r/FloridaGarden

Went out to the garden with all these big plans. Had my long-sleeved anti-skeeter shirt, my surf baggies, my garden boots, my gloves and my hat that is about the size of Rhode Island. I Repotted two 1-gal tomatoes and two 1-gal mulberry trees that I started a month or two ago, and by then I was literally drenched with sweat. It's brutal. Couldn't see through my salty/foggy sunglasses. A fire ant got between two fingers, and I was too slow to notice, so he got me. I thought, that's enough for today. Retreated to my artificial climate.

I have 3 HUGE Seminole pumpkins. They are delicious! I’m looking for ideas on what to do with them. I already roasted one and made several kinds of soups, ate it plain, made a few smoothies and some pumpkin lattes. Besides pie and bread, what are some other ideas?

Just wondering. I always just gave up for the summer, in the full knowledge that salad greens were still accessible and healthy from the store. Since that scenario has clearly changed, I'm back to wondering how it might be done at home.

If you've figured something out, can you please share what that is? Even if it's inside. The more details the better, and I'd love to see any pictures.

Have you found a variety that works better? Have you tried any tropical climate substitutes? Anything, really. I tried a few subs several years ago, but didn't keep notes properly and can't remember what I liked.

I'm preparing my planters for fall tomato planting. I usually mix in composted vow poo, but I wonder if mushroom compost would be better?

I live in Central Florida.

Thoughts?

I live in a home surrounded by lush dense tropical foliage so I spend a lot of time weeding and gardening in my property. In years past my yard was infested with wasps and spiders everywhere and I would be attacked by swarms of mosquitoes anytime I stepped outside without bug repellent. I certainly don't enjoy those insects but I understand they all serve a purpose in the food chain. But this year I've been noticing a significant decline in wasps and spiders in my yard and I spent several hours weeding today and didn't get a single mosquito bite, which would be unheard of in years past. Is it just a fluke or has anyone else made similar observations recently? Is this anything to be concerned about?

Finally paid to have a crew clear out the jungle-like overgrowth of invasive vines and weeds from my garden. I was away 4 weeks and it was horrible when I returned.

I usually lay cardboard and 2” mulch to prepare for cold weather greens and some pollinator-friendly flowers. But the weeds come back so fast! Hence my query:

Is there something I can do to further prevent the weeds and vines from taking over so fast? I don’t spread weed killer (of course not!) so I’m looking for prevention that preserves my food-growing soil.

For instance, should I wait to lay the cardboard? Wait til the weed seeds sprout and pull them up fast to prevent reseeding?

Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

Hello I'm sure I'm not the only one dealing with this terrible and overwhelming problem. I have very dense mature foliage around my home and the Stinkvines are taking over. I try to pull them out by the root but since the vine is so thin and delicate they usually just break off halfway down, causing them to grow back even thicker than before. And when the vines break off it's almost impossible to find the origin because my landscaping is so thick. Are there any other feasible solutions to getting rid of them?

More of a vent post than anything. I think my biggest frustration is torpedo grass. It gets everywhere and ultimately I just can’t get all the roots especially when it has integrated itself into the existing plants. The worst is trying to get it out from the Cypress and Maple trees because I don’t want to disturb their roots. No digging. All hand pulling

I have leaf litter as mulch but I might need to put down something a bit more substantial to slow it down.

Next vent post will probably be creeping beggarweed (Desmodium incanum) on behalf of my long haired dog

Looking for advice on growing amaryllis in pots in zone 10a Florida. Will they go dormant on their own if left outside? Should I bring them inside for a while? I read they may not bloom as well if they don’t go dormant long enough or don’t experience a cold spell. Also read that darkness is not required during dormancy, so not sure what to do with them. Any tips appreciated!

They’re everywhere. Digging holes, and hanging out in my garage. Now a family of them has set up shop on my back patio.. How are you getting rid of them?

My twins love tropical plants and trees . Their birthday is coming up and I'm currently broke. They are wanting a few different tropical plants..they will take any but her favorites are dragon fruit, sugar apple, blue java, ice cream bean, ice cream mango (any mango really), black sapote, cacao, peanut butter tree, pawpaw, tamarind, and white sapote..If you have anything u could send whether it's a fruit or 2 with the seeds or a rooted plant or even the seeds inside a moist paper towel please lmk. I would just buy them but I'm broke we just moved to florida and I really want to make this happen for their birthday (somehow even if it's just a few different seeds. I said a fruit with the seeds or a rooted plant or the seeds in a moist paper towel because I know some of these seeds are recalcitrant (meaning they lose their viability and die quickly if they dry out or lose their moisture ex. Cacao and chocolate pudding tree) I have done my homework to help them get the most out of whatever we are able to get please message me if u ANYONE is able to help thank you for reading