As we seek shelter at home for the foreseeable future, there is no better time to finally work on that sparse, shabby lawn of yours. Avoid the grocery stores during quarantine by planting your own fruit trees, herbs and edibles. Add some color with blooming springtime flowers, attract birds and butterflies. The greenscape you create will bring life to your outdoor sanctuary, and last long after quarantine is over. 

We hope our new weekly gardening column helps you get started planting that backyard you always dreamed of. And for those already getting their hands dirty, perhaps you have questions you’d like cleared up to keep your garden in tip top shape. 

Kathy Crowley of Crowley Nurseries & Gardens Inc, started the nursery in her own backyard in Bayshore Gardens. As the family business began to grow (pun intended), so did its facility. Since expanding out to Old Myakka, her and her family have been bringing beauty to backyards for close to 30 years now. Kathy will be providing useful tips and expert advice to share with us each week, as a new question will be posed to enhance your green thumb evolution. 

SRQ: I am worried that I might be overwatering my plant. I water them 1-2 times every day—one in the morning and one around lunchtime. I soak them for about 15-20 seconds per plant right on the root ball. They don’t seem to be flourishing—should I be watering them more? 

Kathy: Watering plants every day promotes just the small roots to grow. We want to promote the taproot so we will not be held hostage to our plants’ watering needs. Deeper waterings promote the deeper rooting to occur. If newly planted, maybe three times a week for about a month, go around the drip line rather than on top of the root ball—this makes the roots go to the water.  A plant dries from the outside of the root ball-in, and this will promote root rot if you water the whole root system all the time. Also, when newly planted, do not fertilize—this could burn your plants. It is not needed, as they are usually already fertilized by the nursery where you purchased them. Lastly, do not leave your hose on the ground with the water on then come out and shut it off thinking the whole plant was watered. It does not work that way—only the section where the water hit will be wet and the rest of the plant will be dry. So, make sure you water all around your plants or trees.

If you have a particular gardening question you'd like answered and featured in a future column, email SRQDailyGardening@srqme.com

Crowley Nursery 16423 Jomar Road Sarasota, 941-322-0315.