Fall in bloom

Central Florida’s subtropical climate, characterized by mild winters and hot humid summers, creates an ideal environment for fall gardening. The cooler weather allows gardeners to get out and work longer in their gardens. It also reduces stress on the plants and minimizes pest activity. It provides an ideal environment for new vibrant plants to grow.

Since you may still have summer annuals in bloom, you may find it hard to get started, so here are some gardening tips for getting a successful start on your colorful fall garden.

Once your garden is cleaned out, you can start planting as the weather begins to cool down in early fall. You can plant up to six weeks before the first frost. By planting now, your plants have the necessary time to establish a healthy root system. You can do this by cutting any summer perennial blooms and removing any annual blooms that are past their prime but try to leave some stems and seed pods for winter wildlife and winter interest. This will leave room for the abundance of perennials and any annuals you want to plant.  

Now we must dig up any tender bulbs to store over the winter and divide perennials. Keep in mind that there are some perennials that don’t like to be divided or moved inside for the fall. An example of these are warm weather grasses and woody shrubs. Late winter is when you can dig up or move shrubs just before the sap rises. An example of perennials that don’t like to be moved are phlox, bee balm and yarrow, but they are fully hardy and can be trimmed back to a few inches of the ground. If you still have plants in nursery pots, get them in the ground before winter. They will be happier in the ground where they will be protected better than in thin plastic pots. 

Now we can prepare our soil for the new crop of flowers and bushes. First let’s remove any weeds that have popped up during the summer. This is the best time to do this while they’re still vulnerable. Try to avoid pesticides and instead wet the ground with water but do not soak it, then use a hand weeder to pop out roots. Now that we have cut down or removed our summer plants we