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The Kerby's Nursery E-Newsletter
January 27, 2022
Cold is Coming
by Joey Bokor
by Joey Bokor
The forecast this coming weekend reminds me of the winter of 1989. I remember my parents had planned a fancy family Christmas dinner for adults only. I can't remember if we kids helped serve dinner or if we were instructed to make ourselves scarce
. . . probably the latter. What I do remember is that we had these white walls outside our front porch with large outdoor lights on the corners. My mom had tied big red Christmas bows on them and as we welcomed my aunts and uncles to our house, those red bows were ever-so-lightly dotted with flecks of ice. I hesitate to call it snow now, but as kids, that's what we thought it was. Yup, we thought it was snowing in Florida, so we made fools of ourselves running around trying to catch a snowflake on our tongues.
As fun as those memories are, I don't really want a repeat of that winter, and after frost everywhere Monday morning this past week and the cold rain Tuesday and Wednesday, I'm all ready for winter to pack up and bring us back to the tropical paradise our area typically is. Unfortunately, this weekend's forecast isn't cooperating. In case you haven't checked the forecast, it is going to be cold. Like super cold. Maybe not quite record-breaking 1989 cold, but the coldest since 2018 and maybe since 2011. To my daughters' chagrin, there is no snow in the forecast, but it will be way colder than your plants are used to. Time to make a plan for protecting them from frost and freeze. See the article below for our winter protection tips.
If you have houseplants outside on a porch or balcony, they'll need to be brought inside as well and you might enjoy today's Kerby's Houseplant Shop newsletter with some tips for keeping houseplants happy through the winter.
But that's enough talk about cold. I want to talk about the perfect time of year, when it is warm and comfortable and getting outside in the garden is the only thing you want to do. Yup, here at Kerby's we are ready for Spring. There is lots of fun planned this season and we'll kick it off with our very first make-and-take workshop on February 12th at 10am. Come learn all about making fresh flower arrangements and then try your hand at making something beautiful for your sweetheart. You'll leave with a beautiful arrangement that you made yourself. Tickets can be purchased here and it is limited to the first 20 registrants.
We'll follow that up on February 19th with our Spring Veggie Gardening seminar and then on the 26th we'll have our New to Florida Gardening seminar. And then, mark your calendars for a day of gardening fun. On March 5th, we're having our Spring Fling celebration. Not only is it our 42nd birthday, but at 9am, we'll have an official ribbon cutting and grand opening of the new Farmhouse. After that we'll have workshops on the hour throughout the day, hourly gift card giveaways, and a food truck serving up tasty treats for lunch. Spring in Florida is something worth celebrating, so come join us to make it your best year in the garden.
As fun as those memories are, I don't really want a repeat of that winter, and after frost everywhere Monday morning this past week and the cold rain Tuesday and Wednesday, I'm all ready for winter to pack up and bring us back to the tropical paradise our area typically is. Unfortunately, this weekend's forecast isn't cooperating. In case you haven't checked the forecast, it is going to be cold. Like super cold. Maybe not quite record-breaking 1989 cold, but the coldest since 2018 and maybe since 2011. To my daughters' chagrin, there is no snow in the forecast, but it will be way colder than your plants are used to. Time to make a plan for protecting them from frost and freeze. See the article below for our winter protection tips.
If you have houseplants outside on a porch or balcony, they'll need to be brought inside as well and you might enjoy today's Kerby's Houseplant Shop newsletter with some tips for keeping houseplants happy through the winter.
But that's enough talk about cold. I want to talk about the perfect time of year, when it is warm and comfortable and getting outside in the garden is the only thing you want to do. Yup, here at Kerby's we are ready for Spring. There is lots of fun planned this season and we'll kick it off with our very first make-and-take workshop on February 12th at 10am. Come learn all about making fresh flower arrangements and then try your hand at making something beautiful for your sweetheart. You'll leave with a beautiful arrangement that you made yourself. Tickets can be purchased here and it is limited to the first 20 registrants.
We'll follow that up on February 19th with our Spring Veggie Gardening seminar and then on the 26th we'll have our New to Florida Gardening seminar. And then, mark your calendars for a day of gardening fun. On March 5th, we're having our Spring Fling celebration. Not only is it our 42nd birthday, but at 9am, we'll have an official ribbon cutting and grand opening of the new Farmhouse. After that we'll have workshops on the hour throughout the day, hourly gift card giveaways, and a food truck serving up tasty treats for lunch. Spring in Florida is something worth celebrating, so come join us to make it your best year in the garden.
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Happy Gardening, The Kerby's Nursery Family 
p.s. We are actively hiring for our spring season. Plant knowledge is a bonus, but not required. What is important
is that you love talking to people and want to help spread Kerby's values of success, beauty, honesty, happiness, and fun.
Click here to learn more.
p.p.s. Due to the cold temps this weekend, we will close at 4pm on Saturday. We'll have normal hours on Sunday, but will not open until 10am on Monday morning. We need to keep the plants warm and snug in their greenhouses. 
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Protection - When frost or freeze approaches, the best thing you can do is be prepared to cover your plants. Make sure that you have frost blankets and anchoring pins on hand so that you don't have to make a last minute trip to Kerby's for supplies and have a plan for covering up your most sensitive plants. Make sure that you cover plants all the way to the ground, resting the blanket lightly on the plant and then anchoring the blanket to the ground with the anchor pins. Not attaching the blanket allows cold winds to creep under easily and either blow the blanket off, or push out the warm trapped air that is protecting the plant. *** Never use plastic sheets to protect plants. This will often cause more damamge to plants than being uncovered.
Water Well - The day before cold comes in, make sure you give your plants a good soaking. A lack of water when cold, dry winds are blowing can cause double the damage to your plants. Water plants at the roots only. Water on the leaves doesn't help and can cause more damage for landscape plants.
Double Protection - If you've got tropical fruit trees in your yard, they can be some of the most sensitive plants. If needed for larger trees you can attach frost blankets together with binder clips and if it is going to be super cold in your area, you can add a second blanket layer for increased insulation.
Bring the Heat - If you need added warmth to protect your most sensitive plants, add a string or two of incandescent Christmas lights. These little lights give off some heat and help keep the temperature up a few degrees. (Note: Use caution when mixing lights and blankets as it could cause a fire hazard.)
Well, now you know what we'll be doing on Friday and Saturday at our house. Mangos, lychees, and macadamias to protect will keep us busy, but with the right materials on hand, we're prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws our way. And now, you are too.
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New Arrivals |
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Persimmon Trees Fuyu, Hachiya, and Saijo in stock |
Frost Blankets Protect Your Favorite Plants |
Eastern Redbud Trees They Love the Cold |
The Kerby's Houseplant Shop
