We expect our turf grass to go dormant in the cooler months, but don’t turn your back on Fall Winter watering as the lawn and garden need that moisture. “The month with the fewest wet days in Jacksonville is November, with an average of 5.3 days with at least 0.04 inches of precipitation,” according to WeatherSpark.com. “The drier season lasts 8.2 months, from September 27 to June 2.”
We are halfway through our third week of November here in Jacksonville, and it has rained just three times this month, mainly on the 6th & 7th. Then we got a sprinkle on the 12th. In November 2020, it rained several times each week in Jacksonville for a total of 17 times that month. That was a much more favorable set of circumstances. Like a soaker hose, the water is delivered with greater frequency in small regular doses. Nothing is perfect though, as too frequent watering can result in shallow root systems and invite fungus.
“As Jacksonville heads into the driest month of the year in November, the potential for a flash drought will grow without persistent rain in the forecast,” according to News4jax.com. “A flash drought often begins as a small rain deficit in one county and then expands like fire across the landscape. Flash droughts are often accompanied by erratic precipitation over sharply defined geographic areas.”
There is only a slight chance of rain over the next 10 days. And November, along with October, has the clearest skies of the year for Jacksonville. Some days may be overcast without much precipitation ahead of a cold front, which can give us a head fake that we will get rain that never materializes. Rain totals thus far for November are what they were for all of Nov 2020, but when it comes down all at once, the soil doesn’t absorb as much of it as it is lost to stormwater runoff.
“Irrigation frequency will vary based on grass species, rainfall amounts, soil type and amount of compaction, shade presence, geographical location in the state, and, most importantly, by season,” according to the University of Florida. “Irrigation systems should be reset seasonally to reflect the differing water requirements of grasses based on time of year. Ideally, University of Florida guidelines call for watering lawns on an “as-needed” basis. This can be determined by observing the grass for signs of water stress, which indicate that water lost in transpiration is not being replaced and the plant’s needs for water are not being met. The signs that you need to look for are: • Leaf blades are folded in half lengthwise in an attempt to conserve water. • The grass takes on a blue-gray tint rather than maintaining a green color. • Footprints or tire tracks remain visible on the grass long after they are made.”
The Fall season watering is more crucial than Winter, primarily considering higher daily temperatures in Northeast Florida. As seen in the chart by Meyers and Horn, Florida Turf Growers, our St Augustine turfgrass requires a greater frequency of rain or watering in Fall than Spring. Measured in Gainesville the St Augustine grass can go 3-9 days between watering in Spring and only 2-8 days in Fall.
Obviously, our flower beds, landscape plants, and garden will need rain or regular Fall Winter watering. Drought conditions cause plant stress. “Without periodic rains or irrigation, your plants will stop producing fruit and will drop any fruit they have already produced,” according to UF Gardening Solutions. “Remember, most Florida soils drain easily and don’t retain water. Adding organic matter to the soil will help the soil retain moisture, conserving you water and saving you effort.”
Earth Works recommends keeping your turf, landscape, and garden healthy with at least two rain or watering events per week while abiding by local watering restrictions. Contact Chad Lakin, Earth Works Lawn Maintenance Operations Manager, with your specific lawn care questions at 904-996-0712 and get a free quote for your lawn care.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Christmas cactus blooms increase less from fertilization than by controlling their temperature and light exposure between October and December. Akin to poinsettias and chrysanthemums, Christmas cactus collecting has become a cherished family tradition resulting in high demand for this limited-availability plant during the holidays. Folklore from Brazil tells the story of a boy’s prayer for a sign of Christmas answered by a rainforest bounty of Christmas Cactus blooms on Christmas morning. Christmas cactus blooms appear in orange, pink, purple, red, yellow, and white with hybridization. However, the plant with its showy position at family get-togethers is likely not a Christmas but a Thanksgiving cactus if purchased in recent years.
Central Florida was once the epicenter of Schlumbergera hybridization, making Christmas cactus seemingly easier to collect than today. Barnell Larry Cobia, owner of B.L. Cobia nursery in Winter Garden, Florida, is credited for being “the most important Schlumbergera nursery in the USA in the second half of the last century,” writes Schlumbergera.net. When Coba started Christmas cactus hybridization, they were relatively rare collectibles. “A majority of the holiday cactus grown in the United States can be traced to Cobia’s hybridization work,” per a 1988 Orlando Sentinel article. His hybridizing and nursery ended with his passing in 2003. The slow growth rate of Schlumbergera and the operational expenses of independent garden centers result in difficulty in having readily available local sources of them.
