Charlene’s

Garden

A

Children’s Guide

To

Gardening

This a story about a lifelong hobby that will take your child or grandchild on a journey that will continue for their entire life.

It’s one which they’ll be able to pass down to their future generations like I am to you.

Thank you for the opportunity to share this story with you.

Charlene’s Garden

A Children’s Guide

To Gardening

Prologue

To Gardening Enthusiasts,

The objective of this book is to introduce children of all 

ages to a “green passion.” This will provide them skills

far into the future affecting many lives beyond their time

and forever. 

The skills children acquire from gardening include: 

caring for something besides one’s own self, compassion,

self-expression, learning, love, nurturing, passion, 

patience, persistence, responsibility and self-discipline. 

The lessons children learn and retain for a lifetime 

to share with others are in: 

Art - with colors, shapes, design and drawings

Mathematics - with addition, subtraction, 

measurements and weights 

Science - with equations, formulas, measures and volumes 

This book is a children’s version of

Volumes I and II, Solving the Landscape Puzzle

without the “adult speak,” omitting the technical details

about landscape design. I also left out the information

about chemical control for insects, disease and weeds

which are grownup responsibilities anyway.   

Index

Section I

Where It Started

Chapter one - The First Garden

Section II

What You Need to be a Successful Gardener...

Chapter two - Ten Fun Facts

About Plants

Chapter three - Tools for Children who

are green thumb Gardeners

Chapter four - 5 Things You Need

to be a Successful Gardener

Chapter five - The Scoop on Poop

Chapter six - ANOTHER THRILLING CHAPTER

‘As the Worm Turns’

a guide to composting

Chapter seven - Good Bugs versus

Bad Bugs

Section III

Gardening for Birds, Bees and More...

Chapter eight - Gardening for Birds

Chapter nine - Hummingbirds Winged

Jewels

That Fly, Flitter and Float

Chapter ten - Butterflies What’s the

Attraction

Chapter eleven - How to Have a Yard 

Friendly to Wildlife

Chapter twelve - Bee Friendly Gardening

Chapter thirteen - The Nature of Bats

Chapter fourteen - Pet Friendly

Gardening 

Chapter fifthteen - Are Snakes in

Your Garden

Chapter sixteen - Spiders Arach-noying

Section IV

Plants

Chapter seventeen - African Violets - an

Enlighting Hobby

Chapter eighteen - Bulbs: Guide to

Underground 

Gardening

Chapter nineteen - Christmas Flowers:

Poinsettia and

“Holiday” Cactus

Chapter twenty – Ferns, Feathers of

Green

Chapter twenty-one - Guide to Growing

Onions! What’s 

Your Color?

Green, red, purple,

yellow or white.

Chapter twenty-two - Outside Inside the

Guide to Indoor

Gardening

Chapter twenty-three - Success with

Seeds      - Chapter twenty-four - Succulents and

Cactus Plants Fun 

to Grow with Success 

Section V 

About the Author

About the Co-Editor

About the Co-Editor/Webmaster

Section

I

Where It All Started

In the Beginning...

The First Garden

Gardening started when God created the garden of Eden for Adam and Eve. There were many famous gardeners in the bible.

The Garden of the Bible, with the greatest significance!

The Garden of Eden.

The garden of Eden - This is where creation was started by God, as told in the first book of the Bible, Genesis.  Adam was the first gardener.

Genesis 2:8-9

8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east in, Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.

9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of ground. trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.

Genesis 2:15

The Lord took the man and put him the Garden of Eden

to work it and take care of it.

There were many gardeners in the Bible. Adam was the first, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it." Genesis 2: 15. He learned a lot while he was there and used that knowledge after he was kicked out.

His son, Cain, was a vegetable gardener.

Solomon was a plant lover, but as King he had gardeners to do the work.

Isaiah knew about taking cuttings. “Therefore, though you set out the finest plants and plant imported vines, though on the day you set them out, you make them grow, and on the morning when you plant them, you bring them to bud”

Isaiah 17:10 & 11

The cool of the day" to enjoy the shade and water of the garden. They made sure the gardens were made beautiful. Paul was very knowledgeable of gardening techniques when he talks about grafting and pruning.

The Egyptians were great gardeners and made gardens for enjoyment but also as a resting place for their spirits after death. Their belief was that spirits left their tombs and came to the gardens "in while they were alive”.

The gardens in Palestine had additional requirements to our gardens of sun, water and food. They were: shade from the heat of the day and a wonderful scent which was prized at that time, considering the lack of running water, bar soap and deodorant. Gardens of the Bible were traditionally a luxury of the wealthy.

The herb gardens referred to in Deuteronomy 11, are believed to be a checkerboard pattern where many different kinds of vegetables were grown. These gardens used this design so they could be irrigated, "... watered it with your feet, like a garden of vegetables," Deut.11:10.

There were royal courtyard gardens in the story of Esther. The hanging gardens of Babylon were built, probably by captured Jews, under the direction of King Nebuchadnezzar II for his favorite wife. They were terraced roof gardens not really "hanging" but considered one of the seven wonders of the world.

Solomon was a great plant-lover. And as most plant lovers, he collected as many different specimens as he could from the known world. Although the known world at that time was smaller than it is now, his gardens were vast, containing sweet smelling shrubs of aloes, cinnamon, frankincense, myrrh, saffron and spikenard. Arbors were made, covered with grape vines, to give shade so people could sit and eat meals under them.

Section

II

What you need to be a successful gardener...

Ten Fun Facts About Plants

1. Plants communicate thru their roots by sending hormones into the soil that tells others how they are doing.

2. Plants recognize siblings.

3. Plants react to sound.

4. Plants sense gravity.

5. Plants use lures to attract insect pollinators. Some orchids produce flowers that resemble female insects and give off scent to attract their male counter parts. Another plant gives off a scent that smells like rotten meat to attract its pollinator.

6. Plants release signals when under stress. Many plants give off scents or chemicals when they are stressed or under attack, getting insects and other animals to help them. They also alert predators of their pests.

7.  Plants know what time it is by circadian rhythm. It’s nature’s cycle which tells plants when to grow, flowers to open and close and when to release fragrance day or night, to attract pollinators.

8. Plants know seasons by changes in temperature.

9. What is the only fruit that bears its fruit on the outside?

The strawberry. Even though it is a fruit, its actually related to a rose.

10.  Trees are the oldest living species on earth. This phenomenon is called “negligilbile sequence”, the longer it lives, rather than declining in productivity, the healthier it becomes. The oldest living specimen on earth is the Great Basin Bristle Cone Pine. Trees are also protected by multiple branches, so if one dies it’s replaced by another.  They also produce phenols, chemicals that act against diseases.

Tools for Children who are

“Green thumb Gardeners”

1. Garden Gloves

2. Hand trowel

3. Cultivator

4. wax pencil - Popsicle sticks (plant/row markers)

5. Small Garden hoe  

6. Small Garden spade

7. Small bow rake

8. Garden hose ½”

9. Garden basket (for carrying tools)

10. Small wheelbarrow (child size)

All the above are available on line go to

children’s garden tools

After gardening:

Return your tools and any unused materials to a safe and secure place.

If you picked vegetables make sure you wash them thoroughly and flowers for display place them in water immediately.

Thoroughly wash up with soap and warm water.

Remember

“Have a Great Day Gardening”

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5 things you need to be a

successful gardener:

Sun (photosynthesis)

Soil (well drained)

Temperature (warm)

Water (moisture)

Food (fertilizer)

1. Sun (photosynthesis)

Photosynthesis is the process which green plants take sunlight to make their own food necessary for life on earth. Without green plants there would be no animals

and therefore, no us.

CO2 and water react with sunlight to produce oxygen as a part of this process making an even greater importance to our survival.

2. Soil (well drained)

Soil provides plants with the foothold they need for

their roots to develop and grow.

It also holds the nutrients to allow plants to grow and

produce foliage, flowers and fruit.

It filters rain water.

Regular garden soil is usually too heavy to promote good growth, drainage and should be amended with a mixture

of organic material i.e., shredded pine bark, peat moss, perlite, etc.

3. Temperature (warm)

It increases photosynthesis, transpiration and respiration.

Day length (sun light) affects change from vegetative

state (leafy) to the productive state (fruiting.)

Temperature regulates growth and development

throughout the plant’s life cycle.

For many species (kinds) a prolonged cold period is necessary to promote germination (seed to start growing).

4. Water (moisture)

Plants are 80 to 95% water and need water

for multiple reasons to grow:

To maintain their upright posture, without

water plants would fall over wilt and die.

The process of photosynthesis

(making food for foliage and fruit)

Cooling

Transporting food and nutrients from the soil

into the roots thru the stems to the leaves,

Seeds need water to germinate

5. Food (fertilizer)

Fertilizers are natural or artificial substances

containing elements that improve growth

and production of green plants.

Fertilizers are substances added to the soil around

plants or sprayed on leaves of plants to keep

them well nourished. The materials that green

plants consume the largest amounts of are

carbon dioxide and water. 

Fertilizers are dived into 3 categories:

macro, secondary and micro nutrients.

The 3 macros are Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K).

Of all 12 nutrients these three are the most important for overall plant growth and health.

1. The role of Nitrogen (N)

Vegetative growth

Chlorophyll formation

Buildup of protoplasm

Improves leaf quality

2.  The role of Phosphorus (P)

Encourages root growth

Improves plant quality

Hastens maturity

Influences cell division

3.  The role of Potassium (K)

Increases plant vigor

Size of seed or grain increased

Reduces ill effects of excess nitrogen

Prevents to rapid maturation due to phosphorus

Secondary elements - Calcium, Sulfur, Magnesium

Micro elements - Iron, Copper, Molybdenum,

Boron, Silicon, Chlorine

Sources for N - P - K

N In a modern plant nitrogen (N) fertilizer is made from natural gas, essentially methane gas is upgraded by combination with nitrogen in the air to form nitrogen

fertilizer.

P Rock phosphate is the ray material mined from the ground used to manufacture phosphate fertilizer. Phosphate rock is mined from geologic deposits around the world. Its main constituent is apatite a calcium deposit phosphate mineral extracted from compressed marine deposits, with small amounts from igneous sources. Sources come from Africa, United States (Florida and North Carolina), Middle East, etc.

