In the news today is the sunflower story as a symbol of hope, unity, and resistance although the sunflower has a long history of cultural meaning.
This sunny annual garden favorite has meant many things to many cultures throughout the centuries and worldwide. Today it is gaining deeper meaning from our solidarity with the Ukrainian people and a global symbol of resistance, unity, and hope. Here are some of the many diverse meanings attributed to this spectacular flowering specimen throughout history. The scientific name for the sunflower is Helianthus. It comes from the Greek words “helios,” meaning sun, and “Anthus,” meaning flower.
According to some, the ancient Greeks believed that sunflowers turned towards the sun because the nymph Clytie adored Apollo, the God of the Sun. At first, he loved her too, but then he turned his affections towards another nymph. Clytie told the other nymph’s father in a jealous rage, and he buried her alive as punishment. Outraged, Apollo turned Clytie into a sunflower, but her love for him was so strong she watched him move across the sky each day – just as sunflowers follow the sun. This story adds adoration and loyalty to the list. The sunflower story origins were here in the Americas between 1000-5000 years ago; the Native Americans cultivated this crop and viewed sunflowers as symbols of harvest and abundance with their bounty to hunters and gatherers centuries ago. With the discovery of the new world, the sunflower’s popularity spread throughout Europe. And it soon became a favorite subject, even the obsession of many impressionist painters.
The flower symbolizes good fortune, longevity, and everlasting joy in China. When wishing someone good luck or to express happiness for an accomplishment, the Chinese often give sunflowers. One of the sunflower’s recent and most significant and critical symbolic meanings is having a nuclear-free world. On June 1, 1996, Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons. Celebrating the occasion, the defense ministers from the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine planted Sunflowers. They scattered Sunflowers seeds to represent a world of peace, hope, and freedom from any dangerous nuclear weapons. U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry said, “Sunflowers instead of missiles in the soil would ensure peace for future generations.”
More than just a symbol against nuclear, the flowers absorb harmful toxic elements and radiation from the soil and clean up the environment. They were planted on an old Ukrainian missile base and grew across nuclear disaster sites like Fukushima, Chernobyl, and Hiroshima.
DID YOU KNOW
Sunflowers are heliotropic. Heliotropism refers to species that follow the sun’s movement as it travels across the sky. In its early stages, the buds and leaves of the sunflower display this behavior. Once the head of the plant has come into full bloom, it remains fixed facing towards the east where the sun rises. Each sunflower is actually thousands of teeny flowers. The iconic yellow petals and fuzzy brown centers are actually individual flowers themselves. As many as 2,000 can make up the classic sunflower bloom.
A dried sunflower makes a unique, natural bird feeder. Feathered friends love to snack on sunflower seeds just like you do. Each sunflower can contain as many as 1,000 to 2,000 seeds. So there are tons for birdies to munch on! But you can harvest and roast them for yourself, too. The tallest sunflower on record was over 30 feet tall. Coming in at 30-feet, 1-inch, the bloom was grown in Germany by Hans-Peter Schiffer, who has held the record twice before. You should harvest sunflowers in the morning, not the afternoon. Planning to clip a few to display in a vase? If you wait until the afternoon, they may wilt. To learn more about the sunflower story and how to grow them check out this great video by Epic Gardening.
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.
Florida is Spanish for “land of flowers” and for koi hobbyists, it also represents a land of abundant predators. “I never had a need to keep koi,” said Jan Brown, past president North Florida Koi Club. “I wanted to grow water lilies. I did grow water lilies. I also grew designer mosquitoes and here’s where the long, slippery slide into koi keeper begins.” Along with the flowering foliage, water gardens, and koi came predators, many that are found elsewhere in the United States and notable exotic invasive species, especially in South Florida. The Great Blue Heron may be one of the best-known koi predators which have an interesting history of its own. A century ago, herons nearly disappeared as a result of hunters killing them to harvest their plumes for women’s hats. They made a dramatic comeback from near extinction in part because of the proliferation of koi in hobbyist’s ponds. The heron has religious significance in Japan dating back to the Heian period (700 to 1100 A.D.) and the Shinto Sagi-mai or White Heron Dance as it is also known. The dance is still performed today by dancers in heron-shaped costumes.
“Koi are a large fish but it seems to be a game for the herons to spike them in the head, often resulting in death by blunt force or a secondary bacterial infection invading the wound,” wrote Doug Ward, Tropical Koi Club’s former vice president, and aqua-culturist. While they may harm koi, harming these birds is strictly prohibited by way of numerous laws including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which was entered into with Canada, Japan, Mexico, and Russia. “Yesterday the netting over one nursery tank was removed to enable routine maintenance,” said Joe White, Florida East Coast Koi and Water Garden Society president and AKCA director. “In the evening, I realized I had not put the netting ring back over the tank and hurriedly laid it on the tank with minimal fastening. In the morning this visitor attracted attention by its loud clucks and sounds of thrashing as it tried to escape from under the protective netting. The bird had successfully maneuvered his way into the tank through an open area. A dead, apparently regurgitated, three-inch koi was floating on the water surface. Mr Green Heron flew away once freed from the tank’s enclosure. Hopefully, the bird will breakfast elsewhere from now on.” Around Florida, such stories are nearly as common as sightings of these magnificent predators themselves. “I lost four of my oldest and largest koi,” said Frank Scanlan. “They were about five years old and the largest probably 15”+ were lost to a Blue Heron that was frequenting our pond in Coral Springs, Florida. I ended up running several monofilament lines randomly across the top of the pond about three feet above the surface. I haven’t noticed any fish missing since.”
