Start with an evergreen cone, spiral, or ball-shaped topiary. In this recipe, we have used a Eugenia cone. Other options include bluepoint juniper, boxwood, or even rosemary. Then pick some annuals that do well in the cooler temps of December, like the Easy Wave Petunia® and Alyssum. A green, red and white pallet will give you many flower options and leaf textures to choose from. Add some ribbon and lights to take let your Christmas spirit shine!
Eugenia Cone – Adds a formal touch with rich glossy leaves. If we get unusually cold, topiary eugenia can be overwintered indoors as an elegant houseplant. Just be sure to put in a sunny window.
Easy Wave Petunia – As the name tells us, these are easy to grow and will trail beautifully as well. Full sun to partial shade. They do well in our mild Florida winters.
Creeping Jenny – A must-have trailer also enjoys our mild temperatures and will come back from a frost.
Galaxy Red Geraniums– This scented geranium attracts bees and hummingbirds and is deer resistant and drought-tolerant.
Alyssum – This filler/spiller has a wonderful scent and is a perfect choice for adding white to your combinations.
Sun Hosta – This is a medium-sized hosta that does well in Florida. It is a perennial and can take the sun. In the spring and summer, give it some afternoon shade.
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Lawn Care Services, Lawn Maintenance, Lawn Fertilization
Lawn Pest Control, Lawn Weed Control
Aeration and Top Dressing
Water Features, Koi Ponds,
Waterfalls, Bubbling Fountains
Garden Center & Pond Supply Store
General Services Areas
Jacksonville (Jax), Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Ponte Vedra, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Orange Park, St. Johns, Nocatee
The Queen palm is a fast-growing palm and an elegant choice for landscapes in Jacksonville and throughout Northeast Florida. The long feathery pinnate leaves are not only beautiful but can create shade if placed in the right spot. Queen palms can be used to line the property or planted as single specimens to create focal points in your landscape design. This palm tree grows fast approximately two feet per year up to typically forty feet in height. Earth Works sells 15-gallon, 30-gallon, and field-grown Queen Palms year-round. We offer delivery and planting services year-round. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff can help you find the right palm tree design for your landscape.
If you are looking for a cold hardy palm tree that looks like a tropical palm, the Queen palm is a good choice. As they mature, Queen Palms shed their outer layers and reveal an attractive silver color on their trunk. The contrast of the light-colored trunk with the dark green palm fronds is a spectacular look that creates a tropical vibe when paired with a good landscape design in Jacksonville.
Queen Palm genus and species Syagrus romanzoffiana Common names: Queen Palm & Cocos Palm
Drought Tolerance: Moderate
Origin: Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay
Zone: 9-11
Typical Height: 40ft
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast
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. Stop by our retail center or contact us online or by phone at 904-996-0712.
Earth Works proudly serves 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.
Living in Jacksonville at the time, McGregor and Fechtel and their wives met by chance during a wedding in St. Petersburg. “Our good friends said we had to meet Doug and Terri because they are a fun couple,” said Fechtel. “Little did we know that eight months later, we were going to start our own business.”
After graduating from college with finance degrees, McGregor worked as a banker and Fechtel as a financial planner when they decided to make the change. “We loved our jobs until the market crashed in 1987, threatening our positions,” McGregor recalled. “We decided to walk away from our coat-and-tie jobs. We neither had kids nor big mortgages, so we planned our exit strategy and started the company.
“I had worked in a garden center growing up, and Mark mowed grass as the “boy next door.” We knew landscaping was the kind of work we liked,”
After growing their Lawn Care Business, the pair soon expanded their services to irrigation and landscaping. In 1999, they bought a swath of heavily wooded land bordering Beach Boulevard which became Earth Works Garden Center.
Jason Duffney, who joined McGregor and Fechtel as a junior business partner in ?, was hired in 2003 as a part-time employee while a freshman at the University of North Florida. “Jason started with us when he was 19 years old. By the time he was 33, he had grown with the company and became one of our business partners,” said Fechtel.
A native of Lecanto, Florida, Duffney had previous experience working in a nursery as a teenager before he moved to Jacksonville to earn a finance degree from UNF. “I came in as a nursery kid pulling weeds and making deliveries,” he said. Jason learned quickly and became well-versed in pond building. He contemplated starting a pond business of his own at one point when McGregor and Fechtel approached him with a proposition.
