Category Archives: Master Gardener

Hillsborough County Workshops

Posted on by rhondacarrier

Yesterday the Hillsborough Country Extension Office staff offered workshops on the topics: compost happens, water-wise, and rain barrels. The participants in the workshops receive a free compost kit, a starter micro-irrigation kit, and a rain barrel. Master Gardeners volunteer our time helping out. I distributed rain barrels this month but it wasn’t as hot as previous months, so it was a more manageable task. Participants appreciate the free equipment they receive, and I’m happy that more people are expressing interest in solutions to environmental problems that we all share.

To sign up for upcoming workshops, go the Solutions for Your Life website.

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Thanks for the Garden Tour

Posted on by rhondacarrier

Thank-you Meems.

Meems garden

Meems from the Hoe and Shovel blog opened her garden to an informal gathering of garden bloggers and friends. What an opportunity to walk on her garden paths through the butterfly garden, around the circle garden, into the hidden garden, and more. Meems is an expert gardener who ensures each plant is in the right place to get the correct amount of sunlight and moisture. She is also an artist. Her selection and placement of varying and complimentary colors, textures, shapes, and heights of plants creates a living garden canvas. Her garden knowledge and her generous spirit inspire gardeners in Florida and beyond.

Besides getting to view and to learn more about Meem’s garden, it was delightful to meet people face-to-face that I “know” from their garden blogs’s. Other bloggers in attendance were

I came home with a trunk and backseat full of cuttings to tuck into my garden. I wasn’t alone in walking off with numerous plants. One of the Hillsborough County master gardeners drove with me and she was as delighted as I was with everything she brought back. We all look forward to seeing the transplants take root in our separate gardens while we continue to nourish our new friendships.

My Roses Bloom

Posted on by rhondacarrier

RoseWe love the deep color and fragrance of the roses in the garden.

I have not grown roses before, so I followed the suggestions on the Florida Garden Almanac for Hillsborough County, and pruned the roses in February. A month ago, I amended the rose bed with soil for roses and I am fertilizing them regularly with rose fertilizer. They are responding with beautiful lavender and red roses.

Two small rose bushes on the west side of the house were struggling. At the suggestion of a Florida master gardener, I moved them to the rose bed on the east side with the other established roses. The new leaves indicate they survived the transplant. These roses were here when we moved in, but I have not seen them bloom. I’m waiting to see what colorful surprise is in store for us. Will they be the deep red or the more fragrant lavender or another color altogether?

Rose