In Your Backyard
a. Hardy Ageratum – Conoclinium coelestinum Full to partial sun, moist soils.
b. Blue Salvia – Salvia guaranitica - available at local nurseries. Full sun, well-drained soils.
c. Bluephoria™ – Mandevilla spp. ‘Bluephoria’™ available at local nurseries. Zone 9 -11 Full to partial shade, moist but well-drained.
d. Scabiosa – Scabiosa triandra Zones 6 - 11, Full sun, well-drained soil.
e. Lily of the Nile - Agapanthus africanus ‘Storm Cloud’ Zone 7 - 11 Full sun, moist but well-drained soils.
“Cut and Come Again” vegetables: Swiss Chard, Lettuce
What are “cut and come again” plants? When we typically think about growing gardens, we think about seasons. We grow cool-season plants, like beets, carrots, lettuce, and kale, in the Fall and warm-season plants, like bok choy, chives, tomatoes, herbs, purslane, and scallions. Farms grow large expanses of one crop to harvest one time. Smaller gardens have the advantage of a caretaker, gardener, who can or needs to harvest on a daily or weekly basis.
Growing edibles that supply enough food throughout the growing season is optimum without the need to replant. Harvesting edible vegetables and flowers allow gardeners to pick and choose to eat it at the perfect time, and allow the vegetable to keep growing, so you can eat fresh produce all season long.
Benefits to having a “Cut and Come Again” garden includes, reducing waste. You pick and cut what you want to eat when it’s freshest, leaving the rest to grow again for a future meal. If you don’t have the space to grow a lot of vegetables, or can and store vegetables, cutting just what you can eat, will reduce waste.
You can save money by not buying new plants or reseeding to extend your season. Your plants are already growing, no need to wait for it to have roots and become established. Plants can produce more leaves, flowers, or fruit in a smaller area.
And it slows bolting. Cool-weather crops, such as lettuce, spinach, broccoli, kale, some herbs, and even some flowers such as pansies and violas tend to bolt in hot weather—going to seed by putting out flower stems before harvest. Plants that bolt typically develop a bitter taste. Harvesting regularly can postpone bolting. Furthermore, taking the outer leaves of leafy plants like lettuce and spinach prevents them from maturing, ensuring continued vigorous growth.
It also keeps most of your garden plants healthier and more robust by cutting it for your meals. Harvesting the older leaves also reduces susceptibility to disease and pests. Removing the mature leaves helps keep the plant healthy.
So, how do you cut and come again? Keep an eye on how many leaves you have growing and where they are on the plant. You can cut as many of the larger, older leaves as you need, but leave the younger, brighter, smaller leaves to continue to grow. Trim the leaves down towards the base of the plant. Be gentle so you don’t break or bruise the new growth. Once you cut the older leaves, the plant will force more effort into growing those smaller leaves.
Whenever using tools in the garden, please make sure they are sharpened and sterilized to prevent disease and bruising.
Cut 2 to 4 inches of leaf just above a leaf node or a pair of leaves by using shears or your fingers to snap them off. Don’t cut all the foliage so the plant can continue to go through photosynthesis and only remove one third of the plant. Removing more than this will cause stress and possibly death.
Not all vegetable varieties are conducive to “cut and come again.” Keep an eye and (a tongue) to see how your vegetables are doing. Some plants can get bitter as they age or may decline after cutting. These plant varieties can differ by regions, weather, and zone.
As with cutting flowers for floral displays, and herbs for cooking, cutting your edibles in the morning helps plants stay their freshest till time for dinner. Placing your harvest in cool water will help hydrate them so they don’t dry out before use.
Arugula
Asparagus
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Celery
Chinese Cabbage
Chives
Dandelion
Daylilies
Endive
Fiddlehead Ferns
Herbs
Kale
Lettuce
Mustard Spinach
Nasturtium
Purslane
Radicchio
Rhubarb
Sorrel
Spinach
Spring Onions
Swiss Chard
*Greens: Beetroot, Carrot, Collard, Mustard, Turnip.