“They wrangled me in and said, ‘don’t be stupid. Let’s talk about how all of us can grow,” Duffney recalled. In charge of Earth Works’ pond operations, he has built it into the award-winning Water Garden division it is today.
As Earth Works’ third business partner, Duffney’s mission is to update and streamline the company so it can serve customers better.
Working together, we balance each other out, said McGregor. “Mark and I have different personalities” “I’m more Type A, and he’s a laid-back guy. I don’t think we’ve had ten disagreements in over 30 years. We like each other. We’re really good friends, and our families are close.”
In the business, Duffney heads operations, McGregor oversees finances, and Fechtel manages sales. “Mark and Doug are opposites, and I fall somewhere in the middle, which makes for a nice blend,” Duffney said. “If we are dealing with clients or employees, everyone brings a different skill to the table.”
Maintaining a lush tropical landscape requires learning about your plant’s cold tolerance and the threat of chilling temperatures above freezing. When purchasing plants for your landscape, it is essential to know which USDA hardiness zone they’re growing in and each variety’s cold hardiness rating. For instance, the large geographic area of Jacksonville, Florida, is USDA Hardiness Zone 9a (20F- 25F) and borders 8a (15-20F) to the West. If the plants in your landscape and collection cannot tolerate temperatures as low as the minimum temperatures then they aren’t considered hardy for Jacksonville’s zone. View USDA Hardiness zones from around the country and find yours by zip code at USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Avoid planting your most cold-sensitive plants with northern exposure and consider other more hardy plantings around them as wind blocks if you must. It’s common knowledge that houseplants and tropicals won’t survive freezing temperatures. However, there is less appreciation for the fact that chilling temperatures within specific ranges above freezing can also result in plant stress, damage, and death.
“A chilling temperature is any temperature that is cold enough to cause plant injury but not cold enough to freeze the plant,” according to the University of Florida/IFAS. “These temperatures usually range from just above 32°F to about 59°F. Chilling injury to tropical foliage plants is also dependent on the duration of exposure to a chilling temperature.”
Plants are triggered to begin acclimation or hardening in Autumn as daylight hours, and temperatures decline. Non-native plants in Jacksonville’s humid subtropical gardens face more significant fluctuations of temperature in the chilling temperature range than our neighbors in Central and South Florida’s tropical hardiness zones. While Jacksonville has an average October temperature between 81F- 66F, forecasts call for a low of 46F with 10-15mph wind on October 18, 2022. Chilling temperature plant damage can appear as wilting, yellowing, reddish-brown spots, and even mushiness.
“Tropical and subtropical crops such as ageratum, alternanthera, angelonia, basil, celosia, cleome, coleus, cosmos, lantana, pentas, poinsettia, portulaca, sweet potato vine, vinca and zinnia are classified as cold-sensitive because their development stops at a base temperature of 46 F or higher,” according to Michigan State University. “Another group of greenhouse crops is classified as cold-intermediate (or cold-temperate) crops as their development stops at moderately low temperatures of 40 to 45 F. These crops include calendula, dahlia, geranium, impatiens, lobelia, some petunia cultivars, verbena and wax begonia.” Many of our local gardens contain a mix of these plants and others with varied cold sensitivity.
Consider our Overwintering and Indoor Propagation article if you are preparing to protect your houseplants and tropicals during a cold spell and before freezing temperatures are forecast for your area. If chilling temperature damage occurs, ensure the affected plants are watered and avoid the temptation of fertilization, which can stimulate new growth and further stress the plant.
For more information on your plant’s cold tolerance how to protect your plants every season and for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping needs contact Earth Works of Jacksonville 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.
Earth Works proudly serves 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.
Consider these October Gardening tips for improved lawn and garden enjoyment during the cooler months ahead of next Spring. These tips are specifically for Northeast Florida gardeners and are heavily influenced by weather changes, including the end of the rainy season, fewer daylight hours, and a 10F degree drop in temperature.
-Pay attention to your plants watering needs as October’s monthly rainfall averages 4′”, a significant drop from rainy season averages between June and September. Although it’s chillier with fewer hours of sunlight, October can still register highs in the 80s, accompanied by windy conditions that rapidly dry out the soil. And remember irrigation schedule water restrictions fall from twice to once per week watering when Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 5, per the City of Jacksonville Ordinance Code Chapter 366.
