Fall Garden Tips for Zone 9

In Zone 9, Fall can be one of the most productive seasons in the garden.  The temperatures are not  as extreme as the summer and in many parts of the country there is a fair amount of rain.  To ensure a good season, it is important to be prepared for the fall growing season.  Here are some tips to get your fall garden started.

Clean the Garden -

With the extreme heat that many parts of Zone 9 experience during the summer, many gardens will need a good clean up to get ready for the fall garden.  This clean up will include -

Removing Spent Crops - Removing Weeds - Removing Fallen Fruit

During the dog days of summer many gardeners will neglect their garden.  Some do it because they do not want to work in the heat, some do it because they are not a fan of the limited crops that can be grown in Zone 9 summers.  Whatever the reason, a good cleanup will give your garden a great start for the fall.

Loosen Compacted Soil - this is a good practice when prepping a garden for any season and pretty much every crop.  Loosening compacted soil will encourage faster root growth, allow water to get to roots easier, allow for better drainage and make nutrients easier for plants to access.  A garden fork or a twist tiller work great for this.  Simply dig down into the soil and move it around to loosen it up!

Amend the Soil - adding nutrients to soil will help ensure a successful fall garden.  Compost, manure, worm castings, fertilizers (we prefer organic fertilizers to help keep the microbes and other life in the soil happy), and any well broken down organic matter.

Mulch - mulch can be vital to the success of a garden in Zone 9.  The mulch helps keep the soil temperatures down on hot sunny days, helps retain moisture and helps prevent wees.  Mulching the entire garden during the fall is always a good practice to help ensure a bountiful fall garden harvest.

Thank you to Joy Breitung for this information.

A Moment in Your Garden

For me gardens are all about sanctuary and moments in time.  I can have a bad day and go out into my garden and find a sense of peace.

There are so many "moments" we eagerly anticipate - that first bloom of a beloved plant, the first sign of spring, harvesting our vegetables and herbs, those dreaded weeds, and the delightful smell of your favorite plant.

One of our members, Past President, Stacia Snuggs had one of those moments just recently with her night blooming cereus.  

She caught a picture of one of the blooms recently and shared with us -

Wikipedia tells us - Night-blooming cereus is the common name referring to a large number of flowering ceroid cacti that bloom at night.  The flowers are short lived, and some of these species, such as Selenicereus grandiflorus bloom only once a year for a single night.

A true "moment in time" in Stacia's garden.

Respectfully Submitted,

Karen Rowe

Sea Turtle Seminar

George DeMarino who works with Sea Turtle Rescue Operations will be presenting a seminar at the Live Oak Circle Meeting.

The meeting is June 27th, 2019, at 7 p.m.  Please don't miss this spectacular learning experience.  Children are welcome.

My family and I were lucky enough to see George in action this past weekend.  His knowledge and dedication are much appreciated.  The job is much more involved than I realized. 

See below some recent pictures of George working in South Ponte Vedra Beach area.

It was great seeing George in action.  Hope to see you all at the meeting on Thursday!

Respectfully Submitted,

Karen Rowe

Crepe Myrtles

I presume that by now everybody knows not to commit “Crepe Murder” (or an alternate name is “hatracking”) by shearing down all the top branches and ruining the shape of these beautiful trees.  

If you need a smaller plant, did you know that there are a staggering number of cultivars of Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)?  You can find all shades of white, pink, red, or purple (sorry, no blues or yellows), and all sized from 3 feet to 50 feet high.  Some grow wide and short, some tall and narrow, with all sizes in between.  So, you see, there is no need to prune your tree to the size you want – go buy one of the desired size and color. They are remarkably hardy and healthy.  As a bonus, the bark of many cultivars is beautifully colored with brownish red patches, and a lightly colored peeling habit. It is wonderful as a replacement tree since it lends itself to our present residential-sized lots and neighborhoods. 

There are two nurseries in driving distance (Gainesville or Valdosta) which specialize in these trees – they do advertise on the internet.  I hope you find one or more to suit your landscape.

May your horticultural results be as fulfilling as your gardening diligence.      

Martha Dysart

Spring is the Season for Iris

I’m not talking about those big, beautiful bearded iris (they won’t last here), rather I am thinking of so-called walking iris.  True, they are one-day-wonders, but if you have a big patch of them, they will all bloom on the same day, then wait a day, then all bloom again.  I have no idea why they do this, but having asked everybody who grows them, I find that every person has the same experience.  

Walking iris (Iris) are named for their habit of growing flowers on long stems which eventually get an “air” root system which becomes increasingly heavy.  The stem falls over, the root starts to attach to the soil and grow another plant – hence it “walked” to a new location.  They are quite “polite” in their spreading habit, and easy to pull out if your patch gets too big.  A little morning or mid-day sun and regular water is all they need.  These patches also grow pretty densely, so weeds are discouraged from growing except on the edge.

The most common species is Neomarica gracilis.  It is white with royal blue accents.

A second type that I have seen a lot is the yellow with brown specks -- Neomarica longifolia.

 A third type, and not very common is the sky-blue Neomarica caerulea. 

All three can be easily grown in this area.  They are pretty cold-hardy, but their leaves can get ratty looking after a freeze (just cut them off).  They bloom in late March or early April, and are a welcome sight in your barely awakening garden.

May your horticultural results be as fulfilling as your gardening diligence.

Martha Dysart

MMI Workshop

On May 4, 2019, two Monarch-Milkweed plant classes will be presented during the Mandarin Garden Club's free public weekend.

If you are interested in learning about the Monarch butterfly migration, how to grow native only milkweed plants to raise them or the benefits of having a butterfly garden, please consider joining us.  The workshops will be held at 9:15 a.m. and again at 2 p.m.

Garden Public Day - Natives in the Garden