Florida Gardening by the Sea is a primer for anyone new to gardening in this state’s surprisingly hostile environment, especially near the coast, with its sandy, alkaline soil, drought and downpours, salty well water, wind and salt spray, high humidity and heat, and occasional freezing weather. Starting with the basics of plant care and propagation, the book also covers what coastal gardeners need to know about control techniques, specific plants, landscaping, and gardening activities month by month.
Too many newcomers to Florida try to grow plants the way they did "back home." When they meet with failure, they give up. Florida Gardening by the Sea is not simply a "how-to" book. It helps readers understand what they are doing and why. Full of specific instructions, the book helps gardeners understand and use common sense in working with soils, fertilizing, composting, mulching, watering, and controlling pests—by the sea or in any sandy, alkaline soil. If they follow the expert advice in this book, written in Mary Jane’s warm, encouraging style, they’ll be successful!
Features include:
—specific instructions about bulbs, shrubs, and trees that can most successfully be grown in coastal areas—or in any sandy soil devoid of nutrients
—complete characteristics-at-a-glance tables for hardy and flowering trees most successfully grown in coastal areas
—line drawings illustrating the basics of pruning and air-layering
—how-to instructions for pre-freeze preparation and post-freeze plant care
—the basics on lawn care: types of grasses, mowing, and maintenance
—flower planting guides for roses, poinsettias, hibiscus, and more
—a section on balcony gardens for condo dwellers
—detailed calendars for each month—what to plant, timely chores
—16 pages of Mary Jane’s own color photographs.
A wealth of practical information on plants and gardening techniques, supplemented by valuable anecdotal references that only someone with tremendous personal experience could share. . . . I am a great fan of Mrs. McSwain . . . [and] this is a very special book.'—Tom Underwood, manager of horticulture services, Walt Disney World
For eighteen years, Mary Jane McSwain was garden editor for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, writing the weekly columns and feature articles that made her one of Florida’s favorite gardening authorities.
