A silly question or two...

16 years ago

(And I'm sure I'll come up with more later.) I'm a recent transplant from Z6b to Fort Lauderdale - moved here two weeks ago. So my first silly question is: What zone am I in? I've variously seen 10a, 10b, and 11 as the stated zone for Fort Lauderdale. Also, how do you grow annuals here? Just plant them any old time and let them grow until they lose their vitality, rip them out, and replace? I can tell it's going to take me a while to become accustomed to not having any well-defined seasons!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

barbcoleus
16 years ago
Welcome to Florida and the Florida Forum where you will learn amazing stuff.
I don't whether you're in 10 a or b.
Annuals do better in the fall-marigolds petunias and later on when it gets cooler pansies. YOu can go to the big box stores and they usually have what is appropriate for our area in those six packs except they put out tulips in the spring and the blooms will last a 1/2 hour.

Barb
garyfla_gw
16 years ago
Hi
I always find the arguments about zones rather funny particularly A B lol. Generally it doesn't frost but who knows about the coming winter?? lol. Those numbers are just generalities anyway. Every so often Ma nature visits a frost down here in spite of the numbers lol The only frost proof part of the state are the Keys. anyway.
I find that most tropicals can survive a frost while most annuals can't survive the summer.
The fun part is experimenting anyway. Good luck with your new garden gary
Related Discussions
Kinda silly question
Q
Comments (10)
Yeah...REALLY a good question. I'm considered the 'plant guru' (ha ha) as far as my neighbors are concerned, who are renting a house next door with a great front sunporch (east/northeast). They've copied me with loving plants (indoors & out) and bought many different houseplants to fill it up -- all with different requirements (i.e., cacti, tropical, etc.) But due to all my 'plant info' input (that I don't necessarily follow myself) they've now bought a humidifier plus a heater to keep it warm at nite (not my recommendations) in below freezing (not much below - like never below 25) temps. Didn't give much thought to this "totally different" environment they've created for THEIR plants versus the one I have for my 'love you today, forgot you for a few days' houseplants that they admire so much (sometimes less is better, I've found) until I read this post !!!!! Are they going to create problems due to 'over loving them'???? With the humidifier and heater and all??? I don't want to be the one telling them how to grow their plants and then have them all get disease, etc. I mean, I'm so non-chalant with mine, yet have given them the 'book' info on their plants...i.e., mist them, etc. which is why they bought the humidifier. Does MY question make any sense? Guess I'm asking are they doing an 'over-kill' thing with all the extras? I only ask since as I said, I don't do much for mine but find them a good window or good light, talk to them every day and periodically water them as needed., Yet my friends are trusting my advice. PS - the previous owner of the house (sunporch) plus my BF the past winter used the sunporch just as it was. Nothing special. Things grew great! He even had green peppers grow all year long !! So I don't want them to be overdoing it and blame me (even tho I didn't TELL them to buy the humidifier. I just said they should mist the one palm they had). HELP!! Bonnie aka brit5467
...See More
Do You Floss?
Q
Comments (46)
I never used to but have become a nightly flosser the last few years. As a child we took turns going to the dentist so of course, we ended up with lots of cavities and a big fear of dentist. My teeth are soft so I have so many fillings and over the years they have had to be replaced by crowns. I have 8 porcelin (SP?) veneers in the front top that cost me a bundle 10 years ago. As an adult I have always visited the dentist every 6 months but hated the cleanings. I now floss nightly and use an electric tooth brush but I do have to be careful with it not hurting my gums. I have so much metal in my mouth that I now have what the Oral surgeon said is a low electrical current that keeps the lining of my mouth very sensitive. I have dry mouth and if the balance of potassium, calicum and iron get a little off, my mouth breaks out in sores. I have managed to keep it under control with Biotene rinse and when needed a script from the dentist. I think preventive care has made such a difference in dental health. We were pretty poor and like with doctors, you didn't go unless there was a problem. Nowadays, kids go before they even have all their baby teeth.
...See More
Next silly curtain hanging question
Q
Comments (7)
Thank you, everyone, for your feedback! It's funny - I'm always reading advice that says to hang curtains high, yet I also liked the first picture better than the second one. I have high-ish ceilings - about 103". Regarding length - from the bottom of the concrete beam to the floor is 88", so with the rod hung just under them plus the ring, I figured the 84" would end up about an inch from the floor. If I got a 95" length, I'd have to hang them about where I show them in the second picture. I don't really want to get custom drapes, nor am I handy with a sewing machine to hem anything. (Seriously - you should see the skirt I attempted to sew in junior high! ;-)) I was planning to have the rod go almost wall to wall - there's not a lot of wall left on the sides to push back the drapes, so I would probably end up using holdbacks - esp. on the side with the air conditioner. I also like a fuller look, so I was getting four panels - two on each side. (In the photos I show two of the panels hanging down the middle, but I doubt I could actually get them to hang that tightly and not block my view. It's not much of a view - the buildings across the street and a few trees - but I like having it open.) How do you close drapes on rings when there is more than one support bracket???
...See More
Silly questions about logos on clothing
Q
Comments (28)
WRT to logos as status symbols, I am in a pretty odd situation, hence the reason for my query. Where my children went to school, there was no such thing as a consumer goods status symbol because every child knew every adult's business since they were ridiculously young. In Silicon Valley so much information about who is who and who earns what is public, there are no big secrets where financial worth are concerned. Plus you knew who had never set foot on a commercial airplane by the time you were in middle school, for example- and this applies to public and private school likewise. If perchance I go silent on this thread again, not even thanking people for their comments, it's because I am having Houzz interface problem. I can comment on some threads, and not others. The little box shows up without the "Submit" button. And on those threads, I can't like or thank people. This has happened before and it clears up- eventually. I am traveling and am on an ancient MacBook, so maybe that is why.
...See More
fawnridge (Ricky)
16 years ago
10B - is the Beach (B as in Beach) - and extends several miles inland. The rest is 10A. Originally it was all just zone 10, the A and B were added because of the effects of salt spray and cold.
wanda662
16 years ago
It snowed in Stuart in the early 70's! Gary is right, it varies from year to year!
I'm not into annuals so can't advise on that.
manature
16 years ago
Hi, Miss S! Welcome to Florida and to this great forum, where you will learn SO much, all the while making new gardening friends.