-You can fertilize your perennials, bulbs, citrus, palms, and other select trees and shrubs during October. However, how often and what time of year to fertilize for maximum benefit can depend on the type of plant and type of fertilizer NPK assay and whether it’s a liquid, powder, or granular. Even though Florida county Fertilizer blackout periods around the state are typically lifted by the end of September, continue being careful to overuse fertilizers and apply them correctly, as they can harm your plants and cause environmental damage.
-If applying a Winterizer fertilizer on our Florida warm-season grasses, do so with a nitrogen-free product and apply before dormancy.
-Consider applying organic mulch to your gardening beds to protect bare roots and soil from falling temperatures and nutrient runoff. Earth Works Lawn Care can provide you a mulching quote.
-Tender warm-season bulbs and tubers such as caladiums and gladiolus can be dug up, inspected for fungus, cleaned of dirt, and stored in peat moss, perlite, or vermiculite in a cool location until Spring planting season.
-Overseeding with ryegrass can be done in October to add Winter color to your dormant warm-season grass lawn. Both perennial and annual ryegrass is available for those considering these October Gardening Tips.
-Houseplants kept outside during the warmer months should be examined for pests and treated accordingly. Continue with your fertilization requirements for your houseplants and prepare to move them and other tender tropicals indoors ahead of any air temperature drops below their healthy growing requirements.
-Prepare the ground for Fall herbs and vegetable garden beds, perennials, and Spring bulbs. Add compost and soil amendments specifically formulated for the growing requirements of your plantings. For the veggie beds, consider planting beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, cucumbers, endive, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onions, radishes, summer squash, and turnips.
-Continue weeding warm-season weeds, and if considering using a pre-emergent herbicide, apply ahead of the seed germination of cold-season weeds. “Regardless of where you live, the application window for fall pre-emergents should be when temperatures are below 70 degrees and dropping,” according to Sod Solutions. “It should be noted that a pre-emergent herbicide that is applied before you overseed in the fall will keep your seed from growing.”
-Avoid trimming your trees and shrubs except for instances of dieback, disease, and damage. Trimming your trees and shrubs at the wrong time can jeopardize leaf and flower buds that have already been set, resulting in poorer growth and blooms in Spring depending on whether they set their blooms on old or new wood.
-October is a terrific time to plant trees and shrubs as the cooler temperatures reduce stress and facilitate faster acclimation.
-Monitor the water temperature in your koi pond and reduce the amount of food they are fed and consider lower protein formulations available at the Earth Works garden center.
-Aeration and Top Dressing renews your lawn soil with beneficial microbes, and the required micro-nutrients improve oxygen supply to plant roots, and reduce soil erosion and runoff. Earth Works’ lawn care division provides this service. Our garden center likewise has many varieties of high quality soils for your gardening needs.
-This is a good time to begin planning any landscaping projects on your mind with a member of our landscape design team at Earth Works. Along with being a good time to plant it can reduce wait times for ordering products and beats the Spring rush.
For more specific October gardening tips speak directly with a member of our Earth Works Garden Center staff. And for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping needs contact Earth Works of Jacksonville at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, drainage solutions, water features, lawn care service, and lawn spraying.
Earth Works proudly serves 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.
Make an impactful seasonal statement with a Fall container garden grouping.
Try arranging three related pots in different sizes. The Seagrass Planters shown here are lightweight options made of liconfiber®. Set the largest pot in the back, with the medium pot to one side and the smallest in front between the other two. Then gather beautiful plants in Fall colors of oranges, reds, yellows, and purples. Find plants with different leaf textures, flower sizes, and shapes to create interest. You can follow the thriller, filler, and spiller recipe in each pot or pick a single plant in a size to fit each pot. The options are endless.
Shrimp Plant-This evergreen year-round bloomer is perfect for a fall arrangement. Its deep red blooms are hummingbird attractors too!
Petra Croton -With its multicolored leaves, this plant can say Fall by itself. It is a tropical plant, so bring it inside or cover it when it freezes. But the beautiful tropical look is well worth the effort.
Alternanthera little Ruby – A zone 9+perennial evergreen, or should we say “ever purple,” will give you rich color all year.
