- May 4, 2024
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The afternoon showers and summer heat have arrived, so the early morning is a good time to work in the garden.
June was the last month to prune azaleas, camellias and gardenias, as they start to set buds for next year’s flowers in the summer. Roses are in full bloom, so while you are enjoying their beautiful flowers, check them for black spot, which is a leaf spot disease that thrives in humid, wet weather. Apply a fungicide spray in the morning when temperatures are cooler to avoid burning the leaves.
If you did not fertilize your citrus in May, you can do it now. The vegetable garden is winding down now, but you can still plant okra, southern peas and sweet potatoes. When your tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and other vegetables that don’t like the summer heat are finished, put the garden to bed until cooler temperatures arrive. Turn over the soil and apply compost or peat humus and work in the soil.
There are many annuals that tolerate high temperatures, including coleus, impatiens, moss rose, purslane, salvia, periwinkles and zinnias. And don’t forget the heat-loving herbs like basil, dill, fennel, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage and tarragon.
From New Jersey to Palm Coast
As I travel around Palm Coast, I am always looking at residents' gardens. One that is particularly colorful now is the garden of Fay Davey and her mother, Gertrude. Fay and Gertrude moved here from Bergenfield, N.J., in 1985.
Gertrude is a master gardener and has been gardening most of her 98 years. A native of Jamaica, she was raised on 200 acres planted in fruit trees, crepe myrtle, hibiscus, crotons, roses and other plants. Before leaving Jamaica for New Jersey, Gertrude took cuttings of several crotons, potted them, and then brought them here 28 years ago. Even though the pots are moved in the garage during cold nights, Gertrude takes cuttings in case the plants are hit by a freeze. Gertrude was in the Women's Royal Army Corps from 1939 to 1956 and told me that she used the red hibiscus flowers to shine her shoes.
Fay is a self-taught gardener as her background is in graphic design and advertising. Growing up in New Jersey, she loved planting daffodils, tulips, peonies and hydrangeas. Plants she enjoys in her Florida garden include camellias, orchids, hydrangeas, caladiums, begonias and now bromeliads. She also enjoys roses, flowering vines, like clematis, Carolina jasmine and butterfly pea vine. The north side of her house is planted in hydrangeas — some of which are more than 20 years old, including lace cap, mophead and the native oak-leaf.
When the house was built, the pines were cut, and Fay planted Southern magnolias, crepe myrtles, Yaupon hollies, citrus trees and a camphor tree to provide shade. She also likes container gardening and says that moving the containers to shade in the heat of summer extends the life of geraniums, petunias and other plants that thrive in cool weather. She uses the water collected in her rain barrels to water the containers.
Stop by Gospel Gardens in Bunnell, where she works, and she'll give you some pointers on what to plant and where to plant it.
