October 18, 2025 • 39 mins
Dana Venrick from Quality Green Specialists in DeLand (a Sponsor) chats about nut trees & gives us an update on his cold press Olive Oil from his tress he has available for purchase. Along with getting you citrus trees now.
What veggies & herbs to plant for fall & winter meals.
Teresa's Top Five Weird Florida Plants for Halloween.
Listeners get their questions answered on topics like: If you can use fresh cut wood chips as mulch, amaryllis plant not blooming and can hibiscus be used as a tea? (Always research thoroughly before consuming any plant or natural substance.)
What veggies & herbs to plant for fall & winter meals.
Teresa's Top Five Weird Florida Plants for Halloween.
Listeners get their questions answered on topics like: If you can use fresh cut wood chips as mulch, amaryllis plant not blooming and can hibiscus be used as a tea? (Always research thoroughly before consuming any plant or natural substance.)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
Good morning from the Summit Responsible Solution Studios. Welcome to
Better Lawns and Gardens. I'm your host, Teresa Watkins. I'm
a garden for a culturist expert. I love to answer
questions about gardening. I want to give a big shout
out to the Sunshine Garden Club in Wedgwood, Tennis Villages.
I talked to them this week. They had a great,
(00:31):
great turnout and just a lot of new members or
new people, and so we were very excited and I
enjoyed meeting them and talking to them again. Hi, Jana.
Just want to give Jan a shout out. She's a
Seminal County Master gardener. So good morning, Lizzie.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Good morning. It was just tad but chilly. I saw
Teresa jumped out of her vehicle. Actually was like a
little puppy in the spring, but she had her jacket on.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I was, okay, well here we have. It's Florida. It
gets to be seventy degrees, the sweaters come.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Out right, yeah, and you know what it was. It's
crazy because it's not like it was. It's not like
it was cold and crisp, but it was nice and.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Cool, nice and cool, just you know, in the in
the sixties and possibly fifties where you were, Oh.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
It was, it was, it was. My temperture was ranging ranging, raging,
ranging between fifty four and fifty five.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Wow, that's wonderful though. Get the fireplace going.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
You know, do you not just remember we just left
five thousand degrees and how Okay, it's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
So it's great weather this week, great gardening weather, perfect
chamber of commerce for the like like Toberfest, which goes
through next next Sunday or tomorrow. And just be careful
out there. It's all these great bikers around.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yeah, and you know the saying goes check twice save.
But life literally just slowed down for a moment and
just look again. I was We're in the Port Orange
area yesterday and made the mistake and ended up over
there passing what is it the cabbage, the cole saw cabbage. Yes,
in the wrestling Yeah, that area. Oh good, it was great.
(02:13):
I'm excited for everybody. But yeah, just slow down.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
It is fine. So the weather the next two ten
days is going to be perfect for gardening North Florida.
You've got a cold front coming through tomorrow and Monday,
so you're going to have rain about seventy percent chance.
North Florida, it's going to get some rain, but then
then clear the rest of the week. Highs in the
seventies and the lows in the fifties and sixties. No rain.
(02:39):
The rest of the week, right where the weather should
be for October, Central Florida is going to be in
the mid to low eighties, sixties at night, no rain,
no need for irrigation. Oh, your lawn should be able
to go one week without irrigation. So we have a
possible rain in Florida on Sunday and Monday and then
(03:00):
next weekend thirty percent chance, especially that depression forms, which
I don't think it will. They're saying it's not likely,
but we should be able to go one week without
watering our lawns. And if you have to water your
lawn every couple of days, your lawn is spoiled.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
It is very spoiled.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
And you don't need to do that. So save the
water reserve our you know, natural resources, and don't pay
the water bill. You know, if you don't need to,
don't add it on. Pay your water bill. But you
don't have to add to your water bill, you know.
I have a reduced slow water bill. And so Miami,
you've got a cold front coming through this weekend, so
(03:40):
you have again chances for rain on Sunday, but the
rest of the week is mostly sunny and a chance
for rain next weekend. But South Florida no irrigation this week,
so I really want to push that. Tampa's in the
mid to mid eighties. It's gonna be sunny, no rain
at all. It's gonna be a beautiful week for if
you're down here visiting and want to see family and friends.
(04:04):
It's just a great week. The whole state's gonna be
sunny and clear. So it's just wonderful.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yes, yes, you know we're just purposely just rubbing this in,
but yes, anybody who made it through the summer.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Well, do you know there was snow in the rockies,
says Snow's already hitting the United States out west.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I saw that, and I'm like, what kind of craziness
is this?
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Wow? Well, I'm just you know, because I mean here Florida,
our winter is we get a cold front, we get
a little bit of rain, and then for three days
it's cool, but the sun shines the whole time. When
we have cold fronts coming through, which is wonderful. It's
wonderful weather, and you know, so it's just we're just
(04:46):
going to get the cold fronts come through. It's gonna
be cold for three days, then it's gonna warm right
back up again. And it may not get into the
eighties for our winter time. Usually it's you know, sixties
and seventies. But it's not going to get that cold.
And and it's you know, Gary and I we discussed
it last week. The La Nina is going to be
warm and wet. So from here through you know, the
(05:11):
beginning of next spring, which is February March, we really
should need to water our lawns at all. That's good.
This is going to be the perfect time to wean
your turf off of irrigation. So the less you water
your turf, the more the turf. Naturally, Mother nature does
this on her own, pushes those roots down, and so
(05:34):
your grass becomes more tolerant of not having to have irrigation,
and that makes the ground healthier, grass healthier, and you're
going to have less disease issues, less insect issues, and
less weed issues. Weeds love water, especially dollar weed, So
if you have dollar weed in your lawn and you
(05:57):
don't live on a lake, then you are definitely watering
too much, and so you don't you don't want to
do that. And so dollarweed is a native plant. It
you know, grows here in Florida in shorelines, in lakefronts,
it grows in water, and it will grow in low
lying areas. So if you are living near a water body,
there's no reason to you know, take out and or
(06:22):
turn your irrigation system on, and that's just going to
be healthier all the way around. So coming up, how
many of you grew up in the shade of a
wonderful chestnut tree, spreading chestnut tree, or had a citrus
tree in your backyard? Did you know that Florida can
grow over twenty five types of fruit trees and ten
different types of nut trees? Coming up as data Ennrick,
(06:44):
He's going to be talking nuts and this is Florida's
inner talk and entertainment from the Summit Responsible Solutions Studios.
I'm Teresa Watkins. You're listening to Better Arms and Gardens.
(07:06):
Welcome back to Better Lawns and Gardens. Joining me right
now is Dana Venrick. He is the owner of Quality
Green Specialist nursery, and he is a sponsor of Better
Lawns and Gardens, so we so appreciate that. But he
also has one of the best Central Florida nurseries for
fruit and nut trees and native trees, and we so
(07:28):
welcome you this morning, Dana. How are you?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Oh good, very good? How are you this morning? Teresa?