Marigold Bolero– These French marigolds fit the theme with splashes of yellow and red blooms.
Chrysanthemums – also known as mums- are iconic autumn plants. After using them in your fall displays, plant these in your garden. Mums are easy-to-grow perennials that can live for years and continue to bloom.
Coleus Wicked Witch – This stunning annual with deep burgundy ruffled leaves bordered in chartreuse will add a fun fluffy texture to your combo.
Summer Sunset Asiatic Jasmine – Don’t forget ground covers when looking for a spiller. This Jasmine is perfect in these pots but even better as a rich variegated alternative to the common green Asiatic Jasmine.
Salvia Sally Fun– Add a touch of purple with this excellent pollinator-attracting perennial. They are heat and drought-tolerant as well as deer resistant.
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.
Earth Works proudly serves 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.
Earth Works Gardens is your destination to purchase and learn to grow and care for palm trees in Northeast Florida. Customers from Duval, St. Johns, Baker, Clay, and Nassau counties all shop at Earth Works Gardens when searching for quality palm trees. We have a large selection of palms suitable for the Jacksonville climate and the surrounding area. We have the right tree for you whether you’re searching for large, short, cold, hardy, tropical, or unique and low-maintenance palms.
Our knowledgeable staff can help you pick the right palm for the right spot. There are many palms to choose from, and if you are new to Jacksonville or the Northeast Florida area, it can be a bit daunting. Earth Works stocks palm trees of all types. Dwarf palms like the Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii) Tall, graceful Queen palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana) and robust showstoppers such as Mule Palms (xButiagrus nabonnandii) and Sylvesters (Phoenix sylvestris).
Although palm trees look very similar, a trained eye can identify the differences between all the varieties we can grow here in Jacksonville, Florida. One of the major distinguishing factors is leaf type. There are two leaf types that a palm can have, palmate or pinnate. Palmate leaves or fronds are broad and have a fan or hand-like shape. Pinnate leaves are longer with slender leaves that resemble feathers.
The next significant difference between palms is their trunks. Palm trunks vary greatly. Some are smooth, while others are bumpy, rough, or chunky. Some palm tree trunks are thick and wide, and others thin. Choosing a palm is a consideration of both the trunk and the foliage appearance that suits you. There is no right or wrong, just preference. All palms are beautiful in their own way.
Another thing to consider is the growth rate of the palm you are choosing. A slow-growing palm could be a good choice if you start with a large one because you would get immediate coverage for an extended period. If you started with a smaller slow growing palm, it could take years before the palm tree grew large enough to fill in the area you want to cover.
On the other hand, you could start with a smaller, fast, growing palm tree and achieve the coverage you need much quicker. It all comes down to how long you are willing to wait for the look you are trying to achieve. Sometimes figuring all this out can be a challenge. Earth Works staff are trained to help you decide which palm tree best suits your landscape.
Examples of moderate and fast-growing palms include: Queen Palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana), King Alexander Palms (Archontophoenix alexandrae), Sylvestris Palms (Phoenix sylvestris), Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens), Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa), Dwarf Sugar Palms (Arenga engleri), Ribbon Palm (Livistona Dicipiens), Nitida or Carnarvon Fan Palm (Livistona nitida)
Queen Palms, Syagrus romanzoffiana
Once you know which palm tree you like, Earth Works can help you pick the right place to plant your new palm tree. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff helps customers design and layout their landscapes daily. Think about the areas in your yard where you might want a new palm tree and take some pictures of your property. Bring them into Earth Works and show us the space you’re working with, and we can help you make the best choice of palm for your space.
After you’ve purchased the palm trees for your new landscape Earth Works makes it easy and convenient for you to get them home and planted in the yard. Delivery and installation of palm trees is one of our specialties. We install palms all year round in Jacksonville, Florida. Our staff will coordinate with you to get your purchased trees to your home as quickly as possible.
If a sizeable field-grown palm tree is not what you need, we also carry many smaller container-grown palm trees in many sizes. Our garden center sells palm trees in containers ranging from 3-30 gallons. Most of these palms can fit in pick-up trucks, SUV’s and minivan’s. We even loaded a 15-gallon Pindo palm into the hatchback of a Porche a few years ago at the customer’s insistence!
