tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post7421066899082280807..comments2023-04-11T06:36:25.558-04:00Comments on South Florida Challenges: EARLY SUMMER RAMBLINGSsanddunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10091633099445758748noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post-19038863508334769382010-06-11T13:32:38.867-04:002010-06-11T13:32:38.867-04:00Kimberly,
That's my plan until I can get the b...Kimberly,<br />That's my plan until I can get the bugs under control most vegetables here during the summer are working against nature. Although I still plan on experimenting with a few heirloom Vegetables and some organic bug repellant recipies in the next two months.sanddunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10091633099445758748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post-9043051477673851122010-06-08T14:12:16.892-04:002010-06-08T14:12:16.892-04:00Sanddune, I just checked back and read your commen...Sanddune, I just checked back and read your comment to Ami. I think I'm going to take this approach too, and work on composting, etc. for the fall when I'm going to give a few veggies a shot!Kimberlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18123627573356760362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post-68747823945005361112010-06-05T15:47:03.914-04:002010-06-05T15:47:03.914-04:00Ami,
The Summer sun can get brutal here so my plan...Ami,<br />The Summer sun can get brutal here so my plan is to plant less and work on the soil more. Until September that is. Summer is the best time for me to get compost material leaves and grass clippings started composting for the fall planting season. And yes the more Mooonflowers we have growing around Ft Lauderdale the better chance to bend any storms away.sanddunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10091633099445758748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post-41440484612673517462010-06-04T08:14:29.637-04:002010-06-04T08:14:29.637-04:00Sanddune: My garden is like yours, hardly find sh...Sanddune: My garden is like yours, hardly find shade area except the sides of the house. Only mine is the narrow stripes around the house and is very difficult to fit the trees for shade. Good luck with your neem tree.<br /><br />I did not know about the moonflower. Better go find some moonflower seeds now...<br /><br />Your desert rose is very beautiful. I think the color of yours is a little dark than mine. This definitely a good choice for the sunny place in florida.Amihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07744078497819915126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post-75654309688995061032010-06-03T15:12:28.037-04:002010-06-03T15:12:28.037-04:00Bernie,
I have three Moonflower seeds in started t...Bernie,<br />I have three Moonflower seeds in started this last weekend. The weather service here NOAA is predicting an above average hurricane season or as they are called there Cyclone season.<br /> They are saying 14-23 named storms of which 8-14 will be hurricanes and 3-7 major hurricanes with winds over 111 mph. Reading that I think I will start a few additional Moonflowers today just to be on the safe side.<br />The Mandevilla and the Desert Rose love the direct sun here making them ideal for the summer time.<br />The brick planters work well for me because my soil is so sandy and nutrient deficient. I stuff the holes with compost and just stick a plant in. <br /><br />Meems,<br />I am pleased to get three Neem tree seeds to germinate fron the nine seeds. From what I understand they are quite parishable. Now to nurture them along until they grow big enough to plant out in the yard.<br />I have been spraying once a week with Neem Oil on the plants that are getting the most bug damage. The Neem Oil is not like a chemical pesticide that kills everything imediatly. It only effects chewing or sucking bugs. The Neem compounds effect the insects by messing up their hormones so they forget to mate ,eat or fly. Over time it breaks their reproductive cycle. So I am hoping that with weekly use as the summer progresses the bugs will be less and less because of the Neem spraying regime. <br /> Neem is a natural method to combat the hungry bugs. Perhaps it might help you with the bugs. Read more here. http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-oil-insecticide.html<br /><br />Nanak,<br />The passion flowers have bloomed here for the first time. Maybe it is because this vine gets more direct sun or that I have been giving it a lot of water. I read that since they are shallow rooted vines they like lots of water to keep from drying out. This vine is also full of caterpillers eating. I don't spray the Neem oil on any of the Passion Vines so it won't effect the butterflys or their caterpillars.