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Timely Tendings: Vegetables and summer chores

 
Published May 17, 2013

Vegetable gardening should be in full swing this month. Remember to keep a watch for insects and diseases. Vegetables are annual plants and will use a lot of fertilizer while growing. Keep side-dressing every five to six weeks and keep plants well watered. There is still time to plant pole beans, black-eyed peas, lima beans, cantaloupes, okra, sweet potatoes and summer spinach.

For more information about summer vegetables, visit solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/lawn_and_ garden/summer_vegetables.html.

Florida gets pretty hot in the summertime, so you should plan to do some gardening chores now, before the weather gets too muggy. Some things to work on now include cutting back leggy or overgrown plants and removing dead or dying branches from trees and shrubs. Many insects become more active as the weather warms up, so start scouting for signs of potential pests.

If you have yet to fertilize your lawn this year, now is the time. In Pinellas, we cannot apply nitrogen or phosphorous to our lawns and landscapes from June 1 to Sept. 30. For complete information on the Pinellas County Fertilizer Ordinance, visit pinellascounty. org/environment/pdfs/Fertilizer- Ordinance-Brochure.pdf. Be sure to use a high-quality, slow-release fertilizer and follow recommended application rates for your grass type.

Theresa Badurek, urban horticulture extension agent, UF/IFAS Pinellas County Extension Service. For additional landscape and garden information, visit pinellascountyextension.org. For regular tips and information about what's growing in Pinellas, go to facebook.com/growpinellas.