The Neighborhood Gardener – June
Happy gardening!
Heat Tolerant Vegetables
As spring gives way to summer and the temperatures rise, finding edible plants to grow in your garden can be a real challenge. Turning to some of the lesser-known vegetables can be just what Florida gardeners need to keep their edible gardens producing through the summer heat. Learn more about heat tolerant vegetables like cassava, malanga, winged bean, Malabar spinach, and amaranth. More
Florida's Frogs
Gardeners can be particularly in tune with nature. While working or playing outdoors you might see—or even hear—frogs in your garden. Frogs are beneficial creatures to be sure; in their adult stage they are voracious insect consumers. Florida is home to a large number of native frogs, 27 species to be exact, belonging to five different families. Read more about the terrestrial, arboreal, and aquatic frog species found in Florida. More
(Photo: Little grass frog, Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org)
Marvelous Mangroves
Mangroves are an essential part of the coastal ecosystem. They are a keystone species, providing essential services that act as the base for the entire estuarine community. Out of the approximately seventy species of mangroves that are classified in the world, three live in Florida. These three species are from distinct genera, since "mangrove" is often a term used to describe both an ecosystem and a type of plant. The three native mangrove trees found in Florida are black mangrove, white mangrove, and red mangrove. Read more about these protected and interesting trees.
Wendy's Wanderings
As I have been traveling around the state from the panhandle to subtropical South Florida, I have been hearing from gardeners that "we didn't have much of a winter." It is true we Florida gardeners didn't experience a cold winter and that means our plants in the landscape and the vegetable garden are well ahead of the game. But you know who else didn't have much of a winter? The six-legged pests that like to feed in our yards and gardens. More
Plant of the Month: Sanchezia
Gardeners are often on the lookout for plants that will shine in the shade, and sanchezia is one such plant. This low-maintenance shrub thrives in Central and South Florida; farther north, it will be killed to the ground by frost or freeze, but recovers once temperatures warm up again. Sanchezia performs best in shade and is great for planting underneath a tree canopy. It's also tolerant of salt spray. Find out more about how you can grow this tropical perennial.
Turfgrass Pests
When it comes to turfgrass, damage can be caused by a variety of factors. As with so much, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment. However, if you have a damaged lawn and you think a pest has been munching on the turfgrass, be sure you discover who the culprit is before you work to remedy the situation. Knowing which pest you are dealing with will determine which course of treatment is best. Read more about pests of Florida turfgrass, including chafer beetles and fall armyworms.
June in Your Garden
June marks the start of hurricane season and this is the perfect time to make sure your landscape is prepared. There is no time like the present to make sure your trees are as healthy as possible. Take some time now to get any necessary pruning done. And speaking of pruning, June is a great month to prune those azalea plants, as waiting too long can hurt blooming for the next year.
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.