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Florida Gardening

did any of you feel the coolness in the air this morning??m

teeka0801(7aNoVa)

14 years ago

I'm in St Pete and I've been walking the dogs at 6am every single morning, dripping in sweat after 20 minutes of brisk walking.

This morning there was a little nip in the air and it really lifted my spirits because I have just reached my limit with this humidity and heat,mosquitoes and just not having any energy for my garden.

I can't wait for the cooler weather!!!teeka

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Comments (17)

laura1
14 years ago
I felt it but I was too busy to enjoy it!
solstice98
14 years ago
Thankfully, it wasn't a hurricane breeze!

When I was out walking the dogs this morning I saw the constellation Orion rising in the east. That's always my first sign that Summer is almost over. In North Dakota it meant Fall had arrived, but here it's more like just a promise that Fall is coming in a few weeks. I had my first school bus sighting of the season today too!

Kate
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Thank you, thank you for the "beautiful home" comments. When it was new eight years ago, I was enthused about keeping it clean and orderly. That mindset went by the wayside with the advent of gardening. Now the new decor has revitalized my domestic instincts. I hope it lasts, but I'm really getting less gardening done. I have planting to do now and I've wasted the cooler weather being inside. Oh, well, such is life. Cath, one could argue that I was doing the wrong thing by seemingly buying every blue & white fabric in sight, but in the end it turned out well. The original pillow covers were a very odd abstract design, very not me, so it worked out well with some work on my part. And DH loves it, too. He asked me to make a cover for the recliner to preclude stains even though it is stain-protected. Do you believe he picked a blue & white toile from the stash! Campanula is right. They are larkspur. Delphiniums don't work here - too hot, I guess. The larkspurs reseed and start coming back every January. I'm starting to pull them out now. They have lived their life beautifully. I don't know if the heat is doing them in or they are just this short-lived and are running their natural course. They make a spectacular splash in the garden during the time when stuff is frozen back and roses aren't ready yet. Freezes don't bother them. Without them the late winter/early spring would be so barren. I love that they come back on their own. I'm not disciplined enough to be doing seeds in August for planting in Sept/Oct to make a winter season garden. Did it once and don't think I'll ever do it again. That's all hot-time here and doing the tedious work of distributing tiny seeds in tiny pots while sweating on the screened porch is not my idea of fun. I suppose I could do it in the evening. I'll have to think about that. They'll have to be reseeders though. More research. So, Suzy, I think we have the apparel language straight at least for now. I would dearly love to visit the UK and France but it is highly unlikely since I don't buy lottery tickets. But if I do, I will be up to speed on the language. And thank you for the "Sherry's famous larkspur" comment. It made me smile. Sherry Here is a link that might be useful: If only sweat were irrigation...
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I've wondered myself about what constitutes a cool or cold morning opener; presumably there is SOME temperature at which even the stalwarts won't open, so what is the benchmark temperature, and at what time? Nighttime minimum low temperature? Morning temperature at 6 or 7 am? I don't keep records of temperatures, but our nights are usually cool here. ONE FINE DAY is almost always open on mornings that the rest of the daylilies (excepting possibly some spider or UF types) are shivering. (On the coolest mornings it more or less opens flat, otherwise it slightly recurves.) I suspect that it might be an EMO also, but the truth is that you won't find me out in the garden at 6 or 7 am! (I have to wonder anyway if some EMOs might not be nocturnals that open later at night, as opposed to in the afternoon or early evening.) ONE FINE DAY is almost done with its initial period of bloom here and in this garden it won't repeat again until October, otherwise I might rouse myself to go check on it early. (Maybe someone else has it and can report on EMO or not?) There are some days, though, when it is cold enough that even ONE FINE DAY can't bring itself to fully open, which is why I wonder what the benchmarks for CMOs are. GREAT topic, by the way... I'd love to learn more about CMO and EMO daylilies: what the standards are (if any) for registering as such, and what are some good cultivars with the traits. I've had it with daylilies that can't handle our cool nights, and want to incorporate the CMO, EMO traits into my seedlings.
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flyingfish2
14 years ago
definitely , our air temp was mid 75's and dry, could be setting tomatoes, but have only had seed in since Aug 1. John Mackenzie of Edible Landscaping (west of stuart) sez he puts seeds in July 15 and he is further East then me, think warmer during nite time temps.

bernie
manature
14 years ago
I wouldn't say it was cool...just that it was later in the morning before the heat became unbearable for me. I was able to do an hour's worth of yard clean up for the first time in 2 months or longer. But by 10:00, I had to go in. It was mid-90's by then.

