September 1, 2025

Photo Credit: UF/IFAS Photo Archive

Article by Jo Leyte Vidal, Master Gardener Volunteer

Gardening Requires a Lot of Workouts

 But it doesn’t require a gym membership, and the ‘exercise equipment’ includes post-hole diggers, shovels, trowels, and wheelbarrows – to name a few. For example, walking behind a mower is similar to a treadmill; raking mimics a rowing machine; and turning compost is like lifting weights.

 Now that you’ve been encouraged to exercise you are ready to do September garden chores:

• Begin preparing houseplants that have spent the summer outside. Check for insects, reduce watering, and wash the outside of pots with a weak bleach solution (2 tablespoons bleach in 1 gallon water)
• Cut off spent canna lily blossoms to encourage re-blooming.
• Divide bulbs such as daylily and rain lily to give them more growing space.
• Feed Bahai and St. Augustine grasses for the second time this year. Use a 15-0-15 fertilizer.
• Plant new bulbs such as amaryllis, calla lily, iris, Easter lily, zephyr lily, and daffodils.
• Treat hibiscus with oil spray if you notice snow scale. It looks like a cluster of white dots.
• Cruise your lawn to check for sod webworms, grubs, and cinch bugs. Call or visit a Master Gardener Plant Clinic if you need assistance on dealing with these critters. Information below.
• Feed camellias and azaleas. Check for mites under the leaves by tapping a leaf over a piece of white paper. Mites will fall off and appear like small black spots. If needed, treat with a miticide spray.

Now – get out there and start your free workouts!

Our Nursery/Propagation area will be closed to visitors beginning September 18th in preparation for the Fall Plant Sale.  

Packaged seeds will also be available at the Plant Sale.

Follow this link for a list of available seeds:

2025-Fall-Seed-List-(1).pdf

       Check back in September for a list of available plants at our Fall Plant Sale.

Why do we save seeds?

 In Central Florida, where the subtropical climate provides nearly year-round growing conditions, saving seeds is more than just a gardening trend—it's a powerful step toward food sovereignty, resilience, and sustainability. Learning to save seeds can help preserve unique plant varieties, reduce gardening costs, and ensure a continuous harvest tailored to your local environment.

 Seed saving allows gardeners to select and preserve plants that thrive in their specific conditions. Central Florida’s hot, humid summers, sandy soils, and occasional cold snaps in winter make it a unique growing zone (USDA Zone 9b). Over time, seeds saved from your healthiest and most productive plants adapt to local conditions, becoming more resistant to regional pests, diseases, and weather fluctuations.

 Saving seeds also supports biodiversity. Many commercial seeds come from just a few varieties bred for uniformity and long-distance shipping, not flavor, nutrition, or resilience. By saving heirloom or open-pollinated seeds, you help preserve the genetic diversity that industrial agriculture often overlooks.

 For more information follow this link to a UF/IFAS video: Seed Saving for Your Garden

Content developed with Artificial Intelligence assistance/Reviewed and approved by a Master Gardener

You will not find invasive plants in our Nursery/at our Plant Sales

In fact, a large number of available plants have been propagated from our personal home gardens.

Fall is a very busy time for Florida Master Gardeners 

We are happy to share these upcoming events provided by our Master Gardener colleagues in other counties.

UF/IFAS Extension Marion County is a cooperation between the Marion County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida to deliver relevant, research-based education programs that result in healthy people, healthy environments and healthy economies.