K Largest source of phosphorus is sediments. Typically, sedimentary rock that’s been subjected huge pressures for eons. Ocean sediments can be found in significant amounts in these formations as well. The phosphorus foundation of the western United States, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Utah carry the economic grades of phosphoric ore mined.

The Scoop on Poop

Poop the polite word for a natural body function you’ve done since you were born. It’s what becomes of food after it’s  been eaten and digested within the body. The system takes

what it needs, the vitamins and minerals and discards the

rest as a waste organic by product. To control the waste from

the day you were born until you learned to use the potty yourself 

(potty trained) you wore diapers, the disposal kind. Back a very long time ago (over 50 years) when I was a baby, diapers were made of cloth and they were washed and hung out to dry outside on a clothes line every day and reused.

Unfortunately, today used diapers go to a landfill and are buried, but its more for convenience’s sake than cost.

Where does the excess waste go? Into the toilet, to the sewage plant to be treated and then taken to the landfill. The exception is two big cities, Milwaukee and Chicago; they process their waste called sewage into fertilizer and package it. Milwaukee puts theirs

into a white bag with an orange and green label and market it as ‘Milorganite’. Chicago puts theirs into brown paper bags and sells it as ‘Sludge’, by any name it’s still poop.

Down through the ages organic waste has played a huge role in agriculture improving the yields of crops with its fertilizer value, loosening soil compaction in heavier clay soils and improving sandy soils adding to the water holding capacity with organic matter.

Manure, the polite name for this organic product was first used by Neolithic Farmers over 8000 years ago. It’s assumed that early man first noticed that grass and other plant life was greener where herds of animals congregated. We know because scientists have carbon dated soil samples from that period.

––––––––

Great civilizations after that recognized the value of waste and channeled it into holding areas where it was stored for future use in the fields.

In England before the sanitary sewer was used, waste disposal was at night when it was collected in buckets left outside the door, the waste was covered by dirt to cut down on the smell, leading to the name Night Soil.

In India the lowest members of the caste system were called the Untouchables because they handled the duties of disposing of the waste. They were only allowed to marry among each other and if you were born into a family, you remained one for the rest of your life.

In China the waste bucket was called the Honey Pot. A rich man’s waste was more valuable than a poor man’s because he had a better diet.

In Japan Post World War II, the use of human waste as fertilizer was discouraged by the Allied Occupation Forces as they thought the practice was disgusting and unhealthy. Chemical fertilizer was developed to take its place.

Compost - A mixture of decomposing organic matter such as grass clippings, leaves and other plant material and manure piled up and allowed to breakdown and compact through a natural process involving heat and soil organisms. It’s then used as a soil additive or mulch.

The benefits of composting

✓  The final by-product is less bulky than the original material because of breakdown and compaction.

✓  Unpleasant odors are eliminated.

✓  Improves soils water holding capacity.

✓  Loosens soil compaction.

✓  Eliminates weed seeds with high temperatures as it breaks down.

✓  Reduces the decline of Nitrogen availability when raw materials such as saw dust or grass are applied directly to the soil instead of being composted.

Types of Animal Manures

Chicken - high in N, P, K, but must be composted

Cow Dairy - best soil builder less salt and weed contamination than steer

Goat - normally clean dry pellets, should be composted if has high urine content.

Guano (bat/bird) - Harvested from cliffs and caves

Horse - ½ rich as chicken but richer than cow manure.

Pet (cat or dog) Never use!

Pig - must be composted to prevent disease.

Rabbit - can be used directly without composting.

Sheep - low in N but high in PK

Sludge (human) - Heat treated for sterilization.

Steer - must be composted to prevent weed contamination

Worm castings - from Vermiculture, makes a great soil additive.

Zoo Poo - from herbivore animals; elephants, giraffe, camel, rhino, zebra, etc.

Another thrilling episode in the garden series

“AS THE WORM TURNS”

A guide to composting

Another fun way to have an adventure in the garden is to start a worm farm. This will serve a several proposes:

1. It will provide an environment for the worms to grow and breed.

2. It will provide a space to recycle yard waste and vegetable scraps.

3. It will provide a source of compost to help enrich the soil in the garden.

4. It will provide a steady source of live fishing bait.

5. It will provide a renewable food source for the local bird population.

Compost is “organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment”

Source Wikipedia

Benefits of Using Compost

 Improves soil structure.

 Creates texture.

 Adds aeration.

 Increases water holding capacity.

 Loosens heavier soils like clay.

 Improves soil fertility.

 Stimulates healthy root development.

 Lessens need for additional soil amendments

 Provides for beneficial microorganisms.

 Recycles Kitchen and Yard Waste

Using Worms, which worm is best?

Not any worm will do Red Wigglers are preferred. They can tolerate the conditions of a compost bin. They love paper and cardboard. Keep a layer of moist cardboard or paper on top which will bring the worms to the surface to eat new additions to the pile.

Keeping your compost vegetarian will reduce flies, as they are attracted to meat and animal by-products which worms don’t like.

Three Ingredients for Successful Composting

Food, Air and Water

Recipe for Successful Composting

1 part green to 3 parts brown ratio is ideal.

(Over abundance of green encourages odor)

Green (Nitrogen)      Brown (Carbon)

Fresh Greens (Grass Clippings)       Brown Leaves

Manure Dried Grass/Hay  Paper/Cardboard

Fruits and Vegetable Scraps  Saw dust

Shredding materials is advised as it increases surface to allow even distribution of air and moisture contributing to faster breakdown.

Weeds? Temperature in Compost Process will kill weed seeds.

Compost bins can be as simple as an old garbage can, be sure to punch holes in the bottom for better drainage. More sophisticated ones are available.

Keeping your compost space smaller and using two bins will accomplish your goals faster. 

Good Bugs versus Bad Bugs

Good Bugs are based on 3 categories:

1. Pollinators - bees, butterflies, moths and flies.

2. Predators - Eliminate pests by eating them; Lady bugs, etc.

3. Parasitic - Lay their eggs on them and when they hatch, they 

feed on their host; Parasitic wasps.

Bees

Butterflies

Moths

Flies

Dragon Fly

Green lacewing (larvae)

Lady Bug

Praying Mantis

Robber Fly

Hover Fly - yellow jacket w/o stinger

Parasitic Wasp

Trichogrammawa Wasp

Tachnid Wasp

Solider Beetle

Ground Beetle

In her book Green Thoughts, Eleanor Perenyi writes,

“Every insect has a mortal enemy; cultivate

that enemy and they’ll do the work for you”.

Bad bugs hurt plant by affecting their leaves, flowers, fruit, stems and roots by:

1. Piercing

2. Chewing

3. Sucking

4. Transmitting disease from the above functions

Aphids

Mealy Bugs

Thrips

Japanese Beetles

Flea Beetles

Tomato Hornworms

Azalea Caterpillars

Colorado Potato Beetles

Cabbage Maggots

Mexican Bean Beetles

Tarnished Plant Bugs

Scales

Leaf Hoppers

Psyllids

Whiteflies

Cicadas

Ants

Stink Bugs

Plant it and they’ll come flying,

crawling, walking, jumping or

burrowing to the buffet you’ve

created in your garden!

Section

III

Gardening for

the Birds, Bees

and more ...

Gardening for Birds

What’s the attraction! Color, Motion, Sound

3 things needed 

a. Food and Water 

b. Plants for Birds

c. Shelter (nesting opportunities)

Supplementing Natural Food Sources

Seasonal Feeding

Water

Bird Bath

Movement

Maintenance

Shelter

Nesting Requirements

Natural vs. Nest Box

Relevant Hole Size

Placement

Controlling Squirrels

“Exclude, Baffle, Distract”

Seed Options

Hot Peppers for taste

Planting on multiple levels

Plants for the Birds

Food

Fruit/Berries/Seeds

Holly; East Palatka, Savannah, Dahoon, Burford, Weeping and Up Right Yaupon

Walters Viburnum, Beauty Berry, Podocarpus, Figs, Loquat, Surinam Cherry, Mulberry, Pyracanthia, Cabbage Palm, Oaks spp., Galberry, Malpighia, Simpson’s Stopper, Blueberry, Winged Elm, Sun Flowers, Ardisia, Hickory, Nandina, Mahonia, Duranta

Shelter

Ligustrum, Crepe Myrtle, Citrus, Holly spp., Juniper,

Red Cedar, Arborvitae, Podocarpus,

Hummingbirds

Winged Jewels

that

Fly, Flitter and Float

1. Why are they called Hummingbirds?

(Because they don’t know the words to songs.)

The sound their wings make when they fly.

Hummingbirds beat their wings 60 to 80 times per second.

Their flexible shoulder joints allow them to rotate their

wings 180 degrees to fly backwards and hover in place.

What do cats call Hummingbirds?

(Fast food on the fly)

2. Legends and myths.

Mayan Legend    

The hummingbird was thought to be

the sun in disguise taking the form

of a hummingbird to court the moon.

Names they were given when they would appear and disappear at a moment’s notice:

Flying jewels

Purple-crowned fairy

Green-breasted mango

Glittering-throated emerald

Sapphire-vented puff-leg

Fiery topaz

Peacock coquette

Shining sunbeam

3.  Range? Do Hummingbirds live in Florida or are they just passing visitors?

Hummingbirds are only found in the Americas. From northern Canada to the tip of South America, all through north, central and south America. There are currently 350 known species with additional ones being identified each year,

4.  What do Hummingbirds eat? What sense do they lack?

Hummingbirds use their tongues to lap the nectar

from tubular flowers. The sense they lack is smell.

5.  Flower preference, type, color?

Hummingbirds prefer long slender tubular flowers

which they can insert their beaks in while hovering over

in mid-air. Red and orange colors are the preferred choice.

6.  Nesting habits and raising young?

A hummingbird’s nest is typically the size of a ½ dollar generally made from spider web silk and other natural materials. Up to two eggs are laid at a time, the size of jelly beans.

