I put up with plenty of abuse from our cranky cat, Gus, on whom I lavish attention and Fancy Feast but who occasionally bites me on the ankle for no reason. We have been showing our true colors in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. Red, white and blue at home Red, white and blue decor can be as blatant as a wallpaper border of flags or as subtle as blue and white fabric with red accessories. South Florida, including the Keys, lies in Zones 10 and 11, which is considered the subtropics. You can plant trees and shrubs any time of year, although midwinter may not be ideal because new plantings will need daily watering. Most homeowners start a lawn with sod.
Chinch bugs are our worst lawn problem.
The tiny insects suck sap from grass stems. It once was customary to spray a lawn several times a year with insecticide, but experts now advise spraying only when and where bug damage appears. Mow high, no shorter than 3 inches for St. Augustine. Our soil is sandy and alkaline. Gardenias, ixoras and azaleas need acid soil.