Re: Is anyone in zone 10?!?!

**sanderson** 12/11/2013, 1:07 pm

Sharon, Welcome to the Forum! $glad you\'re here$ There are several members in Florida so you are in good company. It seems to me that some of the hot 'n' humid folks take the summer off and, instead, garden in fall-winter-spring. ???

Pox 12/11/2013, 1:09 pm

Well, you will probably not be using the garden in the summer unless you grow okra or some peas. Not much does well down here between May and October.

And the winter, although still humid, is dry. I don't think you want to change the mix based on local climate.

SharonBreay 12/11/2013, 1:10 pm

Nymiko--Gardenias have such a heavenly scent, but tend to be plaqued by many problems from what I've read at various Google Search articles. However, I'm hoping to grow one in a pot sometime, so keep us informed as to what you do to make yours healthier. --As for the marigolds, from the photo, I just see some wilted blossoms that need pinched off. Marigolds can be prolific bloomers, but the flowers wilt before dying. Pinching the wilting ones off ensures more new flowers!

SharonBreay 12/11/2013, 1:14 pm

Thanks for your answers! Yes, I'm planning on vegetables mainly in the fall, winter, and spring, but the soild will still have the vermiculite in it during all the rains--HOWEVER, I'm reminded that there is only 6" or so of Mel's mixture formula, so I guess it would dry out come fall fairly fast. Thanks very much! I'll get the stuff for Mel's formula next time I'm out shopping! I'm gonna love this forum!

**camprn** 12/11/2013, 4:37 pm

Yes the Mel's mix recipe and recommendations are the same. Control of moisture and temperature may be achieved with the use of mulch in the garden.

dstack 12/12/2013, 4:10 pm

Yes, I'm a Zone 10-er in Lauderdale. I was hoping to find some others. I know Pox is in S. Florida too. We've been keeping up on eachother's progress on cukes. I've had to start over with new seedlings, and this time I'll try repelling the aphids with a garlic/cayenne pepper recipe that I haven't even strained yet.

Anyway, if you're successfully growing cukes I'd love to know what variety you have, and what tips you have. The variety I have is Marketmore. Wink

Pox 12/12/2013, 4:37 pm

D, I have been hitting my cukes hard twice a week with Neem with a bit of soap in it. I'm hesitant to say I've got this figured out, but without a doubt I am doing better than I have the last two years. They are looking pretty healthy and are starting to produce pretty well.

In the past, by the time I started putting out any fruit, things were going down hill fast. A few more weeks like this and I'm celebrating.

dstack 12/12/2013, 4:58 pm

Thanks for the update Pox.

SharonBreay 12/12/2013, 5:22 pm

I'm not planning cucumbers any this year, but will be eager to follow how yours is going, Pox I've put a hooped fine screen over my planting area, but of course, that won't stop aphids. dstack, I love your quote. Camprn, I wasn't sure about putting mulch around veggies, especially with Mel's mix, but why not?
I hope to get to ECHO in Ft. Myers for seeds this Saturday. Put in the heirloom tomatoes, and a couple other things as plants.

at2wooden 1/13/2014, 10:50 am

Hi,
I'm in Lake Worth.
This year is my first SFG project.
Going to try some of the Heat tolerant tomatoes this summer and see how it goes.

dstack 1/13/2014, 11:15 am

at2wooden wrote:Hi,
I'm in Lake Worth.
This year is my first SFG project.
Going to try some of the Heat tolerant tomatoes this summer and see how it goes.

Starting a SFG is so exciting! In my experience with tomatoes, I haven't ever had trouble growing any variety of tomatoes in the S. Florida summer heat. I've had trouble with fungus and bugs, but I think most varieties are pretty heat resistant.

at2wooden 1/13/2014, 11:35 am

What are you doing to combat bugs and fungus?

dstack 1/13/2014, 12:37 pm

at2wooden wrote:What are you doing to combat bugs and fungus?

Neem oil helps keep some of the fungus controlled, but it's probably best to cut off some of the leaves that have been affected at the beginning of the infection, and before it spreads. Neem oil also helps control the white fly, but they have to take a direct hit for it to do any good.

To repel some bugs I found that the pepper/garlic spray works really well.

PEPPER/GARLIC SPRAY RECIPE:
1 TBSP of tobasco sauce (or cayenne pepper)
6 cloves of garlic
1 quart of warm tap water

I went the cayenne route, and I added a few drops of Dawn detergent, and about twice as much garlic and pepper than what the recipe calls for. And I used the blender, then after it sat 24 hours, then strained it into the sprayer with a handkerchief. I spray it every couple of days, especially after a rain.

at2wooden 1/13/2014, 1:20 pm

Have you ever added neem oil to your garlic pepper mix?

dstack 1/13/2014, 1:48 pm

No, I haven't considered that. I guess it wouldn't hurt to combine them.

Cajun Cappy 12/13/2014, 2:32 pm

We are either in lower zone 9 or zone 10 here is south Louisiana. Pends on who you ask. When ordering on line we try to get zone 10 to be safe. Quite often at master gardener meetings they actually argue about it. Seems the lines are not etched in stone(so to speak) I just refer to us as semi tropical cause thats what I remember being taught in school.

**sanderson** 12/13/2014, 2:34 pm

Semi-tropical sounds good to me. hot + humid

I call my Zone 8b-9a as desert in the summer. >100*f hot + dry

Cajun Cappy 12/13/2014, 3:17 pm

yea the heart breaking part is the "semi" part. Our fruit, citrus and Banannas do well for years and just when ya feel safe along comes either a freeze or late frost and ya hafta start over again. Last year was one of those years a record breaking late freeze took out our plums, and lemons, and froze the banana palms to the ground. The god news is every thing bounces back quick and by next year we will again be picking fruit and enjoying Pegs nanner nut bread.

**Kelejan** 12/13/2014, 3:30 pm

Cappy, I think it's that Polar Vortex we Canadians send your way.
Sorry 'bout that.

Cajun Cappy 12/13/2014, 5:56 pm

Even the bad years when I have to wack the nanners to the ground all the stalks and leaves make our compost pile double in size and the fish bait population swell. The leaves make great mulch and it don't hurt to thin them out anyways. The late freeze stopped lemon production but we still have 4 gallons and a dozen water bottles of juice in the freezer which is plenty to last to this time next year as long as we dont make jelly. The good thing is it really stopped most of the pests from growing too.

Marc Iverson 12/13/2014, 6:38 pm

Wow, did I read that right? You make lemon jelly? I've never heard of that. How do you use it?

**Kelejan** 12/13/2014, 6:55 pm

Marc Iverson wrote:Wow, did I read that right? You make lemon jelly? I've never heard of that. How do you use it?

Eat it?

Marc Iverson 12/13/2014, 6:58 pm

On what?

**Kelejan** 12/13/2014, 7:02 pm

On ice cream in a dessert bowl, with a spoon? Or perhaps cappy is taking about a jam spread.

Marc Iverson 12/13/2014, 7:06 pm

Hmm, lemon jelly on ice cream? I guess I'd try it, but it sounds ... well, I'm trying to figure out how that would be a good match.

I was wondering if maybe it might be put on fish?

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Is anyone in zone 10?!?!