7. Hummingbird Facts.

Only bird that can fly backwards

World’s smallest migrating bird

Average weight is less than a nickel

Consumes their body weight in nectar daily

Groups are called a charm, bouquet, shimmer or glimmer

8. Looks like a hummingbird?

The hummingbird moth, which are nocturnal.

9. Attracting Hummingbirds

Plant their favorite flowers, shrubs and vines in

the garden. (see list at the end of the chapter)

Hang out hummingbird feeders.

10. Feeding Hummingbirds.

Hummingbird Feeder Chart

Cleanliness

Sugar water is a very rich growth medium. Yeasts break it down causing fermentation which can harm Hummingbirds. It encourages mold and bacteria growth also, which will also harm the birds. It is of the up most importance to keep the feeder clean and the nectar fresh.

Changing the nectar solution frequently will allow the birds to remain healthy. In the late fall, winter and early spring when temperatures are moderate (below 70 degrees), the recommendation is every seven days. When the temperatures start to climb follow the recommendations on the chart.

Temperature  Change nectar

71-75 6 days

76-80 5 days

81-84 4 days

85-88 3 days

89-92 2 days

93+ Change daily

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Flowers/shrub/vines

For Hummingbirds

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Fire Spike, Pagoda Plant, Coral Honey Suckle, Trumpet Creeper, Fire Bush, Cape Honeysuckle, Powder-puff, Pentas,

Tropical Sage, Cigar Plant, Firecracker Plant, Shrimp Plant

Butterflies, What’s the Attraction

Butterflies are an added bonus to a properly

Planned landscape; you might say they’re free.

Adding colorful flowers will supply the nectar

they need for food. However, to really encourage

them to hang around be sure to add some host

plants to your plant inventory. The host plants

provide foliage for their caterpillars to forage on. 

During the late spring and early summer just

after the rainy season starts that’s when the season’s

first butterflies begin to appear. The miracle that

takes place every year is that enough chrysalis

over winter to provide a new crop of butterflies

for the next season.

Host plants are specific to each species of

butterflies. These are plants upon which the

butterflies lay their eggs. When the young

caterpillars hatch, they spend their days eating

and growing until they’re ready to sneak away

and start their pupae stage, called a chrysalis.

Here they transform from a caterpillar into a

beautiful butterfly. 

A butterfly’s life cycle is approximately

6 to 8 weeks from egg to full grown adult.

The process of becoming a butterfly starts

when the caterpillar locates a secure location

away from his home base. The reason for this

behavior is to get away from the plant it was born

on and not be as vulnerable as it goes through

the next stage as a chrysalis. Wasps are a major

threat to caterpillars as they’re a food source

for their young larvae.

With the Monarch this phase starts with

the colorfully striped caterpillar with black,

white and yellow rings around its body, finding

a secure place to anchor its self-upside down.

It then wriggles out of its skin and now the

caterpillar is surrounded by a new cover of green.

Over the next ten days the metamorphous

process takes place and the green sac becomes

translucent until the features of the butterfly

can be observed.

Each species of butterfly forms its own

variation of the chrysalis stage, many mimic

leaves in order to disguise themselves before

transforming into a butterfly.

On the appointed day the new butterfly

emerges and spends some time drying and

stretching its wings until it’s strong enough

to seek out the next type of plant it needs, food.

All caterpillars are voracious eaters,

they’ll literally eat themselves out of house and

home especially the Monarchs. If you have an

overabundance of caterpillars beyond their

food source it’s suggested you keep spare

milkweed plants in reserve (protected from the butterflies.)

Then you can transport the excess caterpillars to the new plants. 

Old aquariums outfitted with a screen top make

a temporary holding enclosure to house the caterpillars.

Providing the caterpillars with their host plants will

allow you to see the amazing transformation as they

transition from caterpillars to butterflies. A lot of

elementary school classrooms feature these temporary

butterfly habitats. The butterflies are then released

outside to continue their journey of life. 

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Butterflies have evolved to over winter to protect the current generation whose offspring will continue the next year’s cycle. Some butterflies like the Monarch migrate to warmer areas for the winter. There are sanctuaries in Mexico where millions of Monarchs gather together for the winter season. Others like the Zebra Long wing hibernate as adults in open holes in trees or caves. Depending on the species some over winter as eggs. Some stay as caterpillars buried in decaying leaf matter and some stay in their chrysalis stage emerging when the temperatures warm in the spring.

Particular butterflies have specific host plants but all plants with nectar service butterflies. Having a wide variety of both will attract numerous butterfly species to your garden. See the list below for some of the different plants in each category.

Plants that Attract Butterflies:

Host Plants (larval)    Food Plants  (Flowers/nectar)

Milk Weed (Monarch)    Plumbago

Blue/Purple Passion Vine (Gulf Frillitary, Zebra Long Wing) Pentas 

Dutchman’s pipe Vine (Polydamus Swallowtail)    Buddleia

Dill and Parsley (Black Swallowtail)    Clereodendron

Sienna (Cassia) (Sulfurs yellow and white)    Jatropha 

Citrus (Giant Swallowtail)    Lantana

Paw Paw (Zebra Swallowtail)    Fire Spike 

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Many other plants in your area meet the criteria above so check with your local nursery/garden center for their names and availability. 

If you’re out of milkweed, Monarch caterpillars (longer than an inch) can be temporally maintained on slices of watermelon until they enter the chrysalis stage.

Certain butterflies like the Gulf Frillitary and the Zebra Long wing use the same varieties of passion vine for their host plant. The difference is where the plant is located. The Gulf Frillitary lays its eggs on the vines in the sun while the Zebra Long wing prefers vines in the shade.

Water

Providing water should be included in your plan to attract butterflies to your landscape. Unlike birds that enjoy a bath by splashing water, butterflies don’t want their wings wet. The best way to meet their needs is to provide a source of water in a shallow saucer filled with rocks so the butterflies have a dry landing zone and still have access to the water.

One butterfly caterpillar called the orange dog, the larval

form of the giant swallowtail butterfly, is only found on citrus.

It disguises itself by resembling bird poop on the leaf.

Due to the required spraying of commercial citrus groves for other problems, the caterpillars are limited to the citrus trees in many people’s back yards.

Some butterflies have evolved to mimic the Monarch butterflies color combination like the Queen, Viceroy and Gulf Frillitary for protection.  The Monarch caterpillar’s food source is leaves of the milk weed family. The plant has a bitter alkaline milky white sap that gives the caterpillars protection from predators like hungry birds. It’s noted that a single caterpillar eaten by a bird saves countless others from the same fate.

How to Have a Yard Friendly for Wildlife

10 Tips for Landscaping for Wildlife

Things to encourage your parents to do:

1. Limit the amount of lawn

2. Increase Vertical Layering

3. Provide Snags and Brush Piles

4. Provide Water

5. Plant native vegetation

6. Provide Bird/Bat Houses and Bird Feeders

7. Remove invasive exotic plants

8. Manage pets

9. Reduce Pesticide use

10. Expand the scale of habitat

Plants to attract wildlife!

Flowers For Butterflies (Larval and Food) and Hummingbirds

Vines

Passion Flower; Blue, Purple, Pink, Honeysuckle

Perennials

Orange Milkweed, Coreopsis “Tick Seed”, Fuchsia Skullcap   (Fountain Sage), Victoria Salvia, Red Sage, Mexican Sage, Pentas, Lantana spp., Porter Weed; Blue, Red

Shrubs

Clereodendron, Buddleia, Cassia, Fire Spike, Jatropha, Plumbago

Vegetables/Herbs

Fennel, Parsley, Dill

Shelter/birds

Shrubs

Podocarpus, Ligustrum, Holly; Nellie Stevens, Burford,

Viburnum

Trees

Red Cedar, Oak; Live, Laurel

Food/birds

Shrubs

Coontie, Cardboard Palm, Beauty Bush, Garberia, Blue Berries

Trees

Holly; East Palatka, Savannah, Dahoon, Weeping Yaupon, Up Right Yaupon, Nellie Stevens, Burford, Hickory, Citrus, Oak; Laurel, Live,

Native Plums; Chickasaw, Flatwoods, Pine spp., Cherry Laurel

Palms

Sable, Palmetto

Bee Friendly Gardening

Bees and other pollinators including bats are responsible for over one third of our, fruits and vegetables. Pollinated flowers produce the seeds where our bountiful harvests come from.

Having a bee friendly garden is beneficial to many other creatures including butterflies and hummingbirds which are attracted to the same flowers that bees are.

There are an estimated 2,500 species of bees in the US, nearly all are gentle and don’t sting unless they feel threatened or provoked. We receive the benefit of their hard work as they find food for themselves and their young.

The most well-known bee is the honey bee. They appear early in the season after hibernating for the winter, surviving on stored honey. The worker honey bee collects pollen on brushy hairs and stores it in leg pockets. While the bee is visiting the next flower, enough pollen brushes off to pollinate it. Only the female honey bees have stingers. The males are called drones; their primary job is to fertilize the queen, keeping the hive active with the larvae of future generations.

Bumblebees appear in the early spring from nests in the ground where they over winter. They have a long proboscis to collect nectar something other bees don’t have. Male bumblebees die after mating leaving the females to carry on for the next year.

Bees are attracted to certain colorful flowers that contrast well with their backgrounds. Flowers have ultraviolet coloration that serves as a guide to their nectar source.    

Purple and blue are bees’ favorite colors, followed by orange and yellow. Red is difficult for them to see. Some newer highly bred hybrids fool bees because they have colorful flowers but don’t produce nectar or pollen.

When planning your garden, you need to consider plants that bloom on different seasonal schedules proving a constant forage opportunity for these winged pollinators.

Bees are searching for flowers with nectar and pollen. Plants that feature both include agastache, aster, cone flowers, lavender, pentas, salvia, sunflowers, zinnia along with a wide variety of other annuals, perennials, herbs, shrubs and trees. When visiting your local nursery watch for bee activity and make your choices accordingly.

Providing a large selection with diversity can be more important than just having flowers. Using native flowers (or as some may suggest weeds) are encouraged. Bees do not discriminate.

Many bees are relocated seasonally. As the weather warms up the bee keepers follow regional planting schedules in order to pollinate the crops. They return to Florida late in the season, usually over wintering the bees in time for the citrus bloom.

Nectar Plants for Honey Bees

This list is for primarily for Florida but many of these plants are available in other regions of the country. Check with your local nursery to see what’s available in your area. (N - North,

C - Central, S - South Florida)

Common name  Scientific Name  Region  Bloom Time

Agastache  Agastache species  N, C    Spring-Summer

Aster  Aster  N, C  Summer

American Holly  Ilex opaca    N, C, S  Early spring

Bee Balm  Monarda spp.  N, C, S  Spring-Summer

Cabbage Palm  Sabal palmetto  N, C, S  Jun-Jul

Citrus Various  Depends on variety  C, S  Feb-Jun

Eastern Red Bud  Cercis canadensis  N, C  Spring

Firebush spp.  Hamelia patens  N, C, S  Spring-Summer

Pentas  Penta lanceolata N, C, S Spring-Summer-Fall

Purple Cone Flower  Echinacea purpurea N, C  Summer

Salvia (sage)     Salvia spp.  N, C  Spring-Summer

Sunflower  Helianthus annus  N, C, S    Summer

Vitex  Vitex negundo  N, C  Spring-Summer

There are many more varieties not listed. Check with your local garden center/ nursery for more options in your area.

The Nature of Bats

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You’ve probably never seen a bat. They actually fly. As the story below relates, they’re like a mouse with wings. They’re sleeping when you’re awake and up and about and they’re out and about at night when you’re sleeping. They really do good things and how important they are for so many different reasons as you’ll find out as you read the rest of the story.

An early Aesop’s fable relates a story about a dispute between the birds and the animals. The bat found him to be accepted by neither side. A bat looks like a mouse with wings; maybe that’s the connection between the two groups. Bats get a bad rap from being associated with other stories such as vampires and Dracula, who could turn into a bat and fly. Vampire bats don’t suck blood they actually lap it.

Bats are the only mammals able to fly. Their wings are stretched skin between their fingers, which resemble a human hand.

Bats do play an important role in nature. In some parts of the world, bats pollinate night blooming flowers.  The word is chiropterophily pollination by bats. In Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands over 500 species of plants are dependent on bats for pollination including bananas, cocoa, mangoes and guavas. Many desert plants such as agaves and saguaro cactus are pollinated by bats.  The night blooming flowers emit fragrant scents to attract bats and other insect pollinators.  Most flowers adapted for bat pollination are long slender trumpet shaped. They are normally white or pale in color. Bees prefer brightly colored flowers in the daytime.

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In Mexico where bats were the major source of pollination for the agaves, the population has declined because the plants are harvested before producing flowers this has had another disastrous effect. New plants are from clones traced to a few plants; this lack of biodiversity has led to virulent diseases wiping out a third of the crop in one area. 

Some fruit eating bats are responsible for seed dispersal. As the bats digests the fruit, the seeds pass through them, excreted in their feces. The seeds drop to the ground encapsulated within fertilizer. This insures reforestation. This plays an important role in Central and South America where land is indiscriminately cleared; larger animals are being wiped out, who would normally disperse seeds.

A majority of bats live on insects they collect from their night time forays. It’s said a single brown bat can eat 1200 insects a night. Some species of bats eat small birds, mammals and amphibians; others eat fish. Three species of vampire bats feast on the blood of animals.

Many years ago, bat guano (poop) was an important source of minerals used in agriculture. It was mined from cave floors where bats were roosting. Unfortunately, this led to the bats decline because of the disturbance to the roosts. Some countries still process bat guano for their agriculture endeavors.

Bats typically produce one pup (baby), with a gestation period of up to six months. At birth the baby is approximately 25% of its mothers, weight, it compares to a 30-pound human baby at birth. Bats are maternal with colonies of females assisting with raising the young.

Bats use echolocation to navigate. They have evolved with a superior sense of hearing. They emit sounds which that bounce of objects letting the bats know of size, location, texture and distance all in a split second. They have poor eye sight but they can see in daylight, they’re more active at night.

Some bats over winter by hibernating, others will migrate to warmer climates retuning in warmer weather. Bats hang from ceilings wrapping their wings around them trapping air against their bodies as insulation. Bats in tropical climates aren’t affected by severe weather changes.

Bats find refuge in caves, crevices, tree cavities, under palm thatch, in buildings or specially built bat houses.  They don’t require large openings to enter, they are relatively small and can squeeze into tiny spaces.

Pet Friendly Gardening

If you have a pet, here is some information to share with your parents, mom and dad. If you have pets, either a dog or cat or both, this is a way for them to enjoy a garden for them, by keeping them safe if they choose to spend time outside in their space alone. 

Cats and dogs are different in many ways but one unique difference is cats use a litter box for their bathroom needs, they don’t have to go outside to go to the bathroom whereas dogs do just the opposite they have to go outside several times per day. 

A majority of cats have never been outside and are just as content to do their bird watching from inside the home, from a couch or chair. Others prefer to spend a majority of their time outside roaming free which generally is not a safe thing to do

as #1 in Creating a Cat Friendly Garden illustrates:   

Creating a Cat Friendly Garden

1.  Safety First

Containment & Exclusion

The first thing to consider is a safe place, a place that allows them to explore their environment, but allows them secure confinement. Cats can be lost, stolen, injured in a fight, eaten or hit by a car. A solid fence of at least six feet with a baffle on top is recommended. This will exclude unwanted visitors.

2.  Essentials

Water, Shade

Fresh Water should always be available.  A shady spot is essential on a hot  day.  A sunny area should be available also, especially on a cool day.  Shelter should be available for overnight stays or inclement weather.

3.  Salad Bar

Cats appreciate things to nibble on. One of their

favorites are ‘Cat Grass’ (wheat grass) available as

seeds or in pre-planted pots. It helps with digestion

and assists with hairball removal.

It also distracts them from your favorite plants.

4. Stimulation

Studies show that 85% of cats react to catnip.  Catnip, a member of the mint family, yields a euphoric playful feeling. It can be grown from seed or plant starts are available.  Other plants that offer an unusual fragrance are creeping rosemary, alyssum, and heather. 

5.  High Spots (Observation)

Cats love to survey their territory.  A favorite place

in the house is sitting at an open window observing

outside activities. Provide them with some high

perches where they can safely survey their territory

but not escape. Design them a tree-like structure

or attach some convenient shelving on the fence.

6.  Exploration

Cats like nooks and crannies to explore.  Placing some large containers randomly together will give them places to check out.

7. Stimulation / Moving Water

Movement and sound will stimulate a cat’s curiosity. Providing a water feature with a fountain or waterfall will entertain the cat. Add some goldfish for a flash of color and further creating movement. They’ll help keep the mosquitoes under control.

8. Birds and Butterflies

Attracting creatures to the garden will provide

interest. Don’t allow for an ambush. Place feeders

and bird baths high off the ground. Don’t feed the cats outside to discourage unwanted visitors such as raccoons.

9. Animal Repellents

Sometimes steps must be taken to discourage animal interaction with areas of the garden. Repellents can be used safely - Dog and Cat Repellant, Predator Urines i.e., bobcat and coyote. 

A battery-operated automatic sprinkler called the

Scare Crow, reacts to motion with a harmless

Spray of water. A natural solution is to spray a

water/vinegar solution in areas to discourage cats

or use orange/lemon peels around plants.

10. Toxic Plants to Avoid (some)

Please with share with mom and dad

Aloe Vera, Asparagus Fern. Azalea, Bird of Paradise,

Boston Fern, Caladium, Calla Lily, Caster Bean plant,

Desert Rose, Chrysanthemum, Creeping Fig, Crown of Thorns, Daffodil, Dieffenbachia (house plant), Easter Lily, Elephant Ear, Ficus (house plant), Holly, Hydrangea, Iris, Ivy, Lantana, Marigolds, Mistletoe, Nepthytis (house plant), Philodendron spp.  

What Cats Like In Their Garden!

A small patch of grass.  Some plants to eat.  A shady spot to sleep.

Sunny areas.  A safe garden with mysterious places to explore.

High spots to watch over the world. Birds and Butterflies to Watch

Stimulating Smells. Moving Water.  Some sand or soil to roll in.    Gardening for Dogs

Understanding their needs.

Over the millenniums, starting out as predators then forming a companionship with man, to the domesticated status of today, dogs have retained some of their ancestors’ characteristics, with each breed being trained to do a particular job. Understanding and accommodating the traits of a particular breed will allow your dog to function better in your environment.

Space Considerations

Animals need an environment that allows them to get exercise and allow them to patrol the borders of their

territory protecting it from intruders. Bigger dogs need

more space, try to incorporate long trails where they

can have the space to exercise their protective needs.

Limit sight visibility if they act too aggressive to

passerbys. Shock collars are sometimes used to control impulses also. The problem with invisible fences is that

they don’t restrict access to others animals and or people from entering your pet’s space. Proper training techniques

and proper fencing can work much better protecting

your pet’s habit and space. To stop pets from escaping

by digging, use wire fencing rolled out and lightly

covered with soil or mulch.

What’s a difference between dogs and cats?

Dogs ask, “What can I do for you”?

Cats ask, “What can you do for me”?

Entertainment Ideas

Like children, animals need safe stimulation to allow them to express themselves in a positive way, boredom leads to discipline issues that can break an animal’s spirit. Providing a pet with safe toys (that are inspected regularly) can provide self-entertainment. To allow for normal digging action, provide a child’s swimming pool with builders’ sand for clean entertainment or use it as a shallow watering hole if Fido likes the water.

Share with mom and dad

Pond-less Waterfall Option

You would like the sounds of a water feature in the pet area, but you don’t want pets using it as their personal bathtub. Consider adding a water feature that doesn’t have a visible water reservoir, you get the sound benefit but your pet can play in the water, the water is in a holding tank under the ground. 

Tough Turf Issues

Sometimes maintaining pets and grass in the same small areas can be difficult. Urine spots are difficult to control if your pet is in a limited space for bathroom breaks. Be sure to water down areas where urine is prevalent to dilute its effects. Wear and tear from your pets’ movements can be an issue to. Try to substitute mulch pathways once their routine has been established. Using larger pine bark nuggets take the wear better.

