With all the sunny, hot, and stormy weather that we have been experiencing, it feels like July has been here for a while. If you have a lot of grass, you are getting good exercise if you mow your lawn. If you have the time and energy to do other projects, here are a few ideas.
Now that summer is here, you probably have been receiving thunderstorms. If you experience erosion around your house where large amounts of water pour off the roof, consider setting up a rain barrel at the end of each downspout or where the water joins together where two roofs overlap. An open-top rain barrel can be placed in the spot where the water runs off. Having a second barrel next to the first one is a great idea, but further from the house. In a typical rain, the first rain barrel will be filled, but the second rain barrel will get filled in torrential downpours. Cover the rain barrel(s) with a 3’x3’ piece of screening and secure it with a 48” bungee cord or rope. The rain barrel water can be used to water the lawn, ornamental plants, or clean tools.
For everyone new to the area, there is a fertilizer ban in effect now throughout the county, including all municipalities, that prohibits the application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer from June 1 through Sept. 30. To find out the specifics for your area, check out our website: sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/brevard/lawn-and-garden/fertilizer-ordinances/.
* If you have decided that you would like less turf, more shade, or both, plant a new tree! If you want some ideas for small growing trees (25 feet tall or smaller), medium trees (25-50 feet), or tall trees (over 50 feet), we have three tree lists for you. If you do not have room for a tree, consider planting a new area with native plants. Email the UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County Master Gardeners at [email protected] for a copy of our Go Native brochure and/or the tree list(s).
* Some flowers that will grow in a sunny location include wax begonia, coleus, Amaranthus, gaillardia, marigolds, coreopsis, lisianthus, portulaca, salvia, cosmos, gomphrena, melampodium, coreopsis, and zinnia.
More: Protect your palm trees with a little TLC and these tips | Sally Scalera
* To add color to shady areas, plant caladiums, coleus, impatiens, angelwing begonias, or crossandra.
* Some herbs that can be planted now include anise hyssop, African blue basil, culinary bay (Laurus nobilis), borage, chives (onion or garlic), dill, fennel, ginger, lemon balm, lemon verbena, Mexican tarragon (we can’t grow French tarragon), mints (large variety of scents and flavors to choose from), oregano, parsley, pineapple sage, sage, salad burnet, sweet basil (many cultivars to choose from), sweet marjoram, rosemary, and thyme.
* Vegetables and other edible plants that can be planted in July include okra, pumpkin (this is the only month to plant pumpkins, and mid-month is best), Southern peas (inoculate with the nitrogen-fixing bacteria for peas), calabaza, Okinawa spinach, Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa), Cranberry hibiscus (Hibiscus acetosella), Seminole pumpkin (our only native vegetable!), sweet cassava, Malabar spinach, and winged beans.
* The vegetables that you can sow now for planting in August include beans, eggplant, endive/escarole, okra (August is the last month to plant for this year), peppers, Southern peas (August is the last month to plant for this year,) squash, and tomatoes.
* Check out some of the fresh produce and delicious edibles that will be available at our Brevard County Farmers Market in July, including fresh herbs, microgreens, wheatgrass, and microgreen growing kits. Produce that will be available includes tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, potatoes, watermelons, and pineapples. In addition, there will be coffee, mushrooms, seasoning blends, beef jerky, fresh salsas, candied jalapenos, cupcakes & other sweets, homemade jams, BBQ sauces, olive oil, and a variety of homemade nut butter. For pasta lovers, freshly made pasta, sauces, cheese, and other delicious Italian items will be available.
On the second Thursday of every month, Deep Roots Meat comes with their Florida-grown, grass-fed Angus beef straight from their farm. Did you know you can also use your SNAP/EBT benefits at the market? Swipe your EBT card at the SNAP/EBT booth and receive tokens that can be exchanged for SNAP-eligible items.
To learn more about this program, visit https://tinyurl.com/FABTokens. The Brevard County Farmers Market is held at the Regional Pavilion inside Wickham Park every Thursday from 3-6 p.m. (except for holidays or hurricanes). To stay updated with the most current information, follow the Brevard County Farmers Market Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/brevardcountyfarmersmarket/!
Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Science.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Downpours to fertilizer bans: July gardening in Brevard | Sally Scalera
