Sunday, January 26, 2020

January the best gardening month in South Florida

This month, I was busy in the garden taking advantage of our great weather.  I decided to do, a do-over in my side garden after a full year of growth.  Most of the plants you see below were already there, but I had to do some serious trimming and pulling out many plants that did not below is such a small space. 

This corner of the garden gets shade all year round, perfect for ferns, coleuses and elephant ears.  I pulled out several elephant ears plants that had taken over and were covering the plants' bellow.





Bromeliads dominate the other side of this garden bed.  During winter this area gets little sun, but in summer is full sun.  Most of these plants can handle both extremes.

The back garden was due for a little update, some mulch and replacing several old and tired plants.  In this corner, I love to plant Mexican heather, when fully grown they look great and the bees loved them.

I was supposed to pressure clean all the stones around the garden but my water pressure machine is broken.

Can you see all the ripen star fruits in the tree?  I try to give them away but I get a few takers, it is an acquired taste. 

I'm taking the month of February off from the garden.  I will try to enjoy what South Florida has to offer during our winter, starting with the Super Bowl next week.  ( I can't afford the tickets, but they have several free events around town.)  This year I like both teams and don't know who I will be rooting for.  Maybe the 49ers since I have friends who live in the bay area.

Friday, January 10, 2020

My first post of 2020

I am looking forward to a good 2020 and I started the new year working and taking photos of my garden.  I have many plans for the garden this year, this month I'm starting with the side garden.

Bromeliad flowers have the most vivid colors.



The Bromfelsia bush (Yesterday-Today and Tomorrow) is full of flowers.

My neighbor's mango tree is also full of flowers

I rediscovered this Yuca plant in the back of my garden. I don't particularly care much for these plants but I found this one in the trash bin of my former office several years ago and I couldn't walk away.  After some cleaning, look at her now. 

My parent's house is on the market and for the last few weeks, I have been moving some of their plants and garden decorations to my place.  The last plant I need to move is the Rosebush below.  This rose comes from my grandmother's garden in Cuba.  My father brought a cutting with him after he visited her in 1975 before she died.  Cuttings from this plant have been given to relatives from Vermont to Texas.  I have been a recipient of a couple of these cuttings over the years but every time they don't last.  I have come to the realization the roses are not my thing.  I need to make this work, this is the original plant.  I don't know if I should transplant to a container or put it on the ground. (the soil in my garden poor)  Should it be in full sun or shade?  Any advice is welcome.