November 14, 2019
Soil Sledding
by Kimberly Bokor
Listen by Kimberly Bokor
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| Soil Sledding |
When the girls saw the pictures of Minnesota blanketed in white and realized they wouldn't get to take advantage of it, they found the next best thing . . . the pile of potting soil at the nursery and some old plastic plant trays. They wasted no time hauling their Florida sleds up the mountain of soil and situating themselves onto their makeshift toboggans. Before I knew what was happening, they were squealing with delight as they soared down the dirtiest 'snowdrift' you can imagine. When they reached the bottom, they both looked at me nervously expecting to be reprimanded, but all I could do was laugh and get out my camera. For the next half hour, they raced up and down the dirt pile as fast as they could, happy as can be to have found an alternative to snow in Minnesota. Sure, it takes a lot longer to wash soil stains out of clothes than snow, but the joy on their faces was worth it.
They did a great job of remembering that sometimes you have to work with what you've got, even if it's not ideal. As Floridians, we rarely get to enjoy the picturesque scenes of fall and winter that we see up north, but what we do get is actually pretty amazing. Our fall colors come from a wide array of plants like ixora, allamanda, hibiscus and cassia. Our afternoons are ideal for spending time outside in the garden, no additional bundling up required. And it is the perfect time of year to plant roses and shade trees. While most of the country is hunkering down and trying to stay warm inside, Floridians are excited to get outdoors. If you need any help discovering the beauty of gardening in Florida at this time of year, you know where to find us.
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Happy
Gardening, The Kerby's Nursery Family 
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The Weekly Special
Cactus make sharp gifts. However you choose to mix them and match them, they are easy to grow indoors in bright light or outside on a porch or patio.
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Garden Tip
The Chocolate tree sounds delicious! Interestingly, there's a little more to it.
The Cacao tree is a small evergreen tree that lives in tropical regions near the equator.
Its seeds, called cocoa beans, are used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate.The Cacao tree's botanical name is Theobroma cacao, which means food of the gods in Greek. Cacao trees require special care as they need protection from sun and wind, which is why they thrive under the protection of vegetation in the warm rainforests. Since we don't live in that tropical climate, it may still be grown under similar warm and humid conditions in our temperate zone. Find a shady spot and be prepared to protect when temperatures are under 40 degrees.
Did You Know: The fruit of the Cacao tree grows directly from the trunk. They look like small melons, and the pulp inside contains 20 to 50 seeds or beans. It takes 5 years for a cocoa tree to produce its first seed pods. It takes about 400 beans to make a pound of chocolate.
Are you ready to grow your own 'food of the gods'? Well, you are in luck! Kerby's Nursery currently has the Chocolate trees available for you to grow and enjoy. Please stop by to discover more about the Chocolate tree and other tropical delights for your backyard orchard.
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New Arrivals
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Cacao or Chocolate Trees The Source of Chocolate 10" Pot - $49.99 |
Panda Plant A Unique Succulent 6" Pot - $10.99 |
Fresh Sage Perfect for Holiday Cooking 4" Pot - $4.99 |