Speaker 1 (07:35):
I am great, Dana. It's cool. I've got a sweater on,
and I'm very excited.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I am too, I'm excited about something else. For the
first time ever, I'm standing here with a bottleful of
olive oil pressed the first cold press lesson from one
of my olive trees.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
My goodness, and.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
I pressed oil this year, both of us from trees
that we grew her grove and from my trees in
the nursery and nearby.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Oh my goodness, that is great.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
He has.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
It's amazing. Who have to come by and sample it
is the best amazing, Oh well, I ever tasted.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
I will. I would love to do that. I'm going
to do that this week. That'll be great. I would
love to do that. And so, you know, speaking of trees,
the cooler temperatures, it feels great outside. What is the
science behind planting trees in.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Fall, well, the science is trees are very actively growing
with the days getting longer in the spring, but in
the fall at this time of year, every day is
getting shorter until you get to the equinox like in December, right,
And so the sample instead of going up to the
(09:01):
top and promoting growth, it's going down into the soil
to the roots to promote root growth. And so this
is a time of year you put just a little
good fertilizer with things that promote sturdiness health, root health,
like the minerals, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, silicon, things that promote
(09:26):
strong root growth in the winter when it's warmer underground,
and then you have a lot better growth in the
spring because you've got the roots so healthy and established
first during the fall and winter.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
That's great. That's good to know because a lot of
people think that trees stop growing in the fall, and
here in Florida, they don't necessarily.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
They still get the roots, they'll still grow a little bit,
especially in the fall. They love this cooler weather and
the roots, you know, continue to grow even more so
because of the change you know in the system. You know,
from going up and going down you know, and gravity helps,
and then the cooler weather helps as well.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Wonderful. And so you have fruit trees on you know,
quality green specialists. What kind do you have going right now?
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Oh my gosh, we've got so many different types, Like
we've got some wonderful p simmons. Right now. We have asaio,
which is a stranger and I ate one day before yesterday.
It was soft, but it was like the most delicious
pudding you could ever imagine, real helt in your mouth. Delicious.
(10:41):
But we normally also have fool you, which is more
like an apple. You can eat it before it's fully ripe.
It's a little bit crunchy, and that's sweet and delicious
as well. And we have seven varieties of a lais
like I mentioned, We've got strawberries, which is a good
vegetable fruit, and tomatoes, all types of vegetables as far
(11:04):
as the fruit trees, we have all types of cifrus.
We have barbados and cerinam cherries. We have low quads
which are also called W's plums, smallberries, figs. Guavas are
three types, including the pineapple guaba or fijoa, which I
ate of fruit the other day elderberries. And we have
(11:26):
something very unusual too, called the curry tree, the original
curry from India, which is rare in the nursery.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Wow. And so so if you grew a curry tree,
then you would just take the leaves off and dry
them and then you could grind them up absolutely. Oh
my goodness.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
We're tasting some the other day. It's better than the
curry off the shelf in the store. It's the original. Wow.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
That's a great idea. I would love to have a
curry tree. And I've got several clients that I would
I know would love them.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
Too, exactly.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
And so that's where who else has curry trees in
the nursery, right?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Oh my goodness. So also, you know I mentioned nut trees,
and I don't think people think of Florida as being
able to grow nut trees, but we can't.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
True, but there's a lot of nuts in Florida.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
We're not talking about those nuts.
Speaker 5 (12:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
We have some really nice pecans right now. We have
in the nurse we have amelin Ameling, Elliot and Sumner,
which are highly recommended because of their scab resistance. Amelin
is a type one which means the male catkins. The
(12:39):
pollen of the male catkins get ripe before the epistolet
female pollen. I mean the ovaries are receptive, right, and
so but we have two varieties Elliot and Sumner that
are type two, that are just the opposite. They're in
type two. The female is receptive first. So together it works,
(13:01):
you know. So we have the two because you have
to have both types cause they do not get ready
at the same time. And that's how you approach pecans
in Florida.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Okay, so if you wanted to grow so if you
wanted to grow pecans, you have to have two different varieties.
And so how large do they get? So how far
apart do they need to be?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Well, you want to plant them far apart because they'll
get seventy maybe up to seventy five feet tall, and
so they get to be big trees with trunks. You know.
Sometimes old trees will have trunks that may be two
or three feet wide. Wow, And they have to spay
them fifty to seventy five feet apart, otherwise they'll be
(13:46):
two crowded.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Okay, and so they get seventy five feet white and
or seventy five feet tall. How wide do they get
those trunks how wide about thirty to forty feet?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Yes, they could get thirty third is thirty five feet wide.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Wow. So this could even be a great tree for
neighborhood that they two neighbors can buy one of each
kind and then put them in their yard and they
can pro pollinate each other.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Yeah, there's one way to promote sharing in you know,
a neighborhood in this.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Wow, that's great. And so disease issues or insect issues.
You mentioned the scab, but if the tree is healthy,
do they have a lot of issues?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Well, there's very few issues. They have a lot of
squirrels that love the nuts, and so.
Speaker 5 (14:34):
You've got to deal with that because you will lose
a lot of them if you have a lot of nuts,
a lot of a lot of them in the neighborhood.
Of course.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
But some trees are a lot more scab resistant than others,
and so that's why it's good to have varieties that
have a lot of resistance. Some of the older varieties
are very good, like the stew the according to research
I did, you have to spray them with a fungus
side a lot. And maybe you don't want to spray
(15:07):
fungusize so much.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Right, So it's a little bit higher maintenance. You have
to stay on top of it, which you do for
so many of the fruit trees. But but it is
worth it, and so I do.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Okay, so you said pecans.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
You said pecans, and some people say pecans. Which one
is it?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Pecans?
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Oh my gosh. You know, we argue about that all
the time, you know, but you know, if we're together,
you know, if you say pecan and then pecan, it
all works out and then you're compatible.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
There you go. So that's good. So, so when somebody
is buying a pecan tree or a pecan tree, they
need to find out what type it is or do
they just say I just need a pollinator for it.
If they came into you, how would you tell them
what to get?
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Well, I would recommend two that are compatible, and we
have a charge and we'll say, well, if you have
a certain type of tree, then these are the ones
that are compatible. And the University of Florida LSU, a
lot of universities have excellent chart, you know that to
show which varieties are compatible and will pollinate each other.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
What kind of soil do they need?
Speaker 3 (16:21):
They need? Well, drained soil. It could be lowland as
long as it's well drained. But they are tolerant of
all types of soils. One thing you need to do, though,
is make sure they have zinc. You know, the cons
are high in zinc, so that means you need to
have some zinc in the fertilizer. A lot of soils
in Florida are deficient of zinc, so that is something
(16:44):
a thing you know. Make sure you have bi available
trade minerals including zinc. Otherwise they will never form the
meat inside the nut.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Okay, so they when they come to quality green specialists,
then you could do a soil test for them, and
then you can also formulate or create a fertilizer just
for their yard.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Absolutely, I will create a custom fertilizer.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
Blend for them.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Give exactly how much of each type of mineral, including
the zinc which is often missing in our soil, including manganese,
and other minerals including minerals that you need in your fertilize,
otherwise you will not have success. But most of the
I mean most of the the con trees will do
(17:31):
well in central Florida North. You can't go too far south,
otherwise you get into the need for more cold hours,
more chilling hours.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Right, But then but then they can grow Macadamian pistachios
down in South Florida.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Oh yeah, sometimes we have macadamia as they do very
well in Florida. There's a huge macadamia tree, for example,
on the campus of University of Florida. Uh huh, trunk
several feet wide.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
So now on what sizes of do you have? So
can someone come by and get one in their car?
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Absolutely, we have something even that are six to twelve
inches high, like the liners I'm looking at them right now,
some of the Arborquina olive liner. We have a big
selection of three gallons, seven gallon and fifteen gallon, including
like some of the twenty five to twenty seven gallons
(18:25):
that meet the Lasha County requirement for a two inch
caliper and over six foot heighth. We just sold three
of those the other day, as have a caliper to
make sure, we'll measure six inches above the soil line
to make sure it meets the county requirement for replacement trees.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
So that's great. So, Dana, we're coming up on a
heartbreak on Thank you so much for coming on. Tell
us where Quality Green Specialist is and what days you're
opened so that they can come by and pick up
up contry.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
We have pecans and pecans. So three thirty five West
Michigan Avenue in DeLand, close to the steps in campus,
and we're open nine to four every day. Please come by.
