A neighbor handed me the top of a store-bought pineapple she’d cut off while slicing the fruit. Instead of tossing it, she thought I might want to plant it—just to see what happens. I literally laughed out loud. “Plant it? Really?” I bellowed. Two years later, the joke’s on me. Despite my ignorance and complete…
The old adage—”April showers bring May flowers”—doesn’t quite apply here in Central Florida. I sweat more than the scant rain we receive all month. Yet, despite the dryness, my garden bursts with color and life. Wildflowers flaunt vibrant coats of red, purple, yellow, orange, and white. Caterpillars munch on milkweed, fattening up before transforming into Monarchs, Giant Swallowtails, and…
Spring has sprung, and my Florida backyard is undergoing a remarkable transformation. New life is bursting forth from the soil, including an amaryllis bulb that I thought had bitten the dust two years ago. To my surprise, it has resurfaced, sending up a tall green stem with a promising pod at its tip. Eager to…
Spring brings abundant pickings in my backyard Florida gardens. I’ve got cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, spinach, lettuce, eggplant, and cauliflower flourishing. Everything was seeded back in January. There’s no greater feeling of accomplishment than growing your own food. I’m no expert, just an ordinary guy willing to get some soil under my fingernails.
As the seasons transitioned from the scorching heat of summer to the milder embrace of fall, a remarkable transformation is taking place in my Florida backyard. The stars of this autumn spectacle are the vibrant Pagoda plants, with their exotic blooms bringing an unexpected burst of tropical color to the landscape. These fascinating flora, scientifically…
