With the tropics heating up and hurricane season fully under way were heading into the wettest months for our landscapes. With a little work using the tips below we can help to reduce the damage that will result from excessive rain and moisture to our plants.
1) Due to our daily rain storms all time clocks can be turned off at this time. If your new landscaping needs daily watering, check the rain sensor on sprinkler system to make sure its working properly so that it will turns your system off when it rains and keeps it off till the sensor dries out allowing it to come back on to your previously scheduled programmed time. Excess rain & moisture in your landscape can promote fungus & disease in the grass & plants. It is wise to do a weekly walkthrough and inspection of your property looking for any abnormalities that could occur and treat it.
2) Keeping your landscaping detail pruned and shaped will allow air flow to help the landscape dry out even on rainy cloudy days. Overgrown shrubs keep moisture constantly on the lower leaves of plants promoting fungus & disease.
3) Palm & hardwood trees if not already pruned prior to hurricane season, should be pruned at this time. With proper pruning of your trees, the landscaping below them will benefit from the additional air flow and sunlight allowed to them.
4) All tress, landscaping & grass should be fertilized at this time. Due to the poor quality of our soils, fertilizer needs to be applied more frequently because it leaches through our soils so quickly. I recommend only a granular time released fertilizer because it is released over a 3,6,9 or 12 month period (depending on its blend) as opposed to a liquid fertilizer which could be lost through the root zone with one rain storm.
5) August is also a great time to start planning your fall garden. While it’s still a little too warm to start cool-season vegetables. All Florida gardeners can start preparing for cool-season planting. Solarize your vegetable planting beds for 4-6 weeks prior to planting of your seasonal vegetables. Also, have your soil tested so you can add the proper amendments before planting, and plan out what you want to grow and where you’ll plant it.
If you need help regarding your landscaping, we at Garden Services are fully licensed & insured to handle all your irrigation, landscaping, lawn maintenance and tree service needs whether it’s a residential, commercial landscaping or homeowner association property. If you ever have any comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email me and I’ll be happy to answer any questions that you might have. Special thanks to UF/IFAS for contributing some information contained in this article. Until next month Happy Gardening!