You'll enjoy our nature trail too, with some beautiful orcans
that are blooming right now.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It's always fun to come by and see you, Dana.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
I look forward to seeing everyone that's okay.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Thank you, Dana. I love going by there.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
And so that's three thirty five West Michigan Street in DeLand.
So you can call in with your gardening questions now
one triple eight four five five two nine sixty seven,
or you can text two three six eight zero from
the Summit Responsible Solution Studios this Saturday morning. You're listening
to Better Lawns and Gardens. I'm Teresa Watkins and this
is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network. Welcome back to Better
(19:58):
Lawns and Gardens. Time now for your phone calls. One
triple eight four five five two nine sixty seven. That's
one triple eight four five five two nine sixty seven,
or you can text two three six eight zero And
if the newsletter is out, if you didn't get it,
you can go to the website www dot G s
(20:21):
H E. Dash Consulting dot com and right there on
that page you can sign up for the newsletter. I
don't spam and I don't sell your email addresses. I
keep them very very private. And we had a wonderful
uh update from Lizzie in this month's newsletter, and yes
the crazy ways, and so you can go ahead and
(20:44):
sign up for the newsletter, and also two for our
Art and Bloomgarden Tours newsletter, you can email me and
sign up for that, and that's Art and Bloomgardentours dot com.
And you will get a list of you know, just
announcements when we have trips coming up. And we have
lots of great trips coming up, lots of great events
(21:07):
to go to next year. And I'd love for you
to join me and Tony. We would love to have
you come along. And so Joe Anne and Maitland, Good morning, Joanne.
She is drinking she is drinking sweet creamy coffee. I'm
drinking hot tea. Always always hot tea. It's a good
cup of tea morning for that. And she has two questions.
Her first question is can we grow garlic here in
(21:30):
Florida without chilling it first? And so the secret to
growing garlic here in Florida is that it does need
a cooling period, so temperatures in the forties to fifties
for about ten weeks, ten to twelve weeks, and we
don't get that here in Florida. So you can, like
your spring bulbs, put them in a brown paper bag.
(21:52):
Gives them really good air circulation in your refrigerator. We're
even a wine refrigerator, and keep them at forty to
fifty degrees for ten to twelve weeks, which would put
it in December, the first part of January, and then
you can plant them then. And so, yes, you can
grow them here, but they do need that chilling period
(22:15):
and they won't get as big and they won't develop
as well if they don't have that.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Yes, so, and I grew a bunch of garlic last year,
but they did, like you said, they didn't get very big,
and that must be wise because I didn't. I didn't
put them in the fridge.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, okay, And so you can still use them. I
mean it does.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
They were really good, Like people up here in this
fourth floor of iHeart.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
They were like, Lizzie, you got more girlic. Can that's
really good. I'm like, I'm done, So go ahead and
you can put them in now. You can even start
in September next year and you can plant your garlic
or put your garlic in the refrigerator. Just chill it
for ten to twelve weeks and that's good.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
Now.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Her second question is very interesting, and she said, is
there any reasons not to use fresh, fresh, new hardwood
chips as mulch? So if you ground trees in your yard,
you have this hardwood mulch. And I was just talking
yesterday to a client and they are gonna have their
stumps ground and they're just going to use the chips
(23:12):
as mulch. Yes, and no, it's the same reason we
don't like to put or we don't recommend putting coffee
grounds around your roses, but to compost them because what
chips and what wood needs to decompose is nitrogen. And
so when you put the mulch down or the grind
(23:34):
that you've ground out, then it's gonna hold onto that nitrogen.
And it's going to keep it from going into the ground.
So it's not recommended if you're planting new plants. But
you know, Joanne, you've got a couple of trees and
your beds that are established and you're not gonna put
anything new into them. I think it'll be just fine
(23:55):
that you can put the new hardwood mulch, you know,
chips down and they don't need to be aged. Okay
but once. But if they're brand new, they're going to
keep the nitrogen and they're going to lock onto it
and they can actually pull it out of the soil,
uh for to decompose the other stuff. So yeah, it's
(24:15):
so much I have never thought.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
I mean, I mean we've held on too like when
we've grind our trees and stuff. But that is really
some I'm glad you asked that question. Yeah, we're asking that.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Yeah, and so yes, you can use it, but I
would I would only use it in established lawns. If
you're planting a new garden, I would not use it
because you need that nitrogen to get the plants going.
Let's go to Jerry in Citrus County. Good morning, Jerry,
how are you.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Good morning? Trees? Fine, How are you?
Speaker 1 (24:43):
I am good. How cold is it where you are?
Have you been outside?
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Oh it's about sixty that's nice. Okay, yeah, it's just great.
The garden's coming back. Sure, yeah, Eric, I got questions
for you. Sure you identify last week the mal? Yes,
and I believe it was. It has a special hybrid.
It's the sweet Caroline.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Cook okay, okay.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Of it, and it's doing really well. I'm trying to
drink with it. But it has no real flavor. You know,
it's bland. It is very deep dark color, dark color.
And yeah, and also discovered similar to it as a mallow.
But it has dark green leaves with a dark.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Red bud, dark dark red, but yes.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
Yeah, and you know it looks like a thorn and
it has pink flowers. Is that another similar type of thing.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
It's in the mallow family.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Yes, okay, okay, they're all edible, right, yes they are. Okay.
Then I have a cranberry hibiscus for years.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
It's invasive almost yes, they really readily received.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
Yes, yeah, and I've been using tea from that, but
that has a little more flavor. And then I have
a rosella. Yes, is that correct?
Speaker 1 (26:07):
I'm not familiar with rosella. But I'm not sure that
hibiscus is thorny, but I would need to see a
picture of it.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Yeah, none of my hibiscus thorny. Just this rosella, right,
it looks similar, but it's gonna it's no flour yet,
but it's got a big butt.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
That's got a big butt rosella sharp.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Oh yeah, and you can make a tea out of it.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Oh, okay, that one is the famous one then.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Yes, yes, the rosella.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Yes, yeah, is that what uh, Peranera Bread has in
their hibiscus tea drink?
Speaker 1 (26:47):
I don't know, that's a good question.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
The roselle, it's a roselle, is a flowering trump and uh,
it does have the seeds can be roasted. It doesn't
say anything about thorns. Yeah, you can can roast them too.
It doesn't say anything about thorns. Okay, you know, and
so that would probably give you a little bit more flavor. Okay,
(27:10):
so if you roast them and dry them. It said
the seeds can be roasted and brewed like coffee. The
plant you can use the fruit to make drinks and uh,
and but it doesn't say anything about thorns. So I'm
kind of worried about that. I don't want you.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
Okay, I better check further that too.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Yeah, and then.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Excuse me. The result I had the Kaleks's deep red.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Yes, yes, it's very very easily to identify.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
Oh, yes, that'll help too.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Okay, Well, you're welcome. I just want you to be
careful about eating things that you don't know what you
called last week, and I was worried about you all week.
Speaker 4 (27:52):
Oh exak, you're very kind.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Well, I want I want you to keep calling in.
Jerry at my agent.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
It doesn't see the matter anymore. Week.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Oh no, no, but we're glad you called in. So
keep on going and uh uh and and enjoy your tea,
all right, and so that's good. Let's go to Carol
in Lakeland. Good morning, Carol. How can I help you? Hello?
Okay for us? Yeah, now I can hear you.
Speaker 6 (28:23):
Please say that again, honey, I said, thanks for being
there for us.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
Oh, you're welcome, Thank you for listening.
Speaker 6 (28:32):
A few years ago, you had a guest on your
show that had very unusual Yes, I used the plural
of James, and so I sent off and got one
and planted it in a plot. And it's never bloomed,
but it's got super long leave and so I've never gotten.
(28:56):
So first of all, should I cut off the leaves
to try to get to come up in the spring?
