Category: Planting

Farm, Garden & Craft Swap

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Click on the image to visit the Facebook event page for more information and up-to-date announcements.

Mid-South Lumber Co is hosting its first Farm, Garden & Craft Swap on Saturday, August 6th. The event is FREE and will go from 8 am – 2 pm. Tex Kitchen will have a food truck on site. There will be additional food vendors and a variety of local vendors including but not limited to Jonesing 4 Cookies, Coastal Crafts, Tina Parrish’s canned goods, Southern Glitter Girls, Beachside Bakery, Wolf Feather Works, Sandhills Native Nursery, and more! Come support local individuals and businesses while fulfilling your needs for fresh produce, baked items, canned good, hand-made arts & crafts, plants, and small animals. If you have any questions, please contact Nikki Sullivan @ 850-722-5335

 

 

Native Grasses

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Native grasses are an essential topic that many don’t consider. Many of the green pasture grasses you see today are actually from other countries and contain 10x the amount of chemicals as farmland.(1) 

Native grasses are more cost-efficient as they require far less maintenance and promote beneficial wildlife. Natives have existed in the ecological landscape for so long that they have adapted to the soil, terrain, sunlight, and moisture conditions. This means homeowners won’t waste as much time and money watering, cutting, or reseeding. Reseeding is a natural aspect of native grasses because they are perennial which means they self-seed each year. They are more prepared to deal with natural droughts because their roots reach far, far down into the ground (see photo). This also means native grasses are beneficial for soil erosion; plant native grasses near pond edges and more. Their far-reaching roots also assist in maintaining healthy soil. Furthermore, native grasses are naturally resistant to many of the local pests and diseases that many homeowners would usually treat with pesticides. Not only does using fewer pesticides save you money but it also means a healthier ecosystem – less poison means more pollinators, healthier soil, and less chemical runoff that can affect human and animal lives. 

Learn more about native grasses, groundcover, and lawngrasses HERE at the UF|IFAS extension website. 

Pollinator Class in Fountain

Debbie Roney Smith on
Photo was taken at Sandhills Native Nursery

June 20-26th is National Pollinator Week! The week is dedicated to bringing awareness and support to all types of pollinators from bees to wasps and more. Sandhills Native Nursery is hosting a special two-day Pollinator Class this weekend to celebrate.

Visit the nursery amongst the beautiful sandhills of Fountain this Friday or Saturday to learn more about pollinators, see the array of glorious summer native flowers blooming in the heat, and receive a special 20% off your total purchase order (valid day of class only). The nursery encourages you to come prepared for the heat: bring sunscreen, a hat, neck fans, fluids, or anything else you may need to help keep you cool! There will be cold water and Gatorade on hand to refill empty bottles and a few standing fans. The class will be held in the shady areas available at the nursery to help prevent anyone from overheating. 

Visit the official Sandhills Native Nursery Facebook page to stay up-to-date with events, hours, and more!

Four Farm Flower Tour

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This Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm, four flower farms in the general vicinity of Bay, Washington, and Holmes Counties will be hosting a one-day special tour. The four farms include Black Barns Blossoms, Fussell’s Daylily Farm, No Place Like Holmes Farm, and Southern Grace Lavender Farm. They all provide fresh, locally grown plants and/or flowers, and some of them will have other wares available during the Four Farm Flower Tour. The tour is free to attend and is entirely customizable to your interests and time. You will be given a map of all participating locations at your first stop of the day; you may begin at any of the four farms and spend as much time as you wish at each location.

Black Barn Blossoms: Food Trucks, Seating Areas, Restroom, Guided Garden Tours, Fresh Bouquets, Cut Flower Bar, You-Pick Flower Garden, Gift Shop

Fussell’s Daylily Farm: Daylily Plants, Refreshments, Restroom, Seating Areas Throughout Garden

No Place Like Holmes Farm: Kids Activities and Play Area, Cattle Train, Mining Sluice, You Pick Flower Field, Gift Shop, Picnic Area, Restroom

Southern Grace Lavender Farm: Lavender Plants, All Natural Lavender Products, Gift Shop, Seating & Picnic Areas, Restroom, Hand Wash Station, Dog Park

Learn more by visiting the event website HERE or the Facebook event page HERE. 

