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Growing Herbs in a Pot

wirtten by …..Allison Palmer

Growing herbs in a pot is an easy, visually appealing way to have fresh cuttings at your fingertips. I always think of two things when planting a pot of fresh herbs, their water requirements and growth habit. I like to place the herbs that drink more water together. Subsequently, I place the herbs requiring drier conditions together. The herbs that require more water here in Florida are: basil, parsley, dill, cilantro & mint. Those that require less water are: rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, culantro (similar to cilantro, but can handle our warmer months), lemon verbena, & tarragon. Next, when I look at growth habit, I place the trailers close to the side of the pot and the more upright growers in the middle. The trailers like to hang over the side to keep their leaves from too much contact with wet soil. I find this especially true for thyme and oregano. For dry and wet herbs, the upright growers are: basil,dill, parsley (this can work nicely on the side of a pot too), cilantro, rosemary (there are creeping Rosemaries that do well too), tarragon & lemon verbena. The trailers are: mint, thyme, oregano, and prostrate rosemary. Use a liquid fish emulsion fertilizer every other week. Have fun creating your herb pot and mix it up with a few colorful annuals too!

Palmer’s Garden Featured in “Today’s Garden Center” Magazine

This month’s issue of Today’s Garden Center Magazine features an article about creating a better pottery department. The article presents pictures of different techniques taken from garden centers across the country. A picture of Palmer’s Garden and Goods’ pottery section was included. Click here to link to the picture.

New! Floral Boutique at Palmer’s

Palmer’s Garden and Goods has opened a new floral boutique named “Wildflowers at Palmer’s.” The boutique features flowers by the stem, custom arrangements, wire service, and delivery. We can now service all of your floral needs and are currently offering free delivery to the Baldwin Park area. Now is a great time to pre order for the holidays. Call Beth at 407-462-6045 today to start enjoying beautiful fresh flowers in your home.

Palmer’s Tips for Summer Lawn and Garden Maintenance

We know it’s tough to beat the heat of the summer – especially when it comes to keeping your lawn and garden green and pest-free. Here’s a few tips from our garden to yours!

June:

1. Fruits and Citrus

Watch for pests, mainly whitefly and aphids. If infected, you can treat with a malathion oil and follow the directions on the label. It’s VERY IMPORTANT to make sure you apply this product at dusk or out of a direct sun exposure because the oil will burn the leaves. Fertilize with a slow release that contains the three macroelements (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) as well as the microelements.

2. Ornamentals

You can fertilize all your ornamental plants during this month. We recommend using a general Plant Tone or feel free to use a Palm Tone that will contain more of the micro-elements which plants do need from time to time. Watch for any pests – it is summer and they are out there, so treat as necessary. Prune when needed.

3. Lawn

Apply a “summer fertilizer” to the lawn at this time – anything with a slow release nitrogen will work. Just be cautious of products with a weed control because of the heat. The overall temperature in the summer can be too hot for those kinds of chemicals. However, you can use fertilizers with a pesticide or treat with a Bug Blaster separate from the fertilizer application. Feel free to bump your watering schedule to three times a week on the lawn. Be mindful of the rainfall totals, too much water equals rot!

4. Palms

Now is a good time to fertilize with a Palm Tone. All palms should have flushed out new fronds, even if they were affected by a cold snap or frost. Feel free to remove any discolored fronds.

July:

1. Fruits and Citrus

Just prune when needed and keep an eye out for any pests. Treat as needed.

2. Ornamentals

If you missed the chance to fertilize in June, you are more than welcome to do so during July. If any pruning is done, go light, nothing too heavy.

3. Lawn

Summer has really set in by now, so it is hot and humid which equals disease and pests. Get out there weekly if you can and just take a look around the yard and see if you can find anything that may look like a disease or pest issue. If so, treat as needed. A good tip to help reduce some fungal issues is to be sure your mower blades are kept sharp. Dull blades don’t cut grass, but tear and shred it instead.

4. Palms

Simply keep up with any necessary pruning.

August

1. Fruits and Citrus

Keep an eye out for any nutrient deficiencies, which you can easily solve with a fertilization. Also watch for any pest issues, particularly sucking pests. You can treat with an organic systemic insecticide – follow the directions on the label.

