Has been used in teas and for other medicinal purposes.
This plant is drought tolerant. Grows well in dry conditions, requiring little water to grow.
Can grow up to 40″ tall.
Perennial.
Many varieties grow to be 3-4 feet tall, making them an ideal mid-height privacy screen.
When you consider that bee balmâs scent naturally repels most insects, it becomes a prime candidate to plant around your porch or patio. đ
The leaves and flowers are edible and make a delicious (and healthy) tea and popular folk remedies. Even if you donât care to eat them, the impressive flowers, with their long, sturdy stems, are an obvious choice in cut-flower arrangements. Their sweet, citrusy scent is a bonus.
Growing Bee Balm
Bee balm grows easily in USDA hardiness zones 4-9. The plant prefers rich, moist soil but needs good airflow among its leaves. It will flourish in full sun and does well in partial shade. If you have a shaded area of your lawn for a portion of the day, bee balm will be quite happy there.
If you need a quick reference or intro to gardening terms, hereâs a basic list.
ANNUALS
Varieties that complete their life cycle in one year or less, requiring sowing every year. Annual flower varieties often bloom profusely and over a long period of time.
BIENNIALS
Varieties, both flowers and vegetables, that complete their life cycle in two years, usually just showing only leaf growth the first year, and flowers the next.
BABY GREENS
Young, leafy vegetables or herbs that are harvested at 2″â4″ tall.
BOLTING
The condition of premature flowering in edible crops, often making the plant unpalatable.
BURPLESS CUCUMBERS
Cucumbers that do not produce, or produce very little of a chemical called cucurbitacin, which produces a slight bitter flavor mainly concentrated in the skin and causes minor indigestion in some people.
COLD CLIMATES
Botanical Interests defines cold climates as those that experience freezing temperatures; generally, USDA zones 9 and cooler.
COLD FRAME
A four-sided frame placed on the ground or in a garden bed that has a clear top. By design, it increases temperatures over the ambient temperature and is used for growing seedlings for transplant or for food crops, extending the harvest season.
COMPANION PLANTING
Planting different plants together that benefit one another. For example, sowing a plant that attracts pollinators next to a plant that requires pollination.
COMPOST
Organic matter often made from decomposed/broken down plant material. Compost can be used to replenish soil nutrients and introduce soil biology to a growing area or simply to reduce landfill waste.
COVER CROP
Fast growing plants, usually grains, legumes, or grasses that are utilized for one or more of their soil-enhancing qualities. These crops are usually worked into the soil or removed before they produce seed.
CROP
A plant that is cultivated for harvest, like cutting flowers or vegetables.
CULTIVARS
A species that was selected or bred by humans for a particular feature. Cultivars carry a specific name in addition to the scientific name and/or common name, e.g. ‘Brandywine’.
DAYS TO EMERGE
Number of days, on average, that it will take a seedling to emerge from the soil or medium in favorable conditions.
DAYS TO HARVEST
Number of days from sowing (or transplant) to harvest.
DEADHEADING
Cutting spent flowers off a plant, encouraging the plant to bloom again; extending the bloom period.
DETERMINATE
Describes tomatoes that stop growing when fruit begins forming from the topmost flower bud, making them more compact at around 3’â4′. Most of the crop ripens within a couple weeks time, making these a great choice for canning.
DIRECT SOW
Sow seeds directly in their permanent growing space.
DISEASE RESISTANCE
Exhibiting less susceptibility or an immunity against specific diseases as compared to other varieties.
DISEASE TOLERANCE
Better ability to thrive with the stress of infection as compared to other varieties.
DROUGHT TOLERANT
Ability to survive or thrive in low water conditions. Also known as “water-wise.”
ETIOLATION
Characterized by lanky, weak, pale plant growth, resulting from low or no-light conditions.
FAIRLY DROUGHT TOLERANT
Ability to survive or thrive in low water conditions, but to a lesser extent than “drought tolerant” plants.