“There are three main types of “holiday” cacti out there: the Easter cactus (S. gaertneri), Thanksgiving cactus (S. truncata), and Christmas cactus (S. x buckleyi),” according to the Farmer’s Almanac. “Each holiday cactus typically blooms closest to the holiday that it’s named after. However, most of the “Christmas cacti” sold today are actually Thanksgiving cacti, which tend to bloom from November through February and therefore pass unnoticed as Christmas cacti.”
Christmas cactus are epiphytes native to Brazil. They are leafless with flattened photosynthetic stems called phylloclades or cladodes found in other succulents, including night-blooming cereus and prickly pear cacti. The Thanksgiving cactus has 2 to 4 pointed serrations along the margins of its stems. In contrast, your grandparents cherished Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera x buckleyi) has dull, less sharp serrations.
“A second method to distinguish between these two Schlumbergera species is based on the color of the pollen-bearing anthers,” according to Clemson University. “The anthers of the Thanksgiving cactus are yellow, whereas the anthers on the Christmas cactus are purplish-brown.”
Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus blooms both require that same cool and short-day growing cycle. “To initiate the production of flower buds, there needs to be at least eight days of 16 hours of dark and eight hours of light each day,” according to Michigan State University. “Wherever the plant is placed, do not turn on the lights at night, even for a short period of time. That breaks the dark cycle required. The temperature should be around 61 degrees. Avoid placing the plant where it receives either cold or hot air drafts.” Follow this course of action for 8 days.
Christmas cactus blooms set naturally without the disciplined control of their light and temperature but aren’t likely to be as full as they could be. Suppose one side of your Christmas cactus blooms well with little to no blooms on the other. Controlling the light and temperature will improve the Christmas Cactus blooms throughout the plant. A balanced 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 fertilizer application monthly during the growth period is best for Schlumbergera that does well in bright indirect light the rest of the year indoors and outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Overwintering and indoor plant propagation require special attention to temperature and lighting. Let’s say you went a bit overboard with your purchases of tropicals and other cold-sensitive plants last Spring and Summer. Now you wonder if you’re prepared for that first frost and freeze warning. Indeed, miles apart are our Northeast Florida Winters from our subtropical Summers. So winter homes become forested with houseplants, potted tropicals, palms, and many high-dollar specialty plants that would probably rather not be there.
The fundamentals are the same for plants to survive. Each variety has its minimum required amounts of air, light, nutrients, space, time, warmth, and water. Know your plant’s cold-hardiness and your area climate. The temperatures along the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean are warmer than surrounding areas. These aren’t reported in the area weather forecast. These microclimate conditions vary widely associated with factors that limit wind and temperature exposure such as large tree canopies, dunes, and structures.
If you decide to bring in plants, thoroughly inspect the foliage and soil to avoid bringing in pests that might spread to others. Like your own health, the more time and effort you put into your plants’ health, the better off they will be. Many of the same pests you protected your plants from outdoors would love to do more of the same damage indoors. And the conditions improve indoors for some pests like spider mites. Clean the plants removing damaged foliage and leaf litter that make nice homes for pests. Reduce the plants watering schedule and position away from heat and drafts. Know your plants, which involves more than a google search, but getting to know them from hands-on experience.
Spider mites on Alocasia lauterbachiana.
Oh, and before you packed all those plants indoors, did you consider each of their light requirements? You may have perfect indoor low, and medium-light suited for your Sansevieria and Dracaenas, but not enough window space with sufficient lighting for all the other plants you want to bring in. Experience will say it’s the sort of thing you realize wasn’t totally planned out that you can improve on year after year. Yet, we want to have a thrive, not just survive, attitude with our gardening. But, there is a lot to learn. “Seedlings need more light than full-grown plants, ideally as much as 16-18 hours a day,” according to PlanetNatural.com. “We’ve found that a window sill, even a sun porch, doesn’t provide enough light to grow strong, healthy, compact starts.” Research your plant’s needs and figure out if it might be better to leave some of them outside, possibly covered with freeze cloth. Potted plants left outdoors should get extra protection as you don’t want the soil to freeze.
What about a greenhouse? If you’ve got the space they have much better light and provide other benefits. “An indoor agricultural evolution is in the making,” according to Food Safety News. “That’s how some people see the surge of interest in growing leafy greens in greenhouses. Because indoor growing is a controlled environment, the farmers don’t have to deal with wildlife, domestic animals, and birds flying overhead — all of which can contaminate the crops.” Indoor growing techniques have advanced so much that about half of all US vegetable production is done indoors. The consumer market for prefabricated greenhouses is strong resulting in a readily available selection of structural shapes and styles.
