A Plethora of Pansies

A Plethora of Pansies

A Plethora of Pansies

Fun Facts

  1. These gorgeous flowers are edible! Toss these minty-flavored delicacies onto your salads or desserts
  2. The Pansy symbolizes Love and Remembrance. The French word, “Pensee” means Thought or Remembrance.
  3. The Pansy has three color patterns visibly apparent and unique.
    • The single colors without patterns are most often yellow and blue.
    • Black lines radiating from the center of the flower.
    • The most known are complex colors: Dark splotches from the center create a face-like appearance and this variety is often a tri-colored flower.
    • Not all Pansies have a scent, however, Yellow and Blue Pansies possess the strongest scent.
  4. These colorful flowers can be used as a natural dye.
  5. Did you know Pansy petals are often used in potpourri?
  6. Pansies have the distinction as the birth month flower for February. Purple pansies are popular, and early bloomers to celebrate this month and align with the birthstone color of amethyst.
  7. Historically acknowledged, the Pansy is one of the oldest cultivated flowers.
  8. Winter pansies are best planted in the fall or late fall or winter and will bloom in spring, but may fade when exposed to high temperatures.

Location

Pansies are hardy and do well in cooler climates, are low maintenance, and are easy to grow. Preferred placement sites for the pansy are full to partial sun, and direct morning sun yet shields them from the intense afternoon rays. These darlings will flourish when expired blooms are dead-headed to enable new growth!

 

Water

Pansies should be watered once or twice a week and fertilized once a month.

Temperature

Ideal temperatures are 45 and 65 Degrees F. They have a tolerance to low temperatures and thrive in cool weather (40-60 degrees F). Are capable of surviving temperatures into the single digits, but with the air temperature dropping below 25 degrees F, the pansy foliage will wilt and turn a gray-green color. Options to protect your pansies are with a thin layer of pine straw over the flowers or cover with old sheets or fabrics that breathe.

Soil/Fertilizer

Plant the flowers at least 6 inches apart in well-drained fertile soil to allow for proper ventilation and moisture that is high in organic matter which helps support abundant blooms. Additionally, mulching will keep the soil moist.  Extra care is required for hanging baskets or pots and should include slow-release plant food.

Pests

Pansies are versatile, hardy, and generally resistant to pests. However, in the Panhandle area, deer love to feast on these blooms and some damage may come from herbivorous creatures such as mealybugs, snails, rabbits, or slugs  (Slugs thrive upon decayed foliage). Another option, placing used coffee grounds on the soil helps repel slugs that do not like caffeinated soil. To reduce access to these pests, surround the plant with gravel or mulch. 

Contact Us

address
4808 East Scenic Hwy 30A
Seagrove Beach, FL. 32459 (google map)

phone: 850.231.2150

hours: 9-5 Monday thru Saturday | Sun. 12-5

A Plethora of Pansies

Fun Fact

Chrysanthemum – or “mums” – come in a wide range of varieties but all originated from the same parent flower in China. Nowadays they can all be categorized into two types of mums: florist and garden. Florist mums are grown in greenhouses and used for cutting – as the name implies – by florists. These are the ones you can buy at the store for bouquets and indoor plants. Garden mums, on the other hand, are the hardier of the two. These can can survive winters by producing underground stolens and thrive as perennials.

Location

When adding mums to your garden, find a spot that gets about six hours of sun a day. While mums do love the full sun, that heat means they will need plenty of water – especially if you live in an area with warm autumns. Both florist and garden mums also make great potted plants, either alone or with other autumn blooms. Their variety of colors make for rich floral combinations!

Water

Watering your chrysanthemums once a day or every other day is sufficient unless they are located in a very hot and sunny location. Do not pour water through the dense blooms, it’s better to water the soil at the base directly. When repotting, it’s a good idea to soak the soil in the new pot completely. If the soil gets dry or they start to wilt, don’t worry, mums are hardy plants and revive well after watering again.

Temperature

Mums are some of the most well-known heralds of autumn. These flowers bloom practically everywhere once the summer blossoms start to fade away making them fall favorites. Mums are hardy blossoms that can withstand colder temperatures – down to 20° Fahrenheit – but prefer the 60-70° Fahrenheit range. They don’t do well in hotter summer temperatures though – anything over 90° Fahrenheit.