FROST TOLERANT CROPS
Crops that tolerate some cool weather and even frost, although the amount of tolerance varies between crops and even varieties.
FROST SENSITIVE CROPS
Crops that are not frost tolerant and will die as a result of exposure to freezing temperatures.
FRUIT
A seed capsule that emerges from a flower, such as a tomato or melon.
FULL SUN
Six or more hours of sunlight.
GERMINATION
The moment when a seed begins to grow.
GMO
Stands for Genetically Modified Organism. Commonly means genetically engineered, indicating that the variety was manipulated at the gene level in a laboratory.
GYNOECIOUS
A plant with only pollen-accepting flowers. A pollinator plant with pollen-producing flowers is required for fruit production. These varieties are generally very productive and fast to mature.
HARDENING OFF
The 7 to 10-day process of acclimating plants started indoors to outdoor conditions.
HARDINESS
The degree to which a plant can withstand cold temperatures. Botanical Interests uses “hardiness” to also indicate the lifespan of a plant, e.g. annual, biennial, or perennial.
HEAT TOLERANCE
The ability to resist heat-triggered issues like poor pollination, bitterness, premature flowering, and lack of fruit-set.
HEIRLOOM
Botanical Interests considers open-pollinated varieties over 50 years old to be heirloom.
HYBRID
Modern F1 (filial 1) type hybrid. Two specific parent varieties are bred to achieve a first generation hybrid offspring. F1 hybrids are not open-pollinated. Traditionally, “hybrid” indicates any variety that had been made by cross-pollinating, even if that was completed by hand or an insect.
INDETERMINATE
Describes tomato varieties that continue to grow and produce tomatoes all season until first frost: therefore, you can find tomatoes at all stages on the plant at one time. Also called “pole” tomatoes because supports are helpful in guiding plants that can easily reach 6′ or more.
LATIN NAME/SCIENTIFIC NAME
The two or more part name that is unique to a specific species. Scientific names are consistent in any language, whereas a species may have several common names that may even vary by region.
MEDIUM
For horticultural purposes, a medium is the material plants grow in.
MICROGREEN
Young, leafy vegetables or herbs that are harvested just above the soil line when the plants have their first pair of leaves, called cotyledons, and possibly the just-developing true leaves.
MILD CLIMATES
Botanical Interests defines mild climates as those without freezing temperatures; generally, USDA zones 10 and warmer. By using microclimates and protections some cooler USDA zones can also use mild climate sowing instructions.
MONOECIOUS
The attribute of a plant producing both pollen-producing and pollen-receiving parts.
NATIVE
Botanical Interests identifies varieties that are native to the U.S. as “native”.
ORGANIC SEED
Describes seeds grown on certified organic property, following strict USDA guidelines regarding soil quality, pest and weed control, and the use of additives like fertilizers.
OPEN POLLINATED
Varieties that produce seeds that are “true”, growing into nearly identical plants as the plant they were harvested from (if they are not cross pollinated). Unless a Botanical Interest variety is identified as a hybrid, it is open pollinated.
PART SUN/PART SHADE
3 to 6 hours of sunlight.
PARTHENOCARPIC
The attribute of a variety producing fruit without fertilization. Cultivars produce seedless fruits when flowers are unpollinated, making them ideal for greenhouse production where pollinators may be excluded. When pollinated, these types produce seeded fruit.
PERENNIALS
Varieties that live for two or more years.
PHOTOPERIODISM/DAY LENGTH RESPONSE
Refers to a reaction some organisms have to the length of day or night. In plants this reaction is usually flowering.
POLLINATION
The fertilization of a flower by wind, insect, birds, etc. where the male pollen reaches the female stigma, resulting in a seed, sometimes surrounded by an edible fruit like a pepper.
POLLINATOR
An organism that transfers pollen.
ROW COVERS
Fabric that is used to either exclude pests or raise temperatures of the area beneath it. “Remay” is a type of poly-spun row cover material commonly used in farm and garden settings and it comes in several different thicknesses. Row covers may or may not have hoops under it to create a “low tunnel”.
