When to water, trim, fertilize flora for a stunning backyard Florida garden
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - With the weather getting warmer, many people are spending more time in their backyard or garden. Garden experts at Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg can help amateur gardeners grow plants and flowers like the pros.
"We have things blooming year-round and one plant that peaks this time of year is the bougainvillea," explained Dwayne Biggs, the directing supervisor of Sunken Gardens. "They are white, purple, pink, it's pretty common for folks to have some sort of it. It prefers a drier time of year."
The time of year is important for plant care too.
"Folks probably want to cut back on watering this time of year" Biggs advised.
He says it's the dry season and there are cooler temperatures so the plants don't need as much water. Likewise, this time of year is not right for physical plant maintenance.
"We try to avoid pruning this time of year," said Biggs.
When the rainy season is underway and the plants are growing, that's a better time to cut them back.
"Also fertilizer, you don't want to be doing a lot of fertilizing right now," Biggs recommended. "As we get closer into our 80s and consistent with those temperatures is when you want to start fertilizing."
One thing that can and should be done this time of year is getting beds ready for spring.
"One of the other things we kind of take the opportunity to do this time of year is mulching," shared Biggs. "That's kind of preparing your beds with a good mulch down to prepare your beds for the rainy season."
It's also a good time to prepare for a butterfly garden or get a specialty garden like cacti ready for the summer months.
"Some of the important things about cactus are drainage and the soil, add a lot of sand, something that's going to drain well," Biggs explained.
He also noted that cactus want to stay dry, so an elevated bed or clay pots work well for them.
Click here to learn more about Sunken Gardens and native Florida plants.
Click here to register for a class specifically for tree care and tips for maintenance taking place Thursday from 1-2 p.m. The first 20 registrants get a free native tree seedling.
CONNECT WITH FOX 13: