Consider these October Gardening tips for improved lawn and garden enjoyment during the cooler months ahead of next Spring. These tips are specifically for Northeast Florida gardeners and are heavily influenced by weather changes, including the end of the rainy season, fewer daylight hours, and a 10F degree drop in temperature.
-Pay attention to your plants watering needs as October’s monthly rainfall averages 4′”, a significant drop from rainy season averages between June and September. Although it’s chillier with fewer hours of sunlight, October can still register highs in the 80s, accompanied by windy conditions that rapidly dry out the soil. And remember irrigation schedule water restrictions fall from twice to once per week watering when Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 5, per the City of Jacksonville Ordinance Code Chapter 366.
-You can fertilize your perennials, bulbs, citrus, palms, and other select trees and shrubs during October. However, how often and what time of year to fertilize for maximum benefit can depend on the type of plant and type of fertilizer NPK assay and whether it’s a liquid, powder, or granular. Even though Florida county Fertilizer blackout periods around the state are typically lifted by the end of September, continue being careful to overuse fertilizers and apply them correctly, as they can harm your plants and cause environmental damage.
-If applying a Winterizer fertilizer on our Florida warm-season grasses, do so with a nitrogen-free product and apply before dormancy.
-Consider applying organic mulch to your gardening beds to protect bare roots and soil from falling temperatures and nutrient runoff. Earth Works Lawn Care can provide you a mulching quote.
-Tender warm-season bulbs and tubers such as caladiums and gladiolus can be dug up, inspected for fungus, cleaned of dirt, and stored in peat moss, perlite, or vermiculite in a cool location until Spring planting season.
-Overseeding with ryegrass can be done in October to add Winter color to your dormant warm-season grass lawn. Both perennial and annual ryegrass is available for those considering these October Gardening Tips.
-Houseplants kept outside during the warmer months should be examined for pests and treated accordingly. Continue with your fertilization requirements for your houseplants and prepare to move them and other tender tropicals indoors ahead of any air temperature drops below their healthy growing requirements.
-Prepare the ground for Fall herbs and vegetable garden beds, perennials, and Spring bulbs. Add compost and soil amendments specifically formulated for the growing requirements of your plantings. For the veggie beds, consider planting beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, cucumbers, endive, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onions, radishes, summer squash, and turnips.
-Continue weeding warm-season weeds, and if considering using a pre-emergent herbicide, apply ahead of the seed germination of cold-season weeds. “Regardless of where you live, the application window for fall pre-emergents should be when temperatures are below 70 degrees and dropping,” according to Sod Solutions. “It should be noted that a pre-emergent herbicide that is applied before you overseed in the fall will keep your seed from growing.”
-Avoid trimming your trees and shrubs except for instances of dieback, disease, and damage. Trimming your trees and shrubs at the wrong time can jeopardize leaf and flower buds that have already been set, resulting in poorer growth and blooms in Spring depending on whether they set their blooms on old or new wood.
-October is a terrific time to plant trees and shrubs as the cooler temperatures reduce stress and facilitate faster acclimation.
-Monitor the water temperature in your koi pond and reduce the amount of food they are fed and consider lower protein formulations available at the Earth Works garden center.
-Aeration and Top Dressing renews your lawn soil with beneficial microbes, and the required micro-nutrients improve oxygen supply to plant roots, and reduce soil erosion and runoff. Earth Works’ lawn care division provides this service. Our garden center likewise has many varieties of high quality soils for your gardening needs.
-This is a good time to begin planning any landscaping projects on your mind with a member of our landscape design team at Earth Works. Along with being a good time to plant it can reduce wait times for ordering products and beats the Spring rush.
For more specific October gardening tips speak directly with a member of our Earth Works Garden Center staff. And for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping needs contact Earth Works of Jacksonville at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, drainage solutions, water features, lawn care service, and lawn spraying.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Make an impactful seasonal statement with a Fall container garden grouping.
Try arranging three related pots in different sizes. The Seagrass Planters shown here are lightweight options made of liconfiber®. Set the largest pot in the back, with the medium pot to one side and the smallest in front between the other two. Then gather beautiful plants in Fall colors of oranges, reds, yellows, and purples. Find plants with different leaf textures, flower sizes, and shapes to create interest. You can follow the thriller, filler, and spiller recipe in each pot or pick a single plant in a size to fit each pot. The options are endless.