Landscape expert Teresa Watkins answers gardening questions on Florida’s most popular garden radio show, Better Lawns and Gardens. Listen every Saturday from 7am - 9am EST on WFLA- Orlando, iHeart radio, and wherever you listen to podcasts. https://bit.ly/3c1f5x7
Happy New Year! I hope you had a fabulous holiday season with family and friends. January’s gardening weather will be typical in that this month Florida usually receives its first of several major freezes. What won’t be typical is that meteorologists are predicting a Polar Blast coming down as far South as Lake Okeechobee mid-January. Chances of snow in the Panhandle and Jacksonville areas are likely. The coldest winter temperature record for Florida was in 1899 with the chilly low of - 2 degrees.
Tropical plants will be damaged. You can ease the damage by using frost cloth on your clusia, crotons, gardenias, hibiscus, ixora, plumbago, poinsettias, blue daze, Hawaiian tis, bananas, and other popular ornamentals.
What plants will be okay during a freeze? Any winter annuals, like alyssum, pansies, stock, delphiniums, hollyhocks, hostas, foxgloves, ornamental cabbage, kale, and sweet peas. Shrubs that can take a freeze include azaleas, camellias, hydrangeas, jasmines, roses, sweetshrub, anise, ligustrum, viburnum, and podocarpus.
Palms that survive freezes are Bismarck, Cabbage, Pindo, Washingtonia, Chinese Fan, Windmill, and Phoenix varieties.
Citrus trees that withstand freezing temperatures like lemon, lime, kumquats, tangerines, some grapefruit, and navel varieties.
To ensure that your plants are ready for a freeze, if you do not receive any rainfall this week, irrigate your landscape with one” of water before and after a freeze. Do not turn your irrigation on at night during the freeze. Do not attempt to keep your plants frozen. This was an old-time practice with citrus growers and it’s not effective for residential landscapes.
After your freeze, hold off on any pruning for a few weeks. Remember that we have a few more months of winter and could still get a few more freezes. Any pruning you do will spur the plant to produce new leaves which would further damage the plant, causing it to die.
Continue to water normally 1x a week and your landscape will recover by Springtime.
Did you know that America had its own royal mansions and majestic botanical gardens? Check out our Art in Bloom Garden Tour to the Newport Flower Show and grand formal gardens and mansion landscapes, June 19th - June 25th. It’s a wonderful journey back to the Gilded Era that I have enjoyed many times. To find out more, check out the details.
Do you know what to do in your landscape this month? Check out what to plant, what actions need to be taken in your landscape in January.
My design tips this month are especially important for all our new residents to Florida. This is the best time of year to start designing your landscape and I have the important aspects to note this time of year.
How did Lizzie and Gerald do over the holidays? I think he looks like he stuffed himself! Check out Lizzie’s Garden Adventures.
My Plant of the Month is one of Christmas’s most misunderstood plants! Have you had a cyclamen die on you? Maybe you gave up too soon.
I am looking forward to a great year of designing landscapes, working in my garden, and getting a new fence up. What are you planning for your landscape this year? Let me know by calling me on Better Lawns and Gardens Saturday mornings 7am - 9am, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Here’s to 2025 and helping gardens thrive!
Use this winter’s experience to assess your landscape for year-round sustainability. What plants die, what plants survive each season? Check out your neighbors’ landscapes to see what lives, what looks good. I pay attention, talk, and write about gardening every day out of the year so I am aware of temperatures and the weather and don’t keep a journal per se, but if you are new transplant to Florida or you moved to a different location in Florida, you may not know what to expect. It’s a good idea to keep a journal or just a notepad, calendar to jot down, if it rained, the temperatures. Note the different areas in your yard that you didn’t get freeze-damage. Pay attention to areas that seem to puddle more or dry out quicker that other parts of your yard. Sunlight is one of the most important aspects of assessing your landscape. In the winter, where is the sun, what parts of your yard are shaded? This information will make designing your landscape and selecting new plants for your garden more successful.
