Florida Gardening

Q. I am new to gardening and live in Florida with sandy soil and warm to hot temps! What do you suggest I try for my first time that will not die?

A. Yes, for your first time and the timing involved here right now, I would like you to buy those six packs of small plants which you see everywhere. Go to a good local nursery and see what is being offered. Florida is very particular in its weather and rain or lack thereof. So, if they have a pretty plant type for sale, then they know the customers will buy it and grow successfully!

Having sandy soil is very good for the drainage so that you do not overwater [a very common no-no!] and allows the roots to grow so readily. But, the lack of nutrients in it is a factor you must face. Therefore, I want you to buy a good outdoor garden fertilizer, as Scotts, Hyponex, Rapid Grow or Miracle-Gro. Follow the directions, but generally it is about one tablespoon per gallon water, once every two weeks.

Also, please enrich your sand with any:
peat moss
leaf mold
bone meal
blood meal
compost
dehydrated, odorless steer manure
garden loam, featuring organic materials

The packets of plants will have some instructions on them, complete with which ones are best in full sun, others in partial shade. Planting depth and distance apart are listed. Then, please write down names and varieties, for future reference. Add comments as the season progresses.

Here are some to look for:

Marigold, zinnia, cosmos, daisy, petunia, snapdragon, hollyhock, alyssum, lobelia, ageratum, geranium [larger, in 4" pots is good], pelargonium [ditto], cockscomb wax begonia [for shadier location].

Bulbs you could try: gladiolus, canna, dahlia, lilies.

Q. We now happily have about 1/2 acre of garden with lots of potential, but we are complete novices. Our first wish is to give the rear of the garden more privacy by planting some greenery around the inside of the 6' wooden fence, which would eventually grow to a minimum of 10'. The garden is very sunny and we want to develop a tropical feel to this area. We are in South Florida. (Zone 10) What would be some good choices? Also, can you recommend a good beginner's gardening book to get us started?

A. My favorite book to recommend is just super. This is just how so: I gave a copy of it to my nephew and wife for their wedding present, since she is an avid gardener and wants to learn more, as we all do:

Botanica by R. G. Turner, Jr. I got mine on sale through Barnes and Noble online.

Also, I want you to go to: http://www.floridasmart.com/business/books/onbooks_florida.htm. Click on Plants/Gardening and see what you like there.

This is also an excellent website for you. You may wish to subscribe for free at the bottom: http://www.floridagardener.com

Areca Palm
http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/arecapalm.htm
Grown as a shrub or hedge. Areca palms are native to Puerto Rico

Powder Puff
http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/powderpuff.htm
Hedge or shrub in the landscape for its powder-puff-flowers

Ixora coccinea, Flame of the Woods, Jungle Flame, or Jungle Geranium http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/ixora.htm
Evergreen hedge which requires constant pruning to keep its shape Flowering hedge, shrub, flowering plant Florida garden native plants Dramatic landscape plants American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants home | their bookstore | This book is another one which I feel you would really enjoy.

Crape Myrtle
http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/crape.htm
Hedge, screen, group plantings or specimen plants

The subtropical garden 1999 Florida gardening

Croton, Codiaeum
http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/croton.htm
Informal hedge or screen, or shrub border Florida garden native plants

Dombeya Wallichii or Pink-Ball
http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/dombeya.htm
Hedge or screen

Shrimp Plants, Justicia brandegeana and Pachystachys
http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/shrimp.htm
Informal hedge, border, container or planter, or grouped for effect of privacy

Cananga, Ylang Ylang Tree
http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/cananga.htm
Dramatic landscape plants

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