A watchful eye in the Southeastern United States is always a fair warning for those wishing to keep their fish predator-free. Egrets, relatives of the heron, also enjoy Florida koi as do a variety of other wading and diving birds including spoonbills, ibis, storks, and anhingas. “ For coastal residents, the list of koi terrorists include the full gamut of Atlantic and Caribbean/Gulf sea birds, which are fully capable of munching on a medium-sized koi,” according to Ward. “A couple of pelicans could clean out a pond in minutes and leave nothing but a buuuurp! Gloria Estefan can explain that better than I. She got cleaned out at her place.” There are plenty of other classes of predators such as reptiles that threaten koi around Florida ponds. “In come the snakes,” said Ward. “Brown water snakes, moccasins, red rats, Florida kings, and our vast collections of exotics (semitropical South Florida) ranging from pythons and boas to any other snake found anywhere in the world. All snakes are capable, agile swimmers and like the taste of fish.” Yet, do snakes actually cause much concern for Florida koi hobbyists? “I found out snakes enjoy koi as much as herons,” said Brown. Several other koi hobbyists in Northeast Florida reported problems with snakes. “We had recently stocked our pond with small koi, and Bill, my husband was out by the pond when a brightly-colored snake slithered out from behind some rocks and dove right in after a fish,” said Dianne Cassidy. “Upland out of the pond came the snake with the fish that was too big for it to swallow. Bill took after the snake that proceeded to leave the koi flapping on the bank.” The fish survived and the snake took off down a storm sewer to hunt its quarry elsewhere. Sarah Schlesinger, a First Coast Koi, Goldfish and Water Garden Club member, also did battle with a snake living in one of her several ponds. After numerous small fry went missing, she identified the culprit that was sharing the pond one day while she cleaned the submersible pump and filter. That snake’s koi consumption ended that afternoon. Chris Smith, another North Florida proud father of two young children and numerous koi was so alarmed by snake eggs found under his pond waterfall that he poured a concrete slab around the entire structure and sealed the crevices to prevent any further encroachments of the natural order. Some area predators are warm and fuzzy mammals, which include raccoons and even bobcats. “Raccoons are expert fisherman,” said Ward. “Our entire cichlid facility is covered with chain link and electrified at night!” There are some other sneaky varieties of predatory mammals that can clean out a koi pond population quickly. “We ruled out all the usual predators, raccoons, cats, small boys,” said Brown. “I was convinced we had been found by an otter. My husband, Doubting Paul, was not convinced. We tried beefing up the netting, lights, electric fence, and the ultimate last resort,…a radio tuned to a 24-hour religious station. I now have a great affinity with Carl the groundskeeper in the movie Caddy Shack. Remember Doubting Paul…he remained not convinced until the morning he checked the trap we set to find an otter, with koi on its breath, snarling at him. Great, I thought, got rid of that problem. I restocked, which was the most fun of the whole ordeal, upping the quality of my koi. There was nearly a year of calm at the old pond until another swimming weasel found me. These otters, by the way, have to travel over two miles from the nearest large body of water, up a shallow creek to get to my pond. The creek is so shallow they must walk the last half mile. This time, the survivors went to board at another club member’s pond. They stayed there for eight months. In the meanwhile, we tried trapping without any success. When we figured it was safe to bring the fish back, I was so happy to see them back home. So was an otter. It took 10 days for him to find them again — even with two surveillance cameras with an interior monitor, a motion and heat-sensing floodlight with an interior alarm. In spite of the indignity, I am sure the surviving koi are suffering, they now have to share a 1500-gal pond with the goldfish the otter didn’t eat after we moved the koi the first time. Now the pond is covered with heavy gauge hardware cloth held down with steel spikes driven in the ground. Concrete blocks sit on top of the edging. It’s a koi maximum-security prison. Sing Sing for Sankes, if I had any left.
I go down to the empty pond and admire the plants and enjoy the sound of running water…and I plot. Maybe a steel trap there…a tiger pit over there…electric plates.” The cosmopolitan nature of the South Florida human inhabitants is matched only by their wildlife variety. “In South Florida, we probably have the most diversified collection of koi slaying predators in the United States,” said Ward. “Southeast Texas would be a close second. Alligators are a common predator in the western sections of Southeast Florida and the eastern areas of Southwest Florida where the Everglades and manlike are attempting to see “whose territory” it really is! Turtle species include alligator snappers, soft-shell, and sliders, all of which are fish eaters. I have sliders in my pond and should a fish get ill, and slow down, the sliders will have him in a second. Don’t keep turtles and valuable koi together unless you have a large pond. Mine is 28,000-gal and the new one is 60,000-gal so everyone has some space to co-exist. The turtles came on their own, as did the walking catfish. I did not put them there.
We also have lots of iguanas of various types and they are all fast swimming, fish-eating machines. I could figure out what was doing the fish in until Todd Hardwick saw the bite on a fish. I lost several large koi to a big iguana a few years back and finally had the great pleasure of blowing him off the fence with a shotgun. It was nearly 6’ long. I suppose this makes Florida seem like a jungle in the Amazon and in some ways it can be,” concluded Ward. So, remember when you visit the land of flowers there are also koi predators in those bushes!
NOTE: Article was originally published in KOI USA Nov/Dec 2005 issue by John Hawley, Earth Works Content Manager.
For ideas on how to address koi predators you may be dealing with and for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, pond, 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.
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.
