Gardening Tips

Friend to Florida's Homes, Lawns and Gardens since 1884

Florida gardeners face their own unique challenges and rewards. We hope the advice below will be helpful to you. Look for our Sunniland, RiteGreen, Mighty Green, All Florida and Turf Grow products at your local garden centers. They offer complete formulas to address the specific nutritional requirements of a full range of southern lawns, gardens, flowers, shrubs and trees.

Fertilizing

	LAWNS Seed Bahia lawns this month. Get ready for fertilizing in September.

	ROSES, ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS Fertilize with Sunniland Rose & Flower Care Systemic every 3 to 4 weeks for beautiful insect free roses and flowers.

	VEGETABLES Apply fertilizer when planting. Continue to fertilize every 3 to 4 weeks.
	PALMS, SHRUBS, TREES & ORNAMENTALS Palms, being heavy feeders, should be fertilized as soon as the first fronds unfurl. Newly planted palms should be fed monthly June through August. Established Palms usually should be fed in late winter, early summer and early fall. The fall application is especially important because it increases the plant's tolerance to cold. RiteGreen Palm Fertilizer 7-3-7 with Manganese feeds and prevents yellowing of new growth. Citrus: Fertilize citrus trees a third time with Rite Green Citrus Fertilizer Azaleas, Camellias, Gardenias and Holly: Use RiteGreen Azalea Fertilizer on a regular basis as recommended by your garden center professional or your county agent (Cooperative Extension Service).

August Planting

FLOWERS - Annuals
Celosia, Coleus, impatiens, marigolds, purslane, salvia, torenia, vinca (periwinkle).

VEGETABLES
Apply fertilizer when planting. Continue to fertilize every 3 to 4 weeks.

Propagation

August is still a good time to increase plants by rooting cuttings for fall planting. It is a good idea to root cuttings of existing plants so you can have exact cultivar replacements for damaged or dead plants.

Pruning

Crape Myrtles - Snip off spent blooms now to promote more blooms.
Resist the urge to prune azaleas past the first of August, but other shrubs can still be shaped.

Watering and Mulching

Never underestimate the value of mulches. Replenish mulches to cut back on your watering chores during dry spells. Recycled Everlast Rubber Mulch is great for general landscape use. It protects roots, suppresses weeds, stays in place and does not float. Organic mulches supply nutrients to plants, conserve moisture, protect the roots from extreme temperatures, keep down weeds and, of course, they look great.

Insect Pests

Watch carefully for lawn insects. Spray roses weekly for black spot, mites and thrips. A 10 power hand lens is helpful in identifying insects. Contact your County Agent (Cooperative Extension Service) for up to the minute help in identifying the problem and solving it.