Spring is good so far. While we've had some very warm days, we've also had some relatively cool days and cool nights recently. We even had some nice spring rains and our plants grew. Take advantage of this weather to get serious about gardening because the heat of summer is coming.
If you want to add plants to your landscape and garden, it's best to do it as soon as possible, before the heat of summer hits. That's not to say you can't still plant in the summer, but it's a lot more fun and less stressful to work outside now that you can grow new plants when the temperatures aren't so hot.
Are you interested in growing new plants in your garden? Attend the Leon County Sale and Open House on Saturday, May 13th from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Leon County Office, 615 Paul Russell Road.
In addition, plant stocks in nurseries are usually largest in the spring. And if you want to hire landscaping or installation services, you need to get online fast. Spring fever starts at the end of February.
Plants: Moss Folly - delicate plants filter water, reduce erosion and add texture.
Dinner: There's still time to plan a restaurant for Mother's Day
Entertainment: Looking for a fun activity? Vote for your top 5 things to do in Tallahassee
irrigation and irrigation
When adding new plants, make sure you have a watering system until they grow properly. One of the most common reasons new plantings fail is over- or under-watering. I'm a big fan of micro-irrigation, a low-pressure, low-flow type of irrigation that efficiently delivers water to where it's needed most: the plant's root zone.
You will find a lot of information on micro-irrigation for hobby gardeners on the internet. You can find the parts you need at your local garden center or online.
A simple system can consist of an inlet hose that goes directly to the faucet. You connect smaller distribution pipes and/or emitters to this hose feed to distribute water exactly where you need it. It's actually not that difficult or expensive, and a small investment can go a long way in ensuring that the money you invest in a new facility isn't wasted.
Even if you already have a full sub-irrigation system for watering your landscape, you can still find a simple micro-irrigation system for new plantings. This ensures that the roots of the new plants get enough water as often as needed without having to run the entire underground system and occasionally water the established plants.
What color to plant.
What plants would you like to grow now? Color in the garden is a priority for many of us, and today's nurseries offer many options. Be sure to visit the nursery, where the information boards about the plants will help you make the right decision. I often hear people say that they need all the perennials so they don't have to buy and repot every year.
While it makes sense to use perennials, using a mix of perennials and evergreens will give you a more even color. After a winter as harsh as last year's, some perennials are slow to come back in the spring, don't come back at all, or bloom for a short time. Annuals, like perennials, can bring you color when times are tough.
Firebush (Hamelia patens), Turk's broom (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii), cigar flower (Cuphea micropetala), plumbago, and triallis are some of the larger flowering perennials I like. Agapanthus, rudbeckia 'Goldsturm', purple coneflower, pentas and California daisy are some reliable small perennials. All of them need a lot of sun for good flowering. If you need them for very hot and dry locations, try African flower bulbs. Also, discover the many species of perennial sage because, like the aforementioned Turkish hat, cigar flower, and penta sage, most species of sage attract hummingbirds.
Annuals that have long summer blooms in sunny locations include Sunpatiens, Periwinkle (Madagascar periwinkle), Melampodium, and various types of zinnias. Marigolds can also create beautiful color, although they may not last as long. With adequate watering, the aptly named Sunpatiens tolerates full sun, but can also be used in shady locations. The easiest choices for color in shady areas are red shrimp (perennials) and light plants such as coleus, croton and variegated ginger (perennials).
Replace overgrown bushes
This spring, you can replace bushes growing too close to your home with more appropriately sized plants. A few interesting varieties I've seen in nurseries that probably won't grow taller than a foot or a meter are Holly 'Touch of Gold', Lorapetum 'Cerise Charm', Anise Acala 'Florida Sunshine' and two varieties of Distylum, 'Cinnamon ". ". Girl” and “Low Swing.” The spreading or prostrate Japanese plum tree Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Prostrata' is another common shrub that is easy to care for at low elevations.
And remember, not all of your base plants need to be woody shrubs. Plants such as lamandra, dianella (flax lily), crinum and agapanthus (nile lily) are also good base plants. If you're having trouble figuring out how to make changes to your own landscaping, you should contact a nursery for landscaping help right away, as jobs tend to be booked up in advance this time of year.
grass and oranges
If you have problem areas in your lawn, it's time to buy grass collectors or grass clippings to fill in your lawn. If you plant regularly in this area, be realistic about whether or not there will be enough sunlight for the grass to grow well.
Myrtle spring is not far away. When choosing a crepe bog variety, consider the height and spread of the plant as it matures, and be sure to choose a variety that will not overgrow the area. You don't need to prune myrtle to keep it at the right height. It has bush-sized myrtle and a patio if that's what you're looking for. Garden center staff can help you find suitable varieties if you let them know your requirements.
This is the best time to plant oranges so they have a long growing season until next winter. Feed every four to six weeks with a special citrus fertilizer containing micronutrients. Blueberries, figs and blackberries ripen from late spring to summer and are now ready to plant.
more vegetables
Vegetables planted in March or April are fertilized. You can also grow heat-tolerant vegetables like okra, eggplant, peppers, beans, peas, and sweet potatoes, as well as herbs like basil, fennel, and rosemary.
Volunteer master gardeners distributed a variety of plants year-round for Saturday's open house and plant sale, including native trees, shade-tolerant ferns, pollinators and an assortment of summer fruits and vegetables.
Proceeds from the Leon County Horticultural Extension Program fund plant sales, school garden support and extensive demonstration gardens. Be sure to check out the 4-H Silent Auction and Mother's Day Wreath Sale, which raise funds for 4-H youth clubs and camps.
David W. Marshall is a landscape consultant at Tallahassee Nursery and a volunteer development officer at UF/IFAS Extension Leon County, Equal Opportunity Society. If you have questions about gardening, please email the guidance office at AskAMasterGardener@ifas.ufl.edu.
when you go
What: Leon County Open House and Mother's Day Bouquet Sale
When: Saturday, May 13, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m
Where: Leon County Office, 615 Paul Russell Road.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrats: How to Keep Your Garden Blooming in the Summer.