If you’ve never strolled around our pathways at Earth Works Gardens, set a time to come and look at our palm trees. Not only do we sell palm trees, but we have many varieties planted on our property so you can see what they look like after they’ve been planted in the ground for many years. Our Garden Center is set up to show you what palm trees look like in the landscape here in Northeast Florida and Southern Georgia. Our landscape palms are of the highest quality and are sourced from growers we have been buying from for over twenty years. These unique and hardy palm trees are grown in Florida and selected to grow well in USDA zones 8-9b.
USDA Florida Plant Hardiness Zones
Large field-grown Palm trees are easy to grow and low maintenance. The only time they need much extra care is after planting. After Earth Works installs your new palm, it must be watered daily for the first thirty days, every other day for the second month, and about two or three times a week for the third month. If planted during the winter or when temperatures are consistently below seventy degrees, the palm trees should be watered, allowed to dry out completely, and then watered again. This schedule can vary depending on rainfall, soil conditions, and other variables. Also, consider our article on Proper Palm Tree Pruning.
It can take up to a year before a palm tree is fully rooted in your landscape. There are very few times that palm trees need a lot of extra water once they are established. Northeast Florida weather generally provides enough water for palm trees to grow and thrive. Exceptions would be times of extended drought, typically during spring months in Duval County.
Fertilization is important for any type of palm. Always choose a plant food that is formulated for palm trees. Palms require specific nutrients in higher ratios compared to other plants. The main one is Manganese. Manganese deficiencies can not only stunt the growth and make the palm trees look sick, but they can also become lethal if left untreated. Earth Works carries palm fertilizer and manganese supplements year-round.
If you have always thought about growing a palm tree in your yard and are searching for ‘Palm trees near me,’ come to Earth Works and speak with one of our Garden Staff. We always look forward to helping customers with their landscape palm tree needs. Our palm trees are stocked year-round, and we are always ready to help with any palm tree questions you may have.
For Palm Trees In Northeast Florida, 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.
Earth Works proudly serves 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 is Football time! Show your spirit with a fun pot and plant combo perfect for the season. Go JAGS!
Croton Petra is a gorgeous ornamental foliage plant with stunning leaf color and variegation. Colors range from pink to reds, oranges, yellows, light and dark greens – so much color on one plant!
White Penta is the perfect perennial for any full sun container garden. Plus, they are heat tolerant, prolific bloomers, and pollinator attractors.
Ornamental Pepper Black Pearl With glossy black leaves and loads of shiny round black fruit, this is a unique must-have plant. As the plant matures, the black peppers turn red; Peppers are edible but scorching (over 30,000 Scoville heat units)—exceptionally heat and drought-tolerant.
Lantana New Gold is a fast-grower and a heavy bloomer, featuring dark green foliage and an abundance of tiny clusters of vibrant golden flowers. The colorful bloom attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
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.
Earth Works proudly serves 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.
Earth Works, Jason Duffney provides information in the following videos answering our pond equipment and supplies FAQs (frequently asked questions).
Aquascape Pond Equipment Accessories: Jason Duffney explains Aquascape Inc pond equipment accessories that can be included in your installation or that you can add yourself at a later date. These accessories include the Aquascape Dosing System, IonGen, Smart Control Receiver, and Lighting System.
Aquascape Bacteria and Water Clarity Products: Jason Duffney explains Aquascape Inc products that improve the health and water clarity in your pond. These products include Aquascape Beneficial Bacterial, Maintain, Clear, and the Aquascape QuickFix Pond Gummy.
Water lily Transplanting & Care in Northeast Florida: Jason Duffney explains the basics of water lily transplanting and care here in Northeast Florida whether you prefer to grow in a container or directly in the pond substrate. Earth Works provides high-quality water lilies year round along with specialty pots for growing them and fertilizer.
Our Five Key Pond Components: Jason Duffney explains our five key pond components to building and maintaining a healthy ecosystem pond. We pride ourselves on providing clients with healthy pond systems that require minimal maintenance.
Pond Filtration & Maintenance: Jason Duffney explains pond filtration and maintenance in this video focused on the skimmer, which is the mechanical aspect of filtration.
Pond Pump Troubleshooting: Jason Duffney explains the basics of pond pump troubleshooting focusing on the most common problems that a pond owner can check prior to calling us for a service call.