Soil/Fertilizer

Mums grow well in both potting soil and soilless mixtures. The flower’s soil should be moist, not dry, and well-drained. If the soil isn’t draining properly, you can add compost. Soilless misxtured should provide good drainage, such as one made from peat moss, perlite, and coarse builder’s sand. If you’re planting them in your garden, plant the mums in raised beds with a well-draining garden soil mix.

Pests

Due to their pungent scent, mums are not particularly tasty to deer and the usual rodent pests. They are actually good at keeping animals out of your garden. While, mums produce the natural compound pyrethrin which keeps many insects away, there are some bugs you should watch for: aphids, mites, and leaf miner larva. To help prevent pests, you should be careful not to wet the leaves while watering and weed your garden regularly. If the mums are indoors, make sure the air isn’t too dry or too cool.

Contact Us

address
4808 East Scenic Hwy 30A
Seagrove Beach, FL. 32459 (google map)

phone: 850.231.2150

hours: 9-5 Monday thru Saturday | Sun. 12-5

How to Care for Your Mums

How to Care for Your Mums

How to Care for Your Mums

Fun Fact

Chrysanthemum – or “mums” – come in a wide range of varieties but all originated from the same parent flower in China. Nowadays they can all be categorized into two types of mums: florist and garden. Florist mums are grown in greenhouses and used for cutting – as the name implies – by florists. These are the ones you can buy at the store for bouquets and indoor plants. Garden mums, on the other hand, are the hardier of the two. These can can survive winters by producing underground stolens and thrive as perennials.

Location

When adding mums to your garden, find a spot that gets about six hours of sun a day. While mums do love the full sun, that heat means they will need plenty of water – especially if you live in an area with warm autumns. Both florist and garden mums also make great potted plants, either alone or with other autumn blooms. Their variety of colors make for rich floral combinations!

Water

Watering your chrysanthemums once a day or every other day is sufficient unless they are located in a very hot and sunny location. Do not pour water through the dense blooms, it’s better to water the soil at the base directly. When repotting, it’s a good idea to soak the soil in the new pot completely. If the soil gets dry or they start to wilt, don’t worry, mums are hardy plants and revive well after watering again.

Temperature

Mums are some of the most well-known heralds of autumn. These flowers bloom practically everywhere once the summer blossoms start to fade away making them fall favorites. Mums are hardy blossoms that can withstand colder temperatures – down to 20° Fahrenheit – but prefer the 60-70° Fahrenheit range. They don’t do well in hotter summer temperatures though – anything over 90° Fahrenheit.

Soil/Fertilizer

Mums grow well in both potting soil and soilless mixtures. The flower’s soil should be moist, not dry, and well-drained. If the soil isn’t draining properly, you can add compost. Soilless misxtured should provide good drainage, such as one made from peat moss, perlite, and coarse builder’s sand. If you’re planting them in your garden, plant the mums in raised beds with a well-draining garden soil mix.

Pests

Due to their pungent scent, mums are not particularly tasty to deer and the usual rodent pests. They are actually good at keeping animals out of your garden. While, mums produce the natural compound pyrethrin which keeps many insects away, there are some bugs you should watch for: aphids, mites, and leaf miner larva. To help prevent pests, you should be careful not to wet the leaves while watering and weed your garden regularly. If the mums are indoors, make sure the air isn’t too dry or too cool.

Contact Us

address
4808 East Scenic Hwy 30A
Seagrove Beach, FL. 32459 (google map)

phone: 850.231.2150

hours: 9-5 Monday thru Saturday | Sun. 12-5

Bugs Beware

Bugs Beware

Bugs Beware

Bugs Beware! Bug spray

Bugs Beware

We have products to create this season’s pleasant outdoor experience!
We are proud to carry: citronella candles, citronella incense, bug spray and a bug ball fly trap.

Lux Fragrance Citronella Candles
Skeem Design Citronella Candles
Bug Ball with Cactus Juice & Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard
Bug Ball with bugs

Contact Us

address
4808 East Scenic Hwy 30A
Seagrove Beach, FL. 32459 (google map)

phone: 850.231.2150

hours: 9-5 Monday thru Saturday | Sun. 12-5

Tea in the Garden

Tea in the Garden

Tea in the Garden

Tea In The Garden

Sunday, March 6, 2022, 12:00 – 3:00 PM at Clay Garden

Enjoy Tea In The Garden and light bites with a gorgeous view of the Clay 30A gardens. Guests will enjoy great company while raising funds for breast cancer patients along the Emerald Coast.