SCARIFICATION
The process of breaking through a hard outer covering of a seed to allow moisture to penetrate.
SELF-SOW
To drop viable seeds to the ground. In some varieties, often annuals, if seeds are allowed to drop, those seeds will germinate, perpetuating the variety. The subsequent seedlings are often referred to as “volunteers”.
SEMI-DETERMINATE
Growth type of tomatoes that falls between determinate and indeterminate types. They produce a main crop that ripens within a couple weeks, but also continue to produce up until frost.
SPROUT
Germinated seeds that are not grown in medium but instead rinsed in water and drained several times a day.
STRATIFICATION
The process of subjecting seed to a moist and cold treatment to break dormancy, which occurs naturally when seed is sown outdoors in the fall and experiences a winter period.
SUCCESSIVE SOWING
Sowing at least once more after the initial sowing, which extends the harvest. Three ways to successive sow: 1. Staggering sowings of the same crop 2. Sowing two varieties of the same crop with different maturing dates 3. Replacing one finished crop with a different crop.
TENDER PERENNIAL
A perennial that is not cold hardy in all zones. For Botanical Interests purposes, perennials hardy in only USDA zones 7 and higher are called tender perennials.
THINNING
The act of reducing extra seedlings so that remaining plants are spaced properly.
TRANSPLANTING
Transferring a plant to a different growing space.
UNTREATED SEED
Seed that does not have a chemical treatment such as fungicide applied to it.
USDA HARDINESS ZONE
The historical, average, lowest winter temperature in specific geographic US areas. Perennials are rated using the USDA zone system, indicating the coldest temperature and USDA zone in which they can survive. âDeltona is in USDA ZONE 9bâ
VARIETY
A species that has naturally formed a unique characteristic, for example from cabbage (Brassica oleracea) came kale (Brassica oleracea var. viridis) and kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) which both adapted unique, characteristics that differ from cabbage and so the variety (“var.”) name was added to the species name.
VERNALIZATION
A cold treatment, such as found in cold winter conditions, that induces flowering in some varieties.
VOLUNTEER
A plant that emerges from being self-sown or sown by an animal rather than by the gardener.
By Jennifer Poindexter When youâre looking for ideas to brighten up your landscape, planting bulbs is a great option. Thereâs nothing like natural âŠ
Coreopsis the Florida state wildflower Photo- Anna Sarich
Native vegetation evolved to live with the local climate, soil types, and animals. This long process brings us several gardening advantages. Native plants provide multiple benefits to people and wildlife, while contributing greatly to healthy soil and water in urban and rural areas. Native plants attract a variety of birds, butterflies, and other wildlife by providing diverse habitats and food sources.
In the U.S., approximately 20 million acres of lawn are cultivated, covering more land than any single crop. Unfortunately, there are very few benefits to native wildlife from a manicured lawn. Likewise, gardens that mostly feature non-native species of plants are often of little benefit to wildlife.
Natural landscaping is an opportunity to reestablish diverse native plants, thereby inviting the birds and butterflies back home. By creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape for birds and other animals.
A native plant garden or large planting with a diversity of trees, shrubs, perennials, and grasses provides food and shelter for insects, birds, amphibians, and mammals throughout the growing season.
Leaving seed heads and plant structure throughout winter provides continuing food and shelter for many creatures and provides opportunities to observe nature up close. To underscore the importance of native plants to birds, virtually all terrestrial birds feed their young insects. Native plants provide food for insects, and insects provide food for birds. With no insects, we would have no birds.
Lantana Photo -Anna Sarich
Native wildflowers, flowering vines, shrubs, and trees offer a wide range of colors, textures and forms to create dynamic seasonal displays. Grasses and sedges have interesting flowers and seed heads and yellowâorange fall color. Shrubs and trees have fall color and berries that persist into the winter. Choosing a wide assortment of plants ensures seasonal interest, with the bonus of attracting colorful birds, butterflies and insects.
