by Keri Byrum | Sep 27, 2016 | Edibles |
Learning how to plant beans may sound basic, but if you are growing your first garden this will provide step by step details. Beans are one of my new favorites! They are easy to grow from seed and their large size makes them manageable for planting. When to Plant Beans For Florida gardeners, the When is often more important than the How. The timing of planting dates is critical to success. Especially if you are originally from more northern climates like I am, getting used to this new “gardening calendar” is important. The best time to plant beans in Florida is September through December and February through April. Why not January? Often the soil is too cool during this month for the seeds to germinate well.… Read Full Post
by Keri Byrum | Sep 14, 2016 | Garden Visits |
It seems like just last week, but nearly three months have passed since I visited the Miami area and many of their fantastic public gardens. As part of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) annual conference I took advantage of the chance to participate in a private gardens of Miami tour. Our first stop on that tour was to Patch of Heaven Gardens in Miami. Not in the Miami you are thinking, this estate garden was about a 35 minute car ride from our hotel downtown. It is tucked among the agricultural lands that surround the urban areas of southern Florida. From their website, some history on the estate: Patch of Heaven Gardens is a unique private 20-acre estate located in the redland area of Miami-Dade county.… Read Full Post
by Keri Byrum | Sep 8, 2016 | Edibles |
October is the perfect time to start growing your winter vegetable garden. If you are trying to save money or grow something unusual, starting vegetables from seed is your best option. Read on to learn tips for growing plants from seed. This is a big deal for me. I don’t usually grow much in terms of vegetables, but this year is going to be different. My 10′ x 12′ plot is in full sun and ready to go. Now all I need are the plants… It seems to me that if I am going to put the effort into doing this, I might as well grow something that I can’t buy at the grocery store. When I think of vegetable gardens, one of my most fond memories is eating yellow pear tomatoes right off the plant of my grandma’s garden.… Read Full Post
by Keri Byrum | Sep 2, 2016 | Garden Visits |
I love visiting Florida’s botanic gardens and I am happy to to finally have spent some time visiting McKee Botanical Gardens in Vero Beach. Just about 19 acres in size, this garden takes about an hour to explore. When visiting McKee Botanical Gardens the first few steps include a walk through a lattice tunnel filled with tropical plants and vines and stepping out onto a great lawn with palms and ponds all around. This really sets the scene for McKee Gardens. I was amazed by the water that flows throughout the entire garden. I have to admit that I am very slow in posting about this trip, as I actually visited back in April. I have a feeling that visiting McKee Botanical Gardens is probably a different experience in April as it would be in August– but aren’t all gardens that way?… Read Full Post