Shrimp Plant-This evergreen year-round bloomer is perfect for a fall arrangement. Its deep red blooms are hummingbird attractors too!
Petra Croton -With its multicolored leaves, this plant can say Fall by itself. It is a tropical plant, so bring it inside or cover it when it freezes. But the beautiful tropical look is well worth the effort.
Alternanthera little Ruby – A zone 9+perennial evergreen, or should we say “ever purple,” will give you rich color all year.
Marigold Bolero– These French marigolds fit the theme with splashes of yellow and red blooms.
Chrysanthemums – also known as mums- are iconic autumn plants. After using them in your fall displays, plant these in your garden. Mums are easy-to-grow perennials that can live for years and continue to bloom.
Coleus Wicked Witch – This stunning annual with deep burgundy ruffled leaves bordered in chartreuse will add a fun fluffy texture to your combo.
Summer Sunset Asiatic Jasmine – Don’t forget ground covers when looking for a spiller. This Jasmine is perfect in these pots but even better as a rich variegated alternative to the common green Asiatic Jasmine.
Salvia Sally Fun– Add a touch of purple with this excellent pollinator-attracting perennial. They are heat and drought-tolerant as well as deer resistant.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Earth Works Gardens is your destination to purchase and learn to grow and care for palm trees in Northeast Florida. Customers from Duval, St. Johns, Baker, Clay, and Nassau counties all shop at Earth Works Gardens when searching for quality palm trees. We have a large selection of palms suitable for the Jacksonville climate and the surrounding area. We have the right tree for you whether you’re searching for large, short, cold, hardy, tropical, or unique and low-maintenance palms.
Our knowledgeable staff can help you pick the right palm for the right spot. There are many palms to choose from, and if you are new to Jacksonville or the Northeast Florida area, it can be a bit daunting. Earth Works stocks palm trees of all types. Dwarf palms like the Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii) Tall, graceful Queen palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana) and robust showstoppers such as Mule Palms (xButiagrus nabonnandii) and Sylvesters (Phoenix sylvestris).
Although palm trees look very similar, a trained eye can identify the differences between all the varieties we can grow here in Jacksonville, Florida. One of the major distinguishing factors is leaf type. There are two leaf types that a palm can have, palmate or pinnate. Palmate leaves or fronds are broad and have a fan or hand-like shape. Pinnate leaves are longer with slender leaves that resemble feathers.
The next significant difference between palms is their trunks. Palm trunks vary greatly. Some are smooth, while others are bumpy, rough, or chunky. Some palm tree trunks are thick and wide, and others thin. Choosing a palm is a consideration of both the trunk and the foliage appearance that suits you. There is no right or wrong, just preference. All palms are beautiful in their own way.
Another thing to consider is the growth rate of the palm you are choosing. A slow-growing palm could be a good choice if you start with a large one because you would get immediate coverage for an extended period. If you started with a smaller slow growing palm, it could take years before the palm tree grew large enough to fill in the area you want to cover.
On the other hand, you could start with a smaller, fast, growing palm tree and achieve the coverage you need much quicker. It all comes down to how long you are willing to wait for the look you are trying to achieve. Sometimes figuring all this out can be a challenge. Earth Works staff are trained to help you decide which palm tree best suits your landscape.
Examples of moderate and fast-growing palms include: Queen Palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana), King Alexander Palms (Archontophoenix alexandrae), Sylvestris Palms (Phoenix sylvestris), Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens), Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa), Dwarf Sugar Palms (Arenga engleri), Ribbon Palm (Livistona Dicipiens), Nitida or Carnarvon Fan Palm (Livistona nitida)
Queen Palms, Syagrus romanzoffiana
Once you know which palm tree you like, Earth Works can help you pick the right place to plant your new palm tree. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff helps customers design and layout their landscapes daily. Think about the areas in your yard where you might want a new palm tree and take some pictures of your property. Bring them into Earth Works and show us the space you’re working with, and we can help you make the best choice of palm for your space.
