Fall has arrived
The fall season has officially arrived in Southwest Florida. The actual arrival was Monday, Sept. 22, around 8 p.m., amid a cooling total evening rainfall that sported flashes of stick lightening and cloud lightening throughout sturdy gray, overcast clouds from horizon to horizon. Not the best version of any arrival but it seemed promising after an entire day of steamy, uncomfortable weather throughout Lee County.
The weather forecast even showed 6 days in a row for this past week of temps under 90 degrees. Not sure about projected humidity but forecast showed lots of projected rain, meaning some humidity, for sure. Hope it works that way.
Gardeners, you know what that means. Start your engines!
No more lounging around in the A/C with your glasses of iced tea, no more shiny clean fingernails ladies. No more indecision about what will be the best plants for fall. It is decision time.
All kinds of big box stores, garden centers and farmers markets are brimming with interesting plantings. You do have to remember that when you bring home a load of lovely selections – you have to decide where and how to plant them. No letting them set around drying up while you fuss over where they go.
Plants you do have to let lay around for a few days need to be in the shade and will need some watering. Rainy season is over. Well, mostly it is over.
Remember sun plants, without their roots in the soil, turn into burnt plants. Southwest Florida is not some northern version of an immediate cool period.
The nice thing about small potted starts, they can set in the shade for a short time with some watering. They can also be placed around while still in their pots so the gardener can mix and match colors and heights.
Not everything for fall has to go in the soil. Hanging baskets do well here, just make sure you know where your sun shines and where the winter winds blows by.
You can depend on plant tags pretty much, just remember when something says “sun” it will not hurt it if it gets some afternoon shade, or maybe some dappled shade.
Brand new gardeners will learn a lot by attending garden talks given at various places around town, or even in Fort Myers at farmers markets.
You should be aware that there is a definite colder climate east of Interstate 75 for the winter months. A 40 degree temperature in the Cape may well mean a 35 degree drop. Most of our tropical plants will withstand a one night drop to 40 or 35 degrees. My orchids on the lanai will even tolerate 50 degrees for a couple of nights.
Many years ago I carefully put them behind closed doors when the temp dropped to 60 degrees. All of a sudden I was not paying attention and they were out there on a 50 degree temp night and did just fine.
The longer you are here, the more you will learn about gardening in the southwest. You also have neighbors and Garden Clubs, and gardening events, to talk with and visit.
There is a large interest in gardening right now and it is easy to find places where you can learn good things about what to do and what not to do.
One interesting thing this fall that I noticed, there are several new dwarf plants on the market. I see dwarf bougainvillea and several other plants being offered.
One possible problem is you need to talk to the seller and make sure a dwarf will stay a dwarf. Some sellers will be happy to stand behind their selections and will be there if your dwarf plant gets to be 6 feet high, and you are not happy. I do know of some gardeners who really did not care that their dwarf plant did get too high. Their selection was a beautiful specimen and they did not mind trimming it off and on.
The fact is, find a good market that stands behind its products and is willing to make you a satisfied customer, with a little negotiation on both sides.
You can ask for special ordering of a plant. Make sure you know the correct name and spelling of the plant you desire, and ask the going price.
The more you know, the more confidant you will become in buying and ordering plants to landscape as you please. Keep in mind many a mistake has proven to be attractive and interesting, in the long run.
Nothing is written in stone with gardening; however there are plenty of interesting stones that are written on and look great in the landscape. They do not all weigh a hefty 100 pounds either.
Remember the Lee County Fertilizer Ordinance is still active until Oct. 1.
You will then be able to use fertilizers using nitrogen and/or phosphorus. Palms will be glad to have a meal after the heavy rains have washed through their roots.
Happy gardening until we meet again.
H.I. Jean Shields is a past president of the Garden Club of Cape Coral.