Plant Considerations

Use plants with dense foliage. Avoid plants with sharp thorns or needles. Avoid plants with milky white sap and ones with fruit or berries. Check with your garden center/nursey before you buy if you’re not sure about a plant’s possible toxicity.

ARE SNAKES

IN YOUR GARDEN?

Probably not!

Unless you live out in the country in a wooded area or near a lake or marshy area.

This is another story to let you know the real story how snakes are really our friends. The first really bad snake is mentioned in a story about the first garden in the Bible. You’ve probably heard that story in Sunday School and I mentioned it in the first chapter of this book. God created a garden and he put Adam in charge, so he was the first gardener.

As the story goes Adam got in trouble from being tempted by a snake, subsequently he and Eve were banned from the garden of Eden, that’s probably where snakes got a bad rap to start with.

Fact and Fiction

Unfortunately, many people take the attitude that the only good snake is a dead snake. This ignorant supposition allows creatures far worse than snakes to create havoc on our gardens, rodents like rats and mice.

When snakes are about, it generally means one thing; there is a food source available. Snakes travel to find food; they don’t stay around a specific area to remain hungry. There are times in cooler climates where snakes might congregate together to over winter.

Many people are wary of groundcovers, falsely believing they automatically harbor snakes. Logically ground covers by their very nature of growth offer shelter and camouflage to both predator and prey; snakes might be present if their food source is readily available. All creatures need three things food, water and shelter, eliminating any of these will deter any long-time occupation.

Snakes being cold blooded look for warm places to be

during the day like rocks and sidewalks: open places where

they can be readily seen. They are looking for places to

warm up their metabolism.

Snakes aren’t aggressive toward humans if left alone; however, most will take a stand if cornered. When a snake

bites, it’s generally for defensive reasons, others exude

musk hoping the foul odor will allow them to escape.

Some even defecate (poop, as in their pants)  

A small hand raised, I said yes and a little voice cried out,

“They don’t wear any, silly!” I was promptly corrected

when I related my story to a group of children during a garden/nature presentation.)

Rattlesnakes actually warn of impending danger by

shaking rattles in order to warn off a would-be aggressor.

Others use sounds like hissing to suggest don’t bother them.

All snakes play an important role in our environment, helping to control insects and rodents that would be harmful if left without natural controls. One snake the king snake eats other snakes as well, including rattle snakes.

The majority of contact with snakes comes from encounters in the wild, while enjoying outdoor activities, which means you’re trespassing on their territory. Homeowner contact is rare because development discourages snakes; it removes their natural cover and deters their food sources from taking refuge in our somewhat sterile yards, brought on by management practices through the use of chemicals and the extensive use of grass for groundcover.

The best thing to do about snakes if you’re fortunate enough to have them is to leave them alone especially if they’re non-venomous. If the snake is venomous there are safe ways to trap the snake for removal to a more appropriate area.

Of the fifty varieties of snakes found in the US only twenty species are poisonous including sixteen varieties of rattlesnakes. Only two states Hawaii and Alaska don’t have. They are the Cottonmouth; i.e. Water Moccasin, Eastern Coral Snake, Eastern Diamond Back Rattlesnake, Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake, *Timber Rattlesnake; i.e. Canebrake Rattler and the *Southern Copperhead.

Children seem to be at most risk from the Eastern Coral Snake, because of its attractive pretty colors - red, yellow and black bands. Picking it up or stepping on it brings it in contact with small fingers or toes. Fortunately, unlike other poisonous snakes it releases its poison through a chewing motion not from a striking action with fangs. A simple rhyme to remember to keep safe:

“Red and Yellow Kill a Fellow”,

“Red and Black Friend of Jack”

Because there is another beautiful snake resembling the Coral Snake that is non venomous, the Scarlet King Snake. Coral Snakes have a black nose a “dead giveaway’ to their identity.

Our gardens should encourage some wildlife as we have been responsible for displacing many inhabitants from their former territories. Creating natural settings without supplemented food sources is the best way to exist with nature.

There are many great resources on line. Have your mom or dad go to Google.com or any search engine and type in Snakes.

Snakes in your grass - Fact and Fiction!

1. Scientific study of snakes “Herpetology”

2. Why are snakes important in the environment? Rodent control

3. Recognized number of snakes in Florida, 49

4. Number of poisonous snakes in Florida, 6

 Cottonmouth; i.e. Water Moccasin

 Eastern Coral Snake

 Eastern Diamond Back Rattlesnake

 Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake

 *Timber Rattlesnake; i.e. Canebrake Rattler

 *Southern Copperhead, (* both species found in North Florida).

5. Identification of venomous snakes (not poisonous referring to ingestion)

 Pupils are vertical like a cat eye.

 Deep facial pit between eye and nostril

 Blocky triangular head

 Head broader than neck

 Thick bodies relative to size

6. Toxins / First Aid

2 types of toxins

 Neurotoxin: paralyses the respiratory system (Coral Snake)

 Haemotoxic: necotiosing decays tissue and anticoagulant prevents clotting (other venomous snakes)

Seek immediate medical attention! Do not disturb wound!

7. Constrictors kill by suffocation.

8. Coloring equals Camouflage or Danger 

9. Myths

 The Only Good Snake is a Dead Snake

 Rattle Snakes warn before biting

 Snakes cannot bite underwater

 Angry Snakes chase you

 Snakes can sting with their tails

10. Landscaping doesn’t encourage snakes, an adequate food source does.

Spiders Arach-noying ?

The word spider comes from an old English word spithra related to the German word spinne meaning spinner.

Spiders are scary because they’re portrayed to be villains, they eat bugs which actually are the real things that hurt us. Spiders are actually our friends. Next time you see a spider in a web take time and thank the spider for protecting you.

I’ve listed some facts below so you’ll know more about spiders and can tell your family and friends how good they are!

1. Worldwide numbers just over 40,000, around 1200 found in US, with 12 commonly found in Florida.

2. The importance of spiders?

Nature’s premier insect control. They eat many insects we’d prefer not to have around

3. Documented fear of spiders?

Arachnophobia

Spider’s roles as villains?

Movie Roles started in the 1950’s after the success of Godzilla.

 Arachnophobia starred John Goodman as the determined exterminator

4. Spider Anatomy

a. Two body sections instead of three for insects. Head and thorax are fused, and their abdomen. It’s called a ceplothorax.

b. They have 4 pair of 2 legs (8) instead of six.

c. They don’t have wings or antennae

5. Spiders unique ways of hunting.

Super predators

Traps,

Ambush

Webs

Web design

 Bridge Thread

 Frame Thread

 Anchor Points

 Capture Spiral

6. Spider facts

 Spiders are found on every continent except Antarctica.

 Sexes generally live separately, but one species build community webs that can stretch over a long distance for cooperative hunting.

 Females lay their eggs in a sac, called a bundle. It’s either carried or hid in her web.

 Eggs hatch in 2-3 weeks and the young reach adulthood in a year. Most spiders live for about a year or two with some tarantulas living up to 20 years.

 Baby Spiders use the technique of ballooning for transportation instead of walking.

 Females are larger than their mates and some females consume their partners after mating.

 Spiders shed their skin when they grow out of it.

 Spiders because of their small mouth parts can’t eat large chunks of meat, so inject their venom (digestive juices) to break their prey down and suck up the juice.

 Spider blood is blue.

 Spiders are nearsighted so they use their body hair to feel vibrations and sense movement around them.

 Male black widows only goal in life is to mate with a female then encourage their partners to eat them.

 Some Jumping Spiders can jump 50 times the length of their body. Fortunately, these spiders are rather small but can you imagine a spider the size of your hand being able to jump into your face?

 A Jumping Spider named Nefertiti went to space to see how a lower atmosphere would affect her, she couldn’t jump but she learned to sidle up to her prey. She returned to earth successfully and lived to the ripe old age of 19 months.

 Tarantulas to reserve venom for prey, will throw off butt hairs like porcupine quills when threatened or provoked.

 Spider predators? The female Tarantula Wasp stings tarantulas and feeds them to her babies.

 Spiders have glands that make silk called spinnerets. They’re able to produce several types of this material.

 Spiders have oil on their legs to prevent sticking to their web.

 Many spiders recycle their old web by eating it.

 Hummingbirds use spider webs and sticks to build their nests

7. Bad Spiders

Widows so named because of their tendency to eat their mates.

4 recognized species

Southern Black Widow - most common

Northern Black Widow - found in N Florida

Red Widow - found in Palmetto Pine Scrub

Brown Widow

They weave strong webs of irregular strands. Southern Black Widows prefer wood piles and rock formations. They can also be found in dark indoor spaces. The spiders are known by their colorful dots and hour glass marking on their abdomens.

Brown Recluse - Reference material claims this is a rare spider in Florida. Brown Recluse bites cause Necrosis of the tissue (the flesh around the wound rots away).

Tarantulas - Are not native to Florida. They are kept as pets. In the wild their life span is ten years, but in captivity they can live twenty-five years. They’re normally non aggressive but some species should only be kept by experienced handlers. In the wild they live in burrows coming out to hunt at night.

Benefits of spider venom

1. Helps with muscular dystrophy symptoms.

2. Acts as a powerful pain killer.

Good Spiders

Jumping Spiders - Hunt prey by jumping on unsuspecting victims.

Crab Spiders - Named for the way they hold their legs to the side. They are ambush predators.

Gold Silk Spider - Females are the largest of the Orb Weaving Spiders. Males are much smaller. Spider webs can cover a meter or more.

Spiny Orb Weaver - A very colorful specimen, known for its white shell with black dots and red spines on the margins. They also weave webs.

Black and Yellow Arigope Spider - Large web weavers. It has distinctive colors: silver with black and yellow markings. Its web features a distinctive pattern bootlicked silk bands in the center of the web, where it spends its time upside down.

Green Lynx Spider - This spider spends it’s time hunting in foliage as an ambush predator. They are semi-transparent green with red spots and white markings.

Wolf Spiders - A very common house spider. These are the largest native species of spiders in the US. They possess excellent eye site and are very sensate to vibrations. They’re welcome in my house because they love roaches to eat.