After you’ve purchased the palm trees for your new landscape Earth Works makes it easy and convenient for you to get them home and planted in the yard. Delivery and installation of palm trees is one of our specialties. We install palms all year round in Jacksonville, Florida. Our staff will coordinate with you to get your purchased trees to your home as quickly as possible.
If a sizeable field-grown palm tree is not what you need, we also carry many smaller container-grown palm trees in many sizes. Our garden center sells palm trees in containers ranging from 3-30 gallons. Most of these palms can fit in pick-up trucks, SUV’s and minivan’s. We even loaded a 15-gallon Pindo palm into the hatchback of a Porche a few years ago at the customer’s insistence!
If you’ve never strolled around our pathways at Earth Works Gardens, set a time to come and look at our palm trees. Not only do we sell palm trees, but we have many varieties planted on our property so you can see what they look like after they’ve been planted in the ground for many years. Our Garden Center is set up to show you what palm trees look like in the landscape here in Northeast Florida and Southern Georgia. Our landscape palms are of the highest quality and are sourced from growers we have been buying from for over twenty years. These unique and hardy palm trees are grown in Florida and selected to grow well in USDA zones 8-9b.
USDA Florida Plant Hardiness Zones
Large field-grown Palm trees are easy to grow and low maintenance. The only time they need much extra care is after planting. After Earth Works installs your new palm, it must be watered daily for the first thirty days, every other day for the second month, and about two or three times a week for the third month. If planted during the winter or when temperatures are consistently below seventy degrees, the palm trees should be watered, allowed to dry out completely, and then watered again. This schedule can vary depending on rainfall, soil conditions, and other variables. Also, consider our article on Proper Palm Tree Pruning.
It can take up to a year before a palm tree is fully rooted in your landscape. There are very few times that palm trees need a lot of extra water once they are established. Northeast Florida weather generally provides enough water for palm trees to grow and thrive. Exceptions would be times of extended drought, typically during spring months in Duval County.
Fertilization is important for any type of palm. Always choose a plant food that is formulated for palm trees. Palms require specific nutrients in higher ratios compared to other plants. The main one is Manganese. Manganese deficiencies can not only stunt the growth and make the palm trees look sick, but they can also become lethal if left untreated. Earth Works carries palm fertilizer and manganese supplements year-round.
If you have always thought about growing a palm tree in your yard and are searching for ‘Palm trees near me,’ come to Earth Works and speak with one of our Garden Staff. We always look forward to helping customers with their landscape palm tree needs. Our palm trees are stocked year-round, and we are always ready to help with any palm tree questions you may have.
For Palm Trees In Northeast Florida, comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Fall is Football time! Show your spirit with a fun pot and plant combo perfect for the season. Go JAGS!
Croton Petra is a gorgeous ornamental foliage plant with stunning leaf color and variegation. Colors range from pink to reds, oranges, yellows, light and dark greens – so much color on one plant!
White Penta is the perfect perennial for any full sun container garden. Plus, they are heat tolerant, prolific bloomers, and pollinator attractors.
Ornamental Pepper Black Pearl With glossy black leaves and loads of shiny round black fruit, this is a unique must-have plant. As the plant matures, the black peppers turn red; Peppers are edible but scorching (over 30,000 Scoville heat units)—exceptionally heat and drought-tolerant.
Lantana New Gold is a fast-grower and a heavy bloomer, featuring dark green foliage and an abundance of tiny clusters of vibrant golden flowers. The colorful bloom attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Earth Works, Jason Duffney provides information in the following videos answering our pond equipment and supplies FAQs (frequently asked questions).
Aquascape Pond Equipment Accessories: Jason Duffney explains Aquascape Inc pond equipment accessories that can be included in your installation or that you can add yourself at a later date. These accessories include the Aquascape Dosing System, IonGen, Smart Control Receiver, and Lighting System.
Aquascape Bacteria and Water Clarity Products: Jason Duffney explains Aquascape Inc products that improve the health and water clarity in your pond. These products include Aquascape Beneficial Bacterial, Maintain, Clear, and the Aquascape QuickFix Pond Gummy.
