerging in the spring. It’s better to either remove the existing vegetation completely or to smother it.
NO DIGGING for the “patient” Gardener
A sharp flat-edged spade can be used to slice out the sod. If you have poor soil and need to amend it with organic matter or other nutrients, removing the sod may be your best bet, so that you can till in the amendments.
Removing sod can be heavy work, and you wind up losing good topsoil along with the sod. If your soil is in relatively good shape, it is possible to leave the grass in place and build on top of it. Place a thick layer (8-10 sheets) of newspaper over the garden bed and wet it thoroughly. Then cover the newspaper with 4-6 inches of good soil. The newspaper will eventually decompose, and the turf and weeds will be smothered. There may be some defiant weeds that poke through, but not so many you can hand weed them.
Starting with good soil means you won’t have to add a lot of artificial fertilizer to your garden. If you’ve fed the soil with amendments, the soil will feed your plants
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Fruit? Try fruit too!
Figs
Imagine having a bag of Figs in your refrigerator for about a year. No one is going to eat them! I decided to take that practically full bag and plant the figs in “my growing pot”. (That’s the pot for all my experiments!)
I totally forgot what I planted since I frequently stick flower stems, seeds, etc, into that growing pot, anything really, just for fun.
Much to my surprise some nice large green leaves popped up. I put a photo onto Facebook to try to get help identifying the leaf. (I forgot what I planted – it was a year ago) Everyone guessed wrong. It turned out to be Fig Trees!!!
I have two in the ground but they sure liked being in that pot best!
Pineapple
This pineapple , you guessed it, is of course the green top of one I twisted off – bought at the store!
Black Eyed Peas are fun to grow
Black Eyed Peas
My friend gave me a baggie full of beans and said they’d put nitrogen back into the soil. Yes bought at the store!
Celery
Now that growing pot got taken over by Celery. I just pulled 7 out and placed in garden.
Sorry to say they are not store bought. They actually grew from seeds, I tossed in a year before!
Watch how to grow more store bought vegetables from my garden friend.
Veggies 🌶 veggies 🍅 veggies 🌽
What have you had luck growing? Comments encouraged!!
Coyote sightings in the Deltona area.
Please keep pets in and safe from attacks as it is Coyote mating season.
In the 30 years as a Deltona resident, this is the first time I’ve heard that Coyotes are lurking around!
There have also been reports of wounded cats and dogs on the Neighbors App. Typically Coyotes aren’t usually a threat. I’ve learned this from posts by neighbors as well as the Sheriff Dept.
Also the lakes (watersheds) are full. If you haven’t been on India Blvd lately, take a ride and see how high the water table is. What could have been burrows, could now be flooded forcing Coyotes out into neighborhoods. That’s my opinion.
“Deltona Lakes” are back if only temporarily.
The “Neighbors App Alerts” have been helping our neighbors monitor car thefts, break in’s, crazy activity “AND” find their LOST pets.
It’s free! I think it’s pretty neat.
Our local law enforcement has joined as well to help in real-time and It’s anonymous – by radius. Share with your neighbors!!!
You don’t have to have the Ring Doorbell btw.
It’s a little too soon for Speed Weeks 🏁 in Daytona so it “must be “Seed Weeks”! 🤪
If you are following this blog, then you will see it’s already time to transplant the seeds that were just in baggies!
“Recycling” the days trash into useful vessels
What a difference a few days makes. Shhh, had to eat all the Krispy Kreme donuts to put the box to good use! Oatmeal box, egg crate, toilet rolls, dog food box; etc!
“Recycling” all in a days work as well!
Lettuce
The Lettuce and Calabrese Broccoli actually sprouted in 2 days and grew quite fast. I had to use a skewer stick to push roots down further into soil. Tomorrow they’ll be jumping out to the garden by themselves!
Broccoli
Calabrese Broccoli
Green Beans
Green Bean ready to unfold
Here’s proof toilet paper rolls work out well!
