Category Archives: Gardening

Overwintering and Indoor Plant Propagation

Overwintering and indoor plant propagation require special attention to temperature and lighting. Let’s say you went a bit overboard with your purchases of tropicals and other cold-sensitive plants last Spring and Summer. Now you wonder if you’re prepared for that first frost and freeze warning. Indeed, miles apart are our Northeast Florida Winters from our subtropical Summers. So winter homes become forested with houseplants, potted tropicals, palms, and many high-dollar specialty plants that would probably rather not be there.

The fundamentals are the same for plants to survive. Each variety has its minimum required amounts of air, light, nutrients, space, time, warmth, and water. Know your plant’s cold-hardiness and your area climate. The temperatures along the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean are warmer than surrounding areas. These aren’t reported in the area weather forecast. These microclimate conditions vary widely associated with factors that limit wind and temperature exposure such as large tree canopies, dunes, and structures.

If you decide to bring in plants, thoroughly inspect the foliage and soil to avoid bringing in pests that might spread to others. Like your own health, the more time and effort you put into your plants’ health, the better off they will be. Many of the same pests you protected your plants from outdoors would love to do more of the same damage indoors. And the conditions improve indoors for some pests like spider mites. Clean the plants removing damaged foliage and leaf litter that make nice homes for pests. Reduce the plants watering schedule and position away from heat and drafts. Know your plants, which involves more than a google search, but getting to know them from hands-on experience.

Oh, and before you packed all those plants indoors, did you consider each of their light requirements? You may have perfect indoor low, and medium-light suited for your Sansevieria and Dracaenas, but not enough window space with sufficient lighting for all the other plants you want to bring in. Experience will say it’s the sort of thing you realize wasn’t totally planned out that you can improve on year after year. Yet, we want to have a thrive, not just survive, attitude with our gardening. But, there is a lot to learn. “Seedlings need more light than full-grown plants, ideally as much as 16-18 hours a day,” according to PlanetNatural.com. “We’ve found that a window sill, even a sun porch, doesn’t provide enough light to grow strong, healthy, compact starts.” Research your plant’s needs and figure out if it might be better to leave some of them outside, possibly covered with freeze cloth. Potted plants left outdoors should get extra protection as you don’t want the soil to freeze.

What about a greenhouse? If you’ve got the space they have much better light and provide other benefits. “An indoor agricultural evolution is in the making,” according to Food Safety News. “That’s how some people see the surge of interest in growing leafy greens in greenhouses. Because indoor growing is a controlled environment, the farmers don’t have to deal with wildlife, domestic animals, and birds flying overhead — all of which can contaminate the crops.” Indoor growing techniques have advanced so much that about half of all US vegetable production is done indoors. The consumer market for prefabricated greenhouses is strong resulting in a readily available selection of structural shapes and styles.

Commercial agriculture operations likewise use a host of other techniques to protect plants, including high and low tunnels, cold frames, and hoop houses. “From the outside, a high tunnel closely resembles a greenhouse—it is constructed of the same galvanized steel hoops and polyethylene covering,” according to Keith Stewart author of It’s a Long Road to a Tomato. “But it is not likely to have a fan or heater, and the plants inside will not be growing in trays—rather, they will be growing in the ground and will remain there until harvested. For ventilation, a high tunnel will have sides that roll up about 4 feet along the entire length of the structure, allowing outside air to flow through when temperatures on the inside get too high.”

DIYers can duplicate these structures with clear greenhouse plastic on a pergola or other structures during the cold months and then remove and store them until next winter. Greenhouse plastic properties to consider include, durability, light diffusion capacity, and UV stabilization. Thin greenhouse plastic is less durable and doesn’t last as long as more expensive thicker woven greenhouse plastic. It’s all spelled out on their online shops. AgricultureSolutions.com is one source with price ranges from $0.07 to $0.34 per square foot.