Water lily Transplanting & Care in Northeast Florida: Jason Duffney explains the basics of water lily transplanting and care here in Northeast Florida whether you prefer to grow in a container or directly in the pond substrate. Earth Works provides high-quality water lilies year round along with specialty pots for growing them and fertilizer.
Our Five Key Pond Components: Jason Duffney explains our five key pond components to building and maintaining a healthy ecosystem pond. We pride ourselves on providing clients with healthy pond systems that require minimal maintenance.
Pond Filtration & Maintenance: Jason Duffney explains pond filtration and maintenance in this video focused on the skimmer, which is the mechanical aspect of filtration.
Pond Pump Troubleshooting: Jason Duffney explains the basics of pond pump troubleshooting focusing on the most common problems that a pond owner can check prior to calling us for a service call.
Operating the Aquascape SMART Control Receiver: Jason Duffney explains the operation of the Aquascape SMART Control Receiver used in adjusting the flow rates of variable speed Aquascape pumps.
Check back regularly as Jason provides more pond equipment and supplies FAQs here and on youtube.
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.
August gardening tips in Northeast Florida come after the passing of summer vacations with children back to school, the arrival of afternoon thundershowers, and sweltering afternoon heat.
Vitex Deciduous 10-15 ft tall and wide Flowers Spring & Summer
Powder Puff Deciduous 10-15 ft tall and wide Flowers Spring, Summer & Fall
Lil’Gem Magnolia Evergreen up to 35 ft tall to 12 ft wide Flowers Spring & Summer
Crape Myrtle Deciduous 12-15 ft tall and wide Flowers Summer
Cassia Deciduous 8-10 ft tall and wide Flowers Late Summer & Fall
Bottlebrush Evergreen 10-15 ft tall and wide Flowers Year Round
Manager Matt talks in this video about a wide variety of trees available to buy and what to expect from each and their care needs.
Stake plants that need additional support for average growth and protection against bad weather. A few that come to mind include vegetables, roses, hibiscus, newly planted palms, and citrus trees.
Continue blowing and raking unwanted leaf litter off the lawn and out of the flower beds. Refresh pine straw used as mulch that, as it breaks down, adds much-needed organic matter to your soil required for healthy soil microbial action.
Deadheading flowers preserve plant energy for new growth and blooms. Otherwise, pruning in August should be based on the 4 “Ds,” which is to prune dead, dying, diseased, or damaged branches at this time. Prune Spring blooming plants soon after they bloom. Wait until winter to prune your summer bloomers.
Fill in patches of empty spots in your flower beds with new plantings or temporarily with other potted plants. Don’t stress the transition between your Spring and Fall flower beds at their prime. Enjoy the view. Consider our monthly container gardening recipes to spur your ideas on what to grow and display now and in the coming seasons.
August Container Gardening Recipe
Closely monitor your plant’s watering needs specific to their growing conditions and requirements in-ground, new plantings, transplants, potted container plants, and indoor plants. If your lawn and garden irrigation timer run on manual settings adjust where appropriate as the days are shorter, and precipitation and temperatures vary dramatically daily. Be wary of fungal diseases from overwatering or watering at the wrong time.
In August, all the major lawn pest threats can be at the peak of their lifecycle in our lawns. These pests include chinch bugs, mole crickets, and sod-webworms. Garden pests during August include Thrips & fungus are typically a higher threat for roses than many plants risk from mealybugs, spider mites, and scale. Sooty mold covering leaf surfaces naturally grows on the honeydew secretions of sucking insects. Regularly have a person-to-plant meeting with each plant, observing its condition to stay ahead of threats to their health. Our garden center managers can make a solid recommendation for specific pest needs with your pest & plan picture brought to us at the garden center.
If you haven’t planted seeds by early August, you can purchase seedlings of your favorite herbs and veggies at our garden center. In August, gardeners sow carrots, beans, beets, carrots, kale, lettuce, and spinach. We have weekly shipments of select herbs and veggies including heirlooms in season.