Come along back to the turn of the 20th century when Gilded Age mansions were all the rage in Newport and an escape to Block Island was a summer haven for the privileged. This tour features grandeur beyond belief: majestic formal gardens, spectacular landscapes, and historical sites. You’ll embark on a guided tour of naturalesque Block Island followed by lunch at the historic National Hotel, stroll your way through the displays at the Newport Flower Show, visit Marble House and Rough Point, experience the incredible Green Animals Topiary Garden, and have a stately luncheon tea at Blithewold Mansion. This outing is a great way to kick off your summer. Come along and “Get Gilded!” More information: Art in Bloom Garden Tours.
I want to start the new year off with an apology to Florida landscape companies. I drove by this community garden and saw the start of an installation where the ground had been turned over, very poorly weeded, and they even destroyed the agapanthus, leaving the dead stems scattered everywhere. I stopped to take photos when it dawned on me that it wasn’t the landscapers who had left the median landscape in such disarray but the work of a passel of hogs, probably with a litter of hoglets born in the fall. They had uprooted all the plants, turned over the soil and basically ate all the plants buffet-style.
Hogs are not native to the United States, but have been here for centuries, arriving with the Spaniards near Tampa in the 16th century. There are over 6 million feral hogs in the United States. The estimated dollars in damages is $2.5 billion dollars. They cannot be eradicated completely but they can be controlled. Any homeowner or community being annoyed with feral hogs can download this Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission pdf for more information on how to handle this state-wide pest.
So my humble apologize to landscapers this month for assuming it was Landscape Malpractice #33. But just wait till next month!
Hello, January! Onions and herbs planted last month, I was feeling like a gardening pro. Then our forecast now predicts temperatures in the teens with possible snow! So, instead of basking in the sun, I'm prepping the garden and poinsettias for a frosty surprise. And let's not forget the turkeys – their living area is getting a cozy makeover to keep them warm. Also, remember my pumpkin growing fiasco? I have rebellious pumpkins growing in the turkey compost area. Now, I'm left wondering if I should start a new trend: #LizzieSaidWhat Winter Pumpkins!
This is all new learning adventures for the GrandBrats and I.
Remember, life can be a joyful journey. Enjoying all moments is up to YOU!
Updates through “Lizzie Said What” socials.
An unique Christmas flower is also one of the most misunderstood flower gifts. Cyclamen, Cyclamen persicum, are considered winter annuals in Florida but are native to the Mediterranean. The ‘persicum’ hybrid is known as a florist’s variety and isn’t cold tolerant. There are over 20 varieties of cyclamen and the Cyclamen hederifolium is the most cold-hardy, tubers, growing into Zone 4. Cyclamens have attractive, heart-shaped leaves with beautiful upswept flowers. This fall-blooming flower goes dormant after blooming and most people think that it is dying or has died and they killed it.
Do not throw your cyclamens away if they die down. They are only going dormant. If you would like to keep them going, stop watering and let the soil dry out. Trim all the dead flowers and leaves. Place in a cool, dry location. In late summer, bring pot into a sunny location and start watering. Cyclamens are watered the same way as African violets from a saucer below it, so the roots can uptake the water.
Average temperatures High 72 Low 50
Rainfall 2.43 inches
Florida Arbor Day: January 17th - Plant a tree!
Flowers: Alyssum, baby’s breath, calendula, California poppy, cleome, candytuft, carnation, delphinium, dianthus, dusty miller, foxglove, gaillardia, geranium, godetia, hollyhock, Iceland poppy, lobelia, nasturtium, ornamental cabbage & kale, pansy, petunia, Shasta daisy, statice, stock and sweet pea.
Vegetables: Asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collards, endive, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onion sets, peas, potatoes, radicchio, radishes, roquette, rutabagas, spinach, Swiss chard and turnips.
Herbs: Anise, bay laurel, cardamom, chives, coriander, fennel, garlic, ginger, lavender, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, sweet marjoram, thyme and watercress.