It WAS lovely to be able to stay out there even an HOUR. I'm with you, teeka...fall can't get here fast enough for me. I miss my garden!!

Marcia
corar4gw
14 years ago
They SAID it was 68 degrees this morning - so I went out and finished putting down edging on my crinum bed - and didn't break a sweat until I was almost finished. INCREDIBLE!
tomncath
14 years ago
Were almost there, I've noted Orion too, next comes Scorpio, then I'll know we've finally cooled down :-)
sis3
14 years ago
YES!!!! French doors open for two hours this morning! It was glorious!
bunnyhouse
14 years ago
I want some! Cool air that is! I am in St. Cloud and was out this morning by 7:30 to do some weeding. By 9:00 I had gone through 3 T-shirts and 2 pairs of shorts. I looked like I had been in a shower with my clothes on. I am so done with this summer heat and humidity. I was born here so you would think I would be used to it, NOT! The older I get the hotter it gets. Please, please gimme some fall weather soon!
manature
14 years ago
I can guarantee you it wasn't 68 here. I was outside with the dogs by 7:30 and it was already 80. By 10:00 it was well over 90. I would KILL for 68 degree temps! I could live with that all year long and never be tired of it. My idea of the PERFECT temps. Forties at night, 60's in the daytime. Heaven.

Roll on fall!!

Marcia
manature
14 years ago
Lucky you. I haven't had my windows open since April! I really miss fresh air and the sound of the birds. But the temps have to drop at LEAST another ten degrees before I can tolerate having the house open. I'm guessing another month, maybe longer. Can't get here fast enough!

Marcia
SaintPFLA
14 years ago
Funny...we must have all been enjoying the cooler air today!

I've actually noticed the change over the past couple of days and have been enjoying my morning coffee out on the patio again. It feels like the beginning of fall to me. The slow creep to fall that Florida has.

Today I planted my tomato seedling that I grew from seed. I also replanted two basil plants. I started three pepper seeds in large planter - the slugs have eaten all prior pepper plants so we shall see if I get any peppers this time!

I've been working like a dog inside the house on a home DIY project, so today I definitely enjoyed being outside for a change!

Tomorrow it's supposed to be 76 degrees! :)
tomncath
14 years ago
I was born here so you would think I would be used to it, NOT! The older I get the hotter it gets.

Me too, and to think I used to go out and play 2-3 hours of tennis at noon this time of year, now all I do is go out and get in the pool :-)
susanp508
14 years ago
The cool front didn't get down this far I am so jealous.......lol
manature
14 years ago
Bunnyhouse & Tomncath, count me in that group, as well. Born here, lived the majority of my life here, and suffer more every single year. I cannot IMAGINE how I grew up in a house with no a/c. I do remember trying to get a HINT of cool air with a bowl of ice placed in front of the electric fan, and a wet washrag to sponge myself off with throughout the night. Torture. A quote from an old movie:

"No pleasure, no rapture...no exquisite SIN...greater than central air!"

*grin*

Marcia
susieq07
14 years ago
Not in zone 10, heat index/ feels like temp. today 108*
tomncath
14 years ago
I cannot IMAGINE how I grew up in a house with no a/c.

Marcia, I think we did okay with fans, what I couldn't stand back in those days during the heat of the summer was the cockroaches and beetles flying around the room all night, especially when one landed on you! Bring back fond memories?

Tom
solstice98
14 years ago
I grew up in the far north where a/c was almost unheard of. We had hot summers but most nights it cooled down to a reasonable temp. We didn't use fans much and my worst memory of summer was the mosquitos buzzing around my head all night long! Big, ugly, hungry mosquitos. I hated them then and hate them still.

Kate

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