Northeast Florida gardeners are rightfully concerned for their lawns and gardens over a freeze after warm days close to Spring. For days the Earth Works Garden Center staff has been busy implementing steps to protect new blooming Spring plant deliveries from cold temperatures. “Plants need to leaf out as early as they can in spring to take full advantage of the growing season,” according to The Conversation. “But this involves pumping water into their developing leaves, which reduces the concentration of sugars, salts and organic compounds in their tissues and removes their winter protection from cold.” Conditions can be worse when a freeze arrives after an unseasonably warm late winter morning versus during mid-Winter. Ignoring the threat of plant damage comes at a high cost so Learn how to protect your plants from the cold snaps and consider this additional information.
What is Plant Hardiness? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones are largely based on the minimum temperature a plant can survive. “Where the USDA zones fall short; however, is that they don’t account for other factors,” according to Gardening Know How. “These include freeze dates, freeze-thaw cycles, the effects of snow cover, precipitation, and elevation.”
2022 Late Winter- Early Spring Weather Snapshot After above-average temperatures in the 70s and 80s the first week of March 2022, an inland freeze is forecast on the morning of Sunday, March 13, one week out from Spring. Besides the higher-than-average temperatures, the morning temperatures had been low. Forecasters attributed the above-average afternoon highs and chilly mornings to a La Nina induced high-pressure bubble in the atmosphere. “This bubble of high pressure is what we experienced in December,” according to News4Jax. “We experienced the fourth warmest December in Jacksonville’s history.” Weeks of above-average temperature were followed by several days of steady rain ahead of this brief late winter freeze.
Effects of Dramatic Temperature Change on Plants “Plants develop their cold hardiness in stages,” according to McDonald Garden Center in Virginia. “Each new temperature low increases the plant’s ability to survive even colder temps. Maximum hardiness is usually reached in late January and early February and is best achieved by a gradual chilling. The late warmth allowed the plant cell tissue to retain more moisture thus reducing the concentration of salts and chemicals in the cell that act as antifreeze in high concentrations. As a result, the cells freeze and burst and plant death occurs.” That interpretation of a gradual increase in seasonal plant cold hardiness is substantiated by the University of Florida. “When temperatures gradually decrease over time, the plants ability to acclimate to colder temperatures is increased,” according to the University of Florida. “The opposite is true when temperatures suddenly take a dip during the fall, which can cause more damage than the same low temp would in mid to late winter.”
Whether going into or coming out of winter, dramatic temperature changes adversely impact plants. Have you seen and felt the signs of an early Spring in Northeast Florida, including the high pollen levels and a wide variety of early blooming trees and shrubs? “These ‘spring-like’ temperatures often result in many plants and trees breaking dormancy prematurely,” according to Growing A Greener World. “This sudden drop to below freezing can wreak havoc on tender new growth.”
Protective Measures While the new foliage of shrubs and trees could burn and drop flowers, with a freeze after warm days more severe harm is likely for unprotected warm-season annuals, vegetables, and tropicals. Perennials stand a better chance of recovery.
-Avoid fertilizing lawn turf until after the last freeze. Lawn turf coming out of dormancy could fall back into a slumber, unable to absorb the benefits of fertilization. “If you fertilize your lawn and another frost hits, your grass will go right back into dormancy, and you’ll have a harder time getting it to green up again,” according to Sod Solutions. “This does more harm than good.” Application of slow-release fertilizer in early Spring reduces the risks of damage associated with an unexpectedly late frost.
-If you’ve moved tender plants back outside consider moving them back into protected areas ahead of a freeze after warm days. Cover plants and provide wind protection for those that can’t be brought indoors. The Earth Works Garden Center has freeze cloth available while supplies last.
-Be mindful that low-lying areas tend to be colder and plantings there will have shallower root development and increased risk of freeze damage. Consider booking a landscape design consultation with one of our Earth Works designers.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping need, 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.
March brings Spring, warming soil, longer days, and a return to Daylight Savings Time on Sunday, March 13, a week before the first day of Spring on Sunday, March 20. Our last frost and freeze days are likely behind us. Gardeners in Northeast Florida must stay prepared for late-season cold fronts while going ahead with planting, fertilizing, and watering their palms, fruit trees, shrubbery, warm-season annuals, perennials, herbs, and vegetables.
Earth Works Garden Center is fully stocked with herbs & vegetable plants.
New shipments arrive weekly stocked with a wide assortment of palms, fruit, bamboo, and hardwood trees.
Our Peach trees are currently blooming and setting fruit.
Get prepared for a successful season ahead using our Northeast Florida Spring Lawn and Garden Checklist.
MARCH USHERS IN LONGER DAYS March brings Spring and an increase in seed germination rates, while seedlings flourish as solar radiation increases soil temperatures. The sun moves north and crosses the equator on the first day of Spring and reaches its peak in the Northern Hemisphere on the first day of Summer. As the sun moves closer overhead and shines longer each day our plants draw vital life energy. March has the distinction of adding more minutes of daylight of all the months on the calendar. The shortest day was 10:11:21 back on the first day of Winter, December 21. January reversed that cycle of declining minutes per day and added 31 minutes of day length for a total of 10:44:34. February accelerates the pickup of daylight hours, adding 47 minutes for a total of 11:31:02 by month’s end. March adds 56 minutes, followed by April adding 52 minutes, May adding 38 minutes, and June an additional 8 minutes in the lead up to the longest day of 14:06:19 on the June 21, Summer Solstice. Long days with the sun shining brightly means plants have the maximum amount of light energy possible and we have more daylight hours for gardening. Yay!
Give us a wave when you spot us in Northeast, Florida!