2. Ornamentals

Check weekly for any pests in the landscape and treat only as needed. If you do see some yellowing in leaves, it is alright. It’s summer, so a lot of rain, heat and humidity can do that to plants.

3. Lawn

Make sure you keep on top of a regular watering schedule of two to three times a week and sharpened mower blades. A lawn in poor condition can increase your chance of disease and pest problems. You can fertilize if you want, but if it isn’t necessary, you’re best not to. Fertilizer will simply make your lawn grow even quicker and need to be cut every few days.

4. Palms

You can do another fertilization if you desire. Use a Palm Tone to ensure you are getting the micro-nutrients necessary for the palm to remain healthy. One common problem in Florida with palms is a magnesium deficiency. It will start in the older leaves and will progress to the newer growth through time. The leaf margins will yellow, while the centers will remain destinctly green. Fortunately, this is an easy treatment – simply apply an epsom salt once per month until all leaves appear normal once again.

Hurricane Season is Here Again

You know it’s that time of year again – when the muggy heat is unbearable and afternoon showers are as predictable as sweat stains. Yes, summer is here and hurricane season is upon us once more. While personal safety during hurricanes should always take priority, there are a few things to be considered that can save your yard, too! Starting early is key as some yard preparation tips can be rather time consuming. Here are a few to get you started:

Tip 1: Clear your yard.
It is important to reduce the amount of outside objects that could potentially fly around and cause damage. This includes any lawn ornaments, flags, toys, and anything else lying around unsecured. Once you’ve removed those items you can now focus on preparing your plants, flowers, and trees.

Tip 2: Check your trees.
To avoid wind damage, trim any loose, broken, or weak branches from trees. It would be more beneficial to trim trees down to standing sticks that stay rooted, than to keep fuller trees that are more likely to be uprooted by the wind.

Tip 3: Bring plants indoors.
Bring any plants you can indoors to protect them from wind damage. If you are unable to move plants indoors due to size, try to move your plants as close to the house as possible.

Tip 4: Wrap certain trees in blankets or landscape clothes.
The idea is to avoid an uprooted plant, regardless if some minor damage such as broken limbs occurs. Remember not to use plastic in doing so and collect cuttings from unremovable plants.

Tip 5: Provide your yard with adequate drainage.
Obviously heavy rains accompany the winds, and flooding is as much of a problem as wind damage. In order to avoid flooding, it may be necessary to provide a dry ditch (possibly filled with rocks) to collect the excess water.

If you follow these easy tips, it can save you the time, money, and hassle of dealing with problems later. Remember, for all your prevention and maintenance products, visit Palmer’s Garden!

Palmer’s Garden Featured on Garden Centers of America Tour

This year, Palmers has been selected to participate in the Garden Centers of America’s 2010 Summer Tour! GCA has actively been supporting the garden center industry for over 30 years. During this 4-day event lasting from June 27-30th, attendees will visit garden centers and botanical gardens, along with some of Florida’s top nurseries. A total of two busloads of 150 tourists will be coming to Palmers on Wednesday, June 30th. Palmers is excited to be participating in this year’s Garden Centers of America’s 2010 Summer Tour! For more information, please visit http://www.gardencentersofamerica.org.

Creating a Butterfly Garden

With summer quickly approaching, what could add a better touch to your home garden than a yard full of butterflies? Growing a butterfly garden adds a creative flair to your own backyard, as well as provides a safe habitat for these delicate, beautiful creatures to grow and prosper.

To help you get started, follow these simple steps:

Step One: Conduct Your Research

First, it’s important to find what butterflies are native to your area, and make a list of all the different kinds you would like to attract. From there, determine which plants and flowers the butterflies lay their eggs on, and on which their larvae (caterpillars) feed. It is important to include host plants for the caterpillars’ homes, and nectar plants for the butterflies to feed. For example, the Painted Lady butterfly larvae prefer sunflowers as the host plants, and the butterfly bush as their source of nectar. Note that butterflies tend to look for sources of food by color, size, shape and fragrance – all important when choosing your flowers.