As mentioned above, most annuals are fall and winter plantings, especially in your area. The summer heat will usually do them in. There are exceptions of course, but you will find that the old standards (petunias, pansies, violas, marigolds and the like) are definitely winter plants in Florida, dying out as the weather gets hot again. But some plants that are grown as annuals up north are actually grown as perennials down here.

Florida gardening is very different, but you will soon get the hang of it. One of the best ways to find out what is growing in your area in any given season is just to take a ride around your neighborhood and see what local gardeners are doing. Also, find a good local nursery with helpful staff who know the ins and outs of your area.

Also, post here with questions any time. There is nearly always someone around who can offer some help. We have some GREAT gardeners in your zone!

And lastly, enjoy yourself, both in your garden and here on this forum.

Marcia
katkin_gw
16 years ago
Welcome Miss S. :o) Another idea is to go to your local botanical gardens and tour around. If they can grow it so can you.
countrynest
16 years ago
Miss Sol,
Don't listen to the others. We are all in the Â¨twilight ZoneÂ¨
You hang out with us and before you know it, YouÂ´ll know everything there is to know. The secrets of the universe
will be at your disposal.

Felix
cindeea
16 years ago
LOL-Like Felix said, it can all be learnt here! Welcome miss_solemnis. I hope you enjoy our forum and join us often. We absolutely LOVE aiding and abeting new transplants. We will talk you into buying plants you never thought you could grow!
miss_solemnis
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks so much for the welcome and advice! Sorry for the delay in responding - we ran up to Morikami/AOS yesterday and spent the day.

After I posted my original questions and went to bed, the same thing gary said occurred to me - I guess it really doesn't matter whether I'm 10a/b etc. Although from what fawnridge said, it sounds as if I'm 10b since we're just about a half mile from the beach near Coral Ridge CC. We don't move into our house until Friday, so I'm still stuck in a hotel for now. I am SO anxious to get moved in and get my hands in some dirt! I'm not wildly into annuals either, wanda, but wanted some immediate color for pots on the patio near the pool. Our front landscaping is in pretty good shape, but the backyard beds are a bit barren.

Any suggestions for the best garden centers - real nurseries, not big retailers like HD, etc.? (Assuming posting specific business recommendations is allowed here.)

Thanks again! Since we're huge fans of fall/winter weather I was fully prepared to hate FL, but in the 3 weeks I've been here so far I absolutely love it!
vaodiva
16 years ago
Oh, you're moving at the absolute BEST time as far as weather in FL. It just doesn't get better: low humidity, cool eves, warm days. And the sun sticks around, not like for those po' folks in the northern climes.

Welcome, to FL and GW :)
fawnridge (Ricky)
16 years ago
You have many excellent small and large nurseries to choose from. Three of the most interesting are - David McLean's just off Andrew's Avenue two blocks north of Davie Boulevard - only open on the weekend, Jesse Durko's on SW 70th Ave, off Griffin Road west of the Turnpike, and the garden center at the north end of Sears in Pompano (can't remember the name.) All have unusual plants and trees that the HD and Lowes don't sell.

But if you want to get plants for free, take a look at the threads about Swaps! Welcome aboard!

A silly question or two...

Comments (11)

barbcoleus

garyfla_gw

Related Discussions

fawnridge (Ricky)

wanda662

manature

katkin_gw

countrynest

cindeea

miss_solemnis
Original Author

vaodiva

fawnridge (Ricky)

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

A silly question or two...

Comments (11)

Related Discussions

miss_solemnisOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

miss_solemnis
Original Author