The Neighborhood Gardener – February

Pinkish red roses covered in dewdrops photo by Tyler Jones, UF/IFAS

Happy gardening!

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Gardening for Fragrance

Banana shrub flower with creamy white, waxy petalsFloral and herbal scents have been distilled and enjoyed indoors for centuries, and they can be equally delighting in the garden. Scent is one of the strongest human senses, and fragrant plants can add a new dimension to your landscape. With thoughtful planning and design, it's not hard to create a pleasant fragrance garden. We have some plant suggestions for adding fragrance to your landscape. More

Crabgrass

A crabgrass plant uprooted and laying on concreteAs winter stretches on, you may find yourself with brown lawn areas that you swear were healthy green turf a few months ago. If so, the culprit is likely crabgrass. An important part of preventing crabgrass and other weeds from taking over your lawn is maintaining healthy turf. Unfortunately, once crabgrass has germinated and begins to grow, there are very few or no herbicides available to homeowners or commercial applicators that can kill it without harming most types of turfgrass grown in Florida. More

Wendy's Wanderings

Wendy WilberThe Florida Master Gardener Volunteer program is celebrating 40 years of service in 2019 and I will be highlighting several long-serving counties in this column. The UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Master Gardener program was started in 1980 by the beloved Dr. Sydney Park Brown, and has been going strong ever since. More than 100 active Master Gardener volunteers in Hillsborough County have created a beautiful demonstration garden, introduced thousands of children to agriculture, and so much more. More


Plant of the Month: Parsley

green lacy leaves of parsleyParsley is a bright green, versatile herb that looks good growing and tastes good too. Parsley contains vitamins A, C, and K as well as several B vitamins, calcium, and iron. You don’t need much space to grow parsley; it even grows well in containers. One idea would be to grow it in a container with other herbs. And here's a fun fact you may not know about this herb — it's a host plant for caterpillars of the black swallowtail butterfly. More


Palm Leaf Morphology

Fan-shaped saw palmetto leaf with sun shining on itPalms are an iconic Florida plant, and there are many species and varieties of these tropical emblems. As you admire these trees and shrubs, have you ever wanted to know the difference between the types of palm leaves? Learn more about pinnate, palmate, and costapalmate leaves. More


February in Your Garden

Red rose blossomPrune roses this month to remove damaged canes and improve the overall form. After pruning, fertilize and apply a fresh layer of mulch. Blooming will begin 8–9 weeks after pruning. Plant winter annuals like dianthus and verbena. Many bulbs can be planted now as well, like agapanthus and crinum. Continue planting cool-season vegetables, including 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.


What's Going On?

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