Gardening Tips | Tampa, Florida

Summer is our rainy season with temperatures into the 90's on a daily basis. Be sure you have a rain sensor device that prevents the sprinklers from coming on when there has been sufficient rainfall. Ornamental plants and trees need approximately 1 in. of water or rain per week. Lawns need 1/2 to 1 in. of water when showing signs of wilting (like blue gray coloring or folded blades). As of this writing, lawn and landscape watering in both Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa is restricted to twice per week. To determine how long to run your sprinklers to apply this much water, set out some aluminum cans around the perimeter of the sprinkler zone and see how long it takes to fill them to the desired depth. Be sure to check for uniform coverage at the same time.

Fertilize the lawn using a mild fertilizer like Milorganite or Fertilome Classic. During the summer month's lawn pests are always a threat. Here are some tips for identifying lawn pests. Sod webworms feed at night and chew grass blades in localized areas. Look for their excrement (bright green pellets) deep in the grass or you may see small white moths stirring around when you walk through the yard. Chinch bugs suck the juices from the St. Augustine grass causing brown areas in the lawn that appear drought damaged. White grub worms can infect any turf type but are most damaging to St. Augustine grass. With minor infestations the grass appears slightly yellow, as if there is a nutrient deficiency. Grub worms eat the roots of the grass so it can literally be pulled up by the handful. For Bahia grass the predominant pest is mole crickets. For Zoysia grass, the most common pest is the army worm. To control lawn pests, we recommend using a different granular insecticide every 4 weeks through the warm season months. During periods of heavy rain more frequent applications may be necessary. Keep a close eye on the lawn for fungal disease. The most common is called "take all root rot" with initial symptoms that include yellowing blades. Gray leaf spot appears as brown lesions on the blades of grass. These diseases can be controlled with multiple applications of lawn fungicide granules.

The best time of year to plant palms or transplant them is during moist humid weather. Plant the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil. Don't allow the soil to dry out during the first several weeks. Taller palms should be staked. Correct palm and cycad nutritional deficiencies with either palm tree spikes or granular food. These products contain magnesium, iron, sulfur, and other essential nutrients. Fertilize trees, shrubs, palms, perennials, and annuals this time of year. For most trees and shrubs, use a balanced fertilizer with the analysis 6-6-6 or 10-10-10. Certain shrubs like azaleas, gardenias, and Indian hawthorns prefer fertilizer specifically formulated for them. Slow release fertilizers work best for perennials and annuals as they provide continual feeding for 8 weeks. Weeds in the garden can be controlled with a pre-emergent herbicide containing Treflan every 6-8 weeks. If you can stand the heat, summer is an ideal time for planting and transplanting. We recommend that you use Fertilome Root Stimulator any time you plant or transplant. Do not plant too deeply and remember to provide sufficient water until the plant has adapted to its new surroundings. Prune landscape plants by cutting them back to a good bud or lateral branch. All cuts should be made back to just above some growing point. To thin, remove entire branches back to the trunk. As the growing season progresses, you may want to trim or pinch off new growth if you're looking to control plant size and encourage fullness. Do not remove more than 1/3 of the plant's foliage at any time. Late July/early August is the time to prepare the soil in your vegetable garden for the fall. "Solarize" by using the sun's heat to sterilize the garden soil. Clean out plants, weeds, and debris from the bed. Moisten the soil and cover the bed with 2-6 mm. clear plastic. Leave the plastic in place for a minimum of 4-6 weeks. Soil temperatures will increase to the point where most nematodes, weed seeds, and soil borne fungi will be killed. This gives you an excellent place to start next season's vegetables.

Spray 2-3 times at 7 day intervals until the pest is eliminated. If you are unsure of the pest, we invite you to bring a leaf or branch from your plant to the nursery and we can identify the insect and suggest the correct product.

Summer is a good time to plant palms and warm season annuals and perennials. Annuals that do well this time of year include coleus, begonias, daisies, marigolds, salvia, and vinca. Perennials that are warm weather bloomers include day lily, gallardia, blue daze, milkweed, pentas, Mexican heather, and lantana. 

The fall months are typically dry so be sure to monitor your sprinkler system. Look for broken, clogged, or mis-directed sprinkler heads and make necessary repairs and adjustments. As the weather gets cooler reduce the frequency of your watering to every 5 or 6 days. Ornamental plants and trees need approximately 1 in. of water or rain per week. Lawns need 1/2 to 3/4 in. of water when showing signs of wilting (like blue gray coloring or folded blades). To get the maximum benefit from your watering session, verify the length of time you are watering as you may want to increase the time the sprinklers run in each zone.

Fertilize the lawn using a quality fertilizer like Fertilome Premium. This fertilizer releases slowly and is designed for all southern lawn types. It is safe to apply a Weed n' Feed fertilizer when the daily high temperature falls below 85 degrees for two weeks or more.