During the event there will live music, a photo booth sponsored by Own at the Beach Team, light bites by Swiftly Catered, complimentary rose by Good Clean Wine and Waterhouse Provisions, a silent auction and more! Big hats encouraged for a chance to win “Best Hat” prize.

Gather your friends and join us for Tea In The Garden at Clay30A benefiting Fore Her! Click for Event Flyer

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Email Amy Walsh for more information amy@foreher.org or visit the Fore Her website www.foreher.org

Tickets are:
$50 donation per person
$45 donation per person for Breast Cancer Survivors

Contact Us

address
4808 East Scenic Hwy 30A
Seagrove Beach, FL. 32459 (google map)

phone: 850.231.2150

hours: 9-5 Monday thru Saturday | Sun. 12-5

Butterfly Life Cycles

Butterfly Life Cycles

Butterfly Life Cycles

Presentation by Ted and Shannon at recent Event “Monarchs & Mimosas”

Presentation given October 22 and 23, at Clay Garden

I want to talk to you about the butterfly life cycles, which we all know as metamorphosis. All insects go through metamorphosis, but butterflies go through complete metamorphosis. Complete metamorphosis is four different life cycles or stages. Butterflies would rather mate than eat. So first the male and female mate, then the female gets busy laying eggs. She will smell the plants with her antennas and taste the plants with her feet, so that she can find the perfect food for her babies/caterpillars. Butterflies have a very specific plant that their caterpillars will eat. These are known as host plants and are just as important as nectar (flowers) plants in a butterfly garden. The female butterfly can lay up to a thousand eggs but sadly only about one percent will make it to adulthood. While laying eggs some butterflies will lay one egg at a time, some lay in clusters while others will stack eggs on top of each other. The eggs come in many different colors, shapes and sizes depending on the butterfly that is laying the egg. The egg life cycle again depending on the butterfly will last for three to five days. When the egg is about to hatch it will turn dark, and soon out comes the caterpillar.

Often the caterpillar’s first meal will be his egg shell. Then he is on to the leaves.  As they grow they shed their skin many times and sometimes will eat their shed skin. Caterpillars are easy prey so they use different ways to deter predators. Like some resemble bird poop, or have false eyes to look like a snake and some have spikey hairs that looks like they might sting. Although, butterflies do not sting, bite or harm us in any way. Swallowtail caterpillars have something very special and unique to them. They have an osmeterium; it’s a fork like tongue that emits a foul odor to deter predators. Caterpillars will grow two thousand times in size in this stage and this is the only stage that the butterfly grows. The caterpillar stage is typically 10 to 14 days. When ready he will travel away from host plant and find a place to make a silk button and hand in a J shape to get ready to make the chrysalis or pupa. The caterpillar will shed his skin one last time. When they do it will reveal the chrysalis.

In this stage the caterpillar will liquefy and reform as the butterfly. They are vulnerable as well, so they use camouflage to hide. The giant swallowtail’s pupa looks like a stick or part of a branch. While the monarch’s pupa is green and can blend in with the plants. Red admirals will shake violently when disturbed. The chrysalis or pupa life cycle is 10 to 14 days. When the butterfly gets ready to emerge the pupa will turn dark and you can see the colors of the butterfly wings. When the butterfly does emerge they are not ready to fly. They must uncurl their wrinkled wings and pump fluid from their body in to the wings. Their wings are still wet and it takes about an hour or more to dry out, and then they are ready to fly.

Once they have made it to the final life cycle, which is referred to as adult butterfly. They are ready to start the process all over again and find a mate to mate. Adult butterflies drink nectar from flowers, but they also drink from tree sap, rotting fruit, and salt and minerals from the earth. This drinking from the earth is called puddling and it helps in reproduction. Most adult butterflies live one to two weeks, but the zebra longwing (the state butterfly of Florida) can live up to 6 months. Because they eat pollen from flowers this allows them to live longer. Monarchs are another butterfly that can live a longer life. The last brood of the summer will travel to the mountains in Mexico and will overwinter there. Then when spring comes along they will make their way back to North America.

Contact Us

address
4808 East Scenic Hwy 30A
Seagrove Beach, FL. 32459 (google map)

phone: 850.231.2150

hours: 9-5 Monday thru Saturday | Sun. 12-5