Bulbs: African iris, Asiatic lilies, amaryllis, blood lilies, bulbine, crinum, day lilies, Louisiana iris, society garlic, spider lilies, rain lilies, refrigerated Dutch iris, tulips, daffodils and hyacinths for forcing.
• Great time to wean overwatered turf by irrigating only once a week. If your lawn is declining, resist the urge to overirrigate with the La Nina winter warm temperatures.
• Make two New Year’s goals to check weather weekly for rainfall so you don’t need to add supplemental irrigation and check water bill for outdoor water usage monthly.
• Once a week watering is the rule and normally adequate at this time of the year.
• Wait till five days of warm temperatures to apply pre-emergent herbicides to lawn.
• If your area is receiving cold temperatures, one benefit of the cold is declining weeds; remove and fill bare spots with sod.
• Continue to mow growing turf to keep a uniform look and control weeds.
• Feeding time is over until late winter for lawns.
• Try regreening yellow lawns with an iron or minor nutrient application if needed.
• Large tan circular spots in lawns are likely due to the brown patch, a fungus.
• Brown patch affected lawns should recover; apply a fungicide to prevent further damage.
• Insect activity is minimal, and insecticides are not normally needed until spring.
• Spot kill patches of persistent winter weeds with a selective herbicide for your lawn type.
• Fill in bare spots with sod or plugs; delay seeding of permanent grass until spring.
• Ryegrass can be seeded to temporarily regreen brown turf or fill bare areas.
• Have a lot of weeds in your turf? Reduce turf and create garden beds.
• Make sure when you reduce turf to retrofit irrigation zones to water turf and beds separately.
• Turn sprinklers off prior to freezing weather.
• Perform annual maintenance on lawn care equipment.
• Use frost cloth on tropical plants to lessen damage. Do not use plastic. If necessary, you can use cloth and sheets, but prop up with sticks to precent touching leaves. Remove sheets and boxes every day. and replace at nightfall.
• If there is frost, resist the urge to prune away damaged or dead foliage. Pruning freeze-damaged shrubs and trees may encourage new growth that is not winter-hardy and increase likelihood to be damaged if winter ever arrives.
• Replant declining flower beds and planters with hardy cool season selections.
• Container gardens are a good way to enjoy plants in the landscape.
• Add hanging baskets of color where they can be easily seen.
• Feed container gardens weekly if needed for growth, in ground annual plantings monthly.
• Annuals and perennials need watering one or more times a week.
• Check mulch layers and top-dress as needed to conserve water.
• Winter is a good time to add hardy trees, shrubs, and vines to the landscape.
• Make sure root balls are moist at planting time: add a berm to direct water through root balls.
• Make New Year’s goal to check mature plant size space needed before purchasing and planting shrubs and trees in landscape.
• New trees, shrubs and vines need frequent hand watering to keep their root balls moist.
• Leave browned ornamental grass dried flowers for wildlife till the end of month or February.
• Leaves are falling from trees and shrubs; use as mulch or add to the compost pile.
• January is a good time to begin yearly pruning of dormant trees and shrubs.
• Trim dead or declining portions from trees and shrubs.
• Crape myrtle grooming can begin this month; remove seed heads, twigs smaller than your pinkie, and any crossing branches. Make sure there is plenty of room for branches to grow without touching other branches.
• Remove crapemyrtle suckers growing from ground. Keep 3 -5 trunks if room for good air circulation.
• Remove dead fronds and old seed heads from palms but keep all green leaves.
• Groom landscapes by edging beds and walkways.
• Divide and replant perennials.
• Learn what plants need winter protection, many benefits from the cold.
• Only protect cold sensitive plants from frosts and freezes with frost blankets or large boxes.
• Thick fabric covers secured to the ground but not touching plants are the best cold protection.
• Turn off automatic irrigation systems during freezing weather.
• Install micro-sprinklers to conserve water and water only where needed.
• Catch and store rainwater to use with container and landscape plantings.