“Fertilization” is a complicated topic often oversimplified. In comparison, some houseplants may get weekly balanced feedings while the turf stays lacking in nitrogen fertilization due to some county fertilization blackout periods through August and September to protect lakes, rivers, and the ocean as wildlife habitats from algae blooms. Palms, typically deficient in iron, manganese, magnesium, and sulfur, can be supplemented with Palm Nutritional by Southern Ag. Azaleas and camellias can use a boost in August. Heavy feeders like birds of paradise would appreciate periodic composted cow manure dosing too. The water lilies benefit from Aquabloom Aquatic Plant Fertilizer that’s slow release and doesn’t harm other aquatic life. In the following video Jason Duffney discusses water lily transplanting and care.
Gardening is a labor of love that gives back what you put into it. August gardening tips wrap with a reminder to stop and smell the roses. Enjoy the fruits of your labor.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online or at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Inspired by whimsical terracotta pollinator-designed pots sporting bees, ladybugs, butterflies, hummingbirds, and dragonflies, this container is full of pollinator attractors in yummy shades of orange.
Crossandra Is a wonderful perennial that will thrill all year long until the first frost. The hummingbirds and butterflies will love them too.
Sunpatiens® Compact Orange These bright orange flower-packed plants are perfect for any pot. They can thrive in 6 hours of sun to up to 4 hours of shade. A perfect easy care pot filler.
Orange Marigold This classic heat loving flower will bloom spring through fall here in Florida. The compact variety fills in nicely.
Gaillardia also known as blanket flower, it comes in many shades or orange yellow and red. It is heat, drought, salt, and deer tolerant. They do well as cut flowers too.
Creeping Jennyone of our all-time favorite spillers. This bright green mass of small heart-shaped leaves will mix perfectly, able to take full to partial sun.
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.
Our first full month of Summer calls for reminders of tasks to complete, which is the basis of the Earth Works July Tips for Lawn and Garden.
-Closely Monitor Plant Watering Needs. July Tips for Lawn and Garden could not be complete without a focus on watering. Manually adjust automatic irrigation watering schedules during frequent rainfall or install a rain sensor to prevent overwatering. The likelihood of rain increases in July, the second month of hurricane season. Too much water harms many of the landscape plants, the same as too little water. Monitor soil moisture in your gardening containers by pressing a finger into the soil as potted plants will dry out at a different rate than the surrounding soil. Excessive water will encourage fungus growth that can damage lawn and garden plants.
-Keep Weeds and Pests Under Control. Winter weed pressure on the lawn and garden has been replaced with a seasonal crop of Summer weeds species possibly arriving from birds, insects, and the wind from adjacent properties. Post-emergent herbicides are commercially available for ridding your lawn of Summer weeds that have already gotten a foothold in the lawn. Hand-pulling weeds requires much more effort and is less likely to rid your lawn of every last weed for the season. However, organic gardeners typically prefer hand pulling or letting nature take its course in many instances. Earth Works Lawn Fertilization and Lawn Pest Control provides weed and pest control, including some hand-pulling of weeds.
-Maintain Plant Fertilization Schedules, Including Reduction in Nitrogen Lawn Fertilization. July is a peak growing period for various plants with different fertilization needs. Many houseplants benefit from weekly balanced fertilization. Various heavy feeding plants in the landscape require monthly fertilization to grow and bloom to their full potential. However, we should likewise be mindful of reducing the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus applied to lawn turf in the rainy season. This reduces the likelihood of your fertilizer contributing to stormwater runoff pollution that Florida county Fertilizer Blackout periods aim to prevent.
-Stake Growing Plants That Need Extra Support. Wide varieties of plants benefit from staking up as Summers warmth and the ample water supply that July brings results in the rapid greening up and growing of plants that began in Spring. Periwinkles, Salvia, Pencil cactus, tomato plants, and hibiscus are examples of the wide variety of flowering plants, houseplants, vegetables, and shrubs that benefit from the support staking provides. Cages are also available and commonly used for vegetable staking but are available to support other plants in the landscape. Staking new trees to protect against their falling during high winds and hurricanes is also an important consideration.
-Flowering Deadheading. Removing dead blooms, so-called deadheading, makes for prettier plants while strengthening them by eliminating the effort and energy consumption put out to convert flowers to seed. Taking flower cuttings indoors is another method that removes the need for some of the deadheading.
