Now is the Time,
Kerby's is the Place

February 11, 2016   

We still use my grandfather's bowl to bake our bread.

I couldn't say for sure the first time I helped bake a loaf of bread, but the first time I remember was with my grandfather. After an early morning fishing on the Rainbow River, we'd head back to the house to bake some fresh bread for dinner. He had a worktable set up in the garage for kneading, and we always used the same ceramic bowl for letting the dough rest and rise. I enjoyed being a "helper" and getting my hands on the dough (even though at the time, I thought the kneading was an awful lot of work!). What great memories to have of baking bread together. But even better than memories, I still have the old bread bowl. We always use it when we are baking.

Hot, homemade bread on a cold day? Mmmmmmmm!

Over the years, Kim and I have dabbled in baking our own bread, but recently we've made it part of our routine. That fresh bread coming out of the oven is sooooo good. I usually can't wait for it to cool before cutting the first little bit of hot, crunchy crust off. As we were baking the other day, I couldn't help but think about how much baking is like gardening. There is no instant gratifiation. To bake our bread, we start the night before with a bread starter that rises all night. Then the next day, we get the dough mixed, let it rise, knead, let it rise, and repeat until finally the fully risen loaves head to the oven. Gardening is so similar. There is a lot of patience involved. You wait 12 months for an orchid to rebloom, 2 to 3 years for fruit on a mango tree, or 2 to 3 months for a harvest from veggie plants. Of course you can run to the supermarket and buy anything you want. Bread, tomatoes, mangos, no waiting, just a short drive down the street required. But there is something about being involved in the process that really touches us, connects us to what we eat and where it comes from. So whether it is a loaf of bread, or this season's veggie garden, the satisfaction of creating something with your hands is hard to put a price on. And it teaches us patience as we wait for our bread to rise, our veggies to ripen and our trees to mature, in their own time, not ours. So get in there this season and grow something. You'll be glad you did.

Happy Gardening, The Kerby's Nursery Family	Forward to a Friend Follow us on Facebook

In This Issue

Featured Plant

Spring Bulbs

Early Bird Special

All Fruit Trees
20% Off  

Time to Plant
Spring Bulbs

Spring Vegetables
are In
4 Packs - 4 for $10

Fortuniana Grafted Roses 10" Pot - $29.99

Featured Plant
Fortuniana-Grafted Roses
Rosa x

Roses love this cold weather. They are growing and blooming like crazy right now. Perfect for a valentine's gift for your sweetie! All of Kerby's roses are grafted on fortuniana rootstock for a strong bush in our Florida climate, and poor soil conditions.

Spring Bulbs

Bulbs are a wonderful treat. The foliage fades in winter, leaving you wondering where it's gone. And then slowly but surely as warm days arrive, small green leaves begin to emerge from the soil. Often, the bulbs are a memory of last year's garden, planted in now forgotten locations. But the bright and beautiful flowers are a welcome surprise and a reminder of the wonders of nature.

Bulbs are easy to grow, and in our area, we can grow quite a few beautiful ones. They are best grown in rich, well-drained soil. To create a bulb planting area, turn 3 to 4 inches of good planting soil into the entire area and then plant bulbs in the new soil mix, placing a tablespoon or so of Bone Meal an inch below the bulb. Or get creative and mix bulbs into existing landscape areas for a surprise each season. Avoid wet areas, as this can cause the bulbs to rot. Below are some of our favorite bulbs for spring.

Amaryllis - A classic flower with enormous blossoms in red, pink or white. Plant bulbs so that the neck is at the soil line. Amaryllis also make a great flower for a pot. Plant and grow outside, and bring indoors when they are in bloom.
 

Blood Lily - Like a burst of fireworks, these cool flowers add a great, colorful surprise to your summertime garden. It's like an early Fourth of July! Plant bulbs 1" deep with crest of bulb above the soil and watch them grow. 

Gloriosa Lily - A tropical, vining lily, the gloriosa will ramble delightfully on a trellis or can climb mysteriously up another shrub. The vibrant, unique flowers bloom in late spring after growing four to six feet. Plant the tubers horizontally, 2 - 3" below ground.

Canna Lily - Canna lilies are lovely with bright, bold flowers that stand tall above the lush foliage. They grow well in sun to part shade and are tolerant of moist soils.

Caladiums - Colorful foliage for shady areas of the garden. Caladiums come in a variety of colors from white to pink to red, with lots of combinations and patterns. Plant now for great color this spring and through the summer.

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