SEASONAL PRECIPITATION AND WATER RESTRICTIONS IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA During the winter months, plants need less water due to lower growth rates, dormancy, and less evaporation in the lawn and garden. With higher temperatures and longer days, our lawn and garden plants begin their intensive vegetative growth stage that to thrive requires adequate rain or irrigation. In Duval County, water restrictions loosen during Daylight Savings Time, allowing twice per week residential landscape irrigation with no limits for a new landscape or hand watering. “Residential properties with even numbered addresses or those ending with A-M** may water on Thursday and Sunday; properties with odd numbered addresses, those ending with N-Z*, or properties with no street address may water on Wednesday and Saturday, according to the City of Jacksonville. “Non-residential irrigation is only permitted Tuesday and Friday. Irrigation is not permitted between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.” Be vigilant in making sure your lawn and garden are sufficiently watered. Earth Works lawn care division recommends two rain or watering events per week for a healthy lawn.
While Northeast Florida’s sub-tropical climate usually receives an abundance of rain in Spring, it can come all at once or not at all. For instance, Jacksonville had nearly twice the normal rain totals by this time last year compared to half the normal rate thus far this year. January and February normally receive 5.4 inches of rainfall in Jacksonville (Craig Field weather station), but for 2022 it was half that at 2.73 inches. Compare that to 9.64 inches of rain over the same period last year. Less rain was predicted by NOAA due to La Nina. “The Southwest will certainly remain a region of concern as we anticipate below-normal precipitation where drought conditions continue in most areas,” said Jon Gottschalck, chief, Operational Prediction Branch, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.
BEWARE: CHINCH BUGS LIKE DROUGHT CONDITIONS
Drought conditions can increase the chance of chinch bugs infestation in your St. Augustine turf. Chinch bug season in North Florida is typically March through November. “Chinch bug damage can be confused with certain lawn diseases or other physiological disorders,” according to Texas A&M. “For example, brown patch is a common disease affecting the leaf blades of St. Augustinegrass. Brown patch symptoms, however, usually occur in a circular or semi-circular pattern, as opposed to the irregular-shaped areas of dead and dying grass that result from chinch bug feeding. Chinch bug damage also can be difficult to distinguish from that caused by drought.”
Droughts threaten the health of the lawn, garden, and homes due to the increased threat of wildfires. Florida’s wildfire season begins in March and typically ends in May or June as the rainy season ‘hopefully’ arrives. “Florida’s population has nearly tripled in the last century, and much of the growth has occurred in undeveloped areas,” according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “The trend has created a complex landscape known as the Wildland/Urban Interface, a set of conditions under which wild land fires move beyond trees and undergrowth to threaten neighborhoods. Ensuring a home is compatible with nature can help save it and the entire community when wildfire strikes.” Fire breaks with lawns forming a buffer of 30’ between wooded areas and homes are recommended.
An additional resource provided by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI). “The Keetch-Byram drought index (KBDI) is a continuous reference scale for estimating the dryness of the soil and duff layers, according to FDACS. “The range of the index is determined by assuming that there is 8 inches of moisture in a saturated soil that is readily available to the vegetation.”
A great way to enjoy a Spring Day! Stop by each Saturday in Spring for Sip & Shop. Enjoy a beautiful Spring Day while you sip on a cool beverage and browse among our beautiful plants, ponds, and pottery. Find your happy place this Saturday at Earth Works garden center!
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscping need, 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.
Follow these steps for Do It Yourself pond filter clean out for better start-up success regardless of your equipment configuration. Do It Yourselfers often build and clean out their water gardens constructed with professional-grade equipment such as Aquascape Biofall filters installed by pond building contractors. The time a filter can go before needing a cleanout varies depending on various factors related to the pond size, type of equipment installed, fish and plant load. Although Earth Works builds pond systems with skimmers, including submersible pumps and biofall filters we understand that your DIY pond might be put together differently, you can still benefit from knowing how best to complete your pond filter clean out ahead of Spring. -When designing a pond, you should consider: -A pond layout that prevents debris buildup. -Use a pump with a proper flow and turnover rate for the size and fish load. -Piping from the pump to biofall should be adequate diameter, length, and height considering effects of friction loss and head pressure.
Do It Yourself pond builders can have all sorts of pond configurations along with mix and match pond equipment. So let’s set aside the platitudes of the ‘perfect pond design and configuration’ and consider getting the best performance out of the system you’ve got. Cleaning the debris from your filter heading into Spring is an essential general rule. As water temperatures increase, so do the bacteria and algae populations. Built-up debris serves as a petri dish to grow harmful strains of bacteria that cause bacterial infections and algae blooms that can result in fish kills.
DIY pond with Aquascape Biofall 6000 installed
Using the example of a DIY pond build that includes an Aquascape Biofall 6000 follow these steps to clean out yours. The Aquascape Biofall 2500 & 1000 could be cleaned following the same procedures. This pond example is a koi pond that consists of an external pump that draws from the pond bottom drain and pumps water through a 2″ line to one of the bulkhead connections on the bottom of the biofall. -If you do regular water changes, make this part of one of those regularly scheduled events. -Turn off your pump and draw down the water level in the pond to the bottom of the biofall. Likewise, empty the biofall reservoir.
Biofall reservoir being drained by using a sump pump.
