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Welcome back
gardeners. It is October
and that means the
resumption of our third
Tuesday, 2 p.m., Plant
Clinic. We like to think
we are special, having
this wonderful venue
here at the PGICA and a
different program each
month.

Lots of you know a thing
or two about growing
vegetables, but most
new gardeners down here discover that Southwest Florida is
surprisingly challenging. Our gardening calendar seems crazy to
newcomers, since we are just now getting started while back up
north gardeners are putting their gardens to bed. What’s a
gardener to do?

Master Gardener, Bill Lawton, will be introducing
us to the realities of “Growing Vegetables From
Seed.” This Michigan native has lived in Florida for
21 years and has spent most of his adult life
primarily growing veggies, herbs, and fruit trees.
He enrolled in the Master Gardener training
program to learn how to overcome the unique
challenges of our Florida climate, soils, pests, and
nutritional needs. Most of us grow our veggies
from seedlings, but this new Master Gardener
decided to put his newfound gardening mojo to the
test. As a result, he will share with us his foray into
growing vegetables the old-fashioned way, from
seed.

Please join us on Tuesday, October 17, here at the PGICA at 2 p.m. After our program, we will share some seasonal
gardening tips and answer your specific questions. If you have a pest or plant specimen you are curious about, please
bring it in a sealed plastic bag, and bring us some photos too so we can see the size of your problem.

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