North Florida Month-to-Month Gardening Guide April 2008  by Nancy George

Gardening as Therapy

April is National Gardening Month.  We are free of frost and the days are getting longer.  But, to a gardener there is more to it than that.  Gardening empowers us and can teach the essential experience of success.  Since early times we have understood the therapeutic benefits of gardening.

Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence reported that garden settings held curative effects for people with illness.  To garden is to nurture, it diminishes anger, provides exercise, reduces stress, improves memory, and brings communities together.

This spring, make a plan to meet your nursery professionals, plant more of the plants you like including easy edibles, fruits and flowers.  And most importantly, teach and encourage others, especially children, the joy of gardening.

What to Buy / Plant

Annuals such as: celosia, ageratum, impatiens, and zinnia.  Perennials like:  the rewarding fruit cocktail shrimp, which blooms and blooms.  Shrubs in bloom:  brunfelsia, known as yesterday-today-and-tomorrow, perfect for a shady location.  For fragrance:  jasmine, banana shrub, and tea olives.  It’s a good time to plant blueberries, varieties that cross-pollinate.  Remember soil amendments and mulch for new plantings.

Prune/ Propagate

If needed, prune azaleas and camellias to shape after bloom.  Prune out dead branches and pinch back tips to promote bushiness.  Sow seeds.  Check the back of seed packages for directions.

Watering / Fertilizing

The best time for watering is early morning.  If you haven't fertilized yet, do so now.  Milorganite is an organic fertilizer made for over 75 years, use it on lawns and more.  It’s been shown to repel deer and contains iron, which will kill moss.  Water well.  Use water-soluble fertilizer on bedding plants.

Edibles

Plant warm season vegetables and herbs:  tomato, squash, eggplant, peppers, basil, oregano, thyme, etc.  Fruit trees produce more fruit than they can mature.  To avoid June drop, thin small fruit 3 inches apart, for larger fruit 6 inches.  This will make your fruit develop larger and tastier, and avoid over weighted branches.

Pests

Continue to check for pests and diseases.  Discourage fungus by watering the soil not foliage.  Add a drop of liquid soap to a hose end sprayer, wash occasionally, to remove dust and insects.

For Fun

A Visit to Mission San Luis will transport you to the early times of the Apalachee Indians.  See a re-created community and meet people going about the tasks that sustained life centuries ago.  Mission San Luis is near the intersection of Ocala Road and W Tennessee Street, Tallahassee.  They are open Tuesday - Sunday from 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.  Admission is FREE

Celebrate Earth Day at Lichgate with music and a community potluck April 22, 4:30 p.m. at 1401 High Road in Tallahassee.

Photo Gallery

Celosia		Ageratum		Double Impatiens		Zinnia
Fruit Cocktail Shrimp		Brunfelsia		Jasmine		Banana Shrub
Tea Olive		Blueberries		Tomato		Squash
Eggplant		Peppers		Basil		Oregano
Thyme

 

This article originally published on April 6, 2008.

Written by :

mkwestmark

 

Comments (0)

You must be logged in to post a comment.