For many plant lovers, the grow light is preferred to the greenhouse. Grow light systems include Fluorescent, Compact Fluorescent (CFLs), Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) Incandescent, High-pressure sodium (HPS), and metal halide (MH). Choose the appropriate light for your application. There are grow lights that emit the light spectrum best suited for each stage of the plant life cycle including seed germination, vegetative growth, flowering, and fruiting stages. For general use, propagation, and growing seedlings, the full-spectrum LEDs are best for plant health with a low energy draw as they aren’t creating heat. They are good for all phases of plant growth whereas others specialize in only a particular phase of growth.

Growers House provides a comparison and review test using laboratory data to identify the best LED grow lights of 2021 and what you need to know to get the most for your dollar and indoor plants.

For more information contact our staff with any additional overwintering and indoor propagation questions. We are here to help you achieve your indoor and outdoor gardening goals.

Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.

Rethreaded’s Delores Weaver Campus Grand Opening

Earth Works welcomed the opportunity to provide landscaping for Human Trafficking victims services non-profit Rethreaded’s Delores Barr Weaver Campus before its grand opening. Rethreaded is moving from a 2,800 square foot facility to this 36,000 square foot location in Springfield. This was made possible by donations and a matching grant from Weaver, a local philanthropist and a former owner of the Jaguars football team.
The mission of the Rethreaded non-profit as described by charitynavigator.org is “social entrepreneurship that is breaking the cycle of the sex trade by offering viable and creative work to those affected by the sex trade i.e. prostitution, drug addiction, and human trafficking. Rethreaded offers the oppressed a chance to grow into the fullness of who they are.” Charitynavigator assesses Rethreaded 97 out of 100 in their “Give with Confidence” rating.

We’ve been impressed by the follow-through on the vision of Rethreaded by its Founder Kristin Keen. She has been our point of contact handling even the small details herself throughout our landscaping project. “Founded in 2012, Rethreaded was inspired by the five years Keen lived in India,” according to the Florida Times Union. “She and a friend formed a similar business there, helping women in the sex trade by giving them jobs creating handmade blankets and other products.
At Rethreaded, women have employment opportunities in production, inventory, sales, marketing and finance and administration. It also operates as a distribution company that sells products from like-minded businesses who also employ trafficking survivors.”

Rethreaded’s facilities expansion and increased funding will afford more opportunities for the growing numbers of human trafficking victims in Northeast Florida. “In 2020, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Department identified almost double the number of human trafficking victims as the year before and twice as many children,” according to First Coast News. “Instead of only being able to help 15 people, Rethreaded will now be able to hire 60.”

Jason Duffney gives a tour sharing the scope of our landscaping for the meditation garden at Rethreaded in the provided video. He relates the caring mission of Rethreaded to Earth Works caring for its own family of employees.

The Grand Opening of Rethreaded’s Delores Barr Weaver Campus at 151 9th Street East is Saturday, November 20, 2021, from 6-9 pm.

Find out more about their grand opening at:
https://rethreaded.com/events/grand-opening/
There are various ways to get involved and support Rethreaded including volunteering and donations, and Earth Works encourages you to do so.

Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.

November Lawn & Garden Tips 2021

November lawn and garden tips start by noticing that Jacksonville’s climate this month is typically the driest with the possibility for the areas first seasonal frost day. Weather can vary greatly as Thanksgiving temperatures in Duval have ranged from the twenties in 1970 to a high of 86 degrees in 2014. Unlike northern states, our holiday entertaining can typically be done comfortably on the patio, by the pond and fire pit. Throughout the month, the average temperatures are between 75 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Be mindful of your weekly rainfall totals. Water when necessary and prepare to protect your tender plants and furry friends from that first frost.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE WATER OUR LAWN IN NOVEMBER?
With an average of four days of rain in November, it’s the driest month averaging 2.34 inches and comes on the heels of a drier than usual October. Once per week watering is the rule in Jacksonville, coinciding with a return to Standard Time on November 6. Earth Works Lawn Care Operations Manager Chad Lakin urges that we continue to need two watering events per week this time of year. They can both be rain events or supplemented with irrigation and hand watering. Weird way of saying it, but concise.
Stipulations for Jacksonville’s watering ordinance include:
1) No watering from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
2) Odd number addresses, or addresses ending with letters N-Z, or no address may water only on Saturday.
3) Even number addresses or those ending with A-M may water only on Sunday.
4) Non-residential addresses may water only on Tuesday and 5) Apply up to ¾-inch or less of water one time per week.

