The Neighborhood Gardener – May
Happy gardening!
"Your Florida Lawn" is Now on YouTube
The new "Your Florida Lawn" YouTube channel has videos with UF lawn experts discussing and demonstrating Florida-Friendly lawn practices, including how to get the most out of your automatic irrigation system, tips on laying sod, and the differences between North, Central, and South Florida lawns. More
Plant of the Month: Sweetspire 'Henry's Garnet'
An improved version of the native Florida shrub, 'Henry's Garnet' sweetspire is prized
for its sweet-smelling blooms in the spring and its colorful foliage in the fall. Sweetspire is highly
adaptable. It can be planted in dry or wet conditions and in full sun or partial shade, though it flowers
best if exposed to full sun. More
New Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Pattern Books
Florida-Friendly landscapes can have a range of looks to suit different aesthetic tastes. These four new Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ workbooks contain sample plant lists and designs that can help you create Florida-Friendly landscapes in your community:
- FFL Book Zone 8A-8B (PDF)
- FFL Book Zone 9A (PDF)
- FFL Book Zone 9B (PDF)
- FFL Book Zone 10 (PDF)
UF Research Closer to Disease-resistant Grapes
Professor Dennis Gray has discovered a way to increase fungal-disease resistance in
grapes by giving them an extra helping of protective genes that naturally occur in the fruit. This could
boost Florida's wine industry. Many popular grape varieties aren't currently grown here because they're
susceptible to disease in hot and humid Florida. More
May in Your Garden
Harmful insects become more active as the weather warms. Watch for thrips, scale, and mites on ornamental plants. Southern vegetable favorites to plant now are okra, southern peas, and sweet potatoes.
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? Foe: Slugs
Many gardeners find slugs to be, well, gross. But they're also pests. They feed on the leaves of plants, especially seedlings. While damage is mostly cosmetic, extensive feeding can stress a plant. This article gives a few tips on controlling these slimy pests. More
Featured Shows on Gardening in a Minute
Success Stories
- We're looking for inspiring, Florida-Friendly success stories from your county. Submit yours today to Wendy Wilber.