Commercial agriculture operations likewise use a host of other techniques to protect plants, including high and low tunnels, cold frames, and hoop houses. “From the outside, a high tunnel closely resembles a greenhouse—it is constructed of the same galvanized steel hoops and polyethylene covering,” according to Keith Stewart author of It’s a Long Road to a Tomato. “But it is not likely to have a fan or heater, and the plants inside will not be growing in trays—rather, they will be growing in the ground and will remain there until harvested. For ventilation, a high tunnel will have sides that roll up about 4 feet along the entire length of the structure, allowing outside air to flow through when temperatures on the inside get too high.”
DIYers can duplicate these structures with clear greenhouse plastic on a pergola or other structures during the cold months and then remove and store them until next winter. Greenhouse plastic properties to consider include, durability, light diffusion capacity, and UV stabilization. Thin greenhouse plastic is less durable and doesn’t last as long as more expensive thicker woven greenhouse plastic. It’s all spelled out on their online shops. AgricultureSolutions.com is one source with price ranges from $0.07 to $0.34 per square foot.
For many plant lovers, the grow light is preferred to the greenhouse. Grow light systems include Fluorescent, Compact Fluorescent (CFLs), Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) Incandescent, High-pressure sodium (HPS), and metal halide (MH). Choose the appropriate light for your application. There are grow lights that emit the light spectrum best suited for each stage of the plant life cycle including seed germination, vegetative growth, flowering, and fruiting stages. For general use, propagation, and growing seedlings, the full-spectrum LEDs are best for plant health with a low energy draw as they aren’t creating heat. They are good for all phases of plant growth whereas others specialize in only a particular phase of growth.
Growers House provides a comparison and review test using laboratory data to identify the best LED grow lights of 2021 and what you need to know to get the most for your dollar and indoor plants.
For more information contact our staff with any additional overwintering and indoor propagation questions. We are here to help you achieve your indoor and outdoor gardening goals.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Earth Works welcomed the opportunity to provide landscaping for Human Trafficking victims services non-profit Rethreaded’s Delores Barr Weaver Campus before its grand opening. Rethreaded is moving from a 2,800 square foot facility to this 36,000 square foot location in Springfield. This was made possible by donations and a matching grant from Weaver, a local philanthropist and a former owner of the Jaguars football team. The mission of the Rethreaded non-profit as described by charitynavigator.org is “social entrepreneurship that is breaking the cycle of the sex trade by offering viable and creative work to those affected by the sex trade i.e. prostitution, drug addiction, and human trafficking. Rethreaded offers the oppressed a chance to grow into the fullness of who they are.” Charitynavigator assesses Rethreaded 97 out of 100 in their “Give with Confidence” rating.
We’ve been impressed by the follow-through on the vision of Rethreaded by its Founder Kristin Keen. She has been our point of contact handling even the small details herself throughout our landscaping project. “Founded in 2012, Rethreaded was inspired by the five years Keen lived in India,” according to the Florida Times Union. “She and a friend formed a similar business there, helping women in the sex trade by giving them jobs creating handmade blankets and other products. At Rethreaded, women have employment opportunities in production, inventory, sales, marketing and finance and administration. It also operates as a distribution company that sells products from like-minded businesses who also employ trafficking survivors.”
Rethreaded’s facilities expansion and increased funding will afford more opportunities for the growing numbers of human trafficking victims in Northeast Florida. “In 2020, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Department identified almost double the number of human trafficking victims as the year before and twice as many children,” according to First Coast News. “Instead of only being able to help 15 people, Rethreaded will now be able to hire 60.”
Jason Duffney gives a tour sharing the scope of our landscaping for the meditation garden at Rethreaded in the provided video. He relates the caring mission of Rethreaded to Earth Works caring for its own family of employees.
The Grand Opening of Rethreaded’s Delores Barr Weaver Campus at 151 9th Street East is Saturday, November 20, 2021, from 6-9 pm.
