Umatilla Garden Club

10/08/2026

What's your favorite central Florida flowering vine? Garden club president Ruth Cantillon loves native, bright red Coral Honeysuckle, (Lonicera sempervirens) and trellises it to attract pollinators- especially hummingbirds. Also spotted blooming in her neighborhood this week, blue morning glories and pink coral vine (Antigonon leptopus). For more, see her column "Growing Things" in this week's edition of Umatilla's own newspaper, The North Lake Outpost. What flowering vines are blooming in your gardens? Members, post your pics in the comment- you might just see them in an upcoming Umatilla Garden Club slide show!

10/07/2026

Yep, pretty much!

10/07/2026

Wondering what to plant this month? Here's useful information from the folks at UF/IFAS Lake County Extension. Umatilla is in zone 9b, while some of the towns at the south end of the county are pushing zone 10a. The column for central Florida should work best for us, but we know growers who push it a little bit north or south depending on their level of experience. Lake County neighbors, what are you successfully growing- anything not on these lists? Share your experiences and photos with us in the comments.

10/07/2026

Folks who participate in our Umatilla Garden Club grow many things, from African violets to Zinnias, tomatoes to sweet potatoes. But our primary shared interest is learning to feed our families- maybe even growing enough extra to share.

Sustainable gardening practices, hydroponics, permaculture, food forests, community gardens, pruning, soil amendments, pollinator support- 2026/27 club programs will offer practical ideas and advice for getting started.

This month, we'll hear from garden club member Judy Pelon, owner of Legacy Farm and Gardens in Umatilla, featuring private garden spaces available to families through paid membership. Judy's vision includes providing support and education to help all new gardeners be successful. The second part of our meeting will share community resources along with an open forum for questions and success stories that will inspire you to get growing.

Here are some photos of the work Judy has been doing to launch her dream- her farm is expected to launch early in 2027. Join us this Saturday at the Umatilla Library to learn more. Doors open at 9:30am. Please see our events page for more information about our monthly meetings, which are open to the public. Come grow with us!

10/06/2026

One of our favorite suppliers- our members highly recommend Seed the Stars.

🫘 October is when most Florida gardeners make the full transition into cool-season crops as temperatures start to cool and the plants that prefer temperate growing conditions really start to thrive. 👀 Find LOCAL seeds to plant NOW in Florida at seedthestars.etsy.com

⌛ Some quick-growing warm-season crops can still be seeded or transplanted if you have enough time for them to reach maturity. Be sure to check the days to maturity and compare them to your average first frost date to make sure you have enough time before the risk of frost. Depending on where you are in Central Florida, you may still have plenty of growing time left.

🍓 October is also a good time to plan for a few longer-season crops. If you haven’t started vernalizing your garlic yet, now is the time, as it needs about 10–12 weeks of cold treatment before planting. You can also look for pre-vernalized garlic from suppliers. Bare-root strawberries can go in this month, or you can purchase plugs for planting. It’s also a good time to order short-day onions so you’re ready for the planting season ahead.

🌟 Otober can still be hot, and some cool-season crops will struggle if temperatures stay higher than normal. Keep an eye on the forecast rather than planting strictly by calendar dates. Sometimes it’s worth waiting for better conditions rather than rushing a crop into the ground too early.

🌱 Have a magical month of planting!

10/06/2026

More Lake County events of interest to our garden club members- who's in for a field trip?

10/06/2026

Hey, Garden Club Members, let's go after our meeting on Saturday!

Celebrate fall, gardening, and the community at the 2026 Fall and Plant Festival at UF/IFAS Discovery Gardens!🌱 Shop for plants, explore garden displays, meet local vendors and organizations, and enjoy educational activities for the whole family. 🍂

📅 Oct. 10-11 | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
📍 UF/IFAS Discovery Gardens (1951 Woodlea Road, Tavares)

Saturday features additional family-friendly activities, including a 4-H open house, children’s activities, a chickens and rabbits show-and-tell, educational talks, information tables, and UF/IFAS displays. Bring the family and spend the weekend discovering something new at UF/IFAS Discovery Gardens! 🌻 Learn more about the event here: https://lakecountyfl.gov/news/5305

01/12/2026

New year = new growth. Here are some edible plants to get in the ground for 2026.

For the printable PDF and text version of this infographic, visit UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions. https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/infographics-collection/what-to-plant-in-january/

01/12/2026

You can still spice things up in winter. In Florida, herbs can be grown during the cooler months. Coriander, thyme, parsley, chives and fennel all fare well. Just be sure to protect these plants during frosts and freezes.

For the PDF or text version of this infographic, visit UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions. https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/infographics-collection/herbs-for-winter-infographic/

01/12/2026

Things to plant in January-

There are many types of flowers that can be planted during Florida’s winter. If you want some pleasant blooms to enjoy, these species are ideal for the season.

*Generally, if planting at the beginning of the season, you can plant by seed. If planting towards the end, you can use transplants. However, each plant varies in its success as a transplant or seed, so check with your local county UF/IFAS Extension agent for more information on planting in your area. https://go.ufl.edu/Extension

For the printable PDF and text version of this infographic, visit UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions. https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/infographics-collection/flowers-to-plant-in-january/