Have Yourself a Florida-Friendly Little ...
Camellias Stand Out in the Garden When L...
Flowering Vines for Your Florida Garden
How to Survive Late-Summer Florida Garde...
Your Roots Matter!
Blood Lilies and Caladiums – Plant...
Herbs for the Home Gardener
The Nine Principles of Florida-Friendly ...
More Tips on Getting Started! By Molly Griner This second article describes Principles 5-9 of the Florida-Friendly Landscaping approach to environmentally friendly landscaping. Principles 1-4 are: “Right Plant, Right Place, Water Efficiently, Fertilize Appropriately, and Mulch. Read on to learn more concepts in creating a beautiful Florida-Friendly yard. 5. ATTRACT WILDLIFE; Have...Get Started on Your Florida-Friendly Yar...
The Nine Principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ – and Tips on Getting Started! By Molly Griner Polk County Master Gardener If you are familiar with the term “Florida-Friendly,” welcome to the growing ranks of Floridians who enjoy this more environmentally friendly approach to landscaping. The Nine Principles, developed by the University of Florida, Florida’s Water...Grow Your Favorite Flower From Seeds
By C. Beamish, Master Gardener When the weather is gloomy, I really hanker after a bright sunflower. I have pretty good luck with sunflowers, which by the way are native to North America, so I often save seeds from the pretty ones I have grown. And, assuming that I remembered to actually label the seeds rather than just sticking them into an old spice jar, I’m ready to grow some...Shade Trees With Fruit Let You Munch Whi...
By C. Beamish This column is for gardeners who like to munch while they mulch. Hands down, my favorite fruit tree is the Oriental Persimmon. This is a smallish, deciduous tree (15 to 20 feet), which produces sweet, orange fruit in the fall. In my garden, it’s nearly pest-free except for the occasional caterpillar, which I deal with using my patented method of placing same between...Fruiting Shrubs Offer Good Food to Eat
By C. Beamish, Master Gardener A shrub is defined as a woody, perennial plant with little or no trunk, having branches near its base. A number of such shrubs produce good food to eat. The first shrub that springs to mind is the grape. (But, you will say, grapes are a vine!) However, the way we grow grapes, they might as well be a shrub. I mean, who needs grapes up in a tree? A nice...Choices for Container Gardens are Endles...
By Debbie Falton, Master Gardener Q. I don’t have a lot of space for a garden. Can you give me some information on growing plants in containers? A. Container gardening is very popular with people who have limited space outside to grow plants. Plants grown in containers have the advantage of being portable. This is important when freezes are expected. They can be easily moved into a...Plant Cool Season Vegetables Now
By Debbie Falton Q. Summer is over. Are there any vegetables that I can grow that will tolerate colder weather? A. There is still time in late fall to grow vegetables in your garden. Most spring and summer vegetables have are finished producing. So, why not use the space in your garden to grow some vegetables that actually grow best in cool weather and can even withstand some...Why Does pH Matter?
By Joe Wolf When you have trouble with a plant or get a new one, you need to look at the soil conditions the plant needs. One of the most important characteristics of soils is something called pH, which is a way to measure how acid or basic the soil is. Levels of pH range from 0 to 14 with pure water at 7 or neutral. Below 7 is considered to be acid while above 7 it is...King Sago Palms Under Attack
By Pat Farris Q: My King sago has a powdery white substance on the fronds and it seems to be dying? What’s going on? Will all my palms be affected? A: The only sure way to diagnose a plant problem is to see it firsthand. Did you know you can bring a piece of infected plant to the Extension Office in Bartow, where our Master Gardener staff can help you figure out what’s wrong? If...Two Small Palms Make Excellent Additions...
By Joe Wolf What kind of small, maintenance free, palm can I plant in my yard? A. Two of my favorite palms are the Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) and the European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis). Both are fairly small palms with typical heights under 10’, drought tolerant, have fan-shaped fronds, and should not be bothered by a frost. The Needle Palm is a beautiful, small,...Nectar-Producing Flowers Keep Hummingbir...
By Debbie Falton, Master Gardener Q. Recently, I purchased a hummingbird feeder and placed it in my garden. So far, I have not seen any hummingbirds use it. How can I attract them to my garden? A. Hummingbirds are fascinating birds to watch. They are the smallest of birds with the largest of appetites. They must feed every 10 to 15 minutes from dawn until dusk to survive. They eat...Don’t Commit ‘Crape Murder’
By Pat Farris Q: My neighbor cuts his crape myrtle way back every year at this time, is this really necessary? So I don’t have to prune, what kind of Crape Myrtle should I buy to fit my landscape? A: That’s a great question! The answer, in a word, is a simple and resounding, “No!” The crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is a low maintenance, gracefully growing plant, with...What News Will the White Peacock Butterf...
You know it is the butterfly who brings us our dreams – who brings the news to us when we are asleep. Have you never heard a man say, when he sees a butterfly fluttering over the prairie, “There is a little fellow flying about that is going to bring news to someone tonight?” Or have you not heard a person say after the fire burns low and the people begin to make up...From the Publisher, Marialice Quinn
Welcome to Central Florida Online
Central Florida Online and Magnify Credit Union have partnered to bring Polk County residents the news they want to read, and to give residents, businesses and organizations a free venue to publish their good news and upcoming events.
If you would like to add your news and events to Central Florida Online, simply e-mail CentralFloridaOnline@gmail.com to set up a free account.
Link:
RSS Feed
Sponsors