Excited to “Let the Races Begin”! 🏁
Join Deltona Garden Club
Free Membership February!!! (Save $12 yr)
I am getting ready for the season. The last frost predictions are usually mid February to be safe. Weather is unpredictable so be prepared to cover tender new growth if you do set them in ground.
The purple color is from the grow light. Not really needed but since I have one, why not!
This is the simplest way to get a head start that I have tried. I use a sponge for most seeds but with so many I have to use a wet paper towel.
As you can see, I wet the towel (just short of dripping) and place in a sealed baggy. If you have never tried this, most all seeds sprout. Make sure you have room in your garden. Now is the perfect time to till or turn the earth.
Add amendments or your favorite medium to the beds. When those soaking seeds get an inch or two big you can sow. It’s best to transfer new seedlings into small pots to get established before setting out into the elements.
If you have any wildlife that frequent your yard, be diligent in protecting against invaders!
Squirrels in my yard are my biggest culprits. I watched a squirrel eat the leaves off my hibiscus! They eat everything. Rats are also a problem as well as any animals that eats grubs, or greens. Inexpensive wire fencing helps deter.
If you have ideas on how to keep pests out if your garden, comment and let us know!
It’s never too early to be prepared so let’s get growing!!!
“What plants are native to your area”?
The list above is shared from UFl but NOT ALL will grow in your location in Central Florida. The list is by no means an exact science with so many unique locations to consider
Lakes, open areas, dry areas, scrub areas, soil quality, PH, soil amendments, sunlight or lack of, seasonal weather events,; etc, all play a part in the health of your garden
“Native” plants are pretty much whatever grows naturally without human placement. That is “my opinion” from 30 years of trial and error. I’ve watched nature decide what filled the empty spaces in my yard Some were allowed to remain but others had to go. The yard and garden transformations from year to year are ever changing I don’t always agree with Mother Nature but I believe, I know, she knows best!
My goal from the first year living in Florida was, not to watch another plant freeze, or die due of dehydration from heat, or dry to a crispy dried branch!! After all, I had personal relationships with some (actually all) of these plants. Did I mention what it cost to “wing it”? Or how I had what I thought was a green thumb…..until I moved from “South Jersey” to Florida! Thank goodness I was up for this new challenge!
When you see your favorite little joys bite the dust it is heartbreaking. I do not like loosing things that give me so much joy. Anyone who shares a gardening passion can understand that! I knew it was time to stop watering dead plants AND stop wasting money as well It’s a wonderfully different experience now
SO – I joined Deltona Garden Club and my little piece of paradise began to grow! The knowledgeable ladies and men I had the pleasure of meeting, taught me so much Sadly many of my mentors are gone but I am hoping to keep the garden club legacy alive by sharing stories such as this
Florida celebrates Arbor Day every January as well as every April 26th.
Cool days of winter are perfect.
Celebrate “Arbor Day Florida” today by planting a tree. *Or not? It’s usually a great time to plant trees that are in a dormant stage. ⚠️ (*I’d wait until after the freeze we are expecting Sunday here in the southeast.)
“What types of trees are dormant in Florida?” “What type of tree grows in Florida?”
If you take a look around your neighborhood, take note of trees that have lost their leaves! If you aren’t sure what kinds of trees they are, pick up a few leaves. Take a photo of height and placement for reference.
Trees aren’t just for oxygenation, erosion, wildlife, etc, but for cost savings if you’re a homeowner.
Planting the right tree in the correct place can cut your cooling costs in half. Florida sun can be scorching and relentless on the hottest summer days. Save your interior carpet, furniture, curtains from fading, or “disintegrating” all together!
The hottest time of day for the “rays” to be most intense is around 4 pm at my home. The sun setting in the west doesn’t loose much punch on the way down. Hot as 2 o’clock noon if not hotter. An aluminum awning had to be put over the window immediately after building the home. Took some time for trees to be tall enough to be effective.
Electric bills too high? Plant a 🌳. See you in April!
See our photos of our tree planting projects or get advice from our community at DeltonaGardenClub.com
This is a “Ruby Red Grapefruit!” This gets a good wash, then breakfast for tomorrow.
Deltona Garden Community 