Find out more about their grand opening at: https://rethreaded.com/events/grand-opening/ There are various ways to get involved and support Rethreaded including volunteering and donations, and Earth Works encourages you to do so.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
November lawn and garden tips start by noticing that Jacksonville’s climate this month is typically the driest with the possibility for the areas first seasonal frost day. Weather can vary greatly as Thanksgiving temperatures in Duval have ranged from the twenties in 1970 to a high of 86 degrees in 2014. Unlike northern states, our holiday entertaining can typically be done comfortably on the patio, by the pond and fire pit. Throughout the month, the average temperatures are between 75 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Be mindful of your weekly rainfall totals. Water when necessary and prepare to protect your tender plants and furry friends from that first frost.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE WATER OUR LAWN IN NOVEMBER? With an average of four days of rain in November, it’s the driest month averaging 2.34 inches and comes on the heels of a drier than usual October. Once per week watering is the rule in Jacksonville, coinciding with a return to Standard Time on November 6. Earth Works Lawn Care Operations Manager Chad Lakin urges that we continue to need two watering events per week this time of year. They can both be rain events or supplemented with irrigation and hand watering. Weird way of saying it, but concise. Stipulations for Jacksonville’s watering ordinance include: 1) No watering from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 2) Odd number addresses, or addresses ending with letters N-Z, or no address may water only on Saturday. 3) Even number addresses or those ending with A-M may water only on Sunday. 4) Non-residential addresses may water only on Tuesday and 5) Apply up to ¾-inch or less of water one time per week.
SHOULD WE FERTILIZE OUR GRASS IN NOVEMBER? Our warm-season grasses are going dormant, but caring properly for them now will lead to a healthy lawn in Spring. Winterizing fertilizers has gotten mixed reviews in recent years. Fertilizer blackout periods prohibit nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization throughout much of Florida (excluding Duval County) from June through September to prevent surface water contamination and algae blooms. Chad Lakin, Lawn Maintenance Operations Manager recommends Fall fertilization for root health with an NPK of 0-0-26, which helps protect against grey leaf spot fungus during the growing season. Fall fertilization aims to provide supplemental nutrition to boost turf health for sustaining it through dormancy. There is a “4R Nutrient Stewardship” concept developed by the International Plant Nutrition Institute and shared by scientific and educational institutions around the world specifically related to the best use of fertilizers. 4Rs incorporates: • Right fertilizer source at the • Right rate, at the • Right time and in the • Right place
Credit: UF/IFAS
WHICH VEGETABLES SHOULD WE PLANT IN THE FALL? November North Florida Vegetable Planting Calendar from the University of Florida IFAS includes Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mustard, Onions, Radish, Spinach, Strawberry, & Turnips. Did you know that Earth Works has many varieties of veggies available and ready to plant?
Compost is our model for good soil. We recommend Wild Earth Soil Mix, a nice dark rich, light-weight compost mix that’s perfect for growing your vegetable garden in and sold by the bag and yard. We’d additionally recommend amending garden bed soil with Espoma Organic Biotone Starter plant food. It contains mycorrhizae that help root development, nutrient uptake, and support. We have a variety of additional soil amendments, including earthworm castings and exotic manures including bat guano.
HOW DO WE PREPARE THE SOIL? Unless farming a large garden plot, consider utilizing raised garden beds for vegetables to better contain gardening soil mixes, composts, manures, and other soil amendments. Raised beds tend to have higher soil temperature that’s less compacted with better drainage. Growing crops directly in the ground has obviously worked for all of human history, but in urban eras especially be certain that you don’t grow your food in toxic chemicals. Unmarked dump sites and leaking underground storage tanks for gas stations, etc can be a source of groundwater pollution and soil contamination that you wouldn’t want to grow crops for your family in. Know before you grow.
WHICH PESTS SHOULD WE LOOK OUT FOR IN THE FALL? Protect your crops from caterpillars and other insects that like to eat our vegetables and ornamentals with the beneficial bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis available from Monterey and Thuricide. Another beneficial bacterial agent is Spinosad which likewise kills garden pests and is available in Capt. Jack’s Dead Bug Brew. Our recommendation to effectively treat fungal outbreaks in the vegetable garden is limited amounts of Copper Fungicide (also acts as algaecide and bactericide) by Bonide. Beware though that even though copper fungicide is a staple in organic gardening that there are concerns about the bioaccumulative properties of copper. Boost your Fall vegetable gardening success with once per week fertilization with Organic Neptune’s Harvest Fish Emulsion liquid fertilizer.
JOIN US SATURDAY ON THE JACKSONVILLE POND TOUR! The Jacksonville Pond Tour is our annual one-day event on Saturday, November 6, an opportunity to visit many of the area’s finest water gardens and koi ponds built by Earth Works. Take advantage of the opportunity to speak with and ask questions of the homeowners about not only the joy of having the pond but bring your construction, maintenance, and other questions. Be inspired by the beauty and tranquil nature of these custom-designed Aquascape ecosystem ponds. The Jacksonville Pond Tour for 2021 is a FREE self-guided event held on Saturday, November 6, from 10 am to 4 pm. See www.jaxpondtour.com.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. We hope you found the November Lawn and Garden Tips helpful and remind everyone that for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
On September 17 we launched our Pond Life Photo Contest to end on October 30. The Jacksonville Pond Tour was the following weekend. Rather than us doing the talking this was an opportunity to share your own ponds and those you’ve visited that are your favorites. The criteria for the contest on Facebook was to share your images in the comment section of one of our numerous Pond Contest posts.There was a $100 gift card awarded to the winner.
Earth Works Pond Life Photo Contest Winner was Joanna Ostojska for this submitted image! “We are happy to donate the whole amount to your charity, The Sanctuary on 8th Street ,” said Joanna Ostojska the winner!
THANK YOU JOANNA!
Contest Entries
No words can explain the beauty and simplicity of nature.
Erin Beach pond life photo from Kanapaha Botanical GardensDeb’s Bell pond life photoSonia D. Brewster’s pond life photoJohn Brueggen’s pond life photo from home.John Cachionne’s pond life photo from Cedar Lakes Woods and GardensBill Campbell’s pond life photoGinny Carmen’s pond life photoSammy T Ch’s pond life photoMarisol Chang’s pond life photosMarisol Chang’s pond life photosJessica Craig-kelly’s pond life photosTiffany Desiree’s pond life photo from Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical GardensStephanie Hover-Dirscherl’s pond life photosStephanie Hover-Dirscherl’s pond life photosStephanie Hover-Dirscherl’s pond life photosSean Duffney pond life photo of Avery with koiSean Duffney pond life photosSean Duffney pond life photosSean Duffney pond life photosLisa Fecteau pond life photoBecky Ferguson pond life photoDebbie Flaquer pond life photoGwenn Goulet pond life photoShena Ewan Holden pond life photoJeanine Jackson pond life photosJeanine Jackson pond life photosJeanine Jackson pond life photosSaige Jenkins pond life photoDan Johanson pond life photoLis Johnson pond life photoAbigail Jung pond life photoJames Knevelbaard pond life imageGara Joan Roberts Leen pond life photo
Kristen Lea pond life photoBlanche Leavell Melvin pond life photoBlanche Leavell Melvin pond life photoSarah Lowry pond life photosSarah Lowry pond life photosEric Mendivil pond life photoJim Messerfish pond life photoMarie Meyer’s pond life photoMarie Meyer’s pond life photoDiane Henz Miller pond life photoJoanna Ostojska pond life photosJoanna Ostojska pond life photosJoanna Ostojska pond life photosSue Giudici Rutherford pond life photosSue Giudici Rutherford pond life photosBrooke Schultz pond life photosBrooke Schultz pond life photosBrooke Schultz pond life photosBrooke Schultz pond life photosBrooke Schultz pond life photosKshitij Shitole pond life photoMary Elizabeth Shoelay pond life photoJenny Snead pond life photosJenny Snead pond life photosCia Stockwell pond life photoTheresa Thaggard pond life photosTheresa Thaggard pond life photosTaylor Thigpen pond life photoJames Toon pond life photosJames Toon pond life photosJames Toon pond life photosKathleen McCoy Turpin pond life photoAngie Hing-Watson pond life photo
Thank you to everyone who shared their lovely images!
Follow up and stay tuned for more contests!
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712.
Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, TPC, Sawgrass, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine. Additionally:
Fall vegetable gardening in Northeast Florida is an opportunity to grow cool-season veggies including broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, carrots, kale, lettuce, radishes, spinach, and Swiss Chard. Earth Works has available seeds and seedlings to get your Fall vegetable garden started and here are a few tips for green thumb-level success.
IMPORTANCE OF SOIL
Good soil is essential for successful veggie gardening. “To the frustration of many gardeners, Florida’s “soil” is mostly sand,” according to the University of Florida. “This gray, fine soil is called Myakka, (pronounced My-yakah), an Indian word for “big waters.” Only found in Florida, Myakka covers the majority of the state—more than 1½ million acres—and is actually our official state soil.”
Compost is our model for good soil. We recommend Wild Earth Soil Mix, a nice dark rich, light-weight compost mix that’s perfect for growing your vegetable garden in and sold by the bag and yard. We’d additionally recommend amending garden bed soil with Espoma Organic Biotone Starter plant food containing mycorrhizae that help root development, nutrient uptake, and support. We have a variety of additional soil amendments, including earthworm castings. We have specialty soils with bat guano and other excellent veggie gardening enhancements.
WHERE AND HOW TO PLANT VEGETABLES?
Unless farming a large garden plot consider utilizing raised garden beds for vegetables that allow for better containment of gardening soil mixes, composts, manures, and other soil amendments. Raised beds tend to have higher soil temperature that’s less compacted with better drainage.