SHOULD WE FERTILIZE OUR GRASS IN NOVEMBER?
Our warm-season grasses are going dormant, but caring properly for them now will lead to a healthy lawn in Spring. Winterizing fertilizers has gotten mixed reviews in recent years. Fertilizer blackout periods prohibit nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization throughout much of Florida (excluding Duval County) from June through September to prevent surface water contamination and algae blooms. Chad Lakin, Lawn Maintenance Operations Manager recommends Fall fertilization for root health with an NPK of 0-0-26, which helps protect against grey leaf spot fungus during the growing season. Fall fertilization aims to provide supplemental nutrition to boost turf health for sustaining it through dormancy.
There is a “4R Nutrient Stewardship” concept developed by the International Plant Nutrition Institute and shared by scientific and educational institutions around the world specifically related to the best use of fertilizers.
4Rs incorporates:
• Right fertilizer source at the
• Right rate, at the
• Right time and in the
• Right place

WHICH VEGETABLES SHOULD WE PLANT IN THE FALL?
November North Florida Vegetable Planting Calendar from the University of Florida IFAS includes Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mustard, Onions, Radish, Spinach, Strawberry, & Turnips.
Did you know that Earth Works has many varieties of veggies available and ready to plant?

Compost is our model for good soil. We recommend Wild Earth Soil Mix, a nice dark rich, light-weight compost mix that’s perfect for growing your vegetable garden in and sold by the bag and yard. We’d additionally recommend amending garden bed soil with Espoma Organic Biotone Starter plant food. It contains mycorrhizae that help root development, nutrient uptake, and support. We have a variety of additional soil amendments, including earthworm castings and exotic manures including bat guano.

HOW DO WE PREPARE THE SOIL?
Unless farming a large garden plot, consider utilizing raised garden beds for vegetables to better contain gardening soil mixes, composts, manures, and other soil amendments. Raised beds tend to have higher soil temperature that’s less compacted with better drainage. Growing crops directly in the ground has obviously worked for all of human history, but in urban eras especially be certain that you don’t grow your food in toxic chemicals. Unmarked dump sites and leaking underground storage tanks for gas stations, etc can be a source of groundwater pollution and soil contamination that you wouldn’t want to grow crops for your family in. Know before you grow.

WHICH PESTS SHOULD WE LOOK OUT FOR IN THE FALL?
Protect your crops from caterpillars and other insects that like to eat our vegetables and ornamentals with the beneficial bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis available from Monterey and Thuricide. Another beneficial bacterial agent is Spinosad which likewise kills garden pests and is available in Capt. Jack’s Dead Bug Brew. Our recommendation to effectively treat fungal outbreaks in the vegetable garden is limited amounts of Copper Fungicide (also acts as algaecide and bactericide) by Bonide. Beware though that even though copper fungicide is a staple in organic gardening that there are concerns about the bioaccumulative properties of copper. Boost your Fall vegetable gardening success with once per week fertilization with Organic Neptune’s Harvest Fish Emulsion liquid fertilizer.

JOIN US SATURDAY ON THE JACKSONVILLE POND TOUR!
The Jacksonville Pond Tour is our annual one-day event on Saturday, November 6, an opportunity to visit many of the area’s finest water gardens and koi ponds built by Earth Works. Take advantage of the opportunity to speak with and ask questions of the homeowners about not only the joy of having the pond but bring your construction, maintenance, and other questions. Be inspired by the beauty and tranquil nature of these custom-designed Aquascape ecosystem ponds.
The Jacksonville Pond Tour for 2021 is a FREE self-guided event held on Saturday, November 6, from 10 am to 4 pm. See www.jaxpondtour.com.

Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. We hope you found the November Lawn and Garden Tips helpful and remind everyone that for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.

