Florida Gardening: Florida Chit-Chat #10 - Summertime, 1 by mellielong

mellielong wrote:
Hi everyone! It's been a while since I've been on the Florida forum so let me introduce myself again. I'm a butterfly gardener with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome so I get a lot of help from my Dad. I live with my parents so this kind of works out since it's ultimately his yard anyway. Dad had ultimate veto power, LOL! I also volunteer once a week in the butterfly garden/flight encounter exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI).

Yesterday I planted (with much help from Dad) some new plants I bought at the USF Plant Festival and Lowe's. I got some Route 66 coreopsis, another kind of taller coreopsis, some Giant Milkweed, Rue, and a Bronze Fennel. We had to take many water breaks throughout the day. It's just so hot and humid outside.

Speaking of humidity, I'm currently battling fungus on my orchids. Tomorrow I'm going to go out there and get harsh with them. Slicing off the infected parts, dusitng with cinnamon, then spraying with Physan 20. I don't use chemicals on anything other than my orchids; the majority of my yard is native and butterfly friendly. In fact, I'm raising five kinds of caterpillars right now.

Here's a pic of a Gulf Fritillary on my jatropha. That's the Route 66 Coreopsis and some native porterweed in the background.

Melanie