Gardening in the Bahamas and the Florida Keys

By Charles Below

Born in 1939 in Detroit, Mich, educated in the public schools in California, went to Cal. Polly, and the U. of Med. And in 1999 received his doctors degree in cheoestry at UCLA. In Los Angeles. He also was in the Navy. And were a Landscaper, a fiberglass and composite engineer. He is and avid boatperson is captain of a 72-foot yacht.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 2, 2005
• ISBN: 9781463475413

Charles Below

Born in 1939 in Detroit, Mich. Educated in the public schools at California, went to Cal. Polly, and the University of Maryland. In 1999, received his doctor’s degree in chemistry at UCLA,  in Los Angeles.  He was also in the Navy,  And was a Landscaper, and fiberglass  composite engineer.  He is a avid boatperson and is the captain of a 72-foot yacht. Cjeck out his

Book preview

© 2005, 2014 Charles Below. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/25/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4208-1860-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-7541-3 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

SOIL: THEIR CONTENTS AND WHY

INSECT SPRAYS AND CONTROLS

After Spraying!!!

Systemic Insecticides:

Phototoxity or Plant Injury:

COMBATING INSECT AND ARTHROPOD PESTS OF ORNAMENTALS

1.   Pests and Their Control:

a.   Scale Insects

b.   Spider Mites:

c.   Aphids and Whiteflies:

d.   Sooty Mold:

e.   Thrips:

f.   Caterpillars:

g.   Grasshoppers and Katydids:

h.   Slugs and Snails:

i.   Beetles:

j.   Cutworms:

k.   Leaf Miners:

l.   Leaf Tigers and Leaf Rollers:

m.   Millipedes, Earworms, Pillbugs and Sowbugs:

n.   Ants:

o.   Termites:

2.   General Purpose Sprays:

Ants

Fire Ant

Sand Flies

Cockroaches

Fleas

House Flies

Mosquitos

Scorpions

Brown Dog Tick

American Dog Tick

VEGETABLES (HOME GARDENS)

SALT TOLERANCE TREES FOR SOUTH FLORIDA

ZONE 1

Trees

Conifers

TABLE 1 - SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF FLORIDA MANGO VARIETIES

Shrubs And Small Plants

Flowers

Palms

Grasses - Zone 1

ZONE 2

Trees

Conifers

Palms

Zone 2 Shrubs And Small Plants

SALT TOLERANCE TREES FOR SOUTH FLORIDA

ZONE 3

Trees

Conifers

Palms

Shrubs And Small Plants

COMPARISON OF AVAILABLE GRASSES FOR BAHAMA AND FLORIDA LAWNS

St. Augustine

Zoysia

Emerald

Centipede

Bahia

Bermuda

LAWN AND TURFGRASS PESTS

Chinch Bugs

Sod Worms

Army Worms

Mole Cricket

White Grubs

Billbugs

Scale Insects

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF BUDDED CITRUS VARIETIES

Oranges:

Grapefruit

MISCELLANEOUS FANCY VARIETIES

TABLE 1. SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF FLORIDA AVOCADO VARIETIES

TRIMMING

INTRODUCTION

Gardening in the Bahamas and the Florida Keys is an easy to understand source of information on gardening in the Florida Keys and Bahamas.

Special emphasis has been placed on proper techniques so the beginner or inexperienced gardener may become acquainted with generally accepted practices, and the use of materials used in the Keys and the Bahamas.

Information in this book, if carefully applied, will enable the inexperienced gardener to do many jobs he was afraid to tackle before, and will make any inexperienced gardener a better gardener.

Charles Below, Ph.D.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Gardening in the Keys and the Islands of the Bahamas contain materials secured from many different sources. I want to record here, my deep appreciation of the individuals and organizations whose splendid cooperation has made this possible.

SOIL: THEIR CONTENTS AND WHY

We have compiled this literature from many booklets available to anyone who is a resident of Florida. When reading these booklets, be careful of what they say about the pH scale of soils and fertilizing because much of their testing has been on mainland soils, which is somewhat different from ours. The Agricultural Department will tell you not to try to control the pH in this area, Let’s face it, we live on rock and if we didn’t, we would wash away with the tide.

The soil you buy at the nursery should contain about 30% sand. The rest is mulch and Florida peat from the mainland: use this mixture because it will hold enough moisture and fertilizer to give the plant a good chance to grow. The sand allows for excess moisture to drain off. Additional sand would only increase the amount of moisture and fertilizer required to keep the plant nourished.

There is very little in the rocky marl to keep a plant healthy. The results are that the plans in this area are smaller that those on the mainland. It just happens to be the area in which it is planted.

The hole any plant or tree should be set in should be at least 2 to 3 times the size of the pot or root system, and at least 3 to 4 feet deep. Dig, drill or dynamite a hole and fill in with good soil, or if you please, 2 marl on the bottom and the rest good soil. Set the plant in the soil no deeper than it grew in the pot. Do no cover the exposed wood, it could possibly rot.

Mix into the soil any organic fertilizer and water until the soil settles and