Master Gardener Volunteer Leslie Arandale
email@floridanewsline.com
Spring is historically a dry season, and this year is no exception. With roughly 50 percent of Florida's precious drinking water going to the garden, I've been holding back on watering. So my garden was a bit “dry” until the May 10 storm. That said, after a long period without any notable rain, I was watering the precious shrubs that are the framework of my front yard, as well as some recently planted perennials and potted plants. A small area of bahia grass that looks pretty good with enough water was dry, but rain was in the forecast, so I let nature take care of it.
Now it's time to clean up after the storm. Tall perennials have been blown sideways, coral honeysuckle supports are no longer vertical, and southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) leaves and twigs are scattered everywhere. But our damage is tiny compared to those whose trees have been blown down by the wind. On our street, a giant hickory snapped and fell onto a garage, and another neighbor's much-loved greenhouse was crushed by his favorite tree.
It was a good week for wildlife watching. Baby Eastern Bluebirds were learning to eat the blubber provided by their parents. There was more activity at the native Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) cardinal nest, where adults were probably feeding the newly hatched chicks. Hopefully the storm didn't kill all the chicks.
A perennial that will survive hot, dry weather is the native petunia (Ruellia caroliniensis: https://www.fnps.org/plant/ruellia-caroliniensis). Its deep root system has proven to be drought tolerant. The flowers are a delicate shade of pale mauve. Although each flower lasts only one day, it produces a plethora of blooms from spring through fall. It is a good alternative to the less showy but closely related Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex), which is an invasive plant and not recommended for Florida gardens (https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/assessments/ruellia-simplex/). Although some Mexican petunia cultivars are sterile (read the plant label!), they do have stolon roots and will spread freely, so they need to be kept in check. Be wary of neighbors who offer to share their flowers with you. None of these should be confused with the many varieties of bed petunias, which are treated as annuals and look beautiful in hanging baskets or pots, and also make excellent ground covers.
The May/June issue of the Duval Extension Newsletter, “A New Leaf – Yard and Garden,” is available at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/duval/lawns-gardens-and-trees/new-leaf-newsletter/. (Contact the Extension office at (904) 255-7450 to subscribe.) There is also an article on growing summer vegetables, along with advice on planting ornamentals that can tolerate the heat. If you don’t plan on planting vegetables until fall, why not try solarizing your soil (https://tinyurl.com/5x9dmdcj)? Or, plant a cover crop (https://tinyurl.com/6rrmmprp). Both techniques can benefit your garden. Solarizing helps kill weed seeds and pathogens. Cover crops buried in the soil replenish nutrients. The newsletter also features an article by Larry Figert on how to use garden chemicals safely, detailing why we should always read and follow the directions on product labels. And he tells a cautionary tale that's well worth a read: Following the label not only helps you get the best results from the product, it also helps protect ourselves, our families, our gardens, and maybe even our water source.
Also in 'A New Leaf', our horticulture agent, Tonya Ashworth, gives advice on how to work safely in the garden during the hot summer months.