Eastern Swallowtail
Some of the many benefits of native plantings are:
Save Water: Once established, many native plants need minimal irrigation beyond normal rainfall.
Low Maintenance: Low maintenance landscaping methods are a natural fit with native plants that are already adapted to the local environment. Look forward to using less water, little to no fertilizer, little to no pesticides, less pruning, and less of your time.
Pesticide Freedom: Native plants have developed their own defenses against many pests and diseases. Since most pesticides kill indiscriminately, beneficial insects become secondary targets in the fight against pests. Reducing or eliminating pesticide use lets natural pest control take over and keeps garden toxins out of our creeks and watersheds.
Wildlife Viewing: Native plants, birds, butterflies, beneficial insects, and interesting critters are âmade for each other.â Research shows that native wildlife prefers native plants.
Support Local Ecology: As development replaces natural habitats, planting gardens, parks, and roadsides with native plantings can provide a âbridgeâ to nearby remaining wild lands and wetlands.
Learn more by coming back to DeltonaGardenClub.com
Using milk as fertilizer has been an old-time remedy in the garden for many generations.
Milk, it does the body good.
But did you know it may also be good for the garden? Using milk as fertilizer has been an old-time remedy in the garden for many generations. In addition to helping with plant growth, feeding plants with milk can also alleviate many issues in the garden, from calcium deficiencies to viruses and powdery mildew.
Letâs find out how to take advantage of the beneficial fertilizer components in milk.
Milk Fertilizer Benefits
Milk is a good source of calcium, not only for humans, but for plants as well. Raw, or unpasteurized, cowâs milk has some of the same nourishing properties for plants that it has for animals and people. It contains beneficial proteins, vitamin B and sugars that are good for plants, improving their overall health and crop yields. The microbes that feed on the fertilizer components of milk are also beneficial to the soil. Like us, plants use calcium for growth.
Use the mixture for spot treatments
A lack of calcium is indicated when plants look stunted and donât grow to their full potential. Blossom end rot, which is commonly seen in squash, tomatoes and peppers, is caused by a calcium deficiency. Feeding plants with milk ensures they will get enough moisture and calcium.
Feeding plants with milk has been used with varying effectiveness in pesticide applications, especially with aphids. Perhaps the best use of milk has been in reducing the transmission of mosaic leaf viruses such as tobacco mosaic.
Milk has been used as an effective antifungal agent, specifically in the prevention of powdery mildew.
Drawbacks to Feeding Plants with Milk
Along with the benefits of using milk fertilizer, one must include its drawbacks.
These include:
âąUsing too much milk isnât a good idea since the bacteria in it will spoil, resulting in a foul odor and wilty, poor growth.
âąThe fat in milk can produce unpleasant odors as it breaks down as well.
âąThe benign fungal organisms that colonize leaves and break down milk can be aesthetically unattractive.
Dried skim milk has been reported to induce black rot, soft rot, and Alternaria leaf spot on treated cruciferous crops.
Even with these few drawbacks, itâs plain to see that the benefits far outweigh any downsides.
Using Milk Fertilizer on Plants
So what type of milk can be used as milk fertilizer in the garden?
I like to use milk that is past its date (great way to recycle), but you can use fresh milk, evaporated milk, or even powdered milk as well. It is important that you dilute the milk with water.
Mix a solution of 50 percent milk and 50 percent water. When using milk fertilizer as a foliar spray, add the solution to a spray bottle and apply to plant leaves. The leaves will absorb the milk solution. However, keep in mind that some plants, like tomatoes, are prone to developing fungal diseases if the fertilizer remains on the leaves too long.
If the solution is not being absorbed adequately, you can gently wipe down the leaves with a wet cloth or spray them with water.
Less milk can be used if you have a lot of plants to feed, as with a large garden area. Using a garden hose sprayer is a common method for feeding plants with milk in large gardens, as the flowing water keeps it diluted. Continue spraying until the entire area is coated.
