This is What I remember about Florida

Afternoon rains.  We are in a cycle where storms roll through and dump rain during the afternoon hours.  With the concurrence of my significant other, I turned the sprinkler system off yesterday.  Feel like a genius.  Even though the weather report yesterday stated 70% chance of rain for today.

Slime Mold

Last weeks rains made conditions ripe for slime mold.  I had a few spots in the yard especially in some of the more shady areas.  According, to what I have read, there is no need to treat slime mold.  Just cut the grass and it will go away by itself.  Wish I had taken a pic.

Water Has Been Off For a Week

The sprinkler system for my lawn has been shut off for one week.  It has rained a number of days Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  Proud of myself for saving a little water.

Contrasting Picture

Picture showing the difference "Green Edge" can make.  My neighbors lawn on the left, mine on the right.  We both water at the same rate.  We both apply weed killers and bug killers.  My wife does spend more time weeding than anyone I know.  Today I spot applied "Green Edge" to- ironically enough - the edges of our lawn where the rotary spreader missed.  Hope my neighbor doesn't read my blog.  Figure the chances are better that he wins the lottery.  :-).

As I was Mowing

We applied a fertilizer about a month back called "Green Edge" made from composted bio-solids.  And during the rounds of pushing my cutting machine, I noticed areas in the grass where the fertilizer was applied light.  And where the fertilizer was applied in adequate amounts, the grass is lush and fully green, thick and almost difficult to mow.  Preferable for me, as I like to see where I mowed so I can follow the line on the next pass.  I hate mowing grass when it seems like I have to interpolate based on my guess of where I mowed last.  Of the fertilizers I have used, Green Edge out performs them all - including "Miracle Grow"  And somehow I feel better about using it knowing where it came from - waste.

Turned Off Sprinkler

  Due to the deluge this afternoon, I turned off the automatic sprinkler system for tomorrow.  First time this year.  Thinking of ways to save the water that just runs off into the river.

Rain on the Way...Yay!

It is coming as a thunderstorm, but rain is rain.  Should be getting to us in a few minutes if I am reading the radar correctly.

Disappointing

  It appeared as if we were in store for much of the wet stuff today.  I think one drop fell this morning.  Then the sun went to work and burned away the remainder of the clouds.

http://www.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=jaxMeant to include this as the link.

98 degrees

  I don't remember it being this hot in the middle of June.  The weather forecast for this week has called for scattered thunderstorms.  Two days ago we received about half an inch of rain.  Helpful, but does not make much of a dent in how much rain we need.  Our rainfall average for June alone is over 5 inches.  According to one source for this month we are off the mark by over three inches.  I am including a link to weather information that many will find interesting and perhaps useful.  http://www.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=jax

Looks Like Rain?

  The clouds to our west and north are looming dark.  Impending rain.  Yes.  According to the radar picture.  Hope we get at least an inch.

Radar Picture

The weather radar shows rain all around us.  Yet we seem remarkably dry.  It is overcast.  I do hear thunder.  I did see one or two rain drops, but not in the amount that the weather radar is depicting.  I know the Lord knows we need a good drenching.  So I pray for rain.  Rain makes everything seem a little cleaner, fresher, cooler.

Last Post For Today

  The sun is a red gumball in the sky.  This picture hardly does it justice.  Maybe I should spring for a better camera.  Take note of the reflection on the pond.

Tomato plants.

There are two ripe tomatoes behind the two that you see in the foreground.  I grasped them and easily removed them from the vine with a slight quarter turn.  Think I should have been a farmer or at least had a larger yard with no HOA restrictions. 

Picture of Seed Pods

You can clearly see the seed pods in the center of this photo.  It is a bit grainy because I had to crop out the rest of the photo for them to show up clearer.  Kinda look like asparagus, right?

Saint Augustine Grass Seeds

This year my Saint Augustine grass is producing a lot of seed pods.  Not even sure if that is the correct description.  It doesn't appear like all varieties produce seeds like this.  Is my variety unique?  They slightly detract from the lawns appearance.  Yet not totally unwelcome, as I hope they will produce grass in any bare areas we have.

Fresh Tomatoes

Is there anything as delicious as produce grown in your own garden?  Our tomatoes aren't uniform in size like the ones purchased at the local supermarket, but the flavor is superb.  Ate one about the size of a plum today.  Cut in half and salted.  So good.  Definitely am planting them again next year.  Wait, is there another season for vegetables here in Florida?

Need to Mow

My lawn is in desperate need of a mow.  I can hear the comments.  Why are you on the computer?  Good point.

Wilting area

There was an area on my side lawn that appeared to be wilting as if from lack of water.  My first inclination was to check the spray nozzle covering that area.  Sure enough, the nozzle needed to be adjusted.  I am spot watering just that area as I heard from my better half, that the rest of the week looks to be dry.

After rain picture

After the rain...

This is the picture I wanted to post earlier showing the results of after a summer shower earlier in the day.  Notice there are still areas where the grass is not completely even.  This is from dead areas from previous years.  They are starting to fill in.

Rained today

Isn't it amazing how great the lawn looks after a nice summer shower?  Trying to upload a photo of the lawn, but experiencing some problems.  Maybe later.

Heat Heat Heat

And I don't mean the Miami heat.  The heat of the sun these past couple of days has caused severe wilting in our St. Augustine lawn.  No rain for about two weeks.  Makes me a little irritable.

Yesterday Heat

Yesterday's heat started shriveling our St. Augustine grass.  It is good that we have a chance to water this morning.  Probably would have watered even if we weren't scheduled.

This is a tomato plant started from seed in March...

Green Everywhere

The Saint Augustine grass has been sending up seed heads.  It made mowing today a little slower going than usual.  Since the seed heads are thicker than the blades of grass, it slightly detracts from the lawn appearance.  Even so, the grass is doing well.  I attribute it to my wife's new passion for pulling weeds and the fertilizer I applied a week or two ago.  It is a product made from composted sludge, a JEA byproduct of sewer treatment.

Finally Rain

Received some rain this afternoon.  Debating on whether I should turn off the sprinklers for tomorrow morning.  Lawn looks great.  My wife is busily pulling weeds and reports daily on her progress.  She says pulling weeds is therapeutic.   And there is something about the sensation of uprooting an enemy to your yard.  There is satisfaction in that act.

North Florida Rainfall

Temperatures are about 5 to 10 degrees hotter than normal this time of year combined with the fact that we haven't seen much rainfall (not since my last post) makes keeping the grass green a challenge.   A majority of our neighbors are struggling.  And although the land here used to be a vegetable farm, I am sure that they cleared all that good soil away and left us with stuff devoid of organic matter and nutrients.  Am thinking of ways we can amend the soil we have so next year is not such a great challenge.  Any thoughts?  I have an edger and am think of just cutting lines through the soil 1 or 2 feet apart and adding composted manure to the trench I dug...

Daily Observation

Lawn looks great.  Thank God for the rain this past Saturday.  A real soaker.  Petunias planted by the Crepe Myrtle in the backyard are doing great.  Bright red.  Love annuals.  Lots of color.  We had a scare the past couple of weeks with the lack of rain and we think we have to deal with Nematodes, possibly P. Minor.  Will try include a link to the UF website.   We had all the symptoms, but didn't take soil samples.  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh010