By Master Gardener Volunteer Lesley Arrandale
mail@floridanewsline.com
There is an inevitability to the seasons, but they are certainly less predictable these days. Across the country we’ve had an unprecedented summer of appalling floods, terrifying wildfires, and some areas in the west are dealing with a mega-drought. In northeast Florida I am thankful that, as of the second week in September, we seem to have escaped more extreme climate conditions.
As the summer garden winds down, my patch of cardinal’s guard (Odontonema strictum) has been coming into its own. Its stunning red flower spikes are attracting hummingbirds, which chase each other around furiously, as if there aren’t enough flowers to feed them all. There are masses of firebush (Hamelia patens) flowers too, so they really don’t need to worry. There are butterflies galore because we also feed their larvae: exotic Dutchman’s pipevines (Aristolochia sp.) provide food for gold rim swallowtail caterpillars and maypop vines (Passiflora incarnata) feed the caterpillars of zebra longwings, our state butterfly, and gulf fritillaries. Add to the mix a variety of beneficial pollinators like bees, syrphid flies, wasps, small skippers, larger swallowtail butterflies, and yellow sulphur butterflies, well, the garden is never dull.
With the numbers of pollinators and insects in general falling, now is a good time to add suitable plants to the landscape to help them. Shrubs and hardy perennials planted in autumn will establish their root systems in the cooler winter months as well as provide shelter for overwintering insects. For more ideas about what to grow, see https://tinyurl.com/2vcvzcdz.Â
If you have a flower garden, check to see if there are any volunteers that could be moved to better positions. Perennials that have finished blooming can be moved now and if large enough they could be divided to make more plants. Wait to move fall-flowering perennials until they have finished their show. This publication, https://tinyurl.com/mrxx8bhz, is a useful resource, especially if you’d like to try propagating plants from your own yard.Â
The Florida Wildflower Foundation has some great information if you want to try your hand at growing your own wildflowers: https://www.flawildflowers.org/brochures/. You’ll find out how to collect and sow seed, and importantly when to do so for the best results. There’s a brochure on 20 Easy to Grow Wildflowers, information on how to select suitable plants for your particular site conditions, and a whole lot more besides. The Florida Wildflower Cooperative has more information on growing wildflowers and sells seeds: https://www.floridawildflowers.com/.
Growing vegetables in the cooler months can be very rewarding. After the hot, humid summer months, the gentler weather is something to really appreciate. Picking fresh leafy produce and bringing it straight to the kitchen can’t be beat. I’ve found brassicas, like cabbages, kales, and broccoli, do well. Onion seedlings, bought locally in bundles of 50 or 100, work for me, rather than growing from seed. In October, fall-planted vegetables include lettuce, Swiss chard, mustards, carrots, and spinach. To spread the harvest, sow smaller amounts of seed at intervals. For more details, see the Florida Vegetable Gardeners Guide (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VH021). In early November, it is still possible to plant strawberries. Refer to the monthly gardening calendar, another useful resource: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ep451#SECTION_10.
Happy cool season gardening!
Photo courtesy Lesley Arrandale
Cardinal’s guard.