Distribute about 5 gallons of milk per acre or about 1 quart of milk per 20-by-20-foot patch of garden. Allow the milk to soak into the ground. Repeat every few months, or spray once at the beginning of the growing season and again during mid-season.
Alternatively, you can pour the milk mixture around the base of the plants where the roots will gradually absorb the milk. This works well in smaller gardens. You can place the top portion of a 2-liter bottle (upside down) in the soil next to new plants at the beginning of the season. This makes an excellent reservoir for both watering and feeding plants with milk.
Do not treat the area with any form of chemical pesticide or fertilizer after applying milk fertilizer. This can affect the main fertilizer components in milk that actually help the plantsâbacteria. While there may be some odor from the decaying bacteria, the aroma should subside after a few days.
If youâre looking for an unusual plant to fill an empty pot, consider Billbergia nutans. Also known as queenâs tears or the friendship plant, this member of the Bromeliaceae family grows almost anywhere in common soil or no soil and with little care. The plantâs nearly indestructible foliage and unusual blooms provide an exotic accent to a deck, doorway or flowerbed.
History and habitat
Billbergia nutans was named for the Swedish botanist, zoologist and anatomist Gustaf Johan Billberg (1772-1844). Nutans means ânodding,â a description for its undulating blooms.
A native of Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, this bromeliad is also found in Mexico and Central America, Ecuador, Peru and Argentina. Generally an epiphytic in its native habitat, flourishing on rocks and trees, Queenâs tears also thrives on the subtropical forest floor and in the well-drained soil of gardens or containers. As a ground cover, the plant spreads quickly growing outward from the original rhizome.
This monocotâs thick grasslike grey-green leaves with saw tooth edges and pointed tips present themselves in funnel-shaped rosettes. Each rosette, approximately 12 to 15 leaves, can reach heights of over 15 inches. Once a year, in springtime, a long arching pink stem emerges from the rosetteâs center bearing one of the most striking of floral color combinations Iâve ever seen.
Must-see-to-believe blooms
Imagine this long arching pink stem topped with day-glo reddish pink pendant bracts bursting with flowers.
And thatâs not all.
The blooms hang in clusters, tubular in form, with three backward curved pink sepals with violet-blue margins, three reflexed lime-green petals outlined in navy blue to purple, and six protruding stamens one inch long with bright yellow anthers.
The blooms exude nectar. Sticky and clear, these visible droplets are often described as âweeping,â which occurs when the plant is touched or moved. These âtearsâ in combination with the purple color of royalty that outlines the lime-green petals, is the reason for its common name queenâs tears. Since this bromeliad readily produces new offsets called âpupsâ that are dividable from the original plant and easily shared. If you are fortunate to receive âa startâ from a friend, remember that most Billbergia nutans need two to three years to mature before flowering.
Easy-care tips
Mid February after a good rain
Tolerant of drought, queenâs tears can survive months without water. This plant obtains moisture and nutrients from rain or overhead watering or misting, not from the roots. If you place your plant in a pot with a saucer, do not allow water to accumulate in the saucer, which leads to root rot. Use regular garden soil or planting soil and keep the soil slightly dry. Repot and/or divide when the rosettes overgrow their container. Billbergia nutans prefers partial shade and can scorch in full sun. A location beneath an overhang or tree is best.
Queenâs tears is hardy for USDA Zones 8-11. My plant, which I obtained as an offset from a friend, grows outdoors in a pot â a sturdy survivor of several Vacaville winters.
Launa Herrmann is a Master Gardener with the University of California Cooperative Extension office in Fairfield. If you have gardening questions, call the Master Gardenerâs office at 784-1322.