Long-Jawed Orb Weavers - Characterized

by long legs in the front and back for holding prey.

They weave small webs generally found near water.

9. Spiders in literature

Greek Myth

Arachne a mortal women could spin so well that she challenged the goddess Athena to a contest which resulted in her being turned into a spider.

Ghana Folk Tale

A big fat spider worked hard to fill his big round belly. He was always hungry. One day an elephant came down the path going to a feast so the spider decided to follow him. Then an antelope came down another path going to a different feast. Which one should I go to thought the greedy spider? Why I’ll go to both. So, he tied two threads around his waist and gave each to a son who went off in a different direction. Each son pulled him harder and harder till his waist became smaller and smaller, so now he can only eat small flies.

Itsy Bitsy spider

Miss Muppet

Charlotte’s Web

Water Gardening

For Children

Creating a Balance

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Welcome to the fastest growing phase of backyard gardening. Imagine creating an oasis in your own space. One that can be shared with neighbors or remain secluded for your own personal enjoyment. Building a pond combines several hobbies from gardening, fish farming, to even bird watching; creating a special water feature you’ll enjoy for years to come.

This is the part that you get mom and dad to

help you with while you supervise!

Before they dig a hole, have them sketch your project on paper first. Planning before progressing will save them lots of aggravation in the process. Check for underground utilities to make sure they won’t interfere with your project.

Developing a water garden is as easy as digging a hole and lining it with heavy plastic and filling it with water.  For best results use a special rubber liner designed especially for this purpose. A special pre-formed tub can be used also, that’s what I have at my house.

When they’re ready to proceed, select a sunny spot away from tree roots. Layout the shape of the project with a garden hose or use an aerosol can of paint.

Once they have the water containment system installed and leveled, its time to add water. The water is recycled so fill it one time and occasionally add water as needed. Have them consider adding a special valve to maintain the water level.

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Of course, you’ll want to add movement and aeration to the water, either through a fountain or waterfall. Either will also provide an additional source for filtration. Adding a UV sterilizer to the system is an effective way to control algae also.

They’ll want to place an outdoor electrical outlet in close proximity. This will allow you to power a pump and add accent lighting later if desired. Be sure to tell them to have one installed with a ground fault circuit breaker to eliminate any electrical hazard.

Upon filling the pond be sure to wait several days before adding any fish or plants. Water directly out of the tap contains chemicals such as chorine that will kill your fish and possible damage any water plants.

If the water feature is in direct sun consider adding a shading dye to retard algae growth. The dye made with copper turns the water a shade of blue.

At the appropriate time add plants, both potted and free floating, and then add fish, Gold fish are good choices because they can withstand winter temperature fluctuations. Next add scavengers i.e., snails and tadpoles.

Now a balance has been achieved with plants, fish and scavengers. The plants help oxygenate the water. The fish eat mosquito larvae and provide movement and color. The scavenger’s job is to keep the pool clean, by eating the excess fish food and the fish waste.

When selecting plants for your water garden, consider two types: planted specimens and floaters.  Potted plants include water lilies; hardy or tropical, papyrus, lotus and more.

Plants like water lilies whose leaves float on the surface give fish a place to hide while shading the water to prevent algae growth. Some plants are considered marginal or bog plants because they like their roots covered but they prefer shallow water like taro, rush, sweet flag, pickerel weed or cannas. These plants are placed at the ponds edge in the shallows. Floating plants include water lettuce, cambomba and anacharis. Egg bearing fish use the floaters to spawn (lay their eggs.)

Domestication of goldfish from crucian carp dates back to 200 AD in China. “During the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 to 907), goldfish with preferred phenotypes were selected to be raised in ornamental ponds and water gardens,” according to The evolutionary origin and domestication history of goldfish. “The goldfish was introduced into Japan and Europe at the beginning of the 17th century and came to the United States in 1850”, where they became popular.

Available Goldfish Varieties:

Comet, Hibuna, Shubunkin, Wakin, Watonai 

Koi fish are a colorful, ornamental versions of the common carp also. Though carp domestication is believed to have begun in China as far back as the 4th century, modern Japanese koi are believed to date back to early 19th-century Japan where wild, colorful carp were caught, kept and bred by rice farmers. There are now dozens of different color varieties of koi.

The recommended scavenger for your pond is the Japanese Trapdoor Snail.

Scavengers are the cleanup crew that adds the third dimension of balance to the pool. They include a wide variety of snails, two are the black ramshorn and the trapdoor snail, which bears live young.

Several species of tadpoles are available. With an outdoor pond you’ll probably attract several varieties of amphibians.

Not to be overlooked is the fresh water clam or mussel, which require several inches of white sand on the bottom. These act as water filters.

When you have achieved the perfect balance, your pond will be a show piece to enjoy for years to come. It will encourage other creatures to take up residence nearby. It is fascinating to watch the pond as it matures. Different stages define the life of the pond from the starter insects, exotic flowering plants, to baby fish and on to the spring rituals of mating frogs and toads. A well-balanced pond takes on a life of its own.

Section

IV

Plants...

AFRICAN VIOLETS

AN ENLIGHTING HOBBY!

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They originated from the coastal forests of West Africa. Introduced into Germany in the late 18th Century they became popular houseplants across the continent. They were introduced to the US in the late 1920's via a nursery in California.

Colors include blue, purple, red-violet, orchid, lavender, red pink and white, and multi color.

Flowers are single, double, semi double, star shaped, fringed and ruffled.

Leave shapes include plain, ruffled, fringed, scalloped, spooned, pointed and variegated.

The four sizes recognized by the African Violet Society based on plant size,

1. Miniature (less than 6”) 2. Semi miniature (6”- 8”)

3. Standard (8” - 16”)      4. Large (over 16”)

Care and Culture

Potting and Soil use an African violet recommended soil mix.

Plant the plant so that the crown is slightly above the soil surface.

Light is essential for good bloom; an eastern exposure is the best.

Not enough light the leaves will be thin with long petioles, too much light produces small crinkled leaves with short petioles with yellow leaves on stunted plants. Artificial lights work well indoors. Suspend fluorescent lights approximately 8 inches above plants. Provide continuous light for 12 to 16 hours a day for best results.

Temperatures should remain between 65- and 80-degrees F. for optimum growth and flowering.

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Watering by wetting the soil not the leaves as they can become spotted with exposure to it. Using a wick system is recommended. A wick is used to absorb water through the drainage hole to the roots.

Humidity is recommended and achieved by suspending the pot over a larger saucer filled with pebbles and water.

Bulbs: Guide to Underground Gardening

Bulbs are a fun way to enjoy your garden experience. They’re small so they’ll fit easily into your hands. An added benefit is that you get to plant them and grow them yourself, you’re not paying for a container, soil or a finished plant. All it takes to plant them is a hand trowel.

Bulbs are easy to grow. Some you can grow in pots, others in the ground. Some like water lilies and cat tails grow underwater wth their leaves floating or above water.

Some are grown for their flower’s others are grown for their colorful leaves i.e., caladiums, while others grow giant like the elephant ears they’re named after.

Some bulbs like onions, garlic and cloves are grown to be eaten.

Some bulbs once they’re planted turn into permanent plants

i.e., agapanthus and daylilies, others grow bloom and die in one season i.e., tulips and daffodils (in the south).

Bulbs have different seasons, some are planted in the winter to bloom in the spring, others are planted in the spring to flower in the summer.

A. What is a Bulb?

A bulb is a modified stem that is the resting stage of certain seed plants, particularly perennial monocotyledons. A bulb consists of a relatively large usually globe-shaped, underground bud with membranous or fleshy overlapping leaves arising from a short stem. A bulb’s leaves – in some species are actually expanded leaf bases – function as food reserves that enable a plant to lie dormant when water is unavailable (during winter or drought) and resume its active growth when conditions are favorable.

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There are basically 5 different types of bulbs knowing the differences will let you know how to treat each one.

1. True bulb – A layered structure filled with plant carbohydrates with a plant shoot in the core. It has a basal plate where roots grow, fleshy scales or layers, the outer skin, and the shoot at the center flanked by developing bulblets. Common spring bulbs, like daffodils and tulips, are true bulbs.

2.  Corm - Underground stems modified for storage. They look like true bulbs but they don’t grow in circular rings, they’re solid on the inside. Flowering corms include gladiolus, crocus and freesia etc. Water lilies are also corms. Young buds produce stems and flowers on top of the top side of the corm; roots emerge from the bottom.

3. Rhizome - Underground elongated underground stems which emerge above the soil surface. Some are like a blade of grass (Bermuda grass) others are thick. They all produce leaves from the top and roots from the bottom. Examples include; rhizomatous bulbs are cannas, bearded iris, calla lilies and cat tails.

4. Tuber - Underground stems but not the base as a corm. Tubers have multiple eyes. Potatoes and yams are tubers. Examples of flowering tubers are begonias, cyclamen and anemones.

5. Tuberous root - Roots that form around a central stem. The sweet potato is an example of a tuberous root. Flowering plants with tuberous roots include daylilies, dahlias, and agapanthus,

B. Varieties

True Bulbs

Daffodil - Lily - Tulip - Blood Lily - Amazon Lily -

Amaryllis - Narcissus - Zephyr Lily (Rain) - Onion

Corms

Crocus - Gladiolus

Rhizomes

Iris - Canna - Calla Lily - Day lily - Tuberose 

Tubers

Potato - Caladium - Alocasia - Gloriosa Lily

Tuberous Roots

Sweet Potato - Dahlia - Gloxinia

C. Planting

The planting depth of each bulb will vary according to type. Most bulbs will come with instructions at time of purchase. A general rule of thumb is for spring bulbs plant two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall. Some bulbs like amaryllis should be planted where the foliage protrudes out of the bulb, others like tulips are completed covered with soil.

D. Seasons

All bulbs mostly bloom in spring thru fall, some earlier than others some later depending on the zone. Some are perennials in the cooler zones like tulips and daffodils but are treated like annuals in the lower south.

