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Letter to the editor

Select tried and true or something new for fall

Take advantage of the cooler weather to add some color to your garden or plant seasonal vegetables.

By Mary Collister Gardening
Published November 2, 2007

We're quickly entering the best time of the year to be out in your Florida garden. The humidity has dropped and the temperature is starting to fall. It's a pleasure to be outside and you can undertake almost any and all garden projects and expect success without the heat exhaustion.

Adding fall color is always a favorite and the list of flowers is almost endless. As I have suggested in the past, mix your favorite fall flowers (those with which you have repeated success) with a few experimental varieties. Your list of favorites may expand as the newbies become season must-haves.

Some of the tried and true flowers include marigolds, pansies, petunias, impatiens, rudbeckia, salvia, porter weed, mums, coneflowers, asters, calendulas, candytufts, carnations, daisies, dianthus, hollyhocks, lace flowers, lobelias, nasturtiums, snapdragons, sweet peas, Sweet William, verbenas, zinnias and a multitude of others. Take a slow walk through your local nursery and you'll see a vast variety of choices.

Don't forget a few herbs. Most don't have showy flowers, but they do offer different colors and texture of foliage and of course are edible. Try anise, basil, borage, chives, chervil, coriander, fennel, garlic, lavender, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, sesame, sweet marjoram, thyme and most other herbs.

If you want vegetables or other accompaniments with those herbs, now is the time to plant. Try beets, broccoli, cabbage, celery, Chinese cabbage, carrots, collards, cucumbers, escarole, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mustard, okra, onion sets, parsnips, peppers, pumpkins, rhubarb, romaine, rutabagas, spinach, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, Swiss chard, tomatoes and turnips. Choose a few your family will enjoy and give it a try.

For the best results make sure your soil is healthy before planting vegetables. Work in composted organic materials and add a little slow-release fertilizer a few days before planting. Moisten the soil before planting and keep it moist during the growing season, as vegetables typically need more water than most other garden plants.

If you add new plants to your garden, remember that October is the beginning of the dry season in Florida, so you will probably have to add water to keep your new charges healthy. Don't think this season is all work; take a break and enjoy the labors of other gardeners.

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I was recently reminded of the old saying, "good things come in small packages," at a visit to a townhome with a small rear garden. It can't be more than 10 feet by 12 feet, but every square inch is used to its maximum potential.

There is no grass, and hardscape (paving stones) fills about half the space. The entire garden has a wonderful canopy of oak and elm trees that are high enough to offer shade but also allow sunlight to enter the area. The area is used by humans and two small dogs, which enjoy the garden as much as the humans.

Having moved from a large home with a large garden, these residents have had to downsize. This small garden may be lacking in space, but certainly not in design. The homeowner added two crape myrtles and has let them grow to about 10 feet in height and will let them reach their potential of about 20 feet. The garden is surrounded by PVC fencing on two sides and a masonry wall along the back. These fences act as a definite boundary and with the trees overhead give it that secret garden feel.

A nice lanai, large enough for a small round table and two comfortable chairs, greets you as you leave the house. Large pots add color and texture to the area and allow a variety of plants to be grown and rotated through the area with the change of seasons.

As with most gardeners, there were apologies for the garden not looking its best. The summer heat had taken its toll and the container's fall plantings had not been added. I saw very few bare spots in the garden and enjoyed the few minutes in the area.

It was a great example and a beautiful reminder that gardens don't have to be overwhelming, large or labor intensive to provide a relaxing location for family and a few friends.

[Last modified November 1, 2007, 06:54:10]