• Reduce landscape maintenance by planting fewer annuals and more perennials.
• Groom hanging baskets and planters by removing old flowers and lanky stems.
• Protect orchids and tropical foliage plants from temperatures below 45 degrees.
• Test soil acidity in azalea, philodendron and ixora plantings and adjust if needed.
• Turn Christmas trees into wildlife feeders or mulch for the landscape.
• Dig and move trees and shrubs from one area of the landscape to another.
• Repair gardening equipment.
• Place bird houses, feeders and baths in the landscape.
• Add art including statuary, a gazing ball or a sundial to the landscape.
• Repair wooden benches and chairs.
• End of month: Prune ornamental grasses down to 5” – 6”. Remove surrounding debris.
• Make sure you have latest seed catalogs for flowers and vegetable spring planting. Order early.
• Make New Year’s goal to journal your gardening experiences.
• Continue to plant winter vegetables for another month.
• Cloth covers, loose hay, and boxes may be needed for protection from frost or freezes.
• Feed winter vegetables and herbs every 3 to 4 weeks or use a slow-release fertilizer.
• Lightly mulch gardens to keep the soil moist, control weeds and keep edibles dirt free.
• Wait to start seeds of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants till late January for March transplants.
• Prepare spring planting sites by adding lots of organic matter to sandy soils.
• Encourage pollinators to visit by planting clusters of flowers among vegetables.
• Save shipping charges; locate seeds, bulbs, and transplants locally.
• Store saved seeds in the refrigerator in a sealed container until planting time.
• Add bird netting to strawberry plantings.
• Caterpillars are common cool season pests, control by handpicking or natural sprays.
• Harvest herbs and start new plants to have a continual supply.
• Prune time has arrived for apple, grape, peach, pear and fig plantings.
• Plant hardy fruit trees, shrubs and vines.
• An acid soil is needed for blueberry production; have your soil tested before planting.
• Live plants make the indoors attractive and help purify the air.
• Make New Year’s goal of adding fresh soil to all your plants and fertilize with diluted fertilizer throughout the year.
• Cactus and succulents only need watered once a month or less with winter temperatures.
• Orchids will have reduced growing once cold temperatures arrive, water and feed less till spring.
• Check orchids weekly for insects.
• Make sure Cymbidium orchids have high humidity. They thrive with cooler (not cold) temperatures this time of year.
• Dendrobium orchids need less water to go into dormant state before Springtime. Do not let temperatures for Dendrobiums to drop below 65°.
• Phalaenopsis orchids blooming period begins. Provide good air circulation. Do not get flowers wet – water only roots and soil medium.
• Vanda orchids with bright locations begin their blooming period. Water 2x -3x a week.
• Check out new lighting systems that make it easier to grow plants indoors.
• Enjoy holiday plants if they remain attractive as they decline move them outdoors
• Keep existing plants a lot longer by giving them at least weekly care.
• Check foliage plants brought indoors from the landscape for pests.
• Use a mild soapy solution to wash indoor foliage to remove dust and control pests.
• Trim off yellow leaves and declining flower stalks.
• Move declining plants into the higher light levels.
• Water foliage plants when the soil dries to the touch.
• Check mature, taller indoor plants have plenty of fresh soil. Change out soil every 1 – 2 years.
• If houseplants are outgrowing pots and you do not want to put in larger planter, take plant out of pot, cut 1/3rd of roots off, add fresh soil, and repot plant.
Podocarpus ‘Pringle’ – Podocarpus macrophylla ‘Pringle’
Small Leaf Clusia – Clusia guttifera
Dwarf Simpson Stopper – Myrcianthes fragrans ‘Compacta’
Camellia spp. ‘Yuletide’, ‘Pink Perfection,’ ‘Kramer’s Supreme’
Black Diamond Crape Myrtle – Lagerstroemia indica ‘Black Diamond’™
Monthly gardening information for Florida-friendly landscapes,, what to do in your garden, design advice, and more!
