THE ROUND OF WORK ON LATITUDE 30°N. 
J. K. BROWER 
Secretary, Gardeners and Florists Club of Jacksonville 
Routine of Cultural Operations Based on the Experiences of a Gardener in North Florida 
HE real beginning of our year’s work comes during July (when 
most folks are on vacations) by preparing the soil for Sweet- 
peas. As our soil here is light, best results are obtained by 
digging in deep with woods muck, cow manure, and ground 
raw bone. Then plans are made for the flower and vegetable 
gardens, seeds and bulbs secured for planting in September and Octo¬ 
ber. We put in a few more seeds of Asters, Globe Amaranth, Zinnias, 
Torenias, Scabiosa, and Vincas to tie over our bloom till the main bloom 
begins. 
S OME replant their Violets during June and July, but the best 
results are secured if planting is delayed until after the hot sum¬ 
mer sun begins to wane. It is cool here, in northern Florida, in the 
shade, as there is always a breeze; but not many plants can stand the 
direct sun during this season. 
T HE latter part of August generally allows us to transplant Violets, 
Shasta Daisy, hardy Phlox, Stokesia, hardy Asters, and Artemesia. 
There are seasons when it is too hot to do this, and it is sometimes the 
middle of September before this work is completed. The anxious 
gardener always tries in August a few seeds of Snapdragon, Calendula, 
Mignonette, Dimorphotheca, Statice, Pansies, California Poppies, 
Petunias, and Dianthus—in fact, nearly all of the winter-blooming 
annuals. Generally the bulk of the planting is done from the ioth 
of September on till the first days of November, this giving bloom dur¬ 
ing December, January, February, March, April, and May. 
S EPTEMBER is the busy month. Roses are pruned back so they 
will flower again by November; but unless special attention is to 
be given, it is better to wait until October for this pruning, when there is 
a more favorable growing season. The custom is to cut back the 
bushes within a foot or so of the ground, applying a well balanced com¬ 
mercial fertilizer, some tankage, and a top dressing of cow manure. 
The bushes make a rapid new growth that well repays with bloom for 
this effort. It’s a question how long the bushes will stand the racket, 
however. Violet plants are divided and, after thoroughly spading in 
a top dressing of cow manure and raw ground bone, we replant the 
divisions 8 to 10 inches apart. This gives us bloom from latter part 
of October to February. Best results from seeds are secured by using 
flats in a greenhouse or coldframes, excepting for the kinds that do not 
stand transplanting. 
A NNUALS that may be planted with success from last of August 
to early November include: 
Acroclinium 
Brachycome 
Gaillardia 
Annual Phlox 
African Daisy 
Browallia 
Gerbera 
Poppy 
Ageratdm 
Calendula 
Godetia 
Statice 
Annual Anchusa 
Candytuft 
Larkspur 
Salvia 
Anthirrhinum 
Centaurea 
Lupin (annual) 
Salpiglossis 
Arctotis 
Clarkia 
Mignonette 
Schizanthus 
Baby's-breath 
Dianthus 
Nasturtium 
Stock 
Beilis 
Dimorphotheca 
Niegela 
Stokesia 
Blue Lace-flower 
Eschscholtzia 
Pansy 
Petunia 
Verbena 
Wallflower 
By the latter part of September our garden plantings should be com¬ 
pleted, though seed troubles, hot weather, heavy rain, may delay the 
completion until October. 
A LL SUMMER close attention must be given to shrubs, trees, and 
Palms. The Pittosporums, Ligustrums, and Abelias grow rapidly 
and unless kept pinched back become lanky and open. If any of these 
plants are in a hedge—to which purpose they are admirably suited— 
the pruning must be more often. The cottony-cushion scale loves Pit¬ 
tosporums, so close watch must be kept and Vedalia (ladybird beetle) 
introduced. Send $1.00 to Florida Experiment Station, Gainesville, 
Florida for a supply. 
The Ligustrums (not including Amoor River Privet) are not much 
troubled with pests; the white fly does bother them a little, but whale 
oil soap or oil emulsions will overcome them. The Abelia gets by. 
Camellia japonica needs constant attention during the summer; scales 
and white fly being persistent worries. The Azaleas are not troubled 
a great deal except by red spider; daily watering is important. Poin- 
settias need pinching back quite often up until the last of July. 
