Coastal and Tropical South Regional Report

The Trouble with Myrtle

Some say crape myrtle is overplanted, that growing it is a boring rut. I say it's a groove more people should get into. For every beautiful crape myrtle you see, it seems there are two that need pruning. Some of the necessary cuts should be made in...
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Resources

What's That Bug?
Beach Walks

Don't Let Fleas Take Over
Spread Lime on Mushroom Patches
Check for Chinch Bugs
Inspect Cereals and Grains
Rescue Earthworms

Seeding and Reseeding

Unlike our northern neighbors, July means seeding and reseeding many favorite plants. So, the hornworms ate your tomatoes? Big deal. It's time to start seeds for fall tomatoes and other crops to set out next month in the tropical parts of our region....
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Resources

Audubon Insectarium
African Violet

Be Water Wise
Give Lawns a Boost
Encouraging More Blooms
Give One Last Pinch
Deadheading Roses

Grow a Haven for Hummingbirds

A good measure of garden health is hummingbirds hanging nose-deep in fresh flowers. These tiny birds are an important part of garden ecology. Hummingbirds don't live on nectar alone. A diet of nothing but sugar couldn't possibly prepare them for 20...
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Resources

Palms at Leu Gardens
Rubythroat.org

Eradicate Poison Ivy ASAP
Train Shrubs to Be Drought Tolerant
Pinch Poinsettias
Weed and Mulch
Address Turf Problems

New Plants Welcome

There's lots to do in the New Orleans' garden. It's hard to watch potted plants abandoned beside the porch next door go into decline after the neighbors moved. That's how we ended up with three score of daffodils and enough iris to line one side of the...
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Resources

PreserveFood.com
Flowers From Seed to Bloom

Rejuvenate Thin Turf
Keep Ground Covers in Bounds
Watch for Rust Spots
Freeze Beans
Keep Building Compost Pile

Garden Structures

Most of my gardening is about the plants, but it's time to focus on the "bones" that too often disappear in the lush growth of summer. Gardens in our region are never without ample greenery that needs contrasting elements and color to define and show...
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Resources

Hardy Succulents
'Diamond Frost' Euphorbia

Growing Healthy Gardenias
Keep Mites Off Lantana
Battling Pests on Hollies
Check Fasteners on Hammocks and Swings
Don't Forget the Shade-Lovers

Getting Ahead of Pests

When it is possible to forestall the troublesome insects and mites that can plague our plants, we should. When it's not, we should act wisely: identify the critter and its appropriate control, then read all label instructions, and follow them....
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Resources

Supertunia
Tomato Pruning

Trimming Rootbound Perennials
Keep Hibiscus Blooming
Evaluate Sun Tolerance of New Plants
Grow Shrubs in Pots
Remove Hazards

The Power of Orange

Orange can be prominent in our gardens as well as in our lunch boxes and fruit baskets. The color orange creates instant warm spots, whether it is a pot of surfinia in the courtyard, crossandra by the door, or a stand of African marigolds in the herb...
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Resources

Floridata.com
Kitchen Gardens For Us

Growing Green and Yellow Beans
Plant Melons on the Southern Coasts
Watch for Insects on Okra
Cut Roses to Promote Reblooming
Encouraging Ground Covers

Plants on the Edge

Many gardeners have a water feature in the landscape, and many more of them would like to have one. A pond or water garden opens up a whole new range of planting possibilities. But after you install the water lilies, don't forget the plants that line...
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Resources

Digging Deep
Your Florida Backyard

Pruning Azaleas
Promote Healthy Grass With Proper Mowing
Rejuvenate Compost
Check Irrigation Systems
Don't Overdo Mulch

Fire-Resistant Planting

At the edge of town, just past the last subdivision, our communities meet the native habitat. That is the wildland-urban interface, and it deserves your attention. How we structure our relationship with the wildlands adjacent to our urban centers...
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Resources

FeatherFest
Firewise

Watch for Coral Wasps
Water and Fertilize Corn
Spray Fertilizer on Foliage
Beware Cutworms
Set Up Watering Systems

Coastal Comeback

Take a look at the Gulf Coast if you want to see urban forestry at work every day. Agencies and volunteers, including the Mississippi Urban Forest Council, organize events and marshal sponsors for tree-planting projects as part of recovery efforts since...
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Resources

Historic and Venerable Plants
Getting the Most Out of Bird Netting

Finish Planting Vegetables in Tropical Areas
Try These Beans
Move Indoor Ladybugs to the Garden
Tend Azaleas
Starting a Lawn

Long-Lived Flowering Gifts

Potted amaryllis, azaleas, and tulips all wrapped in foil and bows are nice to get, but what you do with them after the holiday passes depends on the gift and the giftee ... you. Some popular tropical plants often given as gifts come from higher...
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Resources

Native Ferns, Moss, and Grasses
Spinosad

Investing in Asparagus Futures
Tend Tea Roses
Plant Potatoes and Corn
Prep Planting Beds
Refresh Mulch Around Shrubs

Coastal and Tropical South Regional Report

The Trouble with Myrtle

Resources

Reminders

Seeding and Reseeding

Resources

Reminders

Grow a Haven for Hummingbirds

Resources

Reminders

New Plants Welcome

Resources

Reminders

Garden Structures

Resources

Reminders

Getting Ahead of Pests

Resources

Reminders

The Power of Orange

Resources

Reminders

Plants on the Edge

Resources

Reminders

Fire-Resistant Planting

Resources

Reminders

Coastal Comeback

Resources

Reminders

Long-Lived Flowering Gifts

Resources

Reminders