Monthly Archives: October 2021

Pond Life Photo Contest 2021

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

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

THANK YOU JOANNA!

Contest Entries

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

-Barbara Jane Millman Maurice pond life VIDEO

Thank you to everyone who shared their lovely images!

Follow up and stay tuned for more contests!

 

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

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

Fall Vegetable Gardening in Northeast Florida

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

IMPORTANCE OF SOIL

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

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

WHERE AND HOW TO PLANT VEGETABLES?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Earth Works at Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

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

Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Fernery Construction

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

Florida Arbor Day Tree Planting at Jacksonville Arboretum 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Creating the Fernery at Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

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

Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Fernery Construction

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

Florida Arbor Day Tree Planting at Jacksonville Arboretum 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oak Gall Wasps or Alien Pods?

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

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

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

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

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

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

October Lawn and Garden Tips 2021

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

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

What Can I grow In the Garden Now?

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

Schedule Your Annual Pond Cleanout Service Now

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

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

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