Yearly Archives: 2022

Grow a Little Olive Tree

One tree I meant to mention but forgot about in my previous post trying to convince everyone to consider alternative, non-pine Christmas trees is the humble olive. The one I bought three or four years ago is still going strong despite my shockingly poor husbandry. (Among other sins, I let two codominant trunks persist the…

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Caring for Landscape Plants After a Freeze

Selecting the right plant for the right place is important for many reasons, including maintaining healthy plants through a cold spell. Resident of Lake County, Florida live in plant hardiness zones 9A and 9B. Plants adapted to 9A can service temperatures as low as 20-25 degrees for short periods while those in 9B can tolerate…

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Start Healthy Holiday Traditions

Families and friends cherish holiday traditions because they have a way of bringing us closer. They often reflect our values and beliefs and provide a time to relate and communicate with one another. This quality time helps solidify relationships while enjoying and celebrating the holiday season. This year kick your traditions up a notch by…

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Cold Protection for Citrus and Winter Vegetables

Northwest Florida, in the next few days, is set to receive some of the coldest weather in recent years, with lows ranging from 18 ºF to 28 ºF three to four nights in a row. This has the potential to impact our home garden citrus and winter vegetables such as radish, cabbage, kale and parsley.…

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Cold Protection – Frequently Asked Questions

Common misconceptions about weather in central Florida Many residents new to central Florida think they live in the tropics.  This is not always the case, as most of central Florida, including Lake County, is in a subtropical environment.  Each year occasional freezing weather is likely to occur. Susceptible plants to freezing temperatures Tropical plants, warm…

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Pass the Torch – Plant Torchwood

Torchwood is a very unique and under-utilized native tree that occurs mostly in South Florida and the Florida Keys. It also occurs in Mexico and the Caribbean.  It can also grow on the East Coast of Florida to 9B, around St. Augustine. Torchwood (Amyris elemifera), is the natural host plant of the Schaus Swallowtail, which has been on…

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Florida Land Steward Update, December 16, 2022

SEASONS GREETINGS! We hope you have a very festive, peaceful, and safe Holiday season. Be sure to slow down for a little while and enjoy some quiet time out in nature. Looking forward to seeing some of you at events in 2023!     Doug and Teresa Moore at South Prong Plantation DOUG AND TERESA MOORE ARE RECIPIENTS…

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