-There are a variety of sump pumps available for quickly drawing down pond water levels. These same pumps can be used for removing the water and sludge buildup from the bottom of the biofall reservoir. While the filter sludge can be scooped out with a bucket or shop vacuum, there are specialty pumps like the Oase Pondovac that contractors use for their clean-out services. “I can’t imagine doing this work without one,” says Josiah Crousore Specialty Water Gardens & Landscapes, Columbia, MO. “It comes in especially handy for just your situation, cleaning out pump vaults, skimmers, biofall boxes, etc. No more hand scooping muck and dead frogs for me. We use it throughout the year for all kinds of tasks related to maintenance or transferring water. It’s not 100% perfect at everything but nothing is. They ain’t cheap but I promise you wouldn’t regret getting one. The Oase vacuums are built pretty tough, especially the pump and vacuum motors.” -When draining water from your pond, utilize this nutrient-rich water within your landscape to fertilize the plants. -Remove the rock tray, fine and coarse filter material, and bioballs. It’s good to have a dedicated area to clean pond material that is out of the way, and that doesn’t flood your yard or your neighbors.
DIYer’s dedicated area for cleaning equipment that won’t flood neighbors.
-Spray off all the sludge and debris from the filter material. Thoroughly clean both sides of filter mats and bagged bioballs until the cleaning water clears. Cleaning the filter media removes all the good bacteria that you can replenish with Beneficial Bacteria by Aquascape, and Maintain that includes beneficial bacteria, along with a flocculant, and phosphate binder. There are time-release formulas that can be used with our Aquascape Automatic Dosing Systems as well.
Proper cleaning of filter media requires water pressure and patience.
-Return your filter media to the biofall filter. Although simply designed the Aquascape biofall components must be installed properly with the large coarse filter material placed at the bottom and bags of bioballs placed on top. For extra filtering of suspended fine particles include fine filter material in the path of the flowing water over the filter spillway.
-Refill pond water (treated with detox or Maintain), and restart your filter. The biofilm and beneficial bacteria colonization will begin thereafter, but depending on temperature and pond configuration there can be water clouding and increased algae growth prior to optimum filter performance.
Supercharge your water changes with MAINTAIN
-After successfully completing your pond filter clean out bathe and sanitize yourself as the bacteria splattered on your skin can cause a variety of health problems that we don’t want to discuss.
Earth Works is a Certified Aquascape Contractor designing ponds and serving as a retail supplier of the full line of high-quality Aquascape pond equipment and supplies in Northeast Florida. If your pond performance is inadequate for your needs contact Earth Works or another Certified Aquascape Contractor for a design consultation.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping need, 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.
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.
Get prepared and ready for a successful season ahead using tips from our Spring lawn and garden checklist.
Aeration and Top Dressing renews your lawn soil with the required nutrients. Earth Works lawn care division provides this service. Our garden center likewise has many varieties of high quality soils for your gardening needs.
If your pond hasn’t had a clean out in a few years consider doing so or schedule with Earth Works prior to the heat of summer and potential adverse affects of bad bacteria buildup in the detritus.
Apply pre-emergent herbicide before average temperatures reach 65-70F. Apply Weed & Feed products after March 1st when nitrogen is bioavailable once warm season sod breaks dormancy.
Sharpen and sanitize lawn and garden cutting tools. Dull blades damage plants, including grass and foliage plants inviting pests and pathogens.
Check lawn tools to ensure they’re operational. Note: if your lawnmower, edger, and weed eater are gasoline-powered, the fuel should be used up or emptied as it separates and can clog hoses and carburetors, resulting in hard-start issues and equipment failure. Be sure there are no leaks that damage your plants and harm the environment.
Prune back Ornamental Grasses like Muhly and Fountain grasses that may have a lot of last year’s brown.
Prepare for spring herbs and veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.
Run through the irrigation system, testing it to ensure its working condition and that it’s covering the lawn and beds adequately. Sprinkler heads could be broken, damaged, or covered with soil preventing them from proper operation. Lines can be broken underground. The Duval County watering restriction allowance increases from once per week to twice starting on the second Sunday in March, according to Chapter 366 of the City of Jacksonville Ordinance Code. If under drought conditions with less than two rain events per week, hand-watering isn’t restricted. Daily new landscape watering is also an allowed exception to the local ordinance.
Clean up flower beds that may have a build-up of oak and other leaves that served as Winter mulch that can now be moved to compost piles, trash cans and bags for removal.
Divide perennials (Like African Iris, Agapanthus, or Amaryllis). Provide your collection room for growth and share the access with friends.
Prepare New Beds (Refresh with Biotone and compost)
Plant Container-Grown Plants typically in March past the final threat of frost and freezing temperatures. Plenty of pottery choices are available at Earth Works garden center.
Fertilize lawn and gardening beginning in March with slow release and/or liquid fertilizers available at the garden center.
If you’ve had tree or shrub wood boring beetles issues consider treating with Fertilome Tree & Shrub Drench, which provides 12 months of protection.
Start a Compost Pile (Anytime).
Clean Bird Feeders and Baths, along with raking up seed hulls that have accumulated on the ground.
When in Doubt, Mulch (Pine Bark is best!).
Stop by the Earth Works garden center if you need more information or assistance implementing any part of our Northeast Florida Spring Lawn and Garden checklist. Get a free quote for lawn service and fertilization and book a landscape design consultation today!
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping need, 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.
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.
Hatching praying mantis can be a fun and educational introduction to raising garden insects, but are they beneficial or not?
Fun Facts About Praying Mantis -They see in 3D. -They can turn head side to side & 180 degrees -They commonly camouflage themselves -They are cannibals -2400+ species of praying mantis -Some species grow to 5″ in length
Are Praying Mantis Popular? Praying mantis have long captured people’s interest. Today is no different as more monthly internet searches are for praying mantis (81,700 monthly volume) than butterflies (75,300 monthly volume). Seen as a sort of apex predator of the insect world, praying mantis are popularly raised as pets with fruit fly cultures and cricket hatchlings available for sale as food.