Operating the Aquascape SMART Control Receiver: Jason Duffney explains the operation of the Aquascape SMART Control Receiver used in adjusting the flow rates of variable speed Aquascape pumps.
Check back regularly as Jason provides more pond equipment and supplies FAQs here and on youtube.
Take advantage of Fall Landscaping weather by booking your Landscape Design Consultation today by contacting 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.
Earth Works proudly serves 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.
August gardening tips in Northeast Florida come after the passing of summer vacations with children back to school, the arrival of afternoon thundershowers, and sweltering afternoon heat.
Vitex Deciduous 10-15 ft tall and wide Flowers Spring & Summer
Powder Puff Deciduous 10-15 ft tall and wide Flowers Spring, Summer & Fall
Lil’Gem Magnolia Evergreen up to 35 ft tall to 12 ft wide Flowers Spring & Summer
Crape Myrtle Deciduous 12-15 ft tall and wide Flowers Summer
Cassia Deciduous 8-10 ft tall and wide Flowers Late Summer & Fall
Bottlebrush Evergreen 10-15 ft tall and wide Flowers Year Round
Manager Matt talks in this video about a wide variety of trees available to buy and what to expect from each and their care needs.
Stake plants that need additional support for average growth and protection against bad weather. A few that come to mind include vegetables, roses, hibiscus, newly planted palms, and citrus trees.
Continue blowing and raking unwanted leaf litter off the lawn and out of the flower beds. Refresh pine straw used as mulch that, as it breaks down, adds much-needed organic matter to your soil required for healthy soil microbial action.
Deadheading flowers preserve plant energy for new growth and blooms. Otherwise, pruning in August should be based on the 4 “Ds,” which is to prune dead, dying, diseased, or damaged branches at this time. Prune Spring blooming plants soon after they bloom. Wait until winter to prune your summer bloomers.
Fill in patches of empty spots in your flower beds with new plantings or temporarily with other potted plants. Don’t stress the transition between your Spring and Fall flower beds at their prime. Enjoy the view. Consider our monthly container gardening recipes to spur your ideas on what to grow and display now and in the coming seasons.
August Container Gardening Recipe
Closely monitor your plant’s watering needs specific to their growing conditions and requirements in-ground, new plantings, transplants, potted container plants, and indoor plants. If your lawn and garden irrigation timer run on manual settings adjust where appropriate as the days are shorter, and precipitation and temperatures vary dramatically daily. Be wary of fungal diseases from overwatering or watering at the wrong time.
In August, all the major lawn pest threats can be at the peak of their lifecycle in our lawns. These pests include chinch bugs, mole crickets, and sod-webworms. Garden pests during August include Thrips & fungus are typically a higher threat for roses than many plants risk from mealybugs, spider mites, and scale. Sooty mold covering leaf surfaces naturally grows on the honeydew secretions of sucking insects. Regularly have a person-to-plant meeting with each plant, observing its condition to stay ahead of threats to their health. Our garden center managers can make a solid recommendation for specific pest needs with your pest & plan picture brought to us at the garden center.
If you haven’t planted seeds by early August, you can purchase seedlings of your favorite herbs and veggies at our garden center. In August, gardeners sow carrots, beans, beets, carrots, kale, lettuce, and spinach. We have weekly shipments of select herbs and veggies including heirlooms in season.
“Fertilization” is a complicated topic often oversimplified. In comparison, some houseplants may get weekly balanced feedings while the turf stays lacking in nitrogen fertilization due to some county fertilization blackout periods through August and September to protect lakes, rivers, and the ocean as wildlife habitats from algae blooms. Palms, typically deficient in iron, manganese, magnesium, and sulfur, can be supplemented with Palm Nutritional by Southern Ag. Azaleas and camellias can use a boost in August. Heavy feeders like birds of paradise would appreciate periodic composted cow manure dosing too. The water lilies benefit from Aquabloom Aquatic Plant Fertilizer that’s slow release and doesn’t harm other aquatic life. In the following video Jason Duffney discusses water lily transplanting and care.
Gardening is a labor of love that gives back what you put into it. August gardening tips wrap with a reminder to stop and smell the roses. Enjoy the fruits of your labor.
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.
Earth Works proudly serves 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.
