By Master Gardener Volunteer Lesley Arrandale
mail@floridanewsline.com
At this time of year — early September — the nights become cooler, just a little; night-time humidity drops, just a little; and respite from the summer heat seems just a little more attainable. But as the past weeks have shown us all too vividly, the weather can be harsh, and some of our fellow Americans across the country find themselves in dire situations, as many of us did when Hurricane Irma hit our area. We are all at the mercy of the elements.
Inevitably, our gardens change in response to the elements. As nights become darker and longer, this affects plant growth, flowering, and reproduction. We know that when we start our own seedlings, once they germinate, they need strong light. Up to 16 hours a day of bright full-spectrum light should get them off to a great start, along with careful attention to watering and dilute, regular feeding. Our typical cool season vegetables, though, also do well when seeds are sown directly in the garden at the right time, because they are adapted to shorter day lengths and cooler nights.
You may be interested in how our society is adapting to the growing demand for ways to produce our food more locally. When I was browsing the internet, I discovered this University of Florida PowerPoint presentation: https://tinyurl.com/e4786awv. While I doubt that many readers are urban farmers in the true sense, I think anyone growing produce even for home use can be considered a farmer. In this presentation there are many interesting resources, from videos about small-scale farming ventures around the country, to references to University of Florida publications. Even at 73 slides long, it doesn’t take much time to skip through, and find something relevant and informative, so do check it out.
Some of our holiday plants are dependent on longer nights to flower, including the Christmas cactus. I discovered this last year, when I brought one into the house to sit permanently on my kitchen counter. The holidays came and went, but there were no flowers. Wrong plant, wrong place! (https://tinyurl.com/msbu5dv5). A smaller Christmas cactus grown from cuttings of this plant stayed outside on my unlit porch and despite the lack of attention, flowered successfully. This year the in-house Christmas cactus is outside, in a sheltered spot, so I can at least say I tried. According to gardenguides.com, “Poinsettia, gardenias, kalanchoes, Christmas cactus and chrysanthemums can require up to 18 hours of darkness in each 24-hour period for several weeks before flowering.” For more information on selected houseplants, see https://tinyurl.com/4ndwcrrf.
When temperatures moderate, we can divide and replant hardy perennials. After three or four years, you may find that coneflowers, day lilies, and Stoke’s asters, for example, are looking a bit crowded. At the base there will be several “crowns” and when a plant is dug up and examined more closely, the crowns will each have their own set of roots. Sometimes the root systems can simply be teased apart, but if they are very intertwined, they can be cut apart using a sharp knife. If the clump is large, a sharp spade will do the job. Get the divided plants back into soil as soon as possible, either in the ground or in pots. Water well and make sure to look after them as you would any new plant, until established. Clumping grasses can be divided in early spring for best results. Check out this article for detailed information on propagating a variety of plants: https://tinyurl.com/yf7w5eas.
Here’s hoping for a calmer end to the hurricane season, and support for people so badly affected by Hurricane Ida. Take care, folks.
