GARDENING

With the warmer weather and a chance of showers this weekend it was time to get some of the plants in new pots -- and we spotted a stowaway we were VERY happy to see!

If you are looking for a new hobby to take on this summer, you may want to think about gardening.

What happens when too much rain falls too quickly? Here's how to protect your plants -- in advance.

Have you ever looked at your yard after a good rain shower and thought the grass looked greener? I’m here to say your eyes are not playing tricks on you — it is greener.

Ever since March, we’ve been searching for the prettiest green spaces.

We all have our routines when it comes to traveling away from home for a few days. Maybe you stop the mail and newspaper delivery, have the neighbors keep an eye on your place and arrange to have your pets looked after. But what about your container plants?

This garden exercise helps your flowering and budding plants keep and produce more blooms.

We’ve covered planting, watering and fertilizing your home garden. You’ve worked hard and might be seeing some blooms, possibly the fruits of your labor. Then BAM! Your prized tomato plant starts to wilt, droop or even die.

Here’s a quote I found while researching raised bed gardens and it sums up why I enjoy spending time with the plants at Casa de Loco (or what I like to call the Nunn residence).

Vegetable and herb gardening is taking off and becoming more popular during the pandemic.

Cordylines, or Ti plants, are colorful, hardy plants from the tropics and subtropics. No worries, though, as these hearty tropical plants are tough. To keep your cordylines in shape, be ruthless like the queen and chop the tops! Water well, but don’t overdo it because cordylines do not like saturated soil for long periods. Like most tropical foliage plants, cordylines benefit most from light watering or regular misting.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Many of you have been asking questions on social media about what to do about Cuban tree frogs. “The Cuban tree frogs originally come from Cuba, the Cayman Islands, Bahamas, they’re a Caribbean frog, but they were introduced into Florida in the 1920s,” Magill explained. These large and aggressive frogs can be a nuisance when they take over your backyard, but, Magill said, despite popular belief, they do not pose a danger to pets. “You don’t hit them with a baseball bat, you don’t just throw them in the freezer, that’s what people think you do with amphibians, you just throw them in the freezer, that’s not what you do,” he clarified. Again, it’s gonna be an uphill battle because we have a lot of frogs.”While these Cuban tree frogs aren’t native to Florida, they are definitely here to stay.

Besides taking some of the aches out of gardening, raised beds offer other benefits too:Better nutrients to the roots. Since you don’t walk in raised beds, soil compaction is also reduced. Planting closer than a traditional garden, the plants can shade out much of the weed growth. Pest control is also easier with raised beds. It’s worth mentioning that you will be want to be careful building raised beds.

Preparing your plants and lawn now will not only help the curb appeal but will also help the fight against pests and disease. While the grass is dormant, a rake can help remove some of the thatch. This can help remove thatch while allowing water and nutrients to reach root level. These first steps can help cultivate and maintain a healthy soil environment for rapid trimming decomposition. Between cold snaps and showers or between beers and sun breaks, small steps now will bring big results this spring.

Another freeze/frost event is on the way and if plants are not protected, you could see leaf damage with areas of brown and wilted leaves. Instead, pick up the leaves on the ground and wait until our temperatures begin to warm. But what if your plants aren’t looking their best, what with the dead and brown leaves? But trimming those poor cordylines with wilted leaves and drooping stems now could cause bigger problems as the next cold front moves in. AdJust wait out a couple more weeks of cold fronts before you start pruning and trimming.

At Casa de Loco, that means more time to knock out the honey-do list. During the winter months we have been working inside, but with spring around the corner it’s time to get outside. It’s the last month to plant a second crop of your fall/winter vegetables or to plant cool-weather vegetables that have time to fruit before it gets too hot. If you are looking for some curb appeal or to add a pop of color, think about planting or potting pansies and violas as they look beautiful growing together. I’ll keep you posted with the progress and maybe a picture of our first true, “Casa Garden Ensalada.”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s only the second week of January and we’re preparing for a stretch of warm weather to thaw us out. With the arrival of warm weather, you may have noticed a few of your plants blooming around the garden. “This warm weather has triggered those blooms to set,” Hertz said. “The first thing and most important thing is that everyone’s getting a little over-anxious because we’re hitting a little warm spell," Hertz said. “You can plan out your cool weather vegetables, a lot of cool weather flowers,” Hertz said.