Gardening

We have many different species of palm trees on Marco Island due to our favorable climate for their growth. They come in many shapes and sizes from large majestic trees to small shrubs. Some have single trunks while others have ...

Summer rains have begun and along with the rain is a disease that attacks lawns on Marco Island that causes them to slowly die. After treatments with the usual fungicides from spray companies failed to stop the slow death of ...

The recent rains may have been enough to be somewhat of a relief for our parched lawns. While this rain will help to slow the damage caused by the drought it is also going to cause a population of chinch ...

When the bougainvillea is in bloom, everyone wants to know what the beautiful flowering plants seen all over the island are. This plant is without a doubt one of our most bright and colorful tropical plants. While they will flower ...

Well it looks like we are going right from winter, of which there wasn't much, to summer. We seem to be in a summer-like rain pattern. The recent rains and late fertilizing, due to cold March temperatures, had lawns, shrubs ...

You may have noticed that your lawn is drying out much faster these last few weeks. April is a very dry month averaging only 2.03 inches of potential rain fall. Add to that fact the higher temperatures and wind and ...

The harmful effects of pesticides and other toxins on our environment are increasingly in the news. Because of our tropical climate we have more pests and diseases than most areas and therefore use more pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers. A new ...

April has arrived. It's time to fertilize lawns, plants and trees. While this was a very warm winter some winters are very cold and this fertilization helps plants recover from any cold damage done in the winter months. In fact, ...

Easter is here and along with it our flora on Marco is providing us with spring color. Unfortunately, this recent cold weather is damaging some of our budding beauties but they should soon recover. In sub-tropical Florida we have shrubs ...

The pH of your soil can affect plant growth and health. If you have an area in your yard that doesn't seem to respond to your fertilizing efforts, check your soil pH. Soil pH is the measure of acidity (sourness) ...

When deciding to plant trees on your property proper tree selection is very important. You should plant the right tree in the right place. Always consider the mature size of a tree when planting. Pay particular attention to the location ...

March is here. It is usually the start of our dry season but, unfortunately, we have been in a dry season for a while. Spring time can be very hard on our lawns and shrubs as the temperatures will begin ...

Toward the end of February temperatures will begin to warm a little. However, as we just saw, temperatures in the 30s and 40s are still quite common. The little rainfall we get in February will come off the Gulf of ...

It is nice to see the flower beds full of annuals like begonias and petunias in yards around the island. The impatiens are noticeably missing this year due to a mildew disease which has prompted a warning about planting them

There are 16 known elements required for healthy plants. Three of these, carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) all can be obtained directly from air and water. The other 13 elements are supplied through the soil. These are