\A/ATER 1 NG is the biggest task, except during the rainy season. 
* * A day or so of clear weather drys out the earth; but cultivate 
and keep a mulch of soil wherever possible. 
Roses, especially, need regular cultivating every week if possible— 
just a light shallow raking suffices. A dusting every i 5 days of 9 parts 
flowers of sulphur, one part arsenate of lead, and two parts nicotine 
dust keeps them in a clear thrifty condition. 
Trees, excepting the Oaks, have to be watched for web worms. During 
January and February prune out the dead wood and fertilize the roots. 
The Palms need attention all the summer, to keep off the worms that 
strip the foliage and prune the dying leaves close to the base. Fertiliz¬ 
ing is best accomplished by digging a hole 2 ft. wide, 2 ft. deep, and 2 
ft. broad, about 4 or 5 ft. from the Palm, filling it up and carefully pack¬ 
ing to within several inches of the top. The surface is left several in¬ 
ches above the regular grade of the lawn to allow for the settling of 
manure. The Eleagnus needs constant pruning to keep shapely. 
P LANTING of bulbs as follows must be done during September and 
October: 
Agapanthus Daffodil Iris Narcissus 
Amaryllis Hemerocallis Jonquil Snowdrop 
Chinese Sacred Lily Hyacinth Lilium Tritoma 
Montbretia Zephyranthes 
ITALIAN Rye-grass seed is sown the latter part of September and 
* early October for fall and winter lawns. It stands frequent close 
mowing and lasts until the hot weather begins. Carpet grass seed 
may be sown with the Rye which will make a lasting lawn under almost 
any conditions. The woods and fields are being covered slowly but 
surely by this wonderful grass. 
P ROSTS, which occur about the middle of November, put the 
* shrubs and trees in condition to transplant. The nurseries begin 
to ship their stock at that time. The best planting period for Roses, 
shrubs, trees, and all stock that is moved with bare roots is from Decem¬ 
ber 15th to the 1st of February. Planting is carried on, however, up 
until the middle of March. 
February is the hardest month on the tender growth, for there is 
usually a cold spell, sometimes rather severe, and so garden flowers are 
protected by newspapers, cloth, and burlap. Choice Palms are covered 
too. In some gardens coke ovens and oil burners are used to advan¬ 
tage. Usually we come through unscathed and enjoy a wealth of 
bloom from December until May. 
S EEDLINGS are got ready during January for summer use; planting 
Asters, Zinnias, Torenias, Globe Amaranth, Scabiosa, Annual 
Phlox, Vincas, Marigolds, Petunias, Helichrysum, Snapdragons, Baby’s 
breath, and Dianthus. 
During May divide hardy Chrysanthemums and replant for bloom 
the following November. 
Shrubs that may be planted from November 15th to March 15th 
include: 
Abelia grand if ora 
Acacia longifolia 
Allamanda neriifolia 
Althea 
Andromeda 
Azalea indica 
Azalea austrina 
Azalea coccinea 
Bottle-brush 
Buddleia 
Oestrum nocturnum 
Crepe Myrtle 
Cuphea hyssopifolia 
Duranta Plumieri 
Evonymus japonicus 
Eleagnus pungens 
Eleagnus pungens 
Simonii 
Hibiscus mutabilis 
Hibiscus rosa-sinen- 
sis 
Hydrangea hortensis 
Hypericum Moseri- 
anum 
Ilex glabra 
Jasminum humile 
Jasminum primulinum 
Jasminum Samboc 
l.antanas 
Leucothoe 
Malvaviscus 
Olea fragrans 
Oleander 
Pittosporum 
Plumbago capensis 
Pomegranate 
Privet 
Pyrus arbutifolia 
Raphiolepis 
Serissa foetida 
Spiraea Anthony 
Waterer 
Spiraea prunifolia 
Spiraea Vanhouttei 
Tabernaemontana 
Tea-plant 
Thunbergia erecta 
Viburnum odora- 
tissimum 
Viburnum Tinus 
Because of the marked differences in season and climate, the National Garden Week move¬ 
ment will give special observance to a Southern Auxiliary Garden Week November ist-ioth 
162 
