Abell's Nursery Inc. - Florida's source for Garden, Nursery, Plants, and Landscape needs

Don't I already have dirt where I'm putting it?
You want to enrich your existing soil by adding good, rich, balanced organic material. Our Abell's Mix Soil is perfect for all your new plantings. We incorporate Nutricote time-release fertilizer into the soil which takes care of all of your plant's nutritional needs for the first 2 months. Good soil is important because what goes on under the ground in your plant's Root zone affects the quality of what you see above the ground in your plant's health. Fertilizer, water and soil all act like magnets. Sand has no charge, fertilizer and water do not really "stick" to sand. Organic material however, has a fantastic charge that grabs hold of the fertilizer and water and keeps just the right amount and makes it readily available for your plant.

One of the main reasons a tree does not grow well is usually it has been planted too deeply. A second reason could be that it is planted in soil that is too wet for that variety of tree, or the soil does not hold enough moisture because you did not amend your planting site with enriched soil or compost. You may want to refer to our insturctional video about planting trees properly.

It all depends on what type of plant and what time of year you are fertilizing. Specific plants have very individual needs. You want to choose a fertilizer appropriate for the plant you are fertilizng, but keep in mind fertilizers should be balanced. We do not advocate mixing your own nutrient combinations. i.e. 'my neighbor told me Gardenias love epsom salts- so I dumped a lot all over it!' - unfortunately you have now created a significant imbalance and your Gardenia will begin showing Deficiency symptoms because adding too much of one element causes a lack in another. For more detailed information, refer to our instructional sheets.

We don't want to get rid of lizards, we just want to discourage them in certain areas. Lizards are wonderful creatures that help keep bug populations under control. We carry Neem and Garlic Pharm that can be sprayed across thresholds and on windowsills to deter them from entering areas 'off limits'. Part of the 'Going Green Movement' is learning to coexist with all creatures.

When it comes to trees you buy from us, we make sure the Root ball is in the right proportion to the tree you're installing so it will support it when planted. We want your tree to learn to bend with the wind. We would rather your tree blow down in a wind storm than snap the top off because the top half moved while the bottom half was staked. If the entire tree blows down, it can be placed upright again. If the head breaks off, it's finished. We also want your tree to grow with proper taper (Taper is the degree to which a tree's stem or bole decreases in diameter as a function of height above ground.) Most recommendations want you to stake for a year. A lot of growth can happen in a year and we don't want your tree trunk to be scarred, marred or girdled.

Unfortunately it takes many, many years to get these "new" pests under control. Think back to the Sago scale that made owning a Sago Cycad a nightmare (requiring weekly or biweekly treatments of fishy oil sprays). That pest was first introduced in South Florida in 1994 (I believe). It's finally, decently under control- but you'll find very few homeowners willing to include them in their landscapes. That could be the reason the Scale insects seem less prevalent. We had a very cold winter (2010) compared to most years and that could have helped knock the Fig White Fly numbers down. With so many host plants still available and no known predator to aid in the reduction in Fig White Fly, I have a feeling it will take a while to reduce the population overall and that it may never truly be eradicated completely. Moist, hot, sunny springs and summers mean lots of lush, new growth on plants thus causing a surge in pest populations. If owning and treating Ficus hedges becomes to much of a burden or too costly, there are several wonderful hedges that make fantastic substitutes like the native Simpson Stopper and native Cocoplum.

First things first, we don't completely dislike liquid fertilizers- we just want you to understand their proper application. We often suggest using them to buffer the water you use to mix various pesticides- we even sell them for that purpose. If you're planning a party and need a "quick fix" you may want to use them to provide a fast overall greening. What we don't want you to do is rely on them for your regular fertilization regimen. And here are our reasons 1. You have to understand that the majority of our native soil in Florida is quartz sand. This soil has very little nutrition or water holding capacity. (Meaning liquid fertilizers quickly leach through the soil profile and don't stick around for the plants to absorb like a granular slow-release does.) 2. They tend to have a high percentage of readily available nitrogen which is the nutrient used by the plant for green growth, hence the instant greening. This causes a quick burst of lush growth- and there's nothing tastier to a pest than that lush, tender growth. Slow-release granular fertilizers allow the plant to grow a little and harden off, grow a little and harden off, etc. This makes a healthier plant more resistant to pests. 3. Florida plants are hard workers!! We don't have a dormant period for them to rest. They grow all year long. Up north, where their growing season is so short, they need to use liquid fertilizers to have that quick burst of growth. They only have so long to enjoy their plants before they go dormant for a long winter. Their soils are also COMPLETELY different as any northerner can tell you.

Here are some reasons you weren't successful. 1. You used a bleached paper towel and/or city tap water to clean their cage. Butterfly larvae are so sensitive that the chemicals used to bleach paper towels and the chlorine in treated city water can kill them. It is best to rinse their cage with water (if you have city water, rinse and place in the sun to dry completely) and not wipe with any bleached or treated paper towels. Let it air dry. This is why it's best to have two containers sometimes. 2. You or your children have handled them too much. Butterfly larvae are especially sensitive to microbes we all have on our hands and if you handle them too much they can get sick and die. You NEVER use harsh soaps on your hands and then handle them right away as this too can harm them. 3. You did not change their food often enough. Butterfly larvae get their food and water from the leaves they eat. They need a constant source of lush leaves (specific to their needs based on their species) that have not been treated with pesticides. 4. You put their food leaves into containers of water, but you didn't use a lid with holes. Butterfly larvae are instinctual in respect to their native environments but when you bring them in and place them in a cage, they don't know their food is now in a big swimming pool and they don't swim. Use cleaned food containers with lids and punch holes in the tops to place their food in. This should keep them from falling in and drowning.

At Abell's nursery we pride ourselves on supplying you with what we feel to be a superior product. So this year (2010) we will be debuting a new option for you to purchase your annuals in flats. You will be able to mix and match your favorite varieties. We are very excited about this option and think it will make everyone very happy.