How deep should seeds be planted? “In general, seeds should be planted at a depth of two times the width, or diameter, of the seed,” according to The Spruce. “For example, if you have a seed that’s about 1/16 inch thick, it should be planted about 1/8 inch deep. The classic “quarter-inch” planting depth found on many seed packets is too deep for many small seeds.” Planting seeds too deep reduces germination rates and the vigor of seedlings. After placing your seeds at the appropriate depth, lightly pat down the soil to prevent the seeds from washing away during watering and rain.
We recommend succession planting, which is the staggered planting of seeds anywhere from 7 to 21 days so that your crops don’t ripen all at the same time. “Succession planting is most important for determinate crops, which are crops that produce all of their fruit (or edible material) at once,” according to the University of Minnesota. “Indeterminate tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and peppers will continue to produce fruit off of the same plant, so you don’t need to worry about succession planting with these crops. Similarly, you can typically harvest multiple times from herb plants and they will grow back.”
PEST PREVENTION AND FERTILIZATION Protect your crops from caterpillars and other insects that like to eat our vegetables and ornamentals with the beneficial bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis available from Monterey and Thuricide. Another beneficial bacterial agent is Spinosad which likewise kills garden pests and is available in Capt. Jack’s Dead Bug Brew. Our recommendation to effectively treat fungal outbreaks in the vegetable garden is Copper Fungicide by Bonide.
Boost your Fall vegetable gardening success with once-per-week fertilization with Organic Neptune’s Harvest Fish Emulsion liquid fertilizer.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Tim introduces Dana J. Doody, the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, who explains the value of the new fernery. The fernery would not have been possible without a grant award from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust. Besides our contributions at Earth Works, Dana recognizes the involvement of: JWB Real Estate Capital, Liberty Landscape Supply, The Arc, Serenoa Landscape Design, volunteers from the University of North Florida, and the Arboretums core group of volunteers that participated in this project, and others each week come rain or shine. Visit the fernery on your next visit to the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.
Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Fernery Construction
Josh Higgins, Earth Works landscape operations manager discusses the first day of activities associated with creating a fernery at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, a premier destination to visit nature in the heart of Jacksonville’s Arlington area.
Florida Arbor Day Tree Planting at Jacksonville Arboretum 2022
Florida Arbor Day is honored today with Dana Doody, Executive Director of the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens as we plant a loquat tree to memorialize the 136 years of Florida Arbor Day. Learn more about Florida Arbor Day events in Northeast Florida at LINK.
Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Tails & Trails 2021 Earth Works was a proud sponsor of the Saturday, October 9 Tails & Trails arboretum event. The event was a celebration of dogs with hundreds of wagging tails in attendance. Terri McGregor and Kevanie Counts worked the Earth Works booth at the event sharing information about dog-friendly plants with a bounty of dog-related garden-centric products.
Earth Works Donations to Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Matt Barlow, Earth Works Garden Center manager, worked at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens with JAG Executive Director Dana Doody and volunteers on Sept. 29, dressing up the lakeside pavilion with plants and plant material donated by Earth Works. Additionally, Barlow awarded JAG with hundreds of dollars in donations collected from 100% of proceeds of butterfly pics sales at the garden center.
Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Brush with Nature Event First Coast Plein Air Painters has partnered with the arboretum for a decade, hosting the Brush with Nature Event in Spring. “Stunning Florida landscapes, talented Plein air artists doing live demonstrations, live music, food trucks, kids’ art activities and local artists’ original art for sale – all outdoors and with room for the family dog to join in – are just a few highlights of this year’s “A Brush With Nature” event, notes the Arboretum. “Oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, charcoal and colored pencils are just a few of the mediums that the FCPAP artists will demonstrate as they capture the Arboretum’s lakes, trails, trees and flowers, each in their unique style.“
Earth Works is honored to host plant sales at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens entrance during numerous JAG events and works days and encourages your support for this rich environmental resource in Jacksonville. Stop by and purchase one of our Butterfly Pics to support the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens! See you on the trails!
The Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (JAG), established in 2008, is owned by the city and maintained by a non-profit organization that Earth Works supports with donations, event sponsorships, plant sales, and volunteers. The arboretum consists of 126 acres of dog-friendly walking trails and is recognized by News4Jax as Jax Best Local Trail. Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens is popular with visitors from near and far looking to enjoy nature, for outdoor exercise opportunities, and as a dog-friendly walk with picnic tables, an event lawn, lakeside pavilion, and restrooms. The Lake Loop around Lake Ray is the centerpiece of social activity close to the parking area. Hundreds of native plant species are identified with signs to educate the public about Northeast Florida’s biodiversity. Over the years, trails have been added, including Jones Creek Trail, Upper & Lower Ravine Trail, Live Oak Trail, Sand Ridge Trail & Aralia trail. Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens is open to you 365 days per year from 8 am till 5 pm.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Creating the Fernery at Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
Tim introduces Dana J. Doody, the Executive Director of the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, who explains the value of the new fernery. The fernery would not have been possible without a grant award from the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust. Besides our contributions at Earth Works, Dana recognizes the involvement of: JWB Real Estate Capital, Liberty Landscape Supply, The Arc, Serenoa Landscape Design, volunteers from the University of North Florida, and the Arboretums core group of volunteers that participated in this project, and others each week come rain or shine. Visit the fernery on your next visit to the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.
Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Fernery Construction
Josh Higgins, Earth Works landscape operations manager discusses the first day of activities associated with creating a fernery at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, a premier destination to visit nature in the heart of Jacksonville’s Arlington area.
Florida Arbor Day Tree Planting at Jacksonville Arboretum 2022
Florida Arbor Day is honored today with Dana Doody, Executive Director of the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens as we plant a loquat tree to memorialize the 136 years of Florida Arbor Day. Learn more about Florida Arbor Day events in Northeast Florida at LINK.
Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Tails & Trails 2021 Earth Works was a proud sponsor of the Saturday, October 9 Tails & Trails arboretum event. The event was a celebration of dogs with hundreds of wagging tails in attendance. Terri McGregor and Kevanie Counts worked the Earth Works booth at the event sharing information about dog-friendly plants with a bounty of dog-related garden-centric products.
Earth Works Donations to Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Matt Barlow, Earth Works Garden Center manager, worked at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens with JAG Executive Director Dana Doody and volunteers on Sept. 29, dressing up the lakeside pavilion with plants and plant material donated by Earth Works. Additionally, Barlow awarded JAG with hundreds of dollars in donations collected from 100% of proceeds of butterfly pics sales at the garden center.
Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Brush with Nature Event First Coast Plein Air Painters has partnered with the arboretum for a decade, hosting the Brush with Nature Event in Spring. “Stunning Florida landscapes, talented Plein air artists doing live demonstrations, live music, food trucks, kids’ art activities and local artists’ original art for sale – all outdoors and with room for the family dog to join in – are just a few highlights of this year’s “A Brush With Nature” event, notes the Arboretum. “Oil, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, charcoal and colored pencils are just a few of the mediums that the FCPAP artists will demonstrate as they capture the Arboretum’s lakes, trails, trees and flowers, each in their unique style.“
Earth Works is honored to host plant sales at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens entrance during numerous JAG events and works days and encourages your support for this rich environmental resource in Jacksonville. Stop by and purchase one of our Butterfly Pics to support the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens! See you on the trails!
The Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (JAG), established in 2008, is owned by the city and maintained by a non-profit organization that Earth Works supports with donations, event sponsorships, plant sales, and volunteers. The arboretum consists of 126 acres of dog-friendly walking trails and is recognized by News4Jax as Jax Best Local Trail. Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens is popular with visitors from near and far looking to enjoy nature, for outdoor exercise opportunities, and as a dog-friendly walk with picnic tables, an event lawn, lakeside pavilion, and restrooms. The Lake Loop around Lake Ray is the centerpiece of social activity close to the parking area. Hundreds of native plant species are identified with signs to educate the public about Northeast Florida’s biodiversity. Over the years, trails have been added, including Jones Creek Trail, Upper & Lower Ravine Trail, Live Oak Trail, Sand Ridge Trail & Aralia trail. Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens is open to you 365 days per year from 8 am till 5 pm.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
The 2022 Jacksonville Pond Tour is our annual opportunity for water gardening fans to visit many of the area’s finest water gardens and koi ponds built by Earth Works. This year’s pond tour date and times are Saturday, June 11 from 10 am- 4 pm. This is an opportunity to not only view them in person but speak with and ask questions of homeowners about their water gardens. Join us on the bus to see some of Jacksonville’s most beautiful ponds and water features.
Earth Works’ pond specialists will give details at each stop and answer any questions you may have. Lunch and cocktails are provided. This tour will also include a free self-guided option. A self-guided map will be provided on our website and in-store the week of the tour.
$75 per person provides bus tour of the ponds, with lunch, beer, and wine provided. (If participating in the bus tour please meet at the garden center at 9 am, will arrive back from the tour between 5 pm & 6 pm). BUS TOUR SIGN UP LINK.
