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The Neighborhood Gardener – April

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Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

The Master Gardener booth at EPCOTEach spring, Master Gardener volunteers and county agents take part in the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, a 75-day event that brings together plants, people, and music to create an entertaining and educational experience for gardeners and non-gardeners alike. More

Plant of the Month: Hot Peppers

Hot pepper Hot peppers will keep producing even when the temperatures and humidity climb, making them a great vegetable for Florida gardens. For best success, choose varieties that are known to do well in Florida and that are resistant to diseases. Like most vegetables, hot peppers need full sun in order to produce a good harvest. Even if you don’t want to eat them, hot peppers can still be fun to grow. Their colorful fruits can be red, purple, yellow, or orange, and they easily add interest to landscape beds and containers. More

April in Your Garden

Apply fertilizer to your lawn after new growth has started. Choose a fertilizer (not a "weed and feed") with little or no phosphorus unless a soil test indicates the need for it. A fertilizer with controlled-release nitrogen yields longer-lasting results. Check for thrips if leaves and/or flowers of gardenias and roses are damaged.     

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: Thrips

An orchid thripThrips are very small, yellow, black or brown slender insects.  They use a "punch and suck" method to damage flowers and ornamental plants.  Infested leaves dry out and sometimes have a silver-flecked appearance. Flower buds fail to open or the flowers are deformed.  Thrips are at their peak in the spring. More

Featured Shows on Gardening in a Minute

 

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