What is the cut off date?

For putting some crotons in the ground? Will they have time to establish before winter if I do it today?

 

With winter what it's been lately around here, I'd never plant another croton again.

That said the rootball should be large enough already, if in a 3G or larger container, to sustain it through fall and winter. Typically, the weather doesn't significantly cool consistently until late October/early November. You "should" have two more months of warm weather.

 

Thanks, I am going to plant some of the common varieties. I have no choice. I have more pots than space in the greenhouse this year. Besides crotons, I tend to hoard anthuriums, orchids etc. This addiction is getting worse. I may need an intervention!

 

I understand about the addiction. I've turned into a native plant buff as of late. I have a Firebush, Beautyberry, Porterweed, Milkweed, Scarlet Salvia, Lantana and Simpson Stopper in the garden now. These at least can handle our worst winter.

 

I still think a lot of natives look like weeds but I am beginning to appreciate them more and more. On my blistering southern exposure they thrive. I love all the pollinators they bring in too. Helps with my veggie garden.

 

Hey some of the weeds here are starting to look good to me....

 

Native plants will 'grow' on you. Some are quite nice. This year I added a live sand oak, a buttonwood hedge (florida keys style), more radiatas, coonties, mimosa, encyclia tampensis, and epidendrum. They all make a great backdrop for crotons, and they are easy.

 

Each bad winter another native makes it's way into my yard. Each bad winter I also lose a little interest in gardening too. 12yrs ago I started this journey mostly for looks. I wanted a little haven after a longs days work in the office. I was a child of Gilligans Island, Fantasy Island and flipper. Those tropicals were an escape for the girl stuck in snowy Wisconsin. I have begun to take notice of how corrupt our food supply has become so edibles have recently become a passion too. I just need to move further south or to HI.

 

Bren - do they allow you to fertilize edibles?

 

Ron,

I do believe veggie ferts are currently banned until the end of Sept. I always use organics on my edibles anyway.

 

Bren - I would say to do it sooner than later. If you enrich your soil with plenty of composted cow manue and peat moss to encourage some rapid root growth. And then heavily mulch to keep the roots warm as the cooler weather arrives.

In 2009 I planted crotons in Nov. and root development was much less than if I did it on August 21st. Then that real bad cold stretch happened and they really struggled. According to Dr. Frank Brown, it takes about three years to get a croton fully established. If you have robust healthy plants with the container packed with roots, then git-r-done.

 

Brenda, is it too soon to plant Brocoli?

 

Ray,

Last year I planted seedlings in early Sept. I follow this
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021

 

Thanks for the link Bren.

As far as planting out the crotons, I would be tempted to plant the pot (not plant pot) until spring.

Remember, central Florida is the new Georgia and south Florida is the new central Florida. Winter is coming and it's pissed at all the heat we've had. It wants a piece of the pie. Run for your croton's life!!

 

Ray - has the Glock's Southern Compound remained the same weather wise or reclassified as well?

 

40'sF there last year so let's call it the new peninsular south Florida.