Are Praying Mantis Beneficial Insects? Although the praying mantis is one of the most widely recognized insects that benefit the gardener, they are generalists that will eat other beneficial insects and each other. “Because they are general feeders, they aren’t very effective for pest control, said Don Shor Owner at Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis, California. “They eat everything they can grab, including bees, syrphid flies, and each other. I don’t recommend releasing them, but do feel that their natural presence in your garden is an indication of a healthy ecosystem.”
Commercial plant growers use a wide variety of beneficial insects in their operations. They tend to do so with insect species such as ladybugs, lacewings, and assassin bugs. “I like biologicals as an Integrated Pest Management tool, but I wouldn’t choose mantids first, said Jenny Enchayan, entomologist and owner of Freed Brothers Farms in Loomis, Nebraska. “The nymphs aren’t very reliable eaters or survivors, and only a couple out of the thousands that hatch survive to adulthood. But as an entomologist, it’s important to know which pests you are having issues with and on what crops to give the proper recommendations. Without specifics, ladybeetles, Orius, and lace bugs are good for aphids. There are a few species of mites good for spider mites and thrips.”
What is Integrated Pest Management? The Integrated Pest Management mentioned by Enchavan is a science-based method of controlling plant pests. “IPM is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties,” according to the University of California. “Biological control is the use of natural enemies—predators, parasites, pathogens, and competitors—to control pests and their damage. Invertebrates, plant pathogens, nematodes, weeds, and vertebrates have many natural enemies.”
Whether praying mantis are beneficial or not can depend on your perspective. The majority of praying mantis available for sale are non-native and they will eat beneficial insects along with pest species and each other. However, we continue to marvel over them.
What do I need to raise my own Praying Mantis? If deciding to raise praying mantis their egg cases (Ootheca) are seasonally available from Arbico Organics. Cricket cages are available in a variety of sizes to hatch and raise hatchlings. The cricket cage cover can be covered with stocking nylon that’s a small enough mesh to retain the mantids and prey. Fruit flies, Drosophila species are available and many pet stores that are a good food source for the mantids can be secured in the nylon-covered cricket cages.
Group of young mantids too young to eat each other pictured above taken at the Earth Works Garden Center. Wrapped around each other and in squatting positions some arch their tails like scorpions.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping need, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery with Florida Fancy palm stock 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 is a Northeast Florida provider of Florida Fancy palm trees, the highest grade established by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. When making your palm tree purchases, it’s helpful to know its grade based on an assessment of its health, frond, trunk, root ball structural quality and the likelihood of transplant success. The palm tree grade does not reflect design form or dimensional characteristics.
Why Florida Palm Tree Grades Were Established “Florida’s unique and diverse climate provides environmental conditions favorable for the growth of about 25,000 plant species, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). “This vast number of plants, coupled with the many different sizes and shapes of plants that enter the market, clearly indicates the need for precise communication between buyer and seller. This is further necessitated as buyer and seller specify and negotiate plant quality.”
Florida state government agencies likewise use the palm tree grades in making their purchases. “FDOT installations must use ONLY Florida #1 grade or better quality plants,” according to the Florida Department of Transportation. “Florida Chapter International Society of Arboriculture took the lead to establish a Certified Nursery Tree Grading program that aids implementation of the Florida Grades and Standards for Nursery Trees and Palms.”
Florida palm tree grades are required for the following palms based on health, minimum leaf counts, and the root-to-shoot ratio for transplant success, leaf quality, and root ball measurements in inches based on overall height. All of these can be graded as a Florida Fancy palm. Paurotis palm, Christmas palm, Alexander palm, Piccabeen palm, Dwarf Sugar palm, Bismarck palm, Pindo palm, Mule palm, Carpentaria palm, Clustering Fishtail palm, Cat palm, Bamboo palm, Hardy Bamboo palm, Reed palm, European Fan palm, Red Feather palm, Silver palm, Coconut palm, Caranday palm, Carnauba palm, Princess palm, Cabada palm, Triangle palm, Teddy Bear palm, Areca palm, Sagisi palm, Bottle palm, Spindle palm, Blue Latan palm, Red Latan palm, Key Thatch palm, Australian Fan palm, Chinese Fan palm, Ribbon palm, Carnavon Gorge palm, Taraw palm, Canary Island Date palm, Date palm, Senegal Date palm, Pygmy Date palm, Wild Date palm, Buccaneer palm, Solitaire palm, Macarthur palm, Lady palm, Finger palm, Royal palm, Cabbage palm, Queen palm, Florida Thatch palm, Windmill palm, Montgomery palm, Mexican Fan palm, Mexican Fan palm, and Foxtail palm.
GLOSSARY OF PALM GRADING TERMINOLOGY from FDACS The following terms are presented for use in the grading process.
Abrupt tapering: A taper greater than 10% within the top foot of the woody trunk, reducing the trunk diameter, indicating a stressed condition.
Chlorosis: The loss of chlorophyll from leaves resulting in light green, yellow, orange, or white tissue. The presence of chlorosis denotes a nutrient deficiency, a physiological problem or the presence of a disease. Clustering palms: Palms that naturally have more than one trunk.
Container Grown Palm: Palms grown in container allowing transplanting without cutting roots. The roots must be completely contained within the container.
Depression: Mechanically produced indentation into the pseudobark that can indicate damage to underlying vascular tissue.
Excellent leaf: A fully emerged leaf (all leaflets are fully expanded) with a strong petiole with less than 1% of the area showing chlorosis, necrosis, nutrient deficiencies, leaf spots, pests or insect damage, or physical damage.
