The Neighborhood Gardener – March
Welcome to the March issue of the Neighborhood Gardener. Spring has come to Florida, and we're all ready to start working in the garden. Before heading out, check out this month's articles and helpful tips. Happy gardening!
Mulch Madness
Mulch is a product made of tree bark, needles, wood, leaves, or grass. It can also made from gravel or pebbles. Spreading mulch over planting beds helps conserve water and provides a beautiful uniform texture and color. Mulch is an essential component of any Florida-Friendly Landscape. More...
Plant of the Month
This native honeysuckle vine can be grown throughout Florida and features scarlet flowers that bloom for months. More...
March in Your Garden
March means it's time for spring cleaning! Prune shrubs and trees when new growth begins, since the end of the dormant season is a good time to prune. Apply a complete fertilizer to your lawn after all danger of frost is past. Now that dry weather is here, check sprinkler systems for efficient water use.
For more month-by-month gardening tips, check out the Florida Gardening Calendar. Three different editions of the calendar provide specific tips for each of Florida's gardening regions—North, Central, and South. More...
Friend or Foe
Ladybugs, ladybirds, lady beetles — no matter what you call them, these insects are some of the most beneficial in the Florida garden. Ladybugs are voracious predators of harmful garden pests, mainly aphids, but they will also eat other small, soft-bodied insect larvae, insect eggs, and mites. More...
Demonstration Garden Greatness
The St. Lucie County Master Gardener volunteers received the 2008 Florida Master Gardener Award of Excellence for Demonstration Gardens. This award highlights the Discovery Garden located at UF/IFAS St. Lucie County Extension. It is intended to show local residents a variety of sun-loving plants that can be used in home gardens throughout our planting area. The Discovery Garden presents a beautiful visual display of horticultural information and is maintained and refreshed by volunteers.
View this video (Windows Media file) for more information about St. Lucie County's award-winning garden. You can also learn more about other UF/IFAS Extension demonstration gardens around the state.
School Gardens Can Win Green
School gardens are a wonderful way to get kids interested in gardening at an early age. If you know a school or teacher who has a great school garden, encourage them to enter the Florida School Garden Competition. Entries are due by March 20, 2009.
Vegetable Gardening: Hot Again
Have you noticed the increase of interest in vegetable gardening? Perhaps it's the economy, or maybe it's just spring fever, but people are clamoring for more information on growing their own vegetables. Gardening in a Minute steps up to the plate with several informative shows.
