Reality Sets In - And Advice Wanted

[wwdnet]

Hallelujah! My husband is finally assessing the gas storage situation and topping off the generators, and told me to make sure I stock up on storage food. He won't need to ask me twice! I'll also pick up a couple more cases of bottled water. We'll take out the motorhome to top off the gasoline and fill the propane tank. Prices are up over $.50/gal and rising daily.

I'm going to do raised bed gardens this year (tired of fighting weeds and parasitic nematodes) so I ordered 3 kits and a roll of weed net. Wood rot is an unfortunate side effect of FL living, so I'm doing galvanized metal containers. I'll only need about 40 bags of garden soil to fill them up. I told him it's time to get the spring garden ready, and I spent the day hoeing up the existing garden and pulling out the rest of the freeze-resistant weeds.

>He also suggested a couple of fruit trees (maybe some berry bushes too). Best choices for FL? Wild raspberries grow well here but I don't know about tame ones :confused: I don't eat fruit except for blackberries, blueberries, and avocados, but has anyone tried growing mandarin oranges? He likes those.

>Does anyone know how to contain sweet potatoes so they don't take over the whole yard??? I love to have them and they store really well, but they spread just like my weeds.

The reality of Buyden's "dark winter" is setting in...

[rockriver]

i don't know how far you are from valdosta, but if this place is driveable or "on the way to" i recommend it. http://www.lochlaurelnursery.com/citrus.asp

we tried citrus 3 times... trees died before the year was out...
then we visited loch laurel with a group... he had citrus growing awesome... i wanted to buy. he was adamant, "no sir, it is the wrong time of year... come back in xxx or yyy month and you can get some!"
i was surprised a business was telling a customer no...

but he did... i went back in xxx month and we have had awesome results... we are still eating satsumas that we picked in early december that have benn in the extra fridge!! we gave them away to neighors in bags of 12... his lemons are producing too. i think ours are myers (sp?)

some folks think the owner "looks a little goofy" but, he is doing work for several universities...extremely smart... follow whatever advice he gives you.

congratulations on the attitude...
if you go to loch laurel, holler, we need to go back.

we planted figs today, using sprouts from under another very large and old fig tree... just a suggestion!

[wwdnet]

i don't know how far you are from valdosta, but if this place is driveable or "on the way to" i recommend it. http://www.lochlaurelnursery.com/citrus.asp

we tried citrus 3 times... trees died before the year was out...
then we visited loch laurel with a group... he had citrus growing awesome... i wanted to buy. he was adamant, "no sir, it is the wrong time of year... come back in xxx or yyy month and you can get some!"
i was surprised a business was telling a customer no...

but he did... i went back in xxx month and we have had awesome results... we are still eating satsumas that we picked in early december that have benn in the extra fridge!! we gave them away to neighors in bags of 12... his lemons are producing too. i think ours are myers (sp?)

some folks think the owner "looks a little goofy" but, he is doing work for several universities...extremely smart... follow whatever advice he gives you.

congratulations on the attitude...
if you go to loch laurel, holler, we need to go back.

we planted figs today, using sprouts from under another very large and old fig tree... just a suggestion!

We're only a little over an hour from Valdosta and that would make a great day trip. Thank you for the suggestion! I'll let you know when we're going.