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Have Yourself a Florida-Friendly Little ...

Have Yourself a Florida-Friendly Little Christmas
By Molly Griner It’s that time of year again; time to decorate our homes with festive greenery and colorful berries. And, while we may not have Balsam Fir trees, we here in Central Florida do have a bountiful storehouse of decorating materials right here in our yards and neighborhoods. Many native and Florida-Friendly plants can be grown in our yards which provide natural...

Organic Permaculture Gardening 101 Class...

Organic Permaculture Gardening 101 Class Saturday
Email us pegjeffcamp@yahoo.com with the following info: To sign up for the class we need: Name(s) of those wishing to attend: Cell phone: Home phone: Scotty’s Organic Farm Donations of $15 per person are gratefully accepted. (Or whatever amount, service exchange, other items of value or just bring your sincere interest) Saturday, December 3 from 3-5:30 p.m. 863-904-8620...

Organic Gardening/Permaculture 101 Class

Email us pegjeffcamp@yahoo.com with the following info: To sign up for the class we need: Name(s) of those wishing to attend: Cell phone: Home phone: Donations of $15 per person are gratefully accepted. (Or whatever amount, service exchange, other items of value or just bring your sincere interest) 2 Classes in November (both the same class repeated 2 times): Friday, Nov. 11 10...

WH Council of Garden Clubs Hosts “...

WH Council of Garden Clubs Hosts “All Decked Out” Holiday Decor Sale
The Winter Haven Council of Garden Clubs will sell Christmas wreaths, trees and table top decor on Thursday, Nov. 17, from 5 to 8 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 18, from noon to 6 p.m. Wine and refreshments will be served on Nov. 17. The fundraiser, called “All Decked Out,” will benefit the Winter Haven Council of Garden Clubs. Call 863-293-7638 for more information. “So many...

Organic/Permaculture Gardening 101 Class...

Scotty’s Living Farm will have two more classes in November: Organic/Permaculture 101 Class at the Farm (each day is the same class repeated) Friday, November 11 , 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 13 from 11 a.m. –1:30 p.m.: More class details: http://thebarefootgardener.org/Scottys101class.htm Please email with name(s) of those attending, home phone, cell phone and...

Camellias Stand Out in the Garden When L...

Camellias Stand Out in the Garden When Little Else is in Bloom
By Debbie Falton Camellias are excellent landscape plants for the fall and winter garden. They were brought to this country from The Orient in the late 1700s. Their beautiful, colorful flowers stand out in the garden when little else is in bloom. The deep glossy leaves of the camellia only add to its appeal. Camellias are best planted from November to February, so their roots can be...

Flowering Vines for Your Florida Garden

Flowering Vines for Your Florida Garden
By Debbie Falton Flowering vines are a great way to cover an unattractive fence or pole. They can provide shade and privacy when used to cover an arbor or trellis. There are a wide variety of flowering vines available that grow vigorously in our area. When choosing flowering vines it is good to know some of their characteristics. Most flowering vines grow best in full sunlight or...

Organic Gardening/Permaculture 101 Class...

Scotty’s Living Farm, North Lakeland, FL Save money, Be in Harmony with our Earth Home, Become Healthy, Enjoy Life Fully, Thrive, not just Survive. Is it time to live your dreams? Join the movement to grow and eat Local, Fresh, Organic. Begin learning how to grow your own from the various classes offered and/or visit the farm through school field trips, individual or group...

How to Survive Late-Summer Florida Garde...

How to Survive Late-Summer Florida Gardening
By Molly Griner This title might seem like an oxymoron to those who have actually spent time in their gardens recently. The months of July and August (and, yes, much of September!) in central Florida are filled with days of intense heat and relentless humidity. We wilt, and our plants wilt too; that is, all plants except the weeds. But as our blooms of June fade away and gardens...

Insect Expert at Native Plant Society Au...

Insect Expert at Native Plant Society August 18th
Jaret C. Daniels will provide a presentation on the relationship between Florida native plants and native insect pollinators at this month’s meeting of the Pine Lily Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society.  Meeting is Thursday, August 18th at 6:30pm at the First United Methodist Church, 101 W. Dakin Av, Fellowship Hall in downtown Kissimmee. Mr. Daniels is Assistant...

Your Roots Matter!

Your Roots Matter!
By Joe Wolf “Out of sight, out of mind” is the way most of us treat the roots of our plants. We figure that if we can’t see it, it is not a problem. But injured or poorly developed roots can be a significant problem for our plants. Sometimes the root of the problem is something that occurred years earlier. After the hurricanes of 2004 research on trees that will survive...

Blood Lilies and Caladiums – Plant...

Blood Lilies and Caladiums – Plant Now for Summer Pleasure
By C. Beamish, Master Gardener Blood lilies are one of the old pass-along plants for this region. You may see them blooming in late spring around old homesteads, but I have rarely seen the bulbs for sale at stores. Their Latin name is Scadoxus multiflorus, in case you have to order them. They are really worth the search. Blood lilies will grow in pots as well as the ground. The bulbs...

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...

Spring Obsession Wrap Up

Last Saturday’s ninth annual Spring Obsession event at Munn Park was a real eye-opener.  As a newbie master gardener I have no grand illusions of knowing of everything there is to know, but did I have to consult Dr. Shibles on every single homeowner question that I was asked?  The answer is yes.  I couldn’t even remember from our class on turf grasses, the three types of...

The Women’s Show-Apr 9

April 9, 2011 The Lakeland Center – Lakeland, Florida Reserve your space now for the 2011 show here! The Women’s Show of Central Florida • 248 N Kentucky Ave., #10 • Lakeland, Florida 33801 • 863-712-3278 • Contact...

Magnify CU’s EcoFriends Have Been ...

Magnify Credit Union’s EcoFriends have been busy. We went on several Trek Ten Trails guided hikes. In February we visited Lake Marion Creek/Stokes Preserve for a very cold hike, and yesterday we got to see all the great things Lake Parker Park has – and it has everything! We hiked through Lakeland Highlands Scrub – “right there in the middle of a big city like...

Farmers Curb Market March 2011 Newslette...

Be in the know about what is going on at your Downtown Farmers Curb Market, sponsored by Lakeland Downtown Development Authority. Here’s the latest newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/4zyekcf

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...

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