Everything came out so early this year that I'm not really waiting for anything except my turmeric.

I read today that gingers won't emerge until it's a constant 55 degrees, so shouldn't be long for you, but maybe longer for me. It's in the 40s at night now, but maybe soon it will get up to the 50s. I look every day where they are planted.

Hummingbirds !!!!

Last year my turmeric didn't come out till late May how about yours

Joe -- What? Hummingbirds like the flowers?

Glenn, I just planted mine last year, and I can't remember when the regular ginger came up. I need to keep a garden journal. :(

No Deb, it's the hummingbird feeders they like,..and of course we love seeing them drink that flavored water,..watching them close up suspended in midair,..with fascination ! A city boy like me had no idea any bird could flap his( her ) wings so fast !!! All we had in NYC were the pigeons,...boring ! : )

Curcuma and globba gingers dont usually come up till May here.

So globbas will grow here? I will have to try them. I miss my little dancing ladies.

Those are beautiful! I'd be willing to buy some bulblets from you when you get them. PM me if you're willing.

Well I guess I'm being impatient now, I can't wait for peaches. I got 1 that is much larger than the others and looks like it ripe but isn't it's a whole month early from when the first are normally ready but that 1 is like a tease it's not only the normal size when there ripe but it also turn red but is still rock hard.

Glenn, I remember in SC I would rush out to buy the first early peaches in May. They were clingstone and not very tasty at all, but they were peaches. Then in June and July, we got those huge, beautiful freestone peaches. I do miss good peaches. The California peaches we get here are horrible. They taste like pulpwood.

Youse guys are giving me an idea,..stirring up those old memories of the scrumptious Elberta's I used to grow up in western NJ. Hmmm, didn't think I had room enough for one more tree,...but recall puglvr1 saying, " Jofus,...there's always room for one more ! " :)

Well, I went and did it again, thanks to youse guys !!! LOL

The following are pics of the newest addition to my vast ( getting vaster ) plantation,...a 6' tall ( above ground ) UF Best peach tree ( only 100 chill hours ), in it's 27 gal pot, an hour after arriving from the Home Depot in Englewood ! The newest ( and lowest ) low chill hour peach tree developed by The University of Florida ! GO GATORS ! :)

Am keeping my fingers crossed regarding this guy,..have no idea how the ripe peaches will taste. Maybe Glenn has an idea ? Am also hoping that I don't have a bad critter experience like last time, when the squirrels and birds attacked my last peach trees like demented demons !!

As the tree was being unloaded, I couldn't help but recall my neighbor Tom's comments on the last tree I planted ! " Planting another tree eh, Joe ? "

" Yeah Tom, but this will be the last one ! "

" But you said that the last time ! "

" Yeah, but I really mean it this time ! "

" YOU SAID THAT THE LAST TIME ALSO !!! " as he laughed out loud.

But this will be the last tree for sure,... ! :)

Oh how great that tree is! And it came with peaches! Love it. UF best is named so for a reason, it's good.

Got a huge hole dug early this morning, ideal location, will get 10 + hrs of sun ea day ! Will plant it tomorrow, however, a bit nervous with two dozen or more small peaches hanging on it and no protection from the birds/squirrels. Anyone out there got any idea about how to protect those vulnerable little guys ? The last time I had a peach tree back there, I bought some netting, but the birds stuck their pointed beaks thru the netting and ruined many fruits !

If any idea's out there, would appreciate hearing them ! We both love peaches, as most do,..however, I hadn't planned on another tree right now, but the new wifey was taken aback by the beauty of them standing there, with a big SALE SIGN,...and lots of shoppers closing in, ,...one was picked up and carted off when wifey grabbed one.

We both love this tree,..but am sure it's only a matter of time till the critters get wind of it, so just trying to be one step ahead ! :)

Thanks !

One way I know is to put clam shells,you know the things that berries come in at the grocery store, on them. Also tying Ribbon on branches works short term. I have a cat that eats everything that comes in the yard that works well for me.

Joe, put out your fruit fly traps

Thanks Glenn, hung out 4 apple cider vinegar jars just now. With no further input, I googled up an old Graden/Web post, and followed it's strong recommendations. And that was to cut off ALL small peaches on a new, small tree being planted here in Florida for the 1st time !

It was a hard thing to do, but the site said in year 3 and 4 I will be happy with the huge horde of large fruits harvested. Whatever, I left 4 small peaches on the tree, - just couldn't cut 'em all off !!! The ones I cut off totaled OVER 45 golf ball sized peaches !!!!!!!

Oh well,..time will tell,..just hope I did the right thing !

Joe, I've never bothered thing on peach trees your suppose to but I never have and they always do great.

I guess I don't have to be inpatient about that 1 early peach. My 2 year old spotted it and picked it. It was ripe ish. Not were I would have picked it but close. She happily ate it while running away from her sister yelling mine and my peach. All I could do was laugh and say that's why there here let her have it. Lol.

Glenn, the only thing I ever did to mine was tip-prune them in late winter to keep the stem borers away. Of course, that was in SC. Mine came up as a volunteer from a trash pile already on the property, and it had these HUGE white peaches when it finally fruited.

Anonymous

Deb, I often wonder what it is like to grow up north. In my mind it's easier but that's probably not true. I think 1 day I will buy some property maybe in Tennessee and give it a try.