Page 24 - Commentator_Jul/Aug2017

Summer in your PGI Garden
Nancy Palmer

Our Master Gardener Plant Clinic is on
hiatus for the summer months but
remember you can reach a Master
Gardener year round at our Plant Lifeline
on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
between 1 and 4 p.m. Our office is at the
Charlotte County Utilities Campus on
Harbor View Road. Can’t make it in? Contact us by phone at
941-764-4340.

Let me share a few tips that will be especially helpful for new Florida
gardeners:

■ Don’t waste your money trying to grow a big juicy tomato
at this time of year. Our temperatures and humidity are
too high for the plants to set fruit. I know they sell the
seedlings at all the big box stores but resist the
temptation. The only tomatoes you can eke out of your
garden at this time of year are the cherry tomatoes, and if
you can get some “Everglades“ (also a cherry type)
tomatoes, give them a try.

■ Herbs except for rosemary also struggle at this time of
year. I have found moving my basil, mint, parsley,
oregano, and thyme into a shadier spot is a relief to them
and makes them still available to me. I can’t live without
my basil so I do occasionally bring in a new plant
throughout the year. Try using these flavor enhancers in
new ways this summer perhaps sparingly adding them to
your favorite summer coolers or cocktails. As you enjoy
the cool indoors, look for culinary inspiration on your
favorite Internet sites.

■ Try some summer ornamentals to perk up your
landscape. Caladiums love our hot and humid summers.
Try a big beautiful pot of them as an accent near your
front entrance. By the time they tire out and die back in
the fall, you will be ready to try something new in that pot.
There are also some new vinca varieties out there that
are disease resistant and will make a big splash in a
sunny location with their brilliant colors. New varieties of
coleus, torenia, angelonia, and ornamental peppers are
also fun to try and they are likely to surprise you with their
willingness to brighten your summer containers.

■ Don’t be afraid to try orchids. They also love the heat and
humidity. Buy them while they are in bloom and enjoy
them indoors or on your lanai. After the flower display is
over, hang them outside in a shady spot, and if you are
lucky they will rebloom for you at this time next year.

■ Summer is a perfect time to add new trees and palms to
your landscape because the rains are so helpful with
establishing new plantings. Remember not to plant them
under power lines. Also be sure your new addition will not
grow too big for your space. Advanced research is a must
and will end up saving you money.

Stay cool, stay dry, and push the envelope this year in your garden. If
you are stumped, visit us at the above-mentioned Plant Lifeline and
let us help solve your horticultural and pest problems.

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