I worked on the Crape Myrtle cuttings and brought all my plants on the porch back outside. I started some squash seeds last weekend that are also peeking out. I planted a lot of other shrubs and vegetables last weekend I'm waiting to see come up. Beautiful weekend for sure!

I have several different sweet peppers, 2 different eggplants and a Patio tomato from Lowe's. I bring them it at night if it's under 50F. All are doing fine. I'm hoping to get a decent garden in next summer when we'll be here in FL for good. Maybe even do some canning. Saw some choice palms at WalMart, Home Depot and Lowes this past week. The closing isn't until the 15th of March so will have to wait.

We have to go home to TN in April and start the prep' for moving. Will be taking some of the plants from there back here to FL over the summer, along with household items. We'll be going back and forth.

greenthumbs, be sure you research what to plant in the summer. There are a lot of things you can grow; eggplants, hot peppers, okra, southern peas, and a ton of tropical veggies like malabar spinach, etc. I'm working on updating my month-to-month in N. Florida blog posts now to jibe with the new Florida veggie growing guide, so I'll have that up in time for planting. Working on March's post now.

dirtygardner: What's the link to your blog?

Wow! Our WD doesn't have plants, but that IS a great price! I would have bought it too.

Cody, it's here: The Consummate Gardener

I need to update the March post, although it's still viable. There are just more veggies to add, since they updated the guide. I'm trying to get every month done for North Florida, then I'll finish up South Florida. Started that years ago, but then I moved, so I never finished it.

Hi

The other phals in the group were 16/20 bucks about usual for a flowering one . This one had been dropped pot was cracked so marked down to 8

Had similar luck at a HD was after plumbing supplies but had to look at the plants naturally lol A flat of new arrivals had been dropped off the truck breaking a lot of pots . Ended up getting one of the large forms of Spathiphyllum (peace lily) for 3 price tag said 32.50.

In another weak moment I bought a potted hybrid tea rose for 6 It was the variety "Peace" so couldn't resist. Have never had much luck with roses especially teas .Potted it up in a 3.5 gal pot and so far is doing great. i know it will croak when summer comes but for 6 bucks what the heck ?? lol gary

It might survive if it is shaded in the afternoon. A lady I house sit for has kept one alive for five years in a large pot on the east side of her house.

I was able to plant a few new greens and flowers. The most distracting things were the beautiful butterflies and songbirds.

I had spaths growing in the ground in z10, so they should be fine if you put them in the shade. Actually, roses on Dr. Huey rootstock usually live about 5 years if grown in a container in sterile soil. Just don't put the container right on the ground, or the nematodes will climb up into it. I used to call those my "disposable" roses, because after a few years, you got to dig them up and plant all new varieties!

I have a few Hybrid Teas on Dr H rootstock that have lived way longer than 5 yrs but I am in the Jax area and I don't think the nematodes here are as bad as in S FL. We are on 4 acres and have lots of hardwood leaves, pine needles and other stuff (from farm animals lol) that gets composted in our yard so our soil isn't really strictly sand here. Some areas are almost pure clay and the water pools up there when it rains. I am mostly growing old garden roses but also have some Austins on own root and Dr H.

This past weekend was lovely. Hope it continues so I can pull everything out of the gh. I got 4 of my hanging epi cacti re-potted and planted a bunch of flower and herb seeds.

~Sjn

Hi

Way too many Orchids ,Aroids palms and water gardens ,hibiscus and lets.s not forget broms and other epiphytes lol Run out of space and money long before I got to the rose family lol My wife grew some miniatures, main problem was disease and insects they did fair during winter So many other plants that love the heat and humidity . Only reason I got this one was because it was cheap and a potted form and of the variety "Peace"

I grow almost everything in pots because of my soil about 50/50 between sand and seashells .Even the weeds struggle lol Another problem is the canopy has matured and most of the grow area is in deep shade

was going to keep the rose in the original pot but was made of compressed peat and was falling apart so potted it up in 3 gallon because I didn't have a 5

Stuffed it between the ground orchids and some old dwarf trees . The area is the sunniest but still under 3 hours by late spring will probably be less than an hour when the Crepe myrtle leafs out

So far it's doing great but the temps have been low as well as the humidity

rainfall has been way above normal but drainage is very good. No signs of disease so far lol Just maybe high night temps are still a month away??lol

I was looking at the label but no mention of root stock but lots of info on mulching for winter protection lol Oh well won't be the first time I went way out of my zone and probably won't be my last?? lo. Thanks gary

I have a large potted Peace Lily sitting under some Guava trees. Its been there 2 years and I am sure it has rooted into the sand. Now I'm concerned about Nematodes! It has gotten huge and flowers beautifully. Maybe I should get it back on the patio??

Any chance of saving it if Nematodes got to it already? If I move it off the dirt and back to the patio? Sentimental about this plant, grew for me in NY for many years and I felt it was happy being in Florida...maybe not so?

Jane

Dirty73: I already have my Eggplants, peppers and tomatoes in pots. This move is going to be something else as we have a house to sell in TN, our belongings to move 600 miles plus all the houseplants up there now being cared for by a paid neighbor gal. Most of those plants will be moved to FL. Some are 45 and 50 yrs old. I keep seeing great palms and other good looking plants at WalMart, Lowes and HomeDepot but will wait until we move to buy them.

Jane

Have grown spath of many kinds in many different ways except in the house though i have grown them both in aquariums and ripariums never as the usual house plant. Only thing I've found that will bump them off is drying out and full sun very tolerant of all florida bugs ime

My "marsh garden" has moved into dense shade since the canopy has matured and they love growing in the standing water. At last I've found a "water "plant that not only tolerates dense shade but thrives.lol

Have a ?? for others Since there are overs 40 species and at least a 100 hybrids and to me the main difference is size Know of a way to tell them apart when immature.?? Info I find says that almost all sold in the US are hybrids .

One more ?? Ever notice when you go to a nursery they will have many kinds and almost always in full flower.. How do they do that ??. While mine flower well almost always in spring and into summer. only. Whats the secret?? Thanks gary

I'm debating planting any edibles besides jalapenos this year since my containers didn't do so well last year. I have much better luck with flowers, so I've expanded our front flower bed, probably doubling my planting space. I'm probably going to be planting in a little while. I found a huge stash of old seeds, so I'm going to put them out too. Some are from the old days on GW, dated 2003 for some sweet shrub; those are going in the dirt too! I love the cooler weather, but spring and new growing things makes me happy.