Gardening
Life Lived Outside
The Kerby's Nursery E-Newsletter
July 2, 2020
Click here if you are having trouble viewing.
A Fungus Among Us  |   Weekly Special  |   Dwell at Kerby's  |   New Arrivals
Mornings in the Park
by Joey Bokor
Listen 

A habit the girls and I have recently taken up is exploring the park near our house. It really started as a way to get the girls out of the house early in the morning. Abby is very conscious of what time it is. If the clock says 7am, it is time to be out of bed, no matter what. I've tried setting the girl's clock a little behind to give myself 10 to 15 more minutes of peace in the morning, but they figured me out. In fact, I realized yesterday morning that they have actually set their clock ahead a few minutes so that they can pop down at 6:55. Since they are, of course, immediately hungry, I started suggesting a walk in the park to delay them a little bit.


It has been a peaceful way to start the mornings. There isn't usually anyone else out and we've discovered some interesting things on our walks. One day, we came across a giant solid white bunny, and on another, we found vines that were perfect for swinging on. There are a number of massive trees as well. Hard to climb, but every now and then, I'll heft them up so they can sit in the trees and enjoy the view from up high.


Yesterday morning, Maddy actually suggested walking over to the park. She said she thought she'd heard a wolf howling, and she wanted to check it out. So, we headed outside to walk and she suddenly disappeared. Abby said it was to change clothes, but when Maddy came back down she also had paper, a pencil, and a clipboard with her.


Apparently, it was a morning for poetry. She couldn't stop writing, whether walking or sitting. When she realized Abby and I were ahead of her, she'd trot up to us and then find somewhere else to continue composing. Here is what she came up with yesterday:

I found a fox. How I can't imagine
The woods is far too deep to trash in
Flowers fall in the summer
The vines are old
With tales untold
The bees rattle on your paper
The twisting trees
A log to sit on
Quite a lovely time.

I don't know where she comes up with it, but she sure has a way with words. I'm thinking that this is a habit I want to continue: poetry, coffee and a quiet morning in the park. It is definitely a great way to start a day.

With the Independence Day holiday upon us, we'll be closing at 2pm on Saturday. We'll be open normal hours Friday (9am to 5:30pm) and Sunday (11am to 4pm). And don't forget that through the summer, we are closing on Mondays. Enjoy your Fourth of July, be safe and be well.
Happy Gardening,
The Kerby's Nursery Family

Forward to a Friend

The Weekly Special
Colorblast Watermelon Punch Purslane - 2 for $10
Purslane is your best bet for a drought tolerant, heat-loving flower. And with color like the watermelon punch variety, it will add stunning beauty to your landscape. This week, they are on sale 2 for $10.
6" Pot, Regular Price $5.99
Valid Through 7/8/2020
A Fungus Among Us


The rainy season is here and that means (mostly) regular afternoon thunderstorms. All around town, you see trees, shrubs and flowers putting on fresh flushes of new growth as they soak in the welcome water. However, if you're like us, you are also starting to see mushrooms pop up throughout your yards and flower beds, which is a sure sign that there is a fungus among us. Fungus thrives in wet areas and at times of the year when the humidity is high (which is all summer in Florida). It shows up in a variety of ways, from whole limbs dying and black spots on leaves, to brown patches and mushrooms in your lawn. Fortunately there are some preventative measures that you can take to keep your plants healthy.

1) Water Smart - We always lecture folks on not watering enough, but plants can have too much of a good thing. Make sure that you turn off your sprinkler systems when we get large amounts of rain and take a break from daily hand watering. Watering an already wet flower bed is a sure way to make fungus grow. When you do water in the humid season, make sure to do so early in the morning so that the plant can take up water during the day and leave the soil relatively dry by night.

2) Keep it Clean - To avoid spreading disease, keep garden areas clean and weed free. Weeds can often be hosts for plant diseases and of course, leaving piles of rotting leaves and weeds around will definitely bring fungus to your garden. Clean all lawn tools that you use with a light bleach solution. This is especially important if you've just pruned a plant that has disease on it.

3) Plant Well - Probably one of the best things you can do to protect your plants from disease is to get them off to a good start. For most plants, use a well-drained soil, such as Kerby's Planting Soil when you plant. A good soil helps the plant get nutrients and water, but also keeps the soil from staying soggy. If the area you are planning on planting in has poor drainage, think about creating raised beds, since most plants do not want to sit with their feet wet. Check out Kerby's Planting Instructions for more information on how to make plants happy.

4) Treatment - In our humid season, no matter how clean your garden or how carefully you water, you will likely face disease issues at some point. Before a disease spreads to too many plants, treat with a good fungicide such as Copper Soap Fungicide or Liquid Systemic Fungicide (the specific fungicide that you need will depend on the disease and the type of plant.) If you have a tough plant problem, bring a picture of the plant and a leaf sample into the nursery and we can diagnose the problem for you and get you the right treatment option. There doesn't have to be a fungus among us anymore.


New Arrivals
Mysty Salvia

A compact salvia that is a butterfly favorite.
6" Pot - $7.99
Dwarf Citrus - New Shipment

Trees only grow to 6 feet tall.
5 Gallon Pot - $79.99

Lime Sizzler Firebush

Add some sizzle to your landscape.
10" Pot - $24.99
Introducing

Dwell at Kerby's - The Houseplant Shop
Shop for planty gifts for your friends, family, or for yourself at our new online house plant shop. Currently, shipping is limited to Florida, Georgia and Alabama, but soon we'll be open to the entire country. Share your love of plants with someone today.
Follow Dwell at Kerby's on: Instagram or Facebook


Kerby's Nursery

2311 S. Parsons Ave.

Seffner, FL 33584
(813) 685-3265
www.kerbysnursery.com


Summer Hours

Closed Mondays
Tuesday - Saturday
9am - 5:30pm
Sunday
11am - 4pm
Saturday, July 4th, 9am - 2pm