Speaker 4 (29:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Noo. Well, I'm just kind of what kind of Yeah,
what kind of sunlight does it get? Do you have
it in full sun?
Speaker 6 (29:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Okay? And what kind of pot is it in? How
big of a pot?
Speaker 6 (29:20):
Well, it's probably just maybe a two gallon three gallon pot?
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Okay? Is it plastic or ceramic?
Speaker 6 (29:30):
I think it's plastic.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Okay, Carol, hang on, we're going to talk about your
ameryles that are not blooming. If it's Saturday morning, you're
listening to Better Lawns and Gardens. I'm Teresa Watkins, and
this is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network. Welcome back to
(30:06):
Better Lawns and Gardens. I'm Teresa Watkins, and we are
speaking with Carol and Lakeland, who has beautiful amaryllis from
Jenks Farmer in South Carolina. But they're not blooming. And
so Carol, let's let's get back. Are you with us?
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Okay? So so you have it in a pot, it's
in a plastic pot, right, Yes?
Speaker 6 (30:29):
I went out on checked it's in a plastic pot.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Okay, And so my thinking is if it's it is
out in full sun all day long, right yeah, okay.
My thinking is is that the timing of when you
planted it, when you got it in the mail, that
is probably going to bloom for you this year, okay,
rather than last year because it was just in trans
you know, it was just in transportation to you, and
(30:55):
it didn't really have a good set time that it
was planted so that it would bloom on a normal basis.
So I'm hoping that it's going to bloom for you
this year. The other thing I want you to check
is that it's not planted too deep. Ammarrillis really like
to have the top of the crown of the plant
where the leaves come out in about an inch below
(31:16):
that above ground. Okay, okay, So it may be planted
too deep. And then I need to ask you about fertilizer.
Have you fertilized it?
Speaker 6 (31:25):
I think yes, yes, okay. So and it is it's
summing up a new leaf, so it's happy. It's just not.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Blooming, okay, So that's good. So I would go ahead
and just wait to see you know, go ahead and
keep it in the pot. But then if it doesn't
bloom this year, and so I want you to call
me back and let me know. I think it's going
to bloom for you this spring. So I would fertilize
it right now with a slow release fertilizer and then
keep it out in the full sun. Water it. You
don't have to water it too much. Once a week
(31:55):
watering or once a week rainfall is fine. And let's
see what it does next year.
Speaker 6 (32:00):
Okay, Okay, should I put it in a in.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
A No, No, I wouldn't move it at all. I
wouldn't touch it at all. Okay, So don't don't disturb it.
It's it's it's in its mode. It's it's doing its thing.
And if you move pots or transferred out of it,
I think it might just you know, kick it into
thinking that it needs to do.
Speaker 6 (32:22):
So these are probably I don't.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Know, two feet long, wonderful long. Okay, So it will
bloom for you this year. That's my prediction.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
Okay, Sorry, thank you.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Oh you're welcome. I send flowers when you can. I've
said photos. I'm sorry, send photos when you can. That'll
be all right, thank you, Thank you, Carol, I appreciate that.
Silly me. All right, let's go to Teresa's top five.
Welcome back up better Lawns and Gardens, and now Teresa's
(32:54):
top five and my top five weird Florida plants for Halloween.
Number five is bleeding hearts Clarodendron, and this belongs to
the clearodendron. Bleeding hearts belongs to the mint family, and
then sometimes the USDA says it belongs to the Verbina families,
so they need to make up their mind. It's a
(33:14):
vine that can grow in central or South Florida in
full sun departial shade. Let me know if you're growing
it in North Florida. Blooms off and on all years,
and it has red heart shaped flowers. Number four Witch's hair.
You will see this commonly in the forest. As you're
driving by. You'll see something that looks like orange spaghetti.
(33:34):
It's called Witch's hair or daughter. And it is a
parasitic plant and it grows on top of the plants
and it's in the morning glory family. Number three is
the black bat plant. I love this planet. It's great
for Gothic gardens. Species a flowering plant in the yam
family is a national flower of Thailand. Smells like a
(33:56):
rotten corpse and it's self pollinating to be planted in
full shade or as an indoor plant. Number two the
snapdragon skulls the seeds of the annual snapdragon after the
flowers die. They have a shape that resembles a human skull,
and ancient cultures held that snapdragons had possessed supernatural powers,
(34:19):
and they're thought to fight off protection or to protect
from death curses and witchcraft that they're planted in your garden.
And the number one my weird Florida plants for Halloween.
Ghost pipes. This is a ghost plant or death plant.
Indian pipes is another common name. It's a special herbaceous
perennial wildflower that grows naturally in Florida in mixed temperate
(34:42):
hardwood forest and scrubs, particularly where the ground is moist.
And I will post that it blooms in November, and
so I'm going to post this on the Facebook page
our facebook page Better Lands of Gardens. But the ghost
pipes whitish color is due to it being non photosynthetic
(35:03):
and it does not contain chlorophyll, So those are my
weird Top five plants from Florida for Halloween. Very weird,
definitely very weird, very weird. We have just a couple
of minutes here one triple eight four five five, two
nine sixty seven, or you can text two three six
eight zero. What kind of vegetables can you be planting
(35:23):
right now? Beats, broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage, carrots and cauliflower, celery,
all the great stew vegetables which is great, collars and
col robbie, lettuce and mustard, onions and peas and potatoes,
ridicio and radishes, rhubarb and roquette, rudabaga which I love,
(35:44):
spinach and strawberries, Swiss shard and turnips and Quality Green
Specialists has all of these vegetables that you can go
and they have strawberries for you to go ahead and
put in the ground or your strawberry jar and you
will have strawberries this winter. So those are wonderful herbs.
It's great time to be planting herbs, Annis and basil,
(36:06):
bay laurel and borige, cardimoen and ervelle, chives and coriander,
dil and fennel for the butterflies. Even if you don't
eat it, and yes, Joanne, garlic from the refrigerator. Put
it in the refrigerator and in ten to twelve weeks
you can plant it lavender and lemon, balm luvage and mint,
nasturtiums and oregano, rosemary, sage, sweet marjoram, tarragon, love, brene, sauce,
(36:32):
thyme and watercrest. And if you have an herb garden,
please go out and harvest it. I was at a
house yesterday and they had beautiful, beautiful basil, beautiful, no
insect tissues. It was gorgeous and they didn't cut it.
So we had whole bags of basil that she's gonna
(36:53):
make pesta out of. And then the arugula. The arugula
was very spicy, very peppery, and she's got she's got
enough to make a family of for dinner with a rougula.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Oh sweet.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
So you got to use your herbs, yes, And if
you can't eat it all, like your basil, go ahead
and dry it. And you can also blend it and
then put it in little ice cube trays and then
that way.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Some broth or something some broth.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Yes, and then freeze it. And then when you need
to add it to your potatoes or to your you know,
your brushetta. You can just thaw it and use it
right on, you know, use it whenever you need it. Yes, definitely.
So that is great, So use up your herbs. We're
going to be back with more of your phone calls.
This is a hard break right now, but we'll be
(37:40):
back for the second hour of Better Lawns and Gardens.
If you would like to call one triple eight four
five five, two nine sixty seven or text two three
six eight zero, and you can then go to our
Facebook page. Please do and like us. We're getting more
and more likes. I love that more and more people listening.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
I mean they're sharing.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
That's sharing it. If you've got somebody who's new to Florida,
let them know about Better Lawns and Gardens. And if
you don't want to wake up at seven o'clock in
the morning to catch us while you're drinking your morning beverage,
you can listen to us twenty four seven on any
podcast especially iHeartRadio, the number one network for podcasts, and
(38:26):
it's go.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
To Beetter Lawns dot com and you can catch all
of the old podcasts there and to quickly.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
Answer Jerry's question, I was going to ask you go ahead.