Step Two: Choose Your Location

Do not get discouraged if you lack a garden of your own, or even a backyard. A butterfly garden can be any size ranging from a small window box to an area of your property. Here are a few necessary tips in choosing your site:

1) Choose a large, open, sunny area. Butterflies tend to be more active in the sun!

2) Make sure the area is protected from the wind. If this is impossible, determine which direction the wind generally comes from and plant windbreakers such as shrubby nectar and food plants. Other examples include small fences and even large rocks.

3) Keep in mind the estimated full growth of your plants. The area should be large enough, and also allow the plants to receive enough light and water.

All of this could require some planning on paper, but get creative!

Step Three: Cultivate Your Soil

Once you have designed your layout and purchased the seeds necessary to start your garden, the next step is to plant them. Constructing the garden will vary, depending on how much work needs to be completed before preparing your fresh plot of soil. Make sure the soil is loose enough to softly crumble in your hands, then rake it lightly, and scatter the seeds evenly throughout. If necessary, eliminate any weeds from the area, and always remember to water the area daily until the seeds germinate and the plants are well established.

Step Four: Create Mud Puddle Areas

Since butterflies can’t drink from open water, permanent puddles are also an important addition to your garden. One way to create these is to bury a bucket to the rim and fill it with gravel or sand. Then, pour liquids such as stale beer, sweet drinks, or even water inside. Finally add some twigs or rocks on top for perches. If your area is too small for this, a small pan filled with mud will do just fine.

Additional Tips:

1) Add some garden accessories, such as a butterfly house, which has slots to keep birds out, and also protects the butterflies from the wind.

2) Offer additional sources of nectar to supplement your flowers.

3) Avoid the use of pesticides – this one’s a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many gardeners overlook this simple step.

With the right conditions and care, butterfly gardens are fairly easy to grow, but be patient. It usually takes a few weeks for the butterflies to appear.

Happy Gardening!

Edible Gardens

Along with other trends like great color, no chemical use, and slow growing, by far the greatest trend of 2010 is being able to eat what you plant. According to the National Gardening Association, edible garden growing has increased nearly 20% over the past year. In fact, publications nationwide from Home and Garden to the Wall Street Journal have taken to the trend and are reporting on the various benefits of growing a garden.

First-time gardeners having various reasons and motives for cultivating an edible garden. Some are looking to help the environment – growing your own food actually helps to reduce our contributions to climate change and has been shown to be more water efficient than broadscale agriculture. Others are trying to practice healthier eating habits, as homegrown foods are typically far more nutritious than their grocery-store counterparts. Still some people are just trying to save a few dollars – $500 and more per year for a typical family with an average-sized garden.

In order to start your own edible garden, it’s first beneficial to know what grows well and fairly easily in your region and climate – click this link for a full list of edibles that grow in Florida. Just as important as knowing what to plant is knowing when to plant it. Flower, plant, and crop planting times should be spaced out accordingly for successful growth. Onions, peas, zucchini squash, and beets are easy growing crops and can be planted early in the growing season. Crops like tomatoes and peppers need more planning and may be more delicate. Ideally, you should plant your tomatoes, squash, beans and watermelon, after any possible frost has passed. Other commonly grown crops and herbs include: leaf lettuce, eggplant, cucumbers, cilantro, basil, mint, and tricolor sage. Fruits are also fun to include in to your edible garden – berries are common and only take one season to produce fruit, versus many tree fruits that can take several years to produce.

Not content with the usual fruits and vegetables? Add a twist to your garden with edible flowers. Flowers like Calendula, also known as Marigolds are great flowers that range in taste. Some are spicy while others are a bit tangy. Carnations on the other hand are sweet and can be used as cake decorations or mixed in to salads. Other edible flowers include: Cornflowers, Dandelions, Day Lilies, Banana Blossoms, and many others. Keep in mind to never consume flowers from florists, nurseries, or garden centers as the might contain pesticides.

March Maintenance Tips

Finally, we are getting ourselves out of another Florida winter. This month will include a lot of cleaning up from frost damage and getting ready to fertilize. Your best bet for pruning the unsightly brown from all the tropical plants will be to wait until the threat of frost has past. In Central Florida, we are technically not past that time until March 15th, however, starting a little can be beneficial since it takes a little time for the plants to flush the new growth. If there is any severe pruning to be done to all other plants, now is the time to do so. This will get that flush of new growth by early spring.

Since we all like to be ecologically-friendly, we will be using organic fertilizers for all ornamental plants, palms, fruits and citrus. For the ornamental plants, you can use either a regular plant tone or a palm tone. The difference in the two is that the palm tone contains micro elements that the plant tone does not, giving the plants extra nutrients they will need from time to time. The palm tone can then be used for palms, fruits and citrus. This allows you to use one fertilizer for all plants in the landscape.

Finally, we need to address the turf. Most of the lawns in Central Florida have some variety of St. Augustine grass, which does best when fertilizer, weed agents, and pesticides are applied at separate times. Start with a slow release N fertilizer, such as Milorganite. Follow the instructions as listed on the back of the bag for application instructions – a 10 lb bag should cover about 6,000 sq. ft. Then, wait two weeks and apply a liquid pesticide treatment. Two weeks later, apply your weed agent. It is important to give these intervals of time between applications to prevent any burning to the turf. Ideally, all applications should be completed by early April. You’ll want to begin transitioning your watering schedule from twice a week at the beginning of the month, to three times a week by the end of the month.

Remember, if you have any questions, visit our website or stop in our store. Good luck and happy gardening!

Robert Williams

Director of Maintenance Services

First Time Gardener Tips

With spring around the corner, it’s time to start planning your yearly garden planting. First time planting a garden? Palmer’s has made it easy for you, by offering a few helpful tips for our budding green thumbs:

Step One: Determine where you want your garden.
Ideally the perfect planting spot should receive 6-8 hrs of sunlight, have easy access to a hose for watering, and won’t catch too much wind. Don’t have a spot that meets all those requirements? Many gardeners don’t – picking the sunniest part of your yard will due just fine!

Step Two: Decide what method you’re using for growing.
Some gardeners prefer containers or raised beds while others enjoy the traditional garden bed dug into the soil. When gardening with containers, soil conditions won’t be an issue. If you’re gardening in raised beds, all grass and weeds will need to be cleared from the area. With a traditional garden, it’s important to dig an ample-sized hole and perform the following, simple soil tests:

1. The squeeze test will determine the type of soil you have. This can be done by taking a handful of moist soil and squeezing it together in your hand. When you open it, your soil will do one of three things. Ideally, you would like your hand-filled soil to crumble when poked. But, it might keep it’s form even after being poked, indicating hard soil or fall apart when you open your hand indicating sandy soil.

2. The percolation test will show any drainage problems you might have. This can simply be done by digging a hole, filling it with water, and keeping track of how long it takes to drain.

3. The worm test helps determine how healthy your soil is. Dig a whole one foot across and one foot deep and search for earthworms. If at least ten earthworms are found then you’re in good shape, if not the soil could be too acidic or alkaline.

4. The Ph test will also determine acidity levels. Don’t like the idea of digging for worms or just want a more accurate reading? Investing in a Ph test kit will provide accurate results without the mess. Ph test kits are available at Palmer’s.

Step Three: Decide what to grow.
Where you grow will ultimately decide what you grow. Stop in at Palmer’s and ask any of our staff what plants grow best in your location and climate. We’re happy to point you in the right direction!

Step Four: Determine the layout of your garden.
It’s important not to plant taller plants in a location that might potentially shade the shorter plants. Much of the rest of the layout is personal preference, but also keep in mind any fencing or wire that you’ll want to enclose your garden in. This can improve looks and helps keep critters from terrorizing all your hard work!

Step Five: Gather supplies
Make sure to have enough pots, buckets, and any other type of container when gardening with containers. With raised beds, wood, bricks, and any other items will most likely be needed. It’s probably a good idea to start ordering plants and seeds from catalogs now, so you’ll be all set in the spring. Then of course all the basics will be needed – tools like a spade, hand trowel, rake, watering can, and pruners should all be purchased ahead of time and be on hand.

Step Six: Plant and enjoy your garden!

For even more information on planting your garden, please join us at our “Under the Oak” class on March 20th. We will discuss vegetable gardens, herb gardens, and composting.