Plant and fertilize perennials and annuals in the fall. Slow release fertilizers work best as they provide continual feeding for 8 weeks. Fertilize trees, shrubs, and palms. For most trees and shrubs, use a balanced fertilizer with the analysis 6-6-6 or 10-10-10. Certain shrubs like azaleas, gardenias, and indian hawthorns prefer acidic fertilizer specifically formulated for them. Correct palm and cycad deficiencies with either palm tree spikes or granular food. These products contain magnesium, iron, sulfur, and other essential nutrients. Citrus trees should be fertilized in October or November using a "Citrus Special" type fertilizer at the rate of 1lb. per year of tree age (maximum 10 lbs.). Fertilize an area twice the diameter of the tree canopy. This should be the final pruning for any cold sensitive landscape plants. Weeds in the garden can be.

Spray two to three times at seven-day intervals until the pests are eliminated. If you are unsure of the pest, we invite you to bring a leaf or branch from your plant to the nursery and we can identify the insect and suggest the correct product. You can use our Bug Finder tool to help you identify what kind of bug you have and which one of our products you can use to treat with. Just click the button below to find out more!

Late September is the time to plant cold hardy fall and winter vegetables. We have both seeds and live plants available at the nursery. Fertilize the garden 2-3 times during the growing season applying 1-2 lbs. of 6-6-6 or similar fertilizer per 100 feet. Monitor the garden and watch for caterpillars feeding. Spray with Bacillus Thuringiensis (Thuricide) if found.

Annuals and perennials that do well this time of year include alyssum, celosia, dianthus, dusty miller, impatiens, lobelia, marigolds, petunia, snapdragon, vinca, verbena, and begonias. Vegetables include beans, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries. Herbs include basil, chives, lavender, mint, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.

At Green Thumb Nursery, we are happy to provide free professional advice. Take this time to view some of our gardening tips below. If you have other questions, come visit our garden center in Tampa, Florida.

The winter months are typically dry with average rainfall less than 2 inches monthly. As the weather gets cooler you can reduce the frequency of your watering to every 5 or 6 days. Ornamental plants and trees need approximately 1 in. of water or rain per week. Lawns need 1/2 to 3/4 in. of water when showing signs of wilting (like blue gray coloring or folded blades). To get the maximum benefit from your watering session, verify the length of time you are watering, as you may want to increase (or decrease) the time the sprinklers run in each zone.

In December or January we recommend applying Fertilome Winterizer fertilizer. Winterizer contains the analysis of10-0-14 w/trace elements. A higher ratio of potash creates a stronger root system for winter hardiness and a plush spring lawn. Fertilize again in either February or March with Fertilome Premium and that will take you through the spring. If weeds in your yard are a problem, you can apply Fertilome Weed n' Feed for St. Augustine or Fertilome Weed-Out for Bahia (and other grass types).

December is a good month to plant winter annuals. Fertilize your annuals with a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote. Slow release fertilizers work best as it provides continual feeding for up to 8 weeks. Keep your annuals lightly pruned, removing 1/2 in. to 1in. from most stems to encourage blooms on the newer growth.

Check periodically for the presence of pestson your plants, especially new growth. Below is a general guide that identifies the pest and the appropriate insecticide. Spray 2-3 times at 7-day intervals until the pest is eliminated. If you are unsure of the pest, we invite you to bring a leaf or branch from your plant to the nursery and we can identify the insect and suggest the correct product.

Annuals that do well this time of year include alyssum, begonias, dusty miller, impatiens, petunias, snapdragons, vinca, and begonias. Vegetables include eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries. Herbs include basil, chives, lemon balm, mint, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. 

Fertilize trees, shrubs, palms, perennials, and annuals this time of year. For most trees and shrubs, use a balanced fertilizer with the analysis 6-6-6 or 10-10-10. Certain shrubs like azaleas, gardenias, and Indian hawthorns prefer fertilizer specifically formulated for them. For palms choose a fertilizer labeled for palms that contains magnesium, iron, manganese, sulfur, and other trace elements. Slow release fertilizers work best for perennials and annuals as they provide continual feeding for 8 weeks. Weeds in the garden can be controlled with a pre-emergent herbicide containing Treflan every 6-8 weeks. 

Spray 2-3 times at 7 day intervals until the pest is eliminated. If you are unsure of the pest, we invite you to bring a leaf or branch from your plant to the nursery and we can identify the insect and suggest the correct product.

Spring is a good time to plant a vegetable garden, warm season annuals, and perennials. Annuals that do well this time of year include cosmos, begonias, daisies, salvia, and vinca. Perennials that are warm weather bloomers include day lily, gallardia, milkweed, pentas, and verbena. Herbs and spices include basil, cilantro, fennel, mint, oregano, rosemary, or thyme. Vegetables include cabbage, carrots, collards, lettuce, mustard greens, peppers, radish, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, and turnips. 

Call us today at 813-884-3797 to learn more fantastic gardening tips!

Prepare your lawn for the warmer temperatures by applying a product that promotes thatch decomposition and improves soil structure and fertility. The product from Natural Guard called Soil Activator is a safe and natural way to help thatch turn into compost, returning valuable nutrients to the soil. If you enjoy working in the yard, you may prefer to rake the fallen leaves and lawn thatch to use as mulch - just add a small amount of lime and fertilizer or manure.