It is the palma.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
It's a plum ginger, high biscuits, high biscus, and pomegran at.
High biscus is what the Panera bread uses in their
high biscus teas.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
That's wonderful. I love that is that is so great.
It's Saturday morning. You're listening to Better Lawns and Gardens.
I'm Teresa Watkins and this is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network.
Speaker 6 (39:15):
Tott
Speaker 1 (39:20):
Distinct att
Good morning from the Summit Responsible Solution Studios. Welcome to
Better Lawns and Gardens. I'm your host, Teresa Watkins. I'm
a garden for a culturist expert. I love to answer
questions about gardening. I want to give a big shout
out to the Sunshine Garden Club in Wedgwood, Tennis Villages.
I talked to them this week. They had a great,
(00:31):
great turnout and just a lot of new members or
new people, and so we were very excited and I
enjoyed meeting them and talking to them again. Hi, Jana.
Just want to give Jan a shout out. She's a
Seminal County Master gardener. So good morning, Lizzie.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Good morning. It was just tad but chilly. I saw
Teresa jumped out of her vehicle. Actually was like a
little puppy in the spring, but she had her jacket on.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
I was, okay, well here we have. It's Florida. It
gets to be seventy degrees, the sweaters come.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Out right, yeah, and you know what it was. It's
crazy because it's not like it was. It's not like
it was cold and crisp, but it was nice and.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Cool, nice and cool, just you know, in the in
the sixties and possibly fifties where you were, Oh.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
It was, it was, it was. My temperture was ranging ranging, raging,
ranging between fifty four and fifty five.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Wow, that's wonderful though. Get the fireplace going.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
You know, do you not just remember we just left
five thousand degrees and how Okay, it's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
So it's great weather this week, great gardening weather, perfect
chamber of commerce for the like like Toberfest, which goes
through next next Sunday or tomorrow. And just be careful
out there. It's all these great bikers around.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yeah, and you know the saying goes check twice save.
But life literally just slowed down for a moment and
just look again. I was We're in the Port Orange
area yesterday and made the mistake and ended up over
there passing what is it the cabbage, the cole saw cabbage. Yes,
in the wrestling Yeah, that area. Oh good, it was great.
(02:13):
I'm excited for everybody. But yeah, just slow down.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
It is fine. So the weather the next two ten
days is going to be perfect for gardening North Florida.
You've got a cold front coming through tomorrow and Monday,
so you're going to have rain about seventy percent chance.
North Florida, it's going to get some rain, but then
then clear the rest of the week. Highs in the
seventies and the lows in the fifties and sixties. No rain.
(02:39):
The rest of the week, right where the weather should
be for October, Central Florida is going to be in
the mid to low eighties, sixties at night, no rain,
no need for irrigation. Oh, your lawn should be able
to go one week without irrigation. So we have a
possible rain in Florida on Sunday and Monday and then
(03:00):
next weekend thirty percent chance, especially that depression forms, which
I don't think it will. They're saying it's not likely,
but we should be able to go one week without
watering our lawns. And if you have to water your
lawn every couple of days, your lawn is spoiled.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
It is very spoiled.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
And you don't need to do that. So save the
water reserve our you know, natural resources, and don't pay
the water bill. You know, if you don't need to,
don't add it on. Pay your water bill. But you
don't have to add to your water bill, you know.
I have a reduced slow water bill. And so Miami,
you've got a cold front coming through this weekend, so
(03:40):
you have again chances for rain on Sunday, but the
rest of the week is mostly sunny and a chance
for rain next weekend. But South Florida no irrigation this week,
so I really want to push that. Tampa's in the
mid to mid eighties. It's gonna be sunny, no rain
at all. It's gonna be a beautiful week for if
you're down here visiting and want to see family and friends.
(04:04):
It's just a great week. The whole state's gonna be
sunny and clear. So it's just wonderful.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yes, yes, you know we're just purposely just rubbing this in,
but yes, anybody who made it through the summer.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Well, do you know there was snow in the rockies,
says Snow's already hitting the United States out west.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
I saw that, and I'm like, what kind of craziness
is this?
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Wow? Well, I'm just you know, because I mean here Florida,
our winter is we get a cold front, we get
a little bit of rain, and then for three days
it's cool, but the sun shines the whole time. When
we have cold fronts coming through, which is wonderful. It's
wonderful weather, and you know, so it's just we're just
(04:46):
going to get the cold fronts come through. It's gonna
be cold for three days, then it's gonna warm right
back up again. And it may not get into the
eighties for our winter time. Usually it's you know, sixties
and seventies. But it's not going to get that cold.
And and it's you know, Gary and I we discussed
it last week. The La Nina is going to be
warm and wet. So from here through you know, the
(05:11):
beginning of next spring, which is February March, we really
should need to water our lawns at all. That's good.
This is going to be the perfect time to wean
your turf off of irrigation. So the less you water
your turf, the more the turf. Naturally, Mother nature does
this on her own, pushes those roots down, and so
(05:34):
your grass becomes more tolerant of not having to have irrigation,
and that makes the ground healthier, grass healthier, and you're
going to have less disease issues, less insect issues, and
less weed issues. Weeds love water, especially dollar weed, So
if you have dollar weed in your lawn and you
(05:57):
don't live on a lake, then you are definitely watering
too much, and so you don't you don't want to
do that. And so dollarweed is a native plant. It
you know, grows here in Florida in shorelines, in lakefronts,
it grows in water, and it will grow in low
lying areas. So if you are living near a water body,
there's no reason to you know, take out and or
(06:22):
turn your irrigation system on, and that's just going to
be healthier all the way around. So coming up, how
many of you grew up in the shade of a
wonderful chestnut tree, spreading chestnut tree, or had a citrus
tree in your backyard? Did you know that Florida can
grow over twenty five types of fruit trees and ten
different types of nut trees? Coming up as data Ennrick,
(06:44):
He's going to be talking nuts and this is Florida's
inner talk and entertainment from the Summit Responsible Solutions Studios.
I'm Teresa Watkins. You're listening to Better Arms and Gardens.
(07:06):
Welcome back to Better Lawns and Gardens. Joining me right
now is Dana Venrick. He is the owner of Quality
Green Specialist nursery, and he is a sponsor of Better
Lawns and Gardens, so we so appreciate that. But he
also has one of the best Central Florida nurseries for
fruit and nut trees and native trees, and we so
(07:28):
welcome you this morning, Dana. How are you?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Oh good, very good? How are you this morning? Teresa?
Speaker 1 (07:35):
I am great, Dana. It's cool. I've got a sweater on,
and I'm very excited.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I am too, I'm excited about something else. For the
first time ever, I'm standing here with a bottleful of
olive oil pressed the first cold press lesson from one
of my olive trees.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
My goodness, and.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
I pressed oil this year, both of us from trees
that we grew her grove and from my trees in
the nursery and nearby.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Oh my goodness, that is great.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
He has.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
It's amazing. Who have to come by and sample it
is the best amazing, Oh well, I ever tasted.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
I will. I would love to do that. I'm going
to do that this week. That'll be great. I would
love to do that. And so, you know, speaking of trees,
the cooler temperatures, it feels great outside. What is the
science behind planting trees in.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Fall, well, the science is trees are very actively growing
with the days getting longer in the spring, but in
the fall at this time of year, every day is
getting shorter until you get to the equinox like in December, right,
And so the sample instead of going up to the
(09:01):
top and promoting growth, it's going down into the soil
to the roots to promote root growth. And so this
is a time of year you put just a little
good fertilizer with things that promote sturdiness health, root health,
like the minerals, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, silicon, things that promote
(09:26):
strong root growth in the winter when it's warmer underground,
and then you have a lot better growth in the
spring because you've got the roots so healthy and established
first during the fall and winter.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
That's great. That's good to know because a lot of
people think that trees stop growing in the fall, and
here in Florida, they don't necessarily.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
They still get the roots, they'll still grow a little bit,
especially in the fall. They love this cooler weather and
the roots, you know, continue to grow even more so
because of the change you know in the system. You know,
from going up and going down you know, and gravity helps,
and then the cooler weather helps as well.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Wonderful. And so you have fruit trees on you know,
quality green specialists. What kind do you have going right now?