Extreme succulence: Soft, tender, elongated, weak petioles caused by over-fertilization, over-irrigation or over-crowding in the nursery. The palm may not survive when transplanted. Typically identified by weak elongated petioles.
Field Grown Palm: Palms grown and harvested from the ground by cutting the roots.
Good leaf: A fully emerged leaf (all leaflets are fully expanded) with a strong petiole with 1% to 10% of the area showing chlorosis, necrosis, nutrient deficiencies, leaf spots, pests or insect damage, or physical damage.
Grade: A designation of palm health assigned at the time of delivery using this document to evaluate the palm. One of three grades is possible: Florida Fancy, Florida No. 1 or Florida No. 2.
Leaf count: The number of fully emerged (all leaflets are fully expanded) good or excellent leaves counted during the grading process.
Necrosis: Desiccated plant tissue typically but not necessarily brown, tan or gray in color.
Primary Trunk: Trunks ¾ or greater the height of the tallest clear trunk in clustering palms and single trunk palms intentionally grown with more than one trunk.
Pseudobark: Outer non-vascular portion of the trunk. Pseudobark damage can be unsightly but can also indicate damage to underlying vascular tissue.
Pup scars: Scars near the base of the trunk in clonally produced palms (palms propagated by division or propagated from offshoot removal; e.g., Phoenix dactylifera) that are the result of offshoot or pup removal. These scars present no health risk to the palm.
Re-grade: An official re-grade is conducted by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry. The request must be submitted to the Chief Plant Inspector, Division of Plant Industry within 30 days following delivery.
Root ball measurement: Measurement from the lowest part of the trunk exclusive of exposed roots or persistent leaf bases perpendicular out to the edge of the root ball for field grown palms. Gradable palms in containers are not subject to root ball measurements.
Tipped Leaf: A specified procedure of shortening the leaves by cutting the leaf tips. Tipped leaves are not gradable therefore this must occur after the grading process.
Vascular tissue: Water and carbohydrate conducting plant tissue that is covered by the outer non-vascular pseudobark.
Vertical fissures: Naturally occuring vertical expansion cracks. These present no health risk to the palm when less than one-inch deep.
Step 1. Eliminating factors are severe problems that decrease the palm’s chance for survival in the new site. Any one of these factors eliminates the palm from Grades and Standards consideration. The palm is termed “Not Gradable,” regardless of other attributes.
a) Evidence of palm weevils or symptoms of lethal diseases such as Fusarium Wilt, Ganoderma butt rot, phytoplasma diseases, Thielaviopsis trunk rot, or Phytophthora bud rot. b) Wood boring insect damage. c) Exposure of or damage to vascular tissue.* d) Abrupt tapering within the top foot of the woody trunk reducing the diameter by more than 20%. e) Extreme succulence. f ) Naturally occurring vertical fissures exceeding one-inch in depth.g) Pseudobark damage totaling more than 20 square inches.* h) Failure to meet the minimum requirements for root ball measurement or Florida No. 2 leaf count in Table 1.
Step 3. Downgrading Factors a) Pseudobark damage between 5 and 10 square inches. Enter one ‘YES’ for each occurrence.* b) Pseudobark damage between 10 and 20 square inches. This is in addition to the previous pseudobark damage downgrade.* c) Abrupt tapering within the top foot of woody trunk reducing the diameter by 10% to 15%. d) Abrupt tapering within the top foot of woody trunk reducing the diameter by 16% to 20%. This is in addition to the previous abrupt tapering downgrade.
There is no requirement that sellers provide this information unless you ask. The high standards of the Florida palm tree grading process protect your investment, but only if you know it exists and you ask the grade when making your purchase. Ask your nursery if they are a Florida fancy palm provider prior to your purchase.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping need, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery with Florida Fancy palm stock 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.
Good gardening soil is a loose mix of air, water, minerals, and organic matter including humus, roots, and organisms. Of the 18 essential elements for plant growth and development nine are called macronutrients with the most common being carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O), which are key for the production of carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids. Carbon makes up about 50% of soil by weight. All the organic matter in your garden, including compost, animal manure, and leaf litter, are mostly carbon. Additional macronutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulphur (S). The nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) constitute the NPK formula associated with fertilizers as they are key to plant growth and development. Lack of macronutrients in soil inhibits proper plant growth and development.
Micronutrients include iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chlorine (Cl), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), sodium (S), and silicon (Si). “Deficiencies in any of these nutrients—particularly the macronutrients—can adversely affect plant growth,” according to UC Davis University of California. “Depending on the specific nutrient, a lack can cause stunted growth, slow growth, or chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves). Extreme deficiencies may result in leaves showing signs of cell death.”
Essential factors for good gardening soil include the physical properties, mineral composition, pH, water holding capacity, and the absence of toxins. Healthy soil is filled with nutrients, microbes, and minerals that provide food for plants, help them grow strong roots, and help prevent diseases. Earth Works provides a variety of specially formulated good gardening soil to enhance Northeast Florida gardeners success in containers, raised beds, and directly in the ground.
Good Gardening Soil Available at Earth Works include: Black Gold Natural & Organic Succulent & Cactus Potting Mix Soil is a Sungro Horticulture product recommended in indoor and outdoor containers and with houseplants. Ingredients include Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, Bark, Earthworm Castings, Horticultural Grade Perlite, Pumice, or Cinders.
Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Mix Soil is recommended in raised beds, indoor and outdoor containers, houseplants, hanging baskets, and window boxes. It’s appropriate for growing bedding plants, vegetables, herbs, annuals, and perennials. Ingredients include Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, Composted or Aged Bark, Compost, Earthworm Castings, Horticultural Grade Perlite, Pumice, or Cinders, and Organic Grade Fertilizer. Also included is RESiLIENCE, a silicon-enriched additive that may enhance plant growth, flowering and improve resistance to wilting.