THANK YOU to all our 2021 Jacksonville Pond Tour hosts including Coggins-Robins, Jungs, Delands, Beckenbachs, McGregors, Duffneys, Sellers, Leens, DeLoachs, Wards, and Payne families. If you were kept away due to the cold, wet, and windy day or something else enjoy some of our photos and videos here of ponds on the tour.
The 2021 Jacksonville Pond Tour was a self-guided event held on Saturday, November 6, from 10 am to 4 pm. The first stop on the tour was the Garden Center which has displays of:
-Ponds in Four Sizes and Pondless Water Feature options to view and schedule construction for at your home or business.
Before the 2021 tour, during a visit by Greg Wittstock, founder of Aquascape, one of the 2021 tour participants, Denise Sellers, shared a testimonial about their water garden. View her testimonial video here.
We consider our clients part of the Earth Works family and that certainly goes for the Leen’s who we’ve done numerous projects and photo/video specialty shoots with promoting aspects of the Aquascape Lifestyle. The Leen’s were #9 on the 2021 Jacksonville Pond Tour route. The construction challenges of building a pond around the pool equipment are a faint memory after seeing the final product at the Leen’s residents. The beautiful Missouri limestone gives this waterfall and 11’x 16’ pond its unique style.
The Wards were one of our first filmed pond construction videos. They are a friendly couple that we are grateful for access for a second time on the pond tour as #11on the list of stops for 2021! This 12’ x 12’ pond is tucked in nicely next to the pool creating the effect of being one beautiful body of water. The surrounding gardens and outdoor kitchen finish off the space beautifully.
The DeLand residence was #4 on the pond tour. Completed only weeks before the tour it has multiple entertainment areas. This backyard has it all, starting with a pondless 2.5’ waterfall cascading into a 25’ stream you cross over to relax in a hot tub or hammock. The enclosed space also has a summer kitchen and comfy sitting area.
At the DeLoach residence #10 on the pond tour, we removed every bit of grass in the backyard and filled it with lush plantings and activity areas for this growing family. The centerpiece is a 16’ x 25’ swim pond with a sunbathing area, custom stone staircase, and a 25’ stream running throughout the space. There are so many special features to this landscape design to explore and enjoy.
The Beckenbach residence in Atlantic Beach was #5 on the pond tour. The size and number of perfectly placed boulders create an incredibly natural effect on this pond. The addition of 2 stacked slate urns gives it an extra splash! A beautiful tree-covered deck and surrounding garden finish this great place to enjoy nature out of the hot Florida sun.
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
As the oak leaves fall in Northeast Florida, some small round balls on leaf surfaces appear due to oak gall wasps laying eggs and releasing enzymes in the leaf tissue. “Alien pods,” proclaimed Jim Messerfish jokingly as to what they were on an Earth Works Facebook post. “Do not swallow them unless you want a chest-burster. “ In fact, they are relatively harmless with over 1400 species of gall wasps that have been identified as targeting oak, hickory, beech, chestnut, maple, elm, citrus, and ornamental trees. There is no universally effective way to get rid of all species of gall wasps while preserving the plant.
“Most cynipids (gall wasps) are not considered economic pests,” according to UF/IFAS. “A notable exception is Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu, also called the Asian chestnut gall wasp, which induces galls mostly on leaves and buds of all chestnut species.“ Lack of fire in crowded and stressed native forest stands is believed to contribute to increased seasonal infestation rates. Inspecting plants and burning (where appropriate) or removing affected plant material is a standard best management practice for gall wasps.
“There are hundreds of different gall wasp species within the Cynipidae family that infect one or all oak tree species,” according to Nature & Garden. “Not all galls result from gall wasp.” Aphids, mites, midges, psyllids, gall flies, fungus, and bacteria can result in galls appearing on leaves, flowers, stems, trunks, and roots.
“In most situations, no controls have been shown to be effective,” according to the University of California. “Certain leaf-galling species may be reduced by insecticides with systemic or translaminar (leaf-penetrating) activity applied in late winter to spring, or by a broad-spectrum, residual insecticide foliar spray timed to coincide with leaf bud break or the early expansion of new leaves. However, gall wasps are unlikely to be well controlled by any single treatment; sometimes insecticide provides no control at all.”
“You might have luck with an imidacloprid application, but otherwise, pull out the dinotefuran (and your wallet),” said Commercial Applicator Joshua Watts on our Facebook post about gall wasps. Earth Works recommends Fertilome Tree and Shrub Drench with Imidacloprid for oak gall wasps. And remember that good soil conditions, proper planting distance from other plants, and fertilization reduce plant stress and susceptibility to pests and diseases.
Earth Works encourages you to contact us with your lawn and garden questions in Northeast Florida. For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
