If your real desire is to be good, there is no need to wait for the money before you do it; you can do it now, this very moment, and just where you are.
~James Allen
STAY SHARP!
 Keeping gardening tools properly sharpened can save time and money. Many landscape and garden tools benefit from sharpening; obvious examples are axes and pruners but tools like shovels and hoes also are used to cut and chop. Digging with a sharpened shovel often requires less effort and can reduce the amount of time a job takes.
There are two things that are important to remember when sharpening tools: 1) be patient and 2) the angle matters. The first is self explanatory; just take your time and do the job right. The second point requires some explanation. The angle, or bevel, that you put on a too l’s edge determines how sharp it is. However, the proper angle is also determined by the intended use of the tool. The proper bevel for a shovel is not the same as that for hand pruners. The smaller the angle, the sharper the edge, but an edge with a smaller angle is not as durable.
For most tools that are sharp when you buy them (pruners, axes, etc.), it is best to follow the factory bevel when you re-sharpen them. It is very easy to ruin a pair of pruners by putting an incorrect angle on the  edge. Tools that are dull or blunt when they are purchased (shovels, hoes, etc.) benefit greatly from sharpening. Selecting the proper angle for these tools depends on how you intend to use them. Most shovels only require about a 45-degree angle; any sharper and the edge will dull too quickly. The proper angle for hoes depends on the use but generally ranges between 20 and 45 degrees. Thirty to 35 degrees is a good general purpose edge for most hoes while very fine weeding may require a bevel that is between 20 and 30 degrees.
Thanks to our information provider: Geoff Denny, Commercial Landscape Management, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Wimauma, FL |
Florida is afforded a temperate climate with so much great weather we sometimes forget the number of freezes recorded (at Tampa International Airport) is an average of 3.3 days at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below per year. We want to have flowering semi and sub-tropical plants to brighten patios and lanais, even through the winter.
Cover flower beds with light blankets or sheets with a layer of plastic sheeting (organic materials are superior) on the top.
Wrap taller plants in sheets, blankets, burlap or commercial freeze protection cloth - make sure the material is secured to the ground.
I often see partial covers over the tops of the plants. This reduces heat loss to some extent, but covering the plant from top to ground offers the best protection. Just placing a plant under a tree offers some cold protection because the tree acts like a giant cover. Windy conditions can reduce the effectiveness of any plant wrap or cover if allowed to blow freely, so wrap those rascals good!
Florida homeowners enjoy a vast array of plant materials and often desire a tropical or semitropical appearance to their landscapes. A combination of tender and hardy plants should be planted in order to prevent total devastation of the landscape by extremely cold weather.