Fafard Pro Potting Mix Soil is recommended for indoor and outdoor all-purpose container plantings. Ingredients include Vermiculite, Perlite, Compost, Pine Bark, Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, Dolomite Lime, a Wetting Agent, and RESiLIENCE.
Fafard Ultra Container Mix with Extended Feed Soil is recommended in hanging baskets, window boxes, indoor and outdoor containers. It’s appropriate for growing bedding plants, annuals, perennials, houseplants, seeds, cuttings, vegetables and herbs. Ingredients include Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, Pine Bark, Compost, RESiLIENCE®, Perlite, Dolomite Lime, Wetting Agent, and Water-Holding Crystals.
FoxFarm Planting Mix Soil is a blend of soil amendments, including aged forest products, sphagnum peat moss, and earthworm castings. This is an all-purpose soil. The aged forest products and peat moss in FoxFarm Original Planting Mix may make it more effective at holding moisture around the roots of plants.
Happy Frog Original Potting Soil is a FoxFarm product designed for container plantings. It includes earthworm castings, bat guano, and aged forest products amended with soil microbes.
Lucky Dog K-9 Kube Growers Blend Soil is a FoxFarm product for rooted cuttings, and young plant starts for use in both indoor and outdoor cultivation and contains earthworm castings, perlite, peat moss, and mycorrhizal fungi.
Ocean Forest Potting Soil is a FoxFarm product designed for container gardeners. Ingredients include a blend of aged forest products, sphagnum peat moss, earthworm castings, bat guano, fish emulsion, and crab meal. The Aged forest products, sandy loam, and sphagnum peat moss give Ocean Forest a light, aerated texture.
ProMix Organic Premium Organic Vegetable and Herb Mix Soil is for us directly in the ground or containers and is great for fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Ingredients include Canadian sphagnum peat moss, Peat humus, Compost, Perlite, Gypsum, Limestone (for pH adjustment), Organic fertilizer, and Mycorrhizae.
Wild Earth Mix Soil bags and bulk are all-purpose soil for container gardens, raised beds, and use directly in the ground. Ingredients include organic compost, aged forest products, kelp, and peat humus.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping need, 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.
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.
Proper palm pruning beautifies these stately specimens in the landscape and protects them from stress from poor care and environmental pressure. Benefits of Proper Palm Pruning Include: • Preserving the health of the palm. • Improving their appearance. • Eliminating places for pests to hide. • Reducing wind resistance during bad weather. • Reducing fire hazards from the highly flammable dead fronds. There are self-cleaning palms for people who don’t want to worry about pruning. Self-cleaning palms include King Alexander (Archontophoenix alexandrae), Royal palm (Roystonea regia), Chinese Fan palm (Livistona chinensis), and Christmas palm (Adonidia merrillii).
The first step in proper palm pruning is to inspect and assess the source of any damage to the palms. Trimming your palm tree is no substitute for appropriate fertilization and care. You can’t fix mineral deficiencies and damage from pests, pathogens, and disease by pruning the tree.
What Tools do I Need to Properly Prune Palms? Proper palm pruning tools include: gloves, eye protection, pruning shears, loppers, telescoping pole saw, ladder, rubbing alcohol, bleach, or other comparable disinfectants to clean tools before and after use to avoid spreading pathogens and disease between plants. Tree trimming services should use ladders or a bucket truck rather than climbing with spiked shoes that damage the trunks and invite pests, pathogens, and diseases. Ask others who prune your palm trees to disinfect their tools and don’t allow them to climb them with spiked shoes.
How Often Should I Trim my Palms? Typically once per year in Spring is the best time and frequency to trim palm trees. Avoid removing the healthy green fronds. Instead, focus on eliminating brown and yellowing palm fronds damaged at the end of their life cycle. The fruiting flower stalks, or inflorescence, can be removed at this time to conserve the plants’ energy and reduce hazards from falling fruit and the corresponding mess, odor, and insect attraction.
Proper Palm Pruning Techniques Start pruning below the canopy and work up and around the tree to a horizontal frond position like arms on a clock at 9 and 3. Palms are monocots, plants that emerge from one leaf. Each new leaf emerges from the apical meristem, commonly referred to as the heart of the palm at the very top of the tree. “Death of the apical meristem in a palm results in the death of that stem in clustering species and death of the entire palm in single-stem species,” according to the University of Florida IFAS. “It also means that stem wounds, which would eventually be compartmentalized and grown over in dicot trees, are permanent in palms.” Due to the circumference of the palm trunks continuing to expand trim fronds 1/2-3/4″ back from the tree trunk on smaller palms such as Pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelinii) and 4-6″ from the trunk on large palm trees. The remaining portion of the frond on the trunk is referred to as the boot, which will die and in most species form a crisscrossing pattern that will eventually fall off or can be carefully removed.
The Sylvester date palm tree (Phoenix sylvestris) is known for its signature diamond-cut trunk. To create the diamond-cut tree farms prune for this look with a reciprocating saw that prevents trunk damage while exposing their orange genetic coloration. Although the color will fade in the months and years ahead it can be restored by pressure washing. Loppers and pole saws are recommended for Sylvester date palm tree annual pruning and a reciprocating saw, NOT a chainsaw when striving to duplicate the diamond cut. The beauty of your tropical landscape will increase along with the health of your palms by using these proper palm pruning techniques.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping need, 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.
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.
