The Kerby's E-Newsletter
February 15, 2018
 |
| A big project is underway here. |
What do you think of our weather lately? Record cold in January to near-record highs in February makes for quite the roller coaster, doesn't it. We usually have at least one more cold snap before winter is officially over, but right now the forecast through February looks like it will continue to be above average.
So the other day, we took advantage of the warm afternoon and went outside to play in the yard with the girls. Somehow Abby got it into her head that she needed to dig the grand canyon. (She told us it was going to be a long-term project.) So she started digging away and to our surprise managed to dig a whole deeper than the length of her shovel. She used her sister to track the depth of the hole by lowering her into it and seeing how much further into the hole she was each time. They had fun, although it is going to turn mowing the backyard into a bit of an obstacle course.
Later in the week, they were telling great-grandma about their outdoor adventure and great-grandmas response was to tell them that her daddy used to tell her and her siblings to 'Dig a hole and fill it in, then dig another hole and fill it in.' I don't think Abby quite grasped that this was a way to keep kids busy with a never-ending task. She just thought it was pretty cool that her great-grandma used to dig holes in the yard too.
Now what we've got to do is direct this hole-digging energy into something productive. Like digging holes for some beautiful new plants. Tons of spring color has arrived at the nursery and I think I want one of each to plant in my yard! Not only are there tons of new beautiful flowers, but the seasons first veggie plants have arrived, along with caladium bulbs. I think it's just about time to wake our gardens from their winter slumber and make them gorgeous again.
|
Happy Gardening, The Kerby's Nursery Family 
 |
 |
| Bright Spring Color |
Purple Bouquet Dianthus
Dianthus x
The flowers of dianthus scream spring. They are bright, beautiful and bloom a ton. The purple bouquet variety has lovely purple flowers, the first love variety has flowers that range in color from white to pink and rockin' red will add a bold dark red to your spring flower garden. The great thing about dianthus is they are super cold hardy, no need to protect from frost and if you get them in the right spot with soil that drains well, they will often last right through the summer season. And even if they only last for part of the year, their bright color is always long-remembered.
 |
| Is it an annual or a perennial? |
Annual vs. Perennial
'Is this plant an annual or a perennial?' is a common question that we get from customers. And you'd think that the answer would be simple. Biologically, a plant is an annual if it grows, flowers and sets seed in one season (annually) and it's a perennial if that cycle occurs more than once over multiple years. I remember the difference between the two by saying 'Per-ennials are Per-sistent'. That helps me remember that perennials live year after year, whereas annuals only have one season.
But things are never that easy are they. Plants that are perennials up north don't always survive our hot summers. And plants that are known to be annuals seem to survive year after year when the winter is mild. So the answer as to whether a particular plant is an annual or a perennial ends up being based on whether or not it can stand up to our occasional freezes, as well as the heat and humidity of summertime. Not an easy task for a plant! So even though some plants are technically perennials (like geraniums) we usually call them annuals here because they don't stand up to our summer heat. And many annuals for our friends up north are perennials here. It's confusing, but then gardening in Florida is always a bit of a challenge!
|
Just In |
||
Caladium Bulbs are In Lovely, bright foliage 99 cents per bulb |
Veggies are Here!
Get your spring veggie garden started.
|
GMO-Free Seeds
Lots of organic and heirloom varieties |