-Prune Trees July is a great time to prune a wide variety of trees flush with new growth, some of which would be harmed by pruning at other times of the year. Remember the 3D rule of pruning: remove any dead, damaged, or diseased wood. Avoid over-pruning trees, such as so-called crape murder which results in weak new stem growth that has difficulty supporting their cascading flower clusters. Likewise, for palm frond pruning leave no less than a 9 and 3 configurations of the clock after pruning. Always be careful not to overdo it when pruning, as new growth benefits the tree’s health.
-Plant Summer Crops Due to the scorching heat that’s caused tomato plants to wither, most of the vegetables recommended for growing in July are root crops. These include beets, broccoli, cabbage, collards, lettuce, radishes, and turnips. Herbs and other specialty crops can be grown in containers placed in areas protected from the worst elements of Summer. Meanwhile, we hope you’ve enjoyed a bountiful harvest from your late Winter and Spring plantings. Also, review the recommendations for July plantings from the University of Florida.
-Replace cold-season annuals with warm-season varieties for Summer and Fall color. While some of us still have Dusty Millers standing tall from last Winter, most cold-season annuals, including violets and petunias, have long since withered. Warm-season annuals include Begonias, Caladiums, Gazanias, Marigolds, Pentas, Salvia, and Sunflowers. Plant these directly in the ground or containers for festive colors that brighten moods through the holiday season. For planting ideas see our July Container Gardening Recipe.
-Mulch flower beds The value of mulching wraps up our July Tips for Lawn and Garden. Mulch is helpful for more than curb appeal and protecting plants’ roots from the cold. During the summer, mulch in garden beds reduces solar radiation on the soil, helps maintain moisture, and reduces soil erosion. Pine straw used as mulch has the added benefit of quickly degrading and adding organic matter to the earth that’s typically in short supply and vital for healthy soil ecology.
-Keep detailed records of what did well in the garden. Before memories get fuzzy, keep detailed records of what did well this Spring & Summer to better plan for a future growing season. Some areas of the yard may receive too much or too little sun for your new plantings. With this knowledge, you can do better next year. What types of fertilizers and frequency of use worked best for your desired results? What kinds of pests did you encounter, and did your pest management methods work well or need tweaking given the same situation next year? Documenting the questions and answers that are important to your gardening effort will help you grow a more successful garden and landscape in the future.
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.
Everybody loves a succulent pot! The combinations of colors, shapes, and textures are endless. What makes them even better is that they are low maintenance and can take our North Florida sun and heat! Be sure your pot is well-draining and the soil is not a water-retaining formula. Cactus and succulent soil would be best. Overwatering can cause these plants to rot. Then add some pea gravel and rocks to polish off the desert look.
Aloe Vera makes an excellent centerpiece for your succulent pot, and when it blooms, it has striking red spikes that are sure to thrill. Break off a leaf and use the gell-like sap to ease sunburns and insect bites!
Sedum Lemon Coral The spikey chartreuse foliage looks like it would be thorny and prickly, but it is pretty soft and terrific as a spiller falling over the edge of containers. It loves heat and can tolerate dry soils.
Portulaca Scarlet is a heat-lover and sun-worshipper. It is also drought-resistant, which makes it an excellent choice for late spring or summer.
Sedum Blue Jelly Bean is a perfect filler spreading to 36″ wide. This succulent features thick, blue-green leaves resembling jelly beans with red tips.
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.
Summertime is the perfect time to invite fluttering friends to our yards. Many favorite pollinator plants are blooming in their full glory! You can’t go wrong combining these full sun, heat-tolerant, pollinator-attracting beauties.
Penta Tall Red Ruby is an excellent choice for a thriller plant growing to 36″ high and producing deep red, butterfly-attracting blooms consistently all season.
Salvia Rockin’ Blue Suede Shoes This Proven Winner variety of salvia is deer resistant, long-blooming, and a favorite of butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
Coreopsis Gold & Bronzefills in with a sunny pop of yellow color. It is easy to grow and provides long-lasting cut flowers all summer.
Lantana Anne Marieis a perfect filler spreading from 24″-36″ wide, easy to grow, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, prolific bloomer, and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
Swamp Milkweed is easy to grow; both larval host and nectar source for the Monarch Butterfly!
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.
