The Neighborhood Gardener – September

Yellow-orange flower of a dwarf firebush

Happy gardening!

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Broccoli

head of broccoli in gardenBroccoli is a great cool-season vegetable for Florida gardeners, and hopefully, cool weather is just around the corner. Did you know that it also has an interesting history of cultivation? Read on for more information on how to grow this crunchy cruciferous vegetable and a look at the history of it and its closest relatives. More


Seed Tape DIY

Toilet paper, flour paste, and seedsReady to get a head start on your fall garden, but not quite ready to plant seeds in the ground? Why not make your own seed tape? Pre-purchased seed tape can be expensive, but making your own is inexpensive, quick, and easy—seriously, we were surprised at how quick and easy it was! Our picture tutorial shows just how simple it is. More


Internet Resources for Plant Names

preserved specimen of Maling bambooThis month, Marc Frank, Extension Botanist with the UF/IFAS Plant Identification and Information Service, writes a guest column on Internet resources for checking plant names. "Unfortunately, there is no single website that is good for checking all plant names," he writes. But there are a few that he's willing to recommend. More


Plant of the Month: Turk's Cap Mallow

Red flowers of Turk's cap shrubA wonderful Florida shrub that provides a pop of color, Turk's cap mallow is a Florida-Friendly shrub related to hibiscus. Well, actually "Turk's cap mallow" is the common name used for two different hibiscus relatives. Both Malvaviscus penduliflorus and Malvaviscus arboreus are sometimes referred to as Turk's cap mallow and are both in bloom this time of year. More


September in Your Garden

wax begoniaSeptember is a good time to plant and divide bulbs in your garden. Refresh summer beds with annuals like celosia and wax begonia. Prepare the fall vegetable garden if not done in August. Using transplants from your local garden center will get the garden off to a fast start, but seeds provide a wider variety from which to choose.

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.


Dragonflies

dragonfly photo by Seth Bybee, UF/IFASDragonflies may have a fierce namesake, but these insects are wonderful predators of annoying garden pests like mosquitoes and flies. Florida is home to over 100 species; some are found throughout the state while others are limited to a few regions. And did you know dragonflies are migratory? There is so much to learn about these exciting flying sensations. More


What's Going On?

If your Master Gardener program or Extension office is having an event, be sure to share it with us.