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Oh my gosh, we've got so many different types, Like
we've got some wonderful p simmons. Right now. We have asaio,
which is a stranger and I ate one day before yesterday.
It was soft, but it was like the most delicious
pudding you could ever imagine, real helt in your mouth. Delicious.
(10:41):
But we normally also have fool you, which is more
like an apple. You can eat it before it's fully ripe.
It's a little bit crunchy, and that's sweet and delicious
as well. And we have seven varieties of a lais
like I mentioned, We've got strawberries, which is a good
vegetable fruit, and tomatoes, all types of vegetables as far
(11:04):
as the fruit trees, we have all types of cifrus.
We have barbados and cerinam cherries. We have low quads
which are also called W's plums, smallberries, figs. Guavas are
three types, including the pineapple guaba or fijoa, which I
ate of fruit the other day elderberries. And we have
(11:26):
something very unusual too, called the curry tree, the original
curry from India, which is rare in the nursery.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Wow. And so so if you grew a curry tree,
then you would just take the leaves off and dry
them and then you could grind them up absolutely. Oh
my goodness.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
We're tasting some the other day. It's better than the
curry off the shelf in the store. It's the original. Wow.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
That's a great idea. I would love to have a
curry tree. And I've got several clients that I would
I know would love them.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
Too, exactly.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
And so that's where who else has curry trees in
the nursery, right?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Oh my goodness. So also, you know I mentioned nut trees,
and I don't think people think of Florida as being
able to grow nut trees, but we can't.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
True, but there's a lot of nuts in Florida.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
We're not talking about those nuts.
Speaker 5 (12:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
We have some really nice pecans right now. We have
in the nurse we have amelin Ameling, Elliot and Sumner,
which are highly recommended because of their scab resistance. Amelin
is a type one which means the male catkins. The
(12:39):
pollen of the male catkins get ripe before the epistolet
female pollen. I mean the ovaries are receptive, right, and
so but we have two varieties Elliot and Sumner that
are type two, that are just the opposite. They're in
type two. The female is receptive first. So together it works,
(13:01):
you know. So we have the two because you have
to have both types cause they do not get ready
at the same time. And that's how you approach pecans
in Florida.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Okay, so if you wanted to grow so if you
wanted to grow pecans, you have to have two different varieties.
And so how large do they get? So how far
apart do they need to be?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Well, you want to plant them far apart because they'll
get seventy maybe up to seventy five feet tall, and
so they get to be big trees with trunks. You know.
Sometimes old trees will have trunks that may be two
or three feet wide. Wow, And they have to spay
them fifty to seventy five feet apart, otherwise they'll be
(13:46):
two crowded.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Okay, and so they get seventy five feet white and
or seventy five feet tall. How wide do they get
those trunks how wide about thirty to forty feet?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Yes, they could get thirty third is thirty five feet wide.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Wow. So this could even be a great tree for
neighborhood that they two neighbors can buy one of each
kind and then put them in their yard and they
can pro pollinate each other.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Yeah, there's one way to promote sharing in you know,
a neighborhood in this.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Wow, that's great. And so disease issues or insect issues.
You mentioned the scab, but if the tree is healthy,
do they have a lot of issues?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Well, there's very few issues. They have a lot of
squirrels that love the nuts, and so.
Speaker 5 (14:34):
You've got to deal with that because you will lose
a lot of them if you have a lot of nuts,
a lot of a lot of them in the neighborhood.
Of course.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
But some trees are a lot more scab resistant than others,
and so that's why it's good to have varieties that
have a lot of resistance. Some of the older varieties
are very good, like the stew the according to research
I did, you have to spray them with a fungus
side a lot. And maybe you don't want to spray
(15:07):
fungusize so much.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Right, So it's a little bit higher maintenance. You have
to stay on top of it, which you do for
so many of the fruit trees. But but it is
worth it, and so I do.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Okay, so you said pecans.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
You said pecans, and some people say pecans. Which one
is it?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Pecans?
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Oh my gosh. You know, we argue about that all
the time, you know, but you know, if we're together,
you know, if you say pecan and then pecan, it
all works out and then you're compatible.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
There you go. So that's good. So, so when somebody
is buying a pecan tree or a pecan tree, they
need to find out what type it is or do
they just say I just need a pollinator for it.
If they came into you, how would you tell them
what to get?
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Well, I would recommend two that are compatible, and we
have a charge and we'll say, well, if you have
a certain type of tree, then these are the ones
that are compatible. And the University of Florida LSU, a
lot of universities have excellent chart, you know that to
show which varieties are compatible and will pollinate each other.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
What kind of soil do they need?
Speaker 3 (16:21):
They need? Well, drained soil. It could be lowland as
long as it's well drained. But they are tolerant of
all types of soils. One thing you need to do, though,
is make sure they have zinc. You know, the cons
are high in zinc, so that means you need to
have some zinc in the fertilizer. A lot of soils
in Florida are deficient of zinc, so that is something
(16:44):
a thing you know. Make sure you have bi available
trade minerals including zinc. Otherwise they will never form the
meat inside the nut.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Okay, so they when they come to quality green specialists,
then you could do a soil test for them, and
then you can also formulate or create a fertilizer just
for their yard.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Absolutely, I will create a custom fertilizer.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
Blend for them.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Give exactly how much of each type of mineral, including
the zinc which is often missing in our soil, including manganese,
and other minerals including minerals that you need in your fertilize,
otherwise you will not have success. But most of the
I mean most of the the con trees will do
(17:31):
well in central Florida North. You can't go too far south,
otherwise you get into the need for more cold hours,
more chilling hours.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Right, But then but then they can grow Macadamian pistachios
down in South Florida.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Oh yeah, sometimes we have macadamia as they do very
well in Florida. There's a huge macadamia tree, for example,
on the campus of University of Florida. Uh huh, trunk
several feet wide.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
So now on what sizes of do you have? So
can someone come by and get one in their car?
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Absolutely, we have something even that are six to twelve
inches high, like the liners I'm looking at them right now,
some of the Arborquina olive liner. We have a big
selection of three gallons, seven gallon and fifteen gallon, including
like some of the twenty five to twenty seven gallons
(18:25):
that meet the Lasha County requirement for a two inch
caliper and over six foot heighth. We just sold three
of those the other day, as have a caliper to
make sure, we'll measure six inches above the soil line
to make sure it meets the county requirement for replacement trees.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
So that's great. So, Dana, we're coming up on a
heartbreak on Thank you so much for coming on. Tell
us where Quality Green Specialist is and what days you're
opened so that they can come by and pick up
up contry.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
We have pecans and pecans. So three thirty five West
Michigan Avenue in DeLand, close to the steps in campus,
and we're open nine to four every day. Please come by.
You'll enjoy our nature trail too, with some beautiful orcans
that are blooming right now.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It's always fun to come by and see you, Dana.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
I look forward to seeing everyone that's okay.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Thank you, Dana. I love going by there.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
And so that's three thirty five West Michigan Street in DeLand.
