Hot Topic
Transplants - The best time to plant your new pepper, eggplant and tomato transplants is the late afternoon to early evening as the sun is going down. Give them a good drink of water and check on them in the morning. Transplanting can be very stressful to a plant and then, if done during the heat of day, can add even more stress on the plant causing them to go into shock impairing their recovery and growth or may even kill them. Peppers and tomato plants also prefer to have some shade after transplanting, so use a shade cloth if they are not getting natural shade for the first week or so.
Do List
- Fertilize citrus and fruit trees when they leaf out.
- Thin deciduous fruit to 6-inch spacing. The earlier this is done after fruit set, the more size response will be expected in fruit remaining on the tree.
- Plant new citrus trees (2 – 5 yrs. old are best).
- Place shade cloth (no more than 50%) over tomatoes to keep out leaf hoppers.
- Trim back dead growth in your herb garden.
- Fertilize your producing vegetable plants.
Don’t List
- Don’t cheat on soil preparation.
- Don’t fertilize dormant Bermuda until April/May.
- Don’t plant roses with western exposure.
Planting
Note: White fontlisted items identify "Ideal" planting time items
- Vegetables
- Seeds
- snap beans, beets, carrots, corn, cucumbers, armenian cucumbers, jicama, okra, green onions, pumpkin, radish, summer squash, winter squash
- Transplants
- artichoke, eggplant, peppers, tomato
- Herbs
- Anise, Basil, Bay, Caraway, Calendula, Chamomile, Chives, Epazote, Fennel, Dill, Feverfew, French Tarragon, Lavender, Lemon balm, Lemon grass, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rue, Safflower, Sage, Savory, Thyme
- Flowers
- Alyssum, Begonias, Chrysanthemum, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Gaillardia, Hibiscus, Hollyhock, Mirabilis jalapa, Marigold, Petunia, Poppy, Portulaca, Society garlic, Sunflower, Sweet Peas, Vinca, Zinnia
- Fruit
- Cantaloupe, Watermelon
- Transplants
- Apple, Grape, Plum, Pomegranate, all subtropical
Recipes of the Month
- Caribbean Baked Chicken w/Mango – You can use your fresh cilantro and jalapeno for this low calorie dish, while mangos are in season and plentiful at the market.