Re: Relatively New to FL (Orlando)
MFLyons
"LC (ping me for real address)" <low...@seaboard.com> wrote in message
news:iarsn1d47snm0i30k...@4ax.com...
> Hello all,
> I've not seen any messages for the few weeks I've been subscribed, so
> I thought I'd see if anyone's here. I've been in O'Town for 4 years
> and am starting to relearn the growing seasons. I have 10 tomato and
> pepper plants on my screened porch that may produce mature fruit
> soon! Lots of temperature, insect, microbial failures in the past
> four years, but I may at least have some seeds for next spring. Any
> help would surely help.
>
> Regards,
> Lou
> Please ping me for my real address. SPAM.
Yeah, this newsgroup has been relatively dead for a while now. I keep hoping
for some action here because the other gardening group I check is useless.
They are worried about over-wintering their geraniums while I am wondering
if I should pick my hand of bananas now (green as they are) and ripen them
in the house.
I had my first orange of the season today and I have six or so pineapples
that are almost ripe, but don't seem to be getting any riper in the cooler
weather.
I have been thinking about putting in a few cool season vegetables, but
haven't gotten around to it as I have not been feeling up to par. I'm lucky
orchids are so easy care here because I just got around to checking on the
dozen + ones hanging from my oak trees for the first time in weeks and they
are all fine.
How much sun do your tomato and pepper plants get on your screened porch? I
would think that they would do better without a screen cutting down the
light intensity.
Michael -Winter Haven
MFLyons
>
> Well, the screened porch faces South and gets full sun, but I'm sure
> you're right - I'm probably cutting 30+% of the available sun. In
> September, that was my only option. I'm recovering from a knee
> replacement and had to get them established ASAP in containers that
> were accessible. I'm hoping to harvest a few seed tomatoes and
> peppers from each and get the backyard prepared in January. Funny
> about pineapples - I've grow 4 or 5 in large containers and had
> success, but the 2 I planted by the driveway are 3 years old and don't
> grow at all. I think the driveway heat is hurting them. A neighbor
> has promised me a banana tree baby in the Spring, but I'm trying to
> convince him to dig the baby when it's dormant. Can't look a gift
> horse..........
>
> Regards,
> Lou
Even with being by the driveway, I find it hard to believe that too much
heat could be a problem growing pineapples in Florida. Mine are against a
white South facing wall. That location has baked some other types of plants,
but the pineapples flourish. I find a rare application of fish fertilizer at
about 1/3 the bottle's recommended strength is all the care they need. And I
make sure weed-and-feed gets no where near them.
About banana trees, be ready to water them real regular. I killed one before
I put in my drip irrigation system. I must have over 50 emitters running for
ten minutes every other day. It's the only way I could keep the banana, my
orchids and the other assorted hanging baskets alive. Between work and other
commitments, I can go weeks without getting much done in the yard.
Uchdryd
insipid--flavorless. They need heat and sun to build sugar. As for the
bananas, I am in the same situation. I see no reason to harvest them now,
unless there's a raccoon threat or something. But if they are plump enough,
you can cut one hand off (and only one!) and let it ripen indoors. I made
the mistake of harvesting ALL my bananas at the same time one year. Bad
idea. They all ripen quickly and you can't eat them all.
--
Uchdryd
"MFLyons" <qrx...@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
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> "LC (ping me for real address)" <low...@seaboard.com> wrote in message
> news:iarsn1d47snm0i30k...@4ax.com...
>