So you can call in with your gardening questions now
one triple eight four five five two nine sixty seven,
or you can text two three six eight zero from
the Summit Responsible Solution Studios this Saturday morning. You're listening
to Better Lawns and Gardens. I'm Teresa Watkins and this
is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network. Welcome back to Better
(19:58):
Lawns and Gardens. Time now for your phone calls. One
triple eight four five five two nine sixty seven. That's
one triple eight four five five two nine sixty seven,
or you can text two three six eight zero And
if the newsletter is out, if you didn't get it,
you can go to the website www dot G s
(20:21):
H E. Dash Consulting dot com and right there on
that page you can sign up for the newsletter. I
don't spam and I don't sell your email addresses. I
keep them very very private. And we had a wonderful
uh update from Lizzie in this month's newsletter, and yes
the crazy ways, and so you can go ahead and
(20:44):
sign up for the newsletter, and also two for our
Art and Bloomgarden Tours newsletter, you can email me and
sign up for that, and that's Art and Bloomgardentours dot com.
And you will get a list of you know, just
announcements when we have trips coming up. And we have
lots of great trips coming up, lots of great events
(21:07):
to go to next year. And I'd love for you
to join me and Tony. We would love to have
you come along. And so Joe Anne and Maitland, Good morning, Joanne.
She is drinking she is drinking sweet creamy coffee. I'm
drinking hot tea. Always always hot tea. It's a good
cup of tea morning for that. And she has two questions.
Her first question is can we grow garlic here in
(21:30):
Florida without chilling it first? And so the secret to
growing garlic here in Florida is that it does need
a cooling period, so temperatures in the forties to fifties
for about ten weeks, ten to twelve weeks, and we
don't get that here in Florida. So you can, like
your spring bulbs, put them in a brown paper bag.
(21:52):
Gives them really good air circulation in your refrigerator. We're
even a wine refrigerator, and keep them at forty to
fifty degrees for ten to twelve weeks, which would put
it in December, the first part of January, and then
you can plant them then. And so, yes, you can
grow them here, but they do need that chilling period
(22:15):
and they won't get as big and they won't develop
as well if they don't have that.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Yes, so, and I grew a bunch of garlic last year,
but they did, like you said, they didn't get very big,
and that must be wise because I didn't. I didn't
put them in the fridge.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, okay, And so you can still use them. I
mean it does.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
They were really good, Like people up here in this
fourth floor of iHeart.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
They were like, Lizzie, you got more girlic. Can that's
really good. I'm like, I'm done, So go ahead and
you can put them in now. You can even start
in September next year and you can plant your garlic
or put your garlic in the refrigerator. Just chill it
for ten to twelve weeks and that's good.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
Now.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Her second question is very interesting, and she said, is
there any reasons not to use fresh, fresh, new hardwood
chips as mulch? So if you ground trees in your yard,
you have this hardwood mulch. And I was just talking
yesterday to a client and they are gonna have their
stumps ground and they're just going to use the chips
(23:12):
as mulch. Yes, and no, it's the same reason we
don't like to put or we don't recommend putting coffee
grounds around your roses, but to compost them because what
chips and what wood needs to decompose is nitrogen. And
so when you put the mulch down or the grind
(23:34):
that you've ground out, then it's gonna hold onto that nitrogen.
And it's going to keep it from going into the ground.
So it's not recommended if you're planting new plants. But
you know, Joanne, you've got a couple of trees and
your beds that are established and you're not gonna put
anything new into them. I think it'll be just fine
(23:55):
that you can put the new hardwood mulch, you know,
chips down and they don't need to be aged. Okay
but once. But if they're brand new, they're going to
keep the nitrogen and they're going to lock onto it
and they can actually pull it out of the soil,
uh for to decompose the other stuff. So yeah, it's
(24:15):
so much I have never thought.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
I mean, I mean we've held on too like when
we've grind our trees and stuff. But that is really
some I'm glad you asked that question. Yeah, we're asking that.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Yeah, and so yes, you can use it, but I
would I would only use it in established lawns. If
you're planting a new garden, I would not use it
because you need that nitrogen to get the plants going.
Let's go to Jerry in Citrus County. Good morning, Jerry,
how are you.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Good morning? Trees? Fine, How are you?
Speaker 1 (24:43):
I am good. How cold is it where you are?
Have you been outside?
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Oh it's about sixty that's nice. Okay, yeah, it's just great.
The garden's coming back. Sure, yeah, Eric, I got questions
for you. Sure you identify last week the mal? Yes,
and I believe it was. It has a special hybrid.
It's the sweet Caroline.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Cook okay, okay.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Of it, and it's doing really well. I'm trying to
drink with it. But it has no real flavor. You know,
it's bland. It is very deep dark color, dark color.
And yeah, and also discovered similar to it as a mallow.
But it has dark green leaves with a dark.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Red bud, dark dark red, but yes.
Speaker 4 (25:34):
Yeah, and you know it looks like a thorn and
it has pink flowers. Is that another similar type of thing.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
It's in the mallow family.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Yes, okay, okay, they're all edible, right, yes they are. Okay.
Then I have a cranberry hibiscus for years.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
It's invasive almost yes, they really readily received.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
Yes, yeah, and I've been using tea from that, but
that has a little more flavor. And then I have
a rosella. Yes, is that correct?
Speaker 1 (26:07):
I'm not familiar with rosella. But I'm not sure that
hibiscus is thorny, but I would need to see a
picture of it.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Yeah, none of my hibiscus thorny. Just this rosella, right,
it looks similar, but it's gonna it's no flour yet,
but it's got a big butt.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
That's got a big butt rosella sharp.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Oh yeah, and you can make a tea out of it.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Oh, okay, that one is the famous one then.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Yes, yes, the rosella.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
Yes, yeah, is that what uh, Peranera Bread has in
their hibiscus tea drink?
Speaker 1 (26:47):
I don't know, that's a good question.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
The roselle, it's a roselle, is a flowering trump and uh,
it does have the seeds can be roasted. It doesn't
say anything about thorns. Yeah, you can can roast them too.
It doesn't say anything about thorns. Okay, you know, and
so that would probably give you a little bit more flavor. Okay,
(27:10):
so if you roast them and dry them. It said
the seeds can be roasted and brewed like coffee. The
plant you can use the fruit to make drinks and uh,
and but it doesn't say anything about thorns. So I'm
kind of worried about that. I don't want you.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
Okay, I better check further that too.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
Yeah, and then.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Excuse me. The result I had the Kaleks's deep red.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Yes, yes, it's very very easily to identify.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
Oh, yes, that'll help too.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Okay, Well, you're welcome. I just want you to be
careful about eating things that you don't know what you
called last week, and I was worried about you all week.
Speaker 4 (27:52):
Oh exak, you're very kind.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Well, I want I want you to keep calling in.
Jerry at my agent.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
It doesn't see the matter anymore. Week.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Oh no, no, but we're glad you called in. So
keep on going and uh uh and and enjoy your tea,
all right, and so that's good. Let's go to Carol
in Lakeland. Good morning, Carol. How can I help you? Hello?
Okay for us? Yeah, now I can hear you.
Speaker 6 (28:23):
Please say that again, honey, I said, thanks for being
there for us.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
Oh, you're welcome, Thank you for listening.
Speaker 6 (28:32):
A few years ago, you had a guest on your
show that had very unusual Yes, I used the plural
of James, and so I sent off and got one
and planted it in a plot. And it's never bloomed,
but it's got super long leave and so I've never gotten.
(28:56):
So first of all, should I cut off the leaves
to try to get to come up in the spring?
Speaker 4 (29:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Noo. Well, I'm just kind of what kind of Yeah,
what kind of sunlight does it get? Do you have
it in full sun?
Speaker 6 (29:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Okay? And what kind of pot is it in? How
big of a pot?
Speaker 6 (29:20):
Well, it's probably just maybe a two gallon three gallon pot?
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Okay? Is it plastic or ceramic?