<br /><br /> Floridagirl,<br />I also get Sunflowers from the birdseed scattering. That's ok because Sunflowers are one of my favorite plants. And yes Moonflower plants would definately be in order this hurricane season. I am thinking a lot of them perhaps to give a cumulative bending effect. <br /><br />Kimberly,<br />The secret to great vegetables in South Florida during the next three months is wait for September. Our seasons are reversed in regard to most folks. This is a hard lesson to learn but my advise is enjoy the summer and plant most your vegetables in the fall. The brick planters work well and are almost indestructable. They can be stained any color so they look presentable with your color scheme.sanddunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10091633099445758748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post-4193986258817316142010-06-03T12:44:29.387-04:002010-06-03T12:44:29.387-04:00Sanddune, this is a nice list of S FL summertime p...Sanddune, this is a nice list of S FL summertime plants. I really must obtain some seeds for that tomato plant. I've not been successful at veggie growing down here yet. If it takes the heat and reseeds as you say while producing yummy fruit...it's mine!!! I have a madavilla and passion vine also. The cats have all but completely taken down my passion vine. I hope it recuperates! I also like your pots...the bricks are an awesome idea for containers!Kimberlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18123627573356760362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post-76878468156714911972010-06-03T08:37:40.360-04:002010-06-03T08:37:40.360-04:00Love your desert rose! So beautiful! I get sunfl...Love your desert rose! So beautiful! I get sunflowers popping up every year from birdseed. They usually succumb eventually to bugs, but not before I've enjoyed several blooms. It's exciting because I never know what varieties will pop up. There are always a couple of mammoths.<br /><br />Hmmm... I need to get some moonflower seeds. Actually, I think my mom gave me some, and I stuck them in a drawer. (I have a vine phobia.) Wonder if that theory works. Our lot was hit by Hurricane Charley in 2004. Dropped a huge old oak tree right through the roof. It took out two 2nd-story rooms before landing at the bottom of the foyer. What a nightmare! The whole town was hit, but I do think this house was the worst.Floridagirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16357453320897720393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post-50650690010171550492010-06-03T08:03:10.792-04:002010-06-03T08:03:10.792-04:00It's amazing how well a garden will grow when ...It's amazing how well a garden will grow when planted with zone friendly specimens. Your mandevilla and desert rose are bloom machines! I love the passion flowers but, alas, this year my vines haven't had a chance to bloom due to all the caterpillar activity. Good luck getting that neem tree grove going.NanaKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02425496284594894548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post-19815047592817896022010-06-03T07:08:32.904-04:002010-06-03T07:08:32.904-04:00Sanddune,
You with your sunny yard and me with my ...Sanddune,<br />You with your sunny yard and me with my shady yard ~~always trying to find a pocket of sun so my mandevilla will bloom more.:-)<br /> <br />This heat and humidity is hard on some plants and some actually need it to thrive. Your mandevilla and dessert rose are so pretty! And they go well together. I'm cheering your neem tree on with you. congrats on the success with germination... that's a big deal.<br /><br />So your bugs calm down in late summer? I haven't noticed that in the past but your thought means I'll be taking note this year. Are you using neem oil on all your buggy issues? I'm trying my best to be organic and so far I haven't had to spray anything except those awful baby nymph lubbers a couple of months ago. The edibles are being invaded with new creatures each hot, sunny day. It's an expected battle every year once the temps reach the 90's. Hard to believe summer is already upon us.<br />MeemsMeemshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16341998120938921741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4090202102879168785.post-23333883165585492072010-06-03T05:42:21.346-04:002010-06-03T05:42:21.346-04:00Quick ... plant those Moonflower seeds now! Hopef...Quick ... plant those Moonflower seeds now! Hopefully it's a great theory that really does work for you. Your summer conditions are exactly like ours ... and it's the hardest time in the garden. We get the heat, the sun, the humidity ... and cyclones!<br /><br />Just love your Mandevilla ... I have the white variety and I've just had to move it because it wasn't getting any near enough sun! Gosh they love that direct sun, don't they?<br /><br />Desert Rose is such a great sun hardy, drought plant and so good looking as well! I also grow Zinnias and had greater success this year ... but can't remember the varietal name!!!<br /><br />I like your idea of growing plants in those blocks! Now that's something I could do here ... especially as most of my property is solid bedrock and no soil!BernieHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04435004798656616711noreply@blogger.com