Onset of cooler weather brings chance for changes

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 5, 2001

Hope you are enjoying these first hints of fall weather. The cooler temperatures are especially welcome in the garden. The flower seeds I have scattered in my backyard planting areas have begun to germinate, and the few rain showers we had eliminate much of the need for supplemental water. I continue to buy a few 4-inch pots of annuals or perennials while shopping. After a major "clean out" in my yard, there are many bare spots to tuck in a bit of color. I look forward to when they all fill in. Once a week I apply a diluted (about half-strength) water-soluble fertilizer. This has gotten the flowers off to a robust start.

I have been concentrating on adding color to the garden but also have planned the addition of some hardscape. The heavy rains made it obvious where a new pathway is needed. The side yard that is covered in mulch will be easier to maneuver with a path of stepping stones installed. The mulch washes away during heavy rains and leaves a walkway of mud. This is the area where my peach trees, blueberries and blackberries grow. Each time I go to the garden center, I buy a few large stepping stones and soon will have a walkway from the gate to the edge of the lawn. The stones are surrounded by mulch. This arrangement also will help keep the dogs' paws from getting muddy. I am looking for hose guides to keep the hose off of the planted areas. The hose is always crushing the flowers on the east side of the garage. I haven't found any guides that I like yet, as I want something fairly unobtrusive. I may end up fabricating something from bamboo stakes I have left over from another project.

If you're ready to purchase new plant materials, want to learn more about gardening or just enjoy an afternoon at a botanical garden, plan to attend the University of South Florida Botanical Garden Fall Plant Festival on Oct. 13 and 14. Members' express entry opens at 9:30 a.m. The general public can enter at 10 a.m. Members and children younger than 12 are admitted free; everyone else pays $2. The botanical garden's plant shop will be opened and joined by more than 60 vendors selling a huge variety of plant materials as well as food and drinks.

I always find plants that I didn't know I needed until I saw them at the festival. It's a great chance to come home with something different. You're buying the plants from specialty growers, so expert advice on care and culture comes with each purchase.

Another plant event is the annual plant auction, which is at 6:15 p.m. Oct. 19. Sponsored by the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association, it is held at the Florida State Fairgrounds in the Charlie Lykes Arena. There will be more than 300 lots of shrubs, trees, ground covers, houseplants, annuals, perennials, and hanging baskets offered. Potting soil, fertilizer, pruning and irrigation equipment, pesticides and sprayers, books and more are also available. Proceeds from the sale go to youth horticulture activities and a scholarship fund.

If you haven't already done so this season, now is the time to clean, repair or replace your tools. After working in the garden for many years, there are a limited number of hand tools that I wouldn't want to be without. The tool I carry around the yard almost all the time is a good, sharp pair of hand pruners. There always seems to be a wilted flower, erratic branch or broken stem that needs to be cut away. If you think you have used your pruners on a diseased plant, wipe the blades with rubbing alcohol. It pays to purchase a quality pair. With proper care, hand pruners will last many, many years. I know I have had mine at least 15 years.

A small, folding 7-inch hand saw is also a necessity in my tool box. It works well pruning my peach trees, crape myrtle, and the smaller branches of oak and maple trees. The wooden handle needs a little care to remain in good shape.

The one-point hand hoe is a multiuse tool. The hoe is used to clear weeds while the point draws channels for seeding and transplanting.

Trowels come in different sizes, shapes and materials, but once again one of good quality will last for years. I use mine quite often. With the sandy soil, it is usually easier to dig a small hole with the trowel than to go get the shovel. I have an inexpensive molded plastic trowel, but really prefer my trowel with the hardened steel head and wood handle. It just seems to slip through the soil more easily. I bought this one when I bought my hand pruners and see no need for replacing it for years.

If you have a few favorite tools, clean them and prepare them for the fall planting season. They will serve you for many years if cared for properly.

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