Speaker 6 (29:30):
I think it's plastic.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
Okay, Carol, hang on, we're going to talk about your
ameryles that are not blooming. If it's Saturday morning, you're
listening to Better Lawns and Gardens. I'm Teresa Watkins, and
this is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network. Welcome back to
(30:06):
Better Lawns and Gardens. I'm Teresa Watkins, and we are
speaking with Carol and Lakeland, who has beautiful amaryllis from
Jenks Farmer in South Carolina. But they're not blooming. And
so Carol, let's let's get back. Are you with us?
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Okay? So so you have it in a pot, it's
in a plastic pot, right, Yes?
Speaker 6 (30:29):
I went out on checked it's in a plastic pot.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Okay, And so my thinking is if it's it is
out in full sun all day long, right yeah, okay.
My thinking is is that the timing of when you
planted it, when you got it in the mail, that
is probably going to bloom for you this year, okay,
rather than last year because it was just in trans
you know, it was just in transportation to you, and
(30:55):
it didn't really have a good set time that it
was planted so that it would bloom on a normal basis.
So I'm hoping that it's going to bloom for you
this year. The other thing I want you to check
is that it's not planted too deep. Ammarrillis really like
to have the top of the crown of the plant
where the leaves come out in about an inch below
(31:16):
that above ground. Okay, okay, So it may be planted
too deep. And then I need to ask you about fertilizer.
Have you fertilized it?
Speaker 6 (31:25):
I think yes, yes, okay. So and it is it's
summing up a new leaf, so it's happy. It's just not.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Blooming, okay, So that's good. So I would go ahead
and just wait to see you know, go ahead and
keep it in the pot. But then if it doesn't
bloom this year, and so I want you to call
me back and let me know. I think it's going
to bloom for you this spring. So I would fertilize
it right now with a slow release fertilizer and then
keep it out in the full sun. Water it. You
don't have to water it too much. Once a week
(31:55):
watering or once a week rainfall is fine. And let's
see what it does next year.
Speaker 6 (32:00):
Okay, Okay, should I put it in a in.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
A No, No, I wouldn't move it at all. I
wouldn't touch it at all. Okay, So don't don't disturb it.
It's it's it's in its mode. It's it's doing its thing.
And if you move pots or transferred out of it,
I think it might just you know, kick it into
thinking that it needs to do.
Speaker 6 (32:22):
So these are probably I don't.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Know, two feet long, wonderful long. Okay, So it will
bloom for you this year. That's my prediction.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
Okay, Sorry, thank you.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Oh you're welcome. I send flowers when you can. I've
said photos. I'm sorry, send photos when you can. That'll
be all right, thank you, Thank you, Carol, I appreciate that.
Silly me. All right, let's go to Teresa's top five.
Welcome back up better Lawns and Gardens, and now Teresa's
(32:54):
top five and my top five weird Florida plants for Halloween.
Number five is bleeding hearts Clarodendron, and this belongs to
the clearodendron. Bleeding hearts belongs to the mint family, and
then sometimes the USDA says it belongs to the Verbina families,
so they need to make up their mind. It's a
(33:14):
vine that can grow in central or South Florida in
full sun departial shade. Let me know if you're growing
it in North Florida. Blooms off and on all years,
and it has red heart shaped flowers. Number four Witch's hair.
You will see this commonly in the forest. As you're
driving by. You'll see something that looks like orange spaghetti.
(33:34):
It's called Witch's hair or daughter. And it is a
parasitic plant and it grows on top of the plants
and it's in the morning glory family. Number three is
the black bat plant. I love this planet. It's great
for Gothic gardens. Species a flowering plant in the yam
family is a national flower of Thailand. Smells like a
(33:56):
rotten corpse and it's self pollinating to be planted in
full shade or as an indoor plant. Number two the
snapdragon skulls the seeds of the annual snapdragon after the
flowers die. They have a shape that resembles a human skull,
and ancient cultures held that snapdragons had possessed supernatural powers,
(34:19):
and they're thought to fight off protection or to protect
from death curses and witchcraft that they're planted in your garden.
And the number one my weird Florida plants for Halloween.
Ghost pipes. This is a ghost plant or death plant.
Indian pipes is another common name. It's a special herbaceous
perennial wildflower that grows naturally in Florida in mixed temperate
(34:42):
hardwood forest and scrubs, particularly where the ground is moist.
And I will post that it blooms in November, and
so I'm going to post this on the Facebook page
our facebook page Better Lands of Gardens. But the ghost
pipes whitish color is due to it being non photosynthetic
(35:03):
and it does not contain chlorophyll, So those are my
weird Top five plants from Florida for Halloween. Very weird,
definitely very weird, very weird. We have just a couple
of minutes here one triple eight four five five, two
nine sixty seven, or you can text two three six
eight zero. What kind of vegetables can you be planting
(35:23):
right now? Beats, broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage, carrots and cauliflower, celery,
all the great stew vegetables which is great, collars and
col robbie, lettuce and mustard, onions and peas and potatoes,
ridicio and radishes, rhubarb and roquette, rudabaga which I love,
(35:44):
spinach and strawberries, Swiss shard and turnips and Quality Green
Specialists has all of these vegetables that you can go
and they have strawberries for you to go ahead and
put in the ground or your strawberry jar and you
will have strawberries this winter. So those are wonderful herbs.
It's great time to be planting herbs, Annis and basil,
(36:06):
bay laurel and borige, cardimoen and ervelle, chives and coriander,
dil and fennel for the butterflies. Even if you don't
eat it, and yes, Joanne, garlic from the refrigerator. Put
it in the refrigerator and in ten to twelve weeks
you can plant it lavender and lemon, balm luvage and mint,
nasturtiums and oregano, rosemary, sage, sweet marjoram, tarragon, love, brene, sauce,
(36:32):
thyme and watercrest. And if you have an herb garden,
please go out and harvest it. I was at a
house yesterday and they had beautiful, beautiful basil, beautiful, no
insect tissues. It was gorgeous and they didn't cut it.
So we had whole bags of basil that she's gonna
(36:53):
make pesta out of. And then the arugula. The arugula
was very spicy, very peppery, and she's got she's got
enough to make a family of for dinner with a rougula.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Oh sweet.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
So you got to use your herbs, yes, And if
you can't eat it all, like your basil, go ahead
and dry it. And you can also blend it and
then put it in little ice cube trays and then
that way.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Some broth or something some broth.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Yes, and then freeze it. And then when you need
to add it to your potatoes or to your you know,
your brushetta. You can just thaw it and use it
right on, you know, use it whenever you need it. Yes, definitely.
So that is great, So use up your herbs. We're
going to be back with more of your phone calls.
This is a hard break right now, but we'll be
(37:40):
back for the second hour of Better Lawns and Gardens.
If you would like to call one triple eight four
five five, two nine sixty seven or text two three
six eight zero, and you can then go to our
Facebook page. Please do and like us. We're getting more
and more likes. I love that more and more people listening.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
I mean they're sharing.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
That's sharing it. If you've got somebody who's new to Florida,
let them know about Better Lawns and Gardens. And if
you don't want to wake up at seven o'clock in
the morning to catch us while you're drinking your morning beverage,
you can listen to us twenty four seven on any
podcast especially iHeartRadio, the number one network for podcasts, and
(38:26):
it's go.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
To Beetter Lawns dot com and you can catch all
of the old podcasts there and to quickly.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
Answer Jerry's question, I was going to ask you go ahead.
It is the palma.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
It's a plum ginger, high biscuits, high biscus, and pomegran at.
High biscus is what the Panera bread uses in their
high biscus teas.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
That's wonderful. I love that is that is so great.
It's Saturday morning. You're listening to Better Lawns and Gardens.
I'm Teresa Watkins and this is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network.
Speaker 6 (39:15):
Tott
Speaker 1 (39:20):
Distinct att
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