Pond Life Photo Contest 2021

On September 17 we launched our Pond Life Photo Contest to end on October 30. The Jacksonville Pond Tour was the following weekend. Rather than us doing the talking this was an opportunity to share your own ponds and those you’ve visited that are your favorites. The criteria for the contest on Facebook was to share your images in the comment section of one of our numerous Pond Contest posts. There was a $100 gift card awarded to the winner.

Earth Works Pond Life Photo Contest Winner was Joanna Ostojska for this submitted image! “We are happy to donate the whole amount to your charity, The Sanctuary on 8th Street ,” said Joanna Ostojska the winner!

THANK YOU JOANNA!

Contest Entries

_{^{No words can explain the beauty and simplicity of nature.}}

-Barbara Jane Millman Maurice pond life VIDEO

Thank you to everyone who shared their lovely images!

Follow up and stay tuned for more contests!

 

Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712.

Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, TPC, Sawgrass, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park,  Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine. Additionally:

Fall Vegetable Gardening in Northeast Florida

Fall vegetable gardening in Northeast Florida is an opportunity to grow cool-season veggies including broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, carrots, kale, lettuce, radishes, spinach, and Swiss Chard. Earth Works has available seeds and seedlings to get your Fall vegetable garden started and here are a few tips for green thumb-level success.

IMPORTANCE OF SOIL

Good soil is essential for successful veggie gardening. “To the frustration of many gardeners, Florida’s “soil” is mostly sand,” according to the University of Florida. “This gray, fine soil is called Myakka, (pronounced My-yakah), an Indian word for “big waters.” Only found in Florida, Myakka covers the majority of the state—more than 1½ million acres—and is actually our official state soil.”

Compost is our model for good soil. We recommend Wild Earth Soil Mix, a nice dark rich, light-weight compost mix that’s perfect for growing your vegetable garden in and sold by the bag and yard. We’d additionally recommend amending garden bed soil with Espoma Organic Biotone Starter plant food containing mycorrhizae that help root development, nutrient uptake, and support. We have a variety of additional soil amendments, including earthworm castings. We have specialty soils with bat guano and other excellent veggie gardening enhancements.

WHERE AND HOW TO PLANT VEGETABLES?

Unless farming a large garden plot consider utilizing raised garden beds for vegetables that allow for better containment of gardening soil mixes, composts, manures, and other soil amendments. Raised beds tend to have higher soil temperature that’s less compacted with better drainage.

How deep should seeds be planted? “In general, seeds should be planted at a depth of two times the width, or diameter, of the seed,” according to The Spruce. “For example, if you have a seed that’s about 1/16 inch thick, it should be planted about 1/8 inch deep. The classic “quarter-inch” planting depth found on many seed packets is too deep for many small seeds.” Planting seeds too deep reduces germination rates and the vigor of seedlings. After placing your seeds at the appropriate depth, lightly pat down the soil to prevent the seeds from washing away during watering and rain.

We recommend succession planting, which is the staggered planting of seeds anywhere from 7 to 21 days so that your crops don’t ripen all at the same time. “Succession planting is most important for determinate crops, which are crops that produce all of their fruit (or edible material) at once,” according to the University of Minnesota. “Indeterminate tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and peppers will continue to produce fruit off of the same plant, so you don’t need to worry about succession planting with these crops. Similarly, you can typically harvest multiple times from herb plants and they will grow back.”

PEST PREVENTION AND FERTILIZATION
Protect your crops from caterpillars and other insects that like to eat our vegetables and ornamentals with the beneficial bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis available from Monterey and Thuricide. Another beneficial bacterial agent is Spinosad which likewise kills garden pests and is available in Capt. Jack’s Dead Bug Brew. Our recommendation to effectively treat fungal outbreaks in the vegetable garden is Copper Fungicide by Bonide.

Boost your Fall vegetable gardening success with once-per-week fertilization with Organic Neptune’s Harvest Fish Emulsion liquid fertilizer.

For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.

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Earth Works at Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

Tim introduces Dana J. Doody, the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, who explains the value of the new fernery. The fernery would not have been possible without a grant award from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust. Besides our contributions at Earth Works, Dana recognizes the involvement of: JWB Real Estate Capital, Liberty Landscape Supply, The Arc, Serenoa Landscape Design, volunteers from the University of North Florida, and the Arboretums core group of volunteers that participated in this project, and others each week come rain or shine. Visit the fernery on your next visit to the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.

Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Fernery Construction

Josh Higgins, Earth Works landscape operations manager discusses the first day of activities associated with creating a fernery at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, a premier destination to visit nature in the heart of Jacksonville’s Arlington area.

Florida Arbor Day Tree Planting at Jacksonville Arboretum 2022

Florida Arbor Day is honored today with Dana Doody, Executive Director of the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens as we plant a loquat tree to memorialize the 136 years of Florida Arbor Day. Learn more about Florida Arbor Day events in Northeast Florida at LINK.

Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Tails & Trails 2021
Earth Works was a proud sponsor of the Saturday, October 9 Tails & Trails arboretum event. The event was a celebration of dogs with hundreds of wagging tails in attendance. Terri McGregor and Kevanie Counts worked the Earth Works booth at the event sharing information about dog-friendly plants with a bounty of dog-related garden-centric products.

Earth Works Donations to Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
Matt Barlow, Earth Works Garden Center manager, worked at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens with JAG Executive Director Dana Doody and volunteers on Sept. 29, dressing up the lakeside pavilion with plants and plant material donated by Earth Works. Additionally, Barlow awarded JAG with hundreds of dollars in donations collected from 100% of proceeds of butterfly pics sales at the garden center.

Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Brush with Nature Event
First Coast Plein Air Painters has partnered with the arboretum for a decade, hosting the Brush with Nature Event in Spring. “Stunning Florida landscapes, talented Plein air artists doing live demonstrations, live music, food trucks, kids’ art activities and local artists’ original art for sale – all outdoors and with room for the family dog to join in – are just a few highlights of this year’s “A Brush With Nature” event, notes the Arboretum. “Oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, charcoal and colored pencils are just a few of the mediums that the FCPAP artists will demonstrate as they capture the Arboretum’s lakes, trails, trees and flowers, each in their unique style.“

Earth Works is honored to host plant sales at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens entrance during numerous JAG events and works days and encourages your support for this rich environmental resource in Jacksonville. Stop by and purchase one of our Butterfly Pics to support the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens! See you on the trails!

The Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (JAG), established in 2008, is owned by the city and maintained by a non-profit organization that Earth Works supports with donations, event sponsorships, plant sales, and volunteers. The arboretum consists of 126 acres of dog-friendly walking trails and is recognized by News4Jax as Jax Best Local Trail.
Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens is popular with visitors from near and far looking to enjoy nature, for outdoor exercise opportunities, and as a dog-friendly walk with picnic tables, an event lawn, lakeside pavilion, and restrooms.
The Lake Loop around Lake Ray is the centerpiece of social activity close to the parking area. Hundreds of native plant species are identified with signs to educate the public about Northeast Florida’s biodiversity. Over the years, trails have been added, including Jones Creek Trail, Upper & Lower Ravine Trail, Live Oak Trail, Sand Ridge Trail & Aralia trail. Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens is open to you 365 days per year from 8 am till 5 pm.

For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.

Creating the Fernery at Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

Tim introduces Dana J. Doody, the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, who explains the value of the new fernery. The fernery would not have been possible without a grant award from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust. Besides our contributions at Earth Works, Dana recognizes the involvement of: JWB Real Estate Capital, Liberty Landscape Supply, The Arc, Serenoa Landscape Design, volunteers from the University of North Florida, and the Arboretums core group of volunteers that participated in this project, and others each week come rain or shine. Visit the fernery on your next visit to the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.

Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Fernery Construction

Josh Higgins, Earth Works landscape operations manager discusses the first day of activities associated with creating a fernery at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, a premier destination to visit nature in the heart of Jacksonville’s Arlington area.

Florida Arbor Day Tree Planting at Jacksonville Arboretum 2022

Florida Arbor Day is honored today with Dana Doody, Executive Director of the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens as we plant a loquat tree to memorialize the 136 years of Florida Arbor Day. Learn more about Florida Arbor Day events in Northeast Florida at LINK.

Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Tails & Trails 2021
Earth Works was a proud sponsor of the Saturday, October 9 Tails & Trails arboretum event. The event was a celebration of dogs with hundreds of wagging tails in attendance. Terri McGregor and Kevanie Counts worked the Earth Works booth at the event sharing information about dog-friendly plants with a bounty of dog-related garden-centric products.

Earth Works Donations to Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
Matt Barlow, Earth Works Garden Center manager, worked at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens with JAG Executive Director Dana Doody and volunteers on Sept. 29, dressing up the lakeside pavilion with plants and plant material donated by Earth Works. Additionally, Barlow awarded JAG with hundreds of dollars in donations collected from 100% of proceeds of butterfly pics sales at the garden center.

Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Brush with Nature Event
First Coast Plein Air Painters has partnered with the arboretum for a decade, hosting the Brush with Nature Event in Spring. “Stunning Florida landscapes, talented Plein air artists doing live demonstrations, live music, food trucks, kids’ art activities and local artists’ original art for sale – all outdoors and with room for the family dog to join in – are just a few highlights of this year’s “A Brush With Nature” event, notes the Arboretum. “Oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, charcoal and colored pencils are just a few of the mediums that the FCPAP artists will demonstrate as they capture the Arboretum’s lakes, trails, trees and flowers, each in their unique style.“

Earth Works is honored to host plant sales at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens entrance during numerous JAG events and works days and encourages your support for this rich environmental resource in Jacksonville. Stop by and purchase one of our Butterfly Pics to support the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens! See you on the trails!

The Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (JAG), established in 2008, is owned by the city and maintained by a non-profit organization that Earth Works supports with donations, event sponsorships, plant sales, and volunteers. The arboretum consists of 126 acres of dog-friendly walking trails and is recognized by News4Jax as Jax Best Local Trail.
Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens is popular with visitors from near and far looking to enjoy nature, for outdoor exercise opportunities, and as a dog-friendly walk with picnic tables, an event lawn, lakeside pavilion, and restrooms.
The Lake Loop around Lake Ray is the centerpiece of social activity close to the parking area. Hundreds of native plant species are identified with signs to educate the public about Northeast Florida’s biodiversity. Over the years, trails have been added, including Jones Creek Trail, Upper & Lower Ravine Trail, Live Oak Trail, Sand Ridge Trail & Aralia trail. Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens is open to you 365 days per year from 8 am till 5 pm.

For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.

Oak Gall Wasps or Alien Pods?

As the oak leaves fall in Northeast Florida, some small round balls on leaf surfaces appear due to oak gall wasps laying eggs and releasing enzymes in the leaf tissue. “Alien pods,” proclaimed Jim Messerfish jokingly as to what they were on an Earth Works Facebook post. “Do not swallow them unless you want a chest-burster. “ In fact, they are relatively harmless with over 1400 species of gall wasps that have been identified as targeting oak, hickory, beech, chestnut, maple, elm, citrus, and ornamental trees. There is no universally effective way to get rid of all species of gall wasps while preserving the plant.

“Most cynipids (gall wasps) are not considered economic pests,” according to UF/IFAS. “A notable exception is Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu, also called the Asian chestnut gall wasp, which induces galls mostly on leaves and buds of all chestnut species.“ Lack of fire in crowded and stressed native forest stands is believed to contribute to increased seasonal infestation rates. Inspecting plants and burning (where appropriate) or removing affected plant material is a standard best management practice for gall wasps.

“There are hundreds of different gall wasp species within the Cynipidae family that infect one or all oak tree species,” according to Nature & Garden. “Not all galls result from gall wasp.” Aphids, mites, midges, psyllids, gall flies, fungus, and bacteria can result in galls appearing on leaves, flowers, stems, trunks, and roots.

“In most situations, no controls have been shown to be effective,” according to the University of California. “Certain leaf-galling species may be reduced by insecticides with systemic or translaminar (leaf-penetrating) activity applied in late winter to spring, or by a broad-spectrum, residual insecticide foliar spray timed to coincide with leaf bud break or the early expansion of new leaves. However, gall wasps are unlikely to be well controlled by any single treatment; sometimes insecticide provides no control at all.”