Bulbs are classified into two categories spring and summer, which actually is kind of misleading because “spring bulbs” are planted in the fall so they’ll over winter and bloom in the spring. While “summer bulbs” are planted in the spring so they’ll flower in the summer.

There are exceptions to this so purchase the bulbs when they’re available in the zone you live in. Some bulbs in warmer zones might have to be refrigerated before being viable for planting.

Spring bulbs - Tulips, Daffodils Ranunculus, Persian Butter cup, Iris; spp., Allium, Cyclamen, Freesia, grape Hyacinth, Snow Drops, Frittillaria, Spanish blue bells, Anemone

Summer bulbs - Gladiolus, Caladiums, Canna, Calla lily, Lilies; spp., Elephant ears, Begonia Tuberosa, Gloriosa lily (vine), Rain lily, Iris; spp., Dahlia (fall)

Site/Bed Preparation - Bulbs prefer well drained soil. Most bulbs require a full sun location. Light fertilizer can be applied just as the bulbs begin to grow

CHRISTMAS

FLOWERS

Poinsettias & Christmas cactus 

Care

and

Culture

Poinsettia ‘Euphorbia pulcherrima’ meaning “very beautiful” was the botanical name given by a German Botanist. It’s a subtropical plant found in Mexico and Central America.

History Used by the Aztecs for Medicine and Dye.

Introduced to America by Joel Roberts Poinsett, US Ambassador to Mexico in 1828, hence it’s common name.

Culture Poinsettias are long night, short day plants. They need 12 to 14 hours of total darkness for 10 weeks starting in late September to early October to bloom for the traditional Christmas season. Growers manipulate the light conditions to get them to bloom when needed, hence flowers at Thanksgiving.

Selection The colorful leaves are actually leaves or bracts. The flowers are small yellow clusters found at the tops of the price. When selecting your poinsettia, you want one with bracts fully colored, other leaves should have dark green color and be down to the top of the pot. Proportion to pot size is important; plant should be 2 1/2 times height of the container.  There are many new colors and leaf forms to choose.

Myth The poinsettia a member of the Euphoria family, the common characteristic is the milky sap (latex), which can be irritating to the skin, but it’s not poisonous. Other members of the family are crown of thorns and pencil cactus.

Legend A story is told of the Christmas miracle of a poor young girl who had no present to give to the Christ child at the Christmas Eve Service. On her way she picked a bunch of scraggly weeds, and fashioned a bouquet. Entering the chapel, she was sad and embarrassed with such a humble gift. When she laid the bouquet at the manger scene, it burst into blooms of brilliant red and the miracle was performed. It is said “that even the most humble gift when given in love is acceptable”. The flowers were from that day on known as the Flowers of the Holy Night and have bloomed each year since during the Christmas season.

Christmas Cactus (Holiday)

Zygocatus / Schlumbergia

Native to South America

3 Varieties

Thanksgiving - Schlumbergia truncata. Most common because of the season it blooms in, November.

Christmas - Schlumbergia bridgesii. Blooms mid to late winter. Segments have rounded edges.

Easter - Schlumbergia gaertneri. Blooms March thru April. Leaves with rounded edges have tiny hairs,

Grows like an Orchid instead of Cactus

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Ferns

“Feathers of Green”

Ferns while they might be one of the oldest genres of plants as noted by their history, they are one of the easiest plants to grow and care for.

History

Primitive plants that belong to a group of flowerless plants, including horsetails and mosses. They appeared on earth long before seed plants. When dinosaurs roamed the world ferns are some of what the plant eaters like the stegosaurus, triceratops and brontosaurs dined on.

Reproduction

Spores

This how new ferns are produced. Many times, you can examine the back of a fern’s leaves, especially sword ferns and see tiny brown dots. These are the seed that when they come in contact with the ground a new fern can grow from.

Division

This another way to produce new ferns. Not all but many ferns grow with multiple stems that can be separated from each other. Then those individually or in small groups can be planted in another container or in the ground to virtually form a new plant, independent of the original.

Zones

These are specific areas of the world that are specified by climate zones, specifically by temperature. From a warm area like south Florida # 10 to a cold region like northern Canada # 3. Plants are given a recommended zone number depending on the variety and how much cold they can tolerate and other factors do they have a dormancy period, etc.

Check with your local garden center/nursery or extension agent to see what varieties are best for your area/zone. If you’re going to keep them in a container in the house or green house during the winter it won’t matter what your zone is.

Container Specimens

Bird’s Nest, Autumn, Boston, Boston Compacta, Elkhorn, Macho, Fishtail, Pteris Fern, Rabbit’s Foot, Mahogany, Holly, Leather leaf, Asparagus Plumosa, Asparagus, Lady. Northern, Male, Pilea,

Osmunda (Cinnamon), Golden Club Foot, Maiden Hair, Heart, Royal, Christmas, Silver, Christmas, Eagle, Fox Tail, Painted, Sensitive, Dixie, Kangaroo paw, Bracken, Eastern Hay Scented, Ostrich, Crocodile, Kimberly Queen, Japanese Tassel, Blue Star, Button, Northern Oak, Maiden Hair, etc. 

*Australian Tree, *Staghorn 

Landscape Uses

*Accent/Specimen, Groundcover, Climbing,

Wet, Hanging, Flower Arrangement, Potting Media

Species Range in Height

From a 6’’ ground cover Pilea to an over 20’ tall umbrella 

Australian Tree Fern

Cultural Requirements

Location - Sun/Shade Depending on the variety.

Water - They like to be kept moist.

Guide to Growing Onions!

What’s Your Color?

Green, Red, Purple,

Yellow or White.

Here is a gardening project for you that you have fun with. You can start your adventure with seeds or what are called sets ‘little bulbs” that for the express purpose grown to be removed from the ground sold to be replanted to grow into the larger bulbs your mom or dad buys in the grocery store, they’re normally about the size of a marble they’re stored in wire racks and usually sold by the pound.

First however let us explore the history of the onion.

Edible Onions have been cultivated for over 7000 years.

Reference to the onion is in the Bible, the book of

Numbers 11:5.

Workers who built the pyramids probably were fed onions. Onions were used in burials, replacing eyes in embalmed bodies. Roman gladiators were fed onions to firm muscles. Greek athletes ate great quantities of onions to improve their blood.

In the middle-ages onions were used for rent or gifts. Doctors prescribed onions for all types of aliments. Early diaries from the Pilgrims noted that onions were some of the first crops planted after clearing the land.

Onions are biennial plants that are treated as annuals. Onions that do well in the southern garden are short day varieties. Their bulbs are topped with bluish green hollow leaves growing up to 18 inches in flattened fan-shaped swaths from the round base, which stores energy for the plant.

Shallow bundles of roots protrude from the bottom. Onions are about 89% water comprising of large cells forming single layers, making the epidermis, the skin, easy to separate.

Many years ago, several resourceful farmers got together registering a variety of the Texas Granex Onion, as Vidalia, named for a region they’re grown in. These famous onions are known for their sweet flavor in part because of the soil they’re grown in. They have a registered trademark as identifying them as grown in that region.

Onions come in a variety of colors which indicate the taste mild to strong. Colors include yellow, white, red, etc. The taste comes from phytochemical compounds as phenolics and flavoids, combinations of both contribute to the color and flavor of the onion.

Onions can be started from seed, but use fresh seed, older seed is less viable. This the way you can ensure the variety you want. They can be sown directly in the ground or in flats for transplanting later. Starting in March for the South, sow the seeds ¼ inch apart in 1-foot-wide rows. The bulbs crowded together will form smaller bulbs for transplanting later.

Onions can also be grown from young transplants sold in bunches from mail order sources.

The easiest way to grow onions is to buy sets, marble sized onions that were harvested from seeds. These onions are available from September thru December in local garden centers and farm stores. The onions come in five varieties noted by color not name. They come in mesh bags and are presented on racks where the bulbs are sold by the pound.

Growing onions requires a well-drained area in full sun. You should add fertilizer to the soil before setting out the bulbs.  The depth you plant onions will influence how they grow.

Bunching onions called multipliers, also referred to as potato onions, the main bulb produces bulbettes which can be separated and planted separately.

For scallions called green onions, plant them 2” inches deep. If you want larger bulbing onions, place them 4” to 6” apart on hills with the top of the bulb exposed. Fertilize them with a nitrogen rich fertilizer on a monthly basis. Stop fertilizing about a month before harvest.

Onions are planted in the fall to induce bulbing by the short days of the winter season.

Onions have a weak root system so make sure they receive adequate moisture so they don’t dry out.

Harvesting is done in the late spring for onions planted in the fall. The onions will have formed a large underground bulb, which acts as a storage unit for the plant. You want to harvest the onions before they bolt (flower).

Onions should be stored in mesh bags hanging in a cool dry place.

Onions how do you like them prepared?

Fresh, Frozen, Baked, Boiled, Braised, Grilled, Fried, Roasted,

Sautéed, Chopped, Pickled, Powdered, Dried, Flaked & Sliced!

Outside In, Guide to Indoor Foliage

A great way to add to the interior decor your home and create a healthy environment is to include plants. House plants as they are referred to are plants that enjoy lower light levels and warmer temperatures than their outside counterparts. Many plants that make great houseplants started outside and have been raised to tolerate the harsher conditions inside, lower humidity, lower light levels, adjusting to potting media with little or no drainage, smaller root systems supporting more foliage.

Indoor plants come in a wide range of sizes, foliage textures, and color, while most are chosen for their foliage, some even flower.

When considering using houseplants in your decorating scheme consider the following first, then choose the appropriate plant

that fits these conditions.

Light Indoor plants don’t require direct sunlight which is

why they make good candidates for inside areas. Generally,

these plants came from lower light environments on the

outside under, tree canopies etc. They do require varying

levels of indirect light which can be provided by placement

near a southern window or from an artificial light source, i.e.

grow light. Indoor foliage with wider broad leaves can generally tolerate lower light conditions. Unhealthy light level symptoms include leaves stretching (elongation) and thinning, variegated leaves turning green. The higher the color level in the leaf the

more light intensity is required.

Acclimation Quickly changing a plant from one area where conditions are different to another can result in extreme foliage changes including sudden leaf drop, especially if the light levels are extremely different. Gradual changes should be implemented.

