Discover the Fun of Gardening The Kerby's E-Newsletter January 25, 2018 | ||||||
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Featured Plant | Garden Tip | Just In | ||||||
I was a little lonely this week because my girls traveled to Minnesota to visit their great-grandmother. She lives in the town of Warren that is maybe 50 miles south of the Canadian border. At some point over the winter, it has been colder in Warren than at the North Pole. So of course the girls were wildly excited about seeing snow, Abby even made a checklist of all of the things they planned to do while they were there. We kept trying to explain to them how cold it might really be. About a week before they left, the temperatures during the day in Warren were below zero, and so we tried to tell them that they wouldn't be able to just run outside in shorts and flip-flops like they do here at home. Fortunately, a little warm front went through (on Thursday the 18th, our coldest day here, Warren was only three degrees colder than Seffner!) and they were able to play in the snow, make an attempt at skiing and enjoy being there without sub-zero temperatures. They had a great time, but I think they were glad to be home where a snowsuit isn't required to go outside. One thing they did every chance they got (besides eat snow) was climb up the various piles of snow left behind by the plows. So, for those of you that need a little motivation at work, school or just personally, check out this video: It's my daughter Maddy making it up a little snow mountain. Make sure you have your audio on to hear her cheering herself on. I think we all could use that level of self-motivation! So cheer yourself on, climb your mountain and have a great week. |
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Lemon-Lime Nandina Nandina domestica After a cold winter like the one we are having now, our goal is to find the coolest, hardiest plants to make your gardens thrive no matter what Florida's weather throws at us. This week a plant from the Southern Living Plant Collection called Lemon-Lime Nandina arrived. Nandinas (sometimes called heavenly bamboo) are hardy little shrubs, and this variety boasts lemon-lime foliage, which will brighten any sunny landscape. It grows around three to four feet tall and adds no-hassle color wherever you plant it. |
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What to do in the Garden One of the most common questions we get in January is 'What can I do in my garden? - I can't wait to get outside, but I don't know what to do!' Of course there are a few things you shouldn't do right now, with the most important being not to prune cold-damaged plants. Although they may look 'dead' to you, many are still alive and will recover in the spring, just have a little patience. And even though you have to look at your freeze-damaged plants, there is still plenty that can be done in the yard. It is a great time of year for planting hardy shrubs such as roses, azaleas and camellias. And it is the best time of the year for planting most shade trees, crape myrtles and deciduous fruit trees (peaches and apples). If you feel like you need to prune something, then many shrubs can be pruned including roses, crape myrtles and cold-hardy hedge plants (don't prune spring-blooming shrubs or you'll cut off the blooms!) Don't forget to clean out your veggie gardens of old plants and start turning in any new soil so that you will be ready to plant veggies at the end of February. Even though you have to wait a few more weeks to get everything back in shape after the winter, there are still plenty of reasons to get outside and enjoy the January weather. | ||||||
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Kerby's Nursery 2311 S. Parsons Ave. Seffner, FL 33584 (813) 685-3265 www.kerbysnursery.com |
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