Plants are first mentioned in the Bible in the first chapter of the first book: âThen God said, âLet the earth bring forth grass, theherbthat yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kindâŠâ(Genesis 1:11). Throughout the ages, the Hebrews have attributed holiness to many species of plants. The Scriptures associate feasts, rites and commandments with many plants and their cultivation. Early written information about herbs is found in the Bible back to the time of Moses or even earlier. In Exodus 12:22 Moses tells the children of Israel how to save their children by using the herb and lambâs blood.âAnd you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin.âIn Numbers 19:6, 18hyssopis again mentioned. Also, in 1 Kings 4:33 God gave Solomon wisdom, âAnd he(Solomon)spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wallâŠâPsalms 51:7 refers to this plant:âPurge me withhyssop,and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.âWhile pride is symbolized by the majestic cedar of Lebanon in Jewish tradition, the lowly hyssop represents modesty and humility. At least eighteen plants have been considered for the hyssop of the Bible, but modern botanists have generally agreed that Syrian majoram (Origanum syriacum)is the likely plant. It seems to fit well with these verses. It was used to cleanse homes defiled by leprosy or death and came to symbolize cleanliness. Its fragrance and taste led it to be prized by the ancient Romans and the Greeks before them. Bridges and grooms wore crowns made ofmarjoram. It was also quite likely prized in the kitchen, as it is now.
In the New Testament a sponge soaked in sour wine or vinegar was stuck on a branch of hyssop and offered to Jesus of Nazareth on the cross (John 19:29). Hyssop-Oregano was often gathered in bunches and used as a brush or sprinkler for Jewish purification rituals.
Mint (Mentha longifolia) or horsemint is thought by many Jewish scholars to be the mint referenced by Jesus in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 in His discourse with the Pharisees. It along with anise or dill and cumin grow wild in parts of Palestine, mint being the most common. The Pharisee taxed himself lightly if he paid the tithe of mint, for it was too common and too easily cultivated to be of much worth, even though it was valuable as a medicinal herb. It was one of the plants subjected to the ban on sowing and gathering every seventh year. Jesusâ lesson on hyprocrisy is told by Matthew and again by Luke, and mint is the one herb mentioned by both. The Greek wordHeduosmos, ormintha, means âhaving a sweet smellâ and refers to âa sweet-smelling herb or mint.â The plant derives its name from Mintha, a Greek nymph who was transformed into the herb by Persephone after Persephone learned that her husband, Pluto had loved the nymph. Several varieties of mint grew in Israel, but horsemint is the most common and probably the one referred to by Matthew and Luke. Horsemint is still found today in the Holy Land and is cultivated at Aleppo in Syria. It is much larger than theother mints, reaching a height of three feet or more, with lilac flowers. It grows in moist, sunny places where it tends to run wild. It has been confused withMentha spicata, or spearmint. The Hebrews used mint as a strewing herb at home and in the Temple, prizing its clean and aromatic scent. They served mint at the Spring Passover Feast of the Paschal Lamb, and today it is one of the âbitter herbsâ of the paschal feast.
In Israel the branched inflorescence of theSalvia dominicais one of the several salvias thought to have inspired the design of the menorah, seven-branched candelabra, or lampstand. Other scholars believe Judean sage (Salvia judaica) may have been in view.Judaicais from the HebrewYehudah, or Judah, the name given to the mountainous southern part of the land of Israel. The Bible describes Godâs instructions to Bezalel of the tribe of Judah, one of Mosesâ Israelites, to make an ark, altar and table of acacia wood:And he made the lampstand of pure gold; of hammered work he made the lampstand. Its shaft, itsbranches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and itsflowerswere of the same pieceâŠâ(Exodus 37:17).Sagehad already proven its value as both a flavoring and a medicine, so it is hardly surprising that it appeared in religious symbolism.
Itâs a little too soon for Speed Weeks đ in Daytona so it âmust be âSeed Weeksâ! đ€Ș
If you are following this blog, then you will see itâs already time to transplant the seeds that were just in baggies!
âRecyclingâ 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!
âRecyclingâ 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 theyâll be jumping out to the garden by themselves!
We have two times a year here in Florida to celebrate Arbor Day. January and April!
This year, January 19, 2019, I will be planting a tree at Pine Ridge High School. Please contact DeltonaGardens@outlook.com if you are interested in attending.
Deltona Garden Club 