Temperature Extreme changes can affect the health of your plants, just bringing home an unprotected tropical plant from the nursery on an extremely cold day can be a problem. House plants thrive in the same temperatures that keep us comfortable. Avoid leaves touching windows on a cold night as the contact could burn the leave surface.

Humidity is important especially in the winter when heating the home dries the air out. Misting the leaves frequently will help counteract the drying effect. Keep plants away from vents that are emitting cold or hot air.

10 Recommended Houseplants to Grow

Pothos Nicked named Devils Ivy. Can be grown in a hanging basket because of its trailing tendency. It comes in several variations of foliage color Variegated; Yellow/Green, White/Green.

Dracaena

‘Corn Plant’ the leaves are variegated and are displayed on single stalks that resemble corn. Several stalks are planted together creating a vertical display. A green leaf variety is called Dracaena Massangeanga. ‘Janet Craig’ is a variety of the green Dracaenas that features white and green striped leaves in a tight upright rosette form. ‘Marginata’ features long narrow spiky leaves with soft tips. Other cultivars in this group include the Tri-Color, nicked named the rainbow plant because of its colorful foliage.

Scheffelera This beautiful upright plant is nicked named the ‘Umbrella Tree’ for its large clusters of leaves.

Dieffenbachia Nicked-named dumb cane because chewing on the leaves creates numbness in the tongue causing the loss of speech. The large soft leaves display a variety of colors depending on the variety.

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Fiddle leaf Fig Appropriately named for the large textured leaves in the shape of a violin. It needs a high light level to retain its leaves. It can be easily air layered to create large new plants.

Cast Iron Plant Aptly named for its toughness and low light requirements. It features several leaf color variations, but the main variety is green.

Aglonema ‘Chinese Evergreen’ This attractive low-profile plant features beautiful foliage that thrives in lower light conditions. The beautiful green leaves feature shades of silver and gray.

‘Bamboo Palm’ Chamedorea seifrizii named for the cluster bamboo like suckering canes, is one of the best indoor palms available. Older plants will display fruit.

Success with seeds

When it comes to gardening this has to be one of the most rewarding experiences.

Starting a seed gives you an incredible sense of freedom, the right to choose what you wish to grow when you want to grow it.

It allows you to participate in the creation of new life.

It teaches responsibility for the care and nurture of something dependent on you initially for success or failure.

It allows you to grow exotic species not readily available in plant form.

Seeds not only perpetuate the species they come from but also are an important food source themselves.

The following ten items explain why your choice of seeds for your garden is the right one!

It’s a very cost-effective way to garden.

You get a lot of seeds in a packet.

You’re not paying for a pre-started plant.

You’re not paying for a container or soil.

A seed packet can fit in your pocket, you’re not getting mom or dad’s car dirty.

The cost is minimal when you compare it to a finished plant grown for you.

You have the satisfaction of seeing something grow that your responsible for.

You have a much wider variety available to you than what’s available as potted specimens.

You can plant in a container or directly into the ground.

10.  You don’t need a shovel; a hand trowel will do.

Best of all it’s something you can do yourself!

You just need mom or dad to help you get the

seeds you’ll want to start your garden with.

Before starting seeds do a little research on the following questions?

1. What type of plant do you wish grow! Flowers, Ornamentals, Vegetables!

2. Are my seeds dependent on a season for success? i.e., seasonal vegetables.

3. What is the germination period?

4. Can I expect a perfect clone? (not possible with seeds because of cross pollination)

5. Is there a hard coating that must be removed or scarified to initiate germination?

6. Is there a “shelf” life to seeds?

7. What do you start seeds in? A container or directly in the ground.

8. Are environmental factors important? temperature, moisture and light.

9. What part does soil play? What is the difference in a Soil less Mix and dirt?

10.Where will the seeds come from? Direct Harvest, Local,

Mail Order.

Success With Seeds

1. TIMING - Depending on the intended crop timing is critical to future success. While many ornamental plants are not season dependent, annuals and vegetables are. The two seasons in Florida are cool season October thru February

and the warm season March thru May (w/ June, July, August for Annuals also)

2. CONTAINERS - You can use egg cartons, plastic and clay pots or special cell packs (4 & 6 compartments and 4 “singles). Some use other commercially available products like compressed peat pellets and peat pots which allow direct planting into the ground when ready. If the container has been previously used, be sure to wash thoroughly and sterilize before reusing. (Use a 10% bleach to water solution.)

3. POTTING MIX - For containers use a “Soiless” mix labeled for starting seeds. This is generally a mixture of vermiculite or perlite and peat moss. This allows for frequent watering as the mix drains quickly. Using regular soils doesn’t allow the potting medium to dry out as needed.

4. SOWING SEEDS - Follow the directions on the package. Seeds are sensitive to depth. Depending on the crop multiple seeds can be planted together to insure maximum germination. Thinning can be accomplished later.

5. WATER - Keeping the soil moist without being waterlogged is critical. Check the conditions frequently and irrigate as needed. Allowing the soil to dry out slightly between watering is OK. Beware of saucers that don’t allow the soil to drain properly.

6. LABELS/MARKERS - Label your seed beds and/or containers with plastic labels using water proof ink or pencil. List the date of planting along with the variety of seeds sown and any chemical application: fertilizer etc.

7. LIGHT - Germinating seed need light as they grow. If starting inside, place them in a bright south facing window if possible or consider a grow light system for best results.

8. FERTILIZER - A small amount of a low analysis planting fertilizer is ok to pre-mix into the rooting media. When seedlings have germinated a diluted application of liquid fertilizer may be appropriate.

9. ACCLIMATION - Before introducing new “indoor” seedlings to direct sun slowly introduce them into higher light conditions over a short period of time.

10. TRANSPLANTING - Recommended after the first full set of leaves developed. If the plants are in a common seed bed, carefully dig them up and gently separate so as not to damage their tender roots, stems and branches. Place them in an appropriate container or directly in the ground.

Succulents and Cactus

Plants Fun to 

Grow with Success

Succulents are unique plants that have developed over millenniums to grow, survive and thrive in very dry hot places on earth where very little water is available for most of the year.

Every part of the plant the leaves, stems, trunk and even the roots act as vessels to store water for the plant to sustain itself during long periods of drought when rainfall is not existent due to climate conditions of the season.

Many animals even humans learned to depend on this as a source of moisture in desperate times.

Cacti are succulents. As they developed, they lost their leaves like other plants. Their stems became thick, to minimize surface area. What makes them uniquely different from other succulents is they have thick waxy skins and their taste gives off bitter alkaloids for protection.

Another difference that separates them from other succulents is called an “Areole” spine cushion, which other succulents don’t have. This protects them from animals that wish to eat their plant parts and or fruit.

Cacti are native to the Americas.

Care (very easy)

Soil

well drained. sandy soil mix

Watering

infrequent, low moisture needs

Light requirements

high light, prefers full sun exposure 

Container

plastic or ceramic, nonporous 

Can also be planted directly in the ground

Feeding

infrequent

Handling

carefully if thorns present

Propagation (starting new ones)

Seeds

Cuttings/Plant Parts

Christmas Cactus (holiday)

Blooms in the season/fall, winter, spring depending on variety (See Christmas Flowers and Holiday Cactus)

Here’s a funny story to read and then answer the questions at the end of the page.

The stunning, stark rays of surreal sunshine shows off  the soft, smooth, shiny, scale less, skin of the slightly, small, somewhat under sized, skinny, spotted, lizard, some would say looking seemly sickly but actually quite healthy, as she basked in solace, stationed on the base of the scaled statute surrounded by pine straw in proportion similar to seven others put on stanchions stained from bird poop from perching pigeons; placed around the pleasant, placid park and surrounding preserve, amongst several stately pines personally planted by park personnel scattered throughout the place and the parking lot with prominent people passing amongst cars parked still situated in stark contrast to the scenery of the pastoral setting awaiting even more passionate people upon their prompt arrival promoted by such a sunny, summer afternoon for an after lunch activity from simply attending Sunday school and church service earlier in the morning, predicated on weather provided on the same sun filled day predicted by simultaneous forecast as similarly preached by the popular priest, adorned with his striped purple vestments, promptly invited a part time pastor from the Presbytery, down the street from the parcel where the parish is, to come up to the pulpit and share a prayful moment of pleasingly platitude with him in order to continue this painfully protracted program in perpetuity.....

How many words in the story begin with the letter L? 

How many words in the story begin with the letter P?  

How many statutes are in the park? 

What kind of trees are in the park?

What’s the name of the lizard? (hint starts with an L?)

Take a sheet of paper and draw a picture of a lizard!

Thank You! Enjoy and have a Great Gardening Day!

About the Author

John earned a B.S. degree in Horticulture with an emphasis on Landscape Design and minors in Biology and Art from Florida Southern College (‘76) in Lakeland, Florida. John has helped hundreds of clients achieve their landscape goals for their homes and offices for over 40 years.

He has taught classes on landscape design as an adjunct professor at two colleges. His work has been featured in local newspaper articles and on the internet and TV. John has written and presented lawn and garden programs to the communities around Central Florida for a number of years.

For the credits of two people years who have worked

with me for almost the last ten years on these projects,

Jean Reynolds, www.writewithjean.com  my co-editor

and contributor and Jeremy Moses, my art director;

please refer to two of my other books:

Solving the Landscape Puzzle, Volumes I and II,

on planning, planting and maintaining a do-it-yourself

landscape project. A guide that will help provide the satisfaction

of foliage, flowers and fruit for years to come. With proper planning you’ll receive a colorful, cold hardy and low maintenance landscape, for a low-cost investment that will literally grow in value for years to come.

Mike Harmer, my other co-editor, computer services provider and webmaster, who has joined the team recently; for information, contact him at mike@bigcomputerguy.com or visit www.bigcomputerguy.com

For more information about:

Solving the Landscape Puzzle, Volumes I and II,

where to obtain more landscaping and gardening information

or to purchase other books by John R. King, Jr., directly from Amazon.com go to www.greenthumbartist.com click on link as noted.

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The Green Thumb Artist!

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Jasmine the nursery cat!