Fussell’s Daylily Farm

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Fussell’s Daylily Farm is just a few days away from the height of bloom. The best dates to visit the farm will be May 20-21st from 8 am – 3 pm OR May 22nd from 1 pm – 3 pm. Along with various daylilies, there will be zinnias, gladiolus, blackberries, sunflowers, and many other plants to enjoy. Additionally, there will be seating, shade, refreshments, and door prizes. Groups are welcome; if you would like to have a personal tour please call ahead (850) 638 – 7657. Learn more about the farm by visiting their Facebook page here. 

Plant Pickup at Panama City Farmers Market

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The newly opened Sandhills Native Nursery will be at Panama City Farmers Market this Saturday, May 14th. The nursery will be distributing ONLY pre-ordered plant orders at the market. If you are interested in ordering plants for pickup, the window closes at 4:30pm on Friday, May 13th. Place your order at the Sandhills Native Nursery website here. 

UF|IFAS Leon County Extention Plant Sale

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Coming to the Tallahassee UF/IFAS Leon County Extension this Saturday – the 2022 Open House and Plant Sale! From 8am – 11pm CDT, there will be UF/IFAS Extension agents, program partners, local groups, and more ready and willing to help you learn about gardening, natural resources, 4-H youth development, and family and consumer sciences. Participating groups include the Capital City Garden Club, Tallahassee Garden Club, Rose Society, Bonsai Society, UF/IFAS Bookstore, Apalachee Beekeepers Association, and more!

Additionally, there will be Master Gardener Volunteers available to help you find the right plants. There will be over 3,000 plants – this includes fruits, vegetables, ornamental landscape, and more. Cash, credit, and checks will be accepted. This event also serves as a fundraiser; there will be a silent auction and bouquet sale. These events benefit programs such as 4-H scholarships, school and community gardens around the county, the UF/IFAS Demonstration Garden, and other educational efforts throughout the year.

Baker County: Agriculture Management Practices

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The UF/IFAS Extension and the Florida Department of Agriculture are hosting a free event focusing on Agriculture Management Practices. The event will occur on Wednesday, May 4th from 8am – 9:30am CDT. Presentations will focus on soil and tissue sampling, interpreting your results & application of findings, as well as technical assistance and cost-share opportunities. You must register for the event beforehand; breakfast will be provided.
Contact: Alicia Halbritter, UF/IFAS Extension Baker County Agriculture Agent at 904-259-3520 or aliciah1221@ufl.edu
Register online:bakerbmp.eventbrite.com

North Florida Wildflower Festival

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The North Florida Wildflower Festival is this Saturday, April 30th! The festival will be held in downtown Blountstown; this includes Magnolia Square, the M&B Train Depot Museum & Park, and the Blountstown Greenway bike trail. The North Florida Wildflower Festival is an annual event run by the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce, Florida Wildflower Foundation, Florida Panhandle Wildflower Alliance, University of Florida IFAS, RiverWay South Choctawhatchee Apalachicola, and Blountstown Main Street. The festival will feature wildflower and gardening-themed products, plants, arts and crafts, and kids’ activities.

Click on the image to see an expanded list of confirmed vendors. Keep up to date with announcements at the official Facebook event page here. 

National California Strawberry Day Florida Style

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is National California Strawberry Day, an annual event that kicks off the strawberry season in California. Luckily, even Floridians can enjoy this national day of celebration by planting Florida-safe strawberry varieties. There are a number of specific varieties that do well in the more humid Florida environment: Calibrate, Camarosa, Florida Belle, Florida 90, Rosa Linda, Sequoia, Sweet Charlie, Strawberry Festival, and Tioga.

While the ideal time to plant strawberries via seed is early fall, it is possible to purchase and plant strawberry starter plants in spring. This is because strawberries require temperatures between 50°F–80°F, and less than 14 hours of daylight. In Florida, these conditions occur throughout the fall, winter, and spring. It is important to make sure the plant has excellent drainage and at least 8 hours of full sun. Strawberries are ready to harvest when three-quarters of the berry’s surface is red. The fruits not only entice local wildlife but also rot quickly, so be sure to harvest regularly once the plant begins producing. 

Learn more about successfully growing strawberries in Florida at the UF | IFAS Extension website here.