By Master Gardener Volunteer Lesley Arrandale
mail@floridanewsline.com
Moving into the summer months, it’s worth keeping a close eye on the weather. So far, predictions are for more and stronger hurricanes as we move into a La Nina situation. Storms during La Nina conditions generally have a greater impact in the Gulf of Mexico and the western Caribbean Sea, both of which are close to home. More immediately, NOAA has temperature and rainfall prediction models, which can be found here: https://www.cpc.ncep.
Weather is such a fundamental consideration when gardening, but we are also faced with increasingly warm temperatures overall. You may recall, the climate zone boundaries here in Duval County have been revised, so this is a reminder to review the recommended planting zones for anything you are hoping to plant. It’s worth looking at more southerly planting advice and rule out more northerly plants.
If you understand your own microclimate that will also be helpful. Windbreaks on the north side of your property can protect tender plants from winter winds, while summer sun will bake unshaded areas. So, it’s fairly straightforward to imagine how the plants you grow will be impacted by their position in your yard.
I recently — hopefully! — worked out how to tackle a problem area in my yard. The back of my two-story house faces roughly north-northeast, so during the winter months a fairly wide strip of ground is in deep shade. As spring progresses, the sun moves so that this area gets more and more sun. But when looking at plant labels the recommendations for light are that the plant likes sun, part sun, shade or whatever, without referring to winter light levels. So I’ve decided I’m going to try a bed of mostly deciduous flowering perennials, and maybe a few small shrubs and clumping grasses, that need full sun to thrive. That will be the light in summer. With luck the low light in winter won’t adversely affect them, but I’ll have to wait until this time next year to find out.
It’s been a joy to see the spring burst of activity all around us, from the greening up of our deciduous trees, shrubs, and perennials, to the “evergreen” oaks finally dropping their old leaves for the new ones to grow in immediately behind them. (As a transplant, I’m still amused by this apparent “autumn in spring!”) Leaves can make valuable mulch, either by composting for later use or by shredding them using a mower to use in the near term.
Of course, weeds are the inevitable problem as temperatures rise. Spreading mulch two to three inches thick can help prevent them germinating, but there’s little recourse if you choose to avoid herbicides other than old-fashioned weeding. Tackle them while small, especially if you’re dealing with tree seedlings like golden rain trees and Carolina cherry laurel. Know your weeds’ roots and make sure that if they’re deep and sturdy they need to come out. Small annual weeds can probably be raked over and left to dry on the soil surface. Anything that’s going to seed needs to be bagged and disposed of.
I haven’t been growing vegetables recently but have been missing the pleasure of picking my own produce. I’ll be trying a new approach, probably in the fall, growing in fabric pots. Meanwhile, native plants have been my focus, aiming to support the insects and other creatures that support our soil health and ultimately our own. It’s these interrelationships that are so important in our attempts to nurture the natural world. I hope you are taking part to bolster the environment for our descendants. They will surely thank you.