“You might have luck with an imidacloprid application, but otherwise, pull out the dinotefuran (and your wallet),” said Commercial Applicator Joshua Watts on our Facebook post about gall wasps. Earth Works recommends Fertilome Tree and Shrub Drench with Imidacloprid for oak gall wasps. And remember that good soil conditions, proper planting distance from other plants, and fertilization reduce plant stress and susceptibility to pests and diseases.

Earth Works encourages you to contact us with your lawn and garden questions in Northeast Florida. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.

October Lawn and Garden Tips 2021

OCTOBER lawn and garden tips start with the recognition that atmospherically, this month equates to shorter, cooler, drier, and windier days. That extra wind dries up available water faster. Three days without water creates drought stress conditions in Northeast Florida lawns, inviting weeds, pests, and diseases. And with cooler nights, fungus will be of increasing threat to your turf. Take advantage of two-day per week watering until November 7, the end of Daylight Savings Time, when Jacksonville water restrictions return to one day per week. Note that there are no restrictions for hand watering.

Quick Facts: “In Jacksonville, the average sunshine in October is 6.9 hours,” according to the Weather Atlas. “October, the same as September, is another warm autumn month in Jacksonville, Florida, with temperature in the range of an average low of 65.8°F (18.8°C) and an average high of 80.8°F (27.1°C).”
-Longest day Summer Solstice June 20: 14:09:01
–October 1st is 11:53:55 hours long, whereas Oct 31st is 11:01:49 a loss of 53 minutes of daylight.
-Shortest day Winter Solstice December 21st 10:13:57
-Daylight starts to increase again on December 22nd.
-New York by comparison has just 9:18:24 of daylight on the Winter Solstice a full 55 minutes less sunlight than Jacksonville.

What Can I grow In the Garden Now?

October is a good time to begin preparing your garden beds for the Fall and Winter growing season. If your garden beds are laying dormant consider cleaning them up and fortifying them with soil amendments and organic matter including Bio-tone, compost, and manures. A few of our in-stock recommended vegetables ready to plant as seedlings or seeds include broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, green beans, kale, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and Zucchini. Garden Center Matthew Barlow discusses these plants and their growing requirements for optimum success in the video below.

Schedule Your Annual Pond Cleanout Service Now

We urge our clients with ponds we’ve built to schedule their annual Winter Pond Cleanout now for your best choice for service dates. As an incentive, Earth Works provides discounts on pond cleanouts scheduled during the cooler months for the health of your pond ecosystem and to accommodate your year-long enjoyment. Jason Duffney explains the importance of regular pond cleanouts in the video below.

We hope you find our October lawn and garden tips useful and encourage you to contact us with your questions. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712.

Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.

Fall Planter Arrangements for Northeast Florida

Using a mix of Florida landscape plants, create Fall planter arrangements that hold up to our cool season temperatures while providing seasonal color. Cypress, Maple, and sweetgum are a few of the trees that provide us seasonal color later in the season. As Florida’s forests say “not yet” to the September 22 start of Fall, we can speed up the process in beautiful pottery placed in entranceways, on patios, and around pools.
Start by planning your Fall planter arrangements to include seasonal colors such as orange, red, purple, and yellow. Terri and Kevanie created these examples of Fall planter arrangements from a mix of plants that provide color and hold up to our cool season climate.

The TALL container contains Coleus, Alternanthera, Red Fountain Grass, Sloppy Painter Croton, and Sweet Potato Vine. The MEDIUM container contains Coleus (2 varieties) and Bulbine. The SHORT container contains Coleus (3 varieties), Mammy Croton, and Foxtail Fern.

1. Combinations of foundational plants such as Blue Point Juniper makes a stately impression at entrances and as a focal point. makes a stately impression at entrances and as a focal point. 2. Around the base of the juniper consider adding cool-season Flowering Cabbage for an instant pop of color. adds an instant pop of color to the Fall/Winter container garden. 3. Alternate placement of Dusty Miller with its silver foliage for contrast to this now colorful arrangement.

1. Platinum Dynasty Cabbage is an early main-season cabbage that can be rotated from the garden into your planter arrangements. 2. Ornamental Cabbage with its purple rosette center and wavy greenish-purple outer leaves is an attractive relative of garden cabbage best suited for planter arrangements and as landscape decor. 3. Licorice plant has the fragrance of licorice without the taste and is best used as a velvety planter spiller that puts on a show with its cascading foliage.

1. Poinsettias are recognizable as a holiday plant with brilliant red leaves in winter that serves as a thriller in any arrangement. 2. Dwarf White Pentas have a mounding habit and vibrant white star-shaped blooms. 3. Ornamental Cabbage is a go to cool-season choice setting the tone for seasonal arrangements. 4. Aztec Grass is a cold hardy clumping plant that spills beautifully its variegated silver and green.

1. Creeping Jenny is a light green perennial favorite with its trailing habit. 2. This variety of Ornamental Cabbage has a creamy white center and rich green outer leaves. 3. Dreams Red Picot Petunias have a mounding habit with blooms with wide white edges and red centers.

Plant your choice of seasonal color or strictly place the plant’s pots and all in your Fall plant arrangement. Monitor your containers to keep up with their watering requirements or consider a drip irrigation system on a timer for periodic watering. As the plants grow, they can be given a haircut trimming or switched out with other plants.

If you’d prefer to have Earth Works maintain your planter arrangements contact Matthew Barlow who provides this service for Earth Works clients. And remember for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712.

Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.

Happy Gardening!

Nitrogen Cycle Basics for Pond Owners

Earth Works builds ecosystem ponds that work with natures’ nitrogen cycle for pond owners wanting to provide a healthy aquatic environment for plants and animals. Organic debris, including fish food, animal, and plant waste, accumulate in ponds and are broken down by nitrifying bacteria making nitrogen available to plants in a process called nitrogen fixation. “Nitrification constitutes a two-step process,” according to the Journal of Microbiology. “In the first step, ammonia is oxidized to nitrite by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), followed by the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate by ubiquitous nitrite-oxidizing bacteria.”

High organic nutrient concentrations from runoff pollution are often in the news causing oxygen depleting algal blooms and high levels of harmful bacteria that kill fish and other wildlife. Earth Works offers annual pond cleanouts as part of regular maintenance for the healthy pond ecosystem. We stock both cold and warm water activating beneficial bacteria for dosing your pond filter to fuel the eco-friendly nitrogen cycle for pond owners. While it sounds complicated, the properly constructed and engineered pond with adequate filtration, skimmer, pump turnover rate, and properly stocked fish and plants with annual cleanouts are ecologically balanced and easy to maintain.
“Nitrosomonas bacteria first convert nitrogen gas to nitrite (NO2-) and subsequently Nitrobacter convert nitrite to nitrate (NO3-), a plant nutrient,” according to Lenntech. Nitrates become unhealthy for fish at 120 ppm where plants are insufficient for absorption. While these processes are invisible Earth Works supplies various water test kits and water additives to treat and regulate pond water parameters.

Under dirty conditions, certain bacteria species threaten the health of fish and other pond wildlife populations. “Aeromonas Alley” is described as when water temps are between 42F and 62F when Aeromonas bacterial strains at high concentrations in dirty ponds can result in fish ulcers, hemorrhagic septicemia, brown blood disease (caused by nitrite toxicity), and death. Good and bad bacteria populations are increasing their activities as water temperatures increase, making nitrogen bioavailable over what pond plants can use, which is why we encourage clients to schedule their pond cleanouts in winter heading into spring. Complicating matters, some of these Aeromonas bacteria species convert nitrates back into nitrites in denitrification. Nitrite levels over 0.15 milligrams per liter in fish inhibit their absorption of oxygen. Regular dechlorinated water changes are the best low-tech approach to reducing levels of nitrites and nitrates in the pond.

The nitrogen cycle explains the basics for converting nutrients into plant food. Earth Works and a network of Certified Aquascape Contractors provide information, products, and services to improve biosecurity to beautiful, low-maintenance ecosystem ponds.

For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.