Florida's Spring Landscaping

Spring is a great time to be outside and work on your landscape. It’s not too hot yet, but it’s warm enough that many plants will flourish through this time. Now is a great time to consider adding a pollinator area to your garden. A pollinator garden helps attract pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Planting Florida natives is a great way to reduce the need for fertilizers and heavy watering. It also adds a much-needed environment for our native wildlife. Pollinator gardens are a beautiful addition to any landscape.

Fertilize palms, azaleas, and camellias as needed. After fertilizing, mulch to lock in the fertilizer and keep moisture better through the dry season. Now is also the time to plant new shrubs.

Spring into your landscape work with these tips:

Flower Beds

Remove any dying winter annuals and replace them with varieties that will bloom into the warmer months. Bulbs like caladiums are an option. Caladiums will grow well throughout the spring and summer. Don’t just let plants overgrow and take over your lawn.

Pruning

Prune azaleas right after the plants finish blooming. Now is the time to shape your azaleas. If you are pruning flowering shrubs or trees, prune after the last flowers have withered or before the new buds have set. Pruning a the right time will guarantee a well-shaped tree or shrub and keeps you from removing the buds for next year’s blooms.

Vegetables & Herbs

You can plant seeds into the garden plot, or you can begin with transplants. Some varieties of vegetables are more difficult to transplant than others. Always make sure to use quality seeds and plants zoned for your area. In late April and May, you can begin introducing heat-loving plants. Such plants include okra, southern peas, and sweet potatoes.

Plant herbs that do well in warmer temperature like rosemary and basil. Herbs are a great addition to your garden. Not only do they taste great when you use them at home, but they also attract butterflies. The plants themselves are also lovely and often ornamental.

Pesticides

Due to the balmy weather in Florida, insects can cause problems early in the spring. You will need to look for aphids on new plant growth, as well as thrips, mites, and scales on ornamental plants. Is your lawn showing brown spots? Make sure that it is not from lack of water before applying pesticides for lawn insects.

Before using high-powered pesticides, consider using organic or natural products first. These are less harmful to the environment if they end up in groundwater or on other plants. Besides, they are less likely to harm beneficial insects and pollinators.

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