Jerry Carris, The Master Gardener

Jerry Carris, harvested more than vegetables and flowers.  An Orange County master gardener for over 20 years, Jerry harvested love, good will, and friendships. He loved everybody and encouraged them to be their very best. My heart ached when I heard that Jerry passed away yesterday.

Jerry, a redhead - with freckles, too - would stop by my office at the Orange County Extension office and give me hugs and encouragement. He was a strong supporter of myUF/IFAS Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program through the City of Winter Garden, and of my weekly gardening radio show, "In Your Backyard. Jerry would call in frequently into "In Your Backyard" with answers to my audience's vegetable questions and to promote the Master Gardener clinic open on Tuesdays at the Mid-Florida Research Center in Apopka.

Jerry was recognized in November 2009 as the Florida Master Gardener of the Year by the University of Florida.

I will miss you, Jerry. God speed home.

Jerry's Obituary - Orlando Sentinel

In Your Backyard: "Spring Vegetables"

Still enjoying the cooler temperatures with highs in the 80's and lows in the upper 50's at night. Landscape shrubs and trees are busting out with leaves and returning to their normal growth patterns.

We'll be talking about growing vegetables today with Jerry Carris, former Mayor of Winter Garden, beloved West Orange High School Agriculture teacher, and UF/IFAS's 2009 Master Gardener of the Year.

We will talk with Jerry about his love of gardening, how and what to plant for a great spring and summer vegetable garden, and his newest project, the Winter Garden Community Garden.

Want more information on growing vegetables here in Florida?

• Vegetables and Herbs
• Identifying Tomato, Eggplant, and Pepper Diseases
• Florida Vegetable Growing Guide

Last Friday, my husband and I, and our two Scottish terriers trekked a portion of the Florida Greenways, the Marshall Swamp Trail. With the abundance of rainfall in March, this truly was a swamp adventure. The trail is very well laid out but we did have to slosh our way through some lower portions of path. Beautiful native rain lilies, Zephyranthes spp. were blooming just in time for Easter Sunday.

I'll post the link to all of our hike's photographs this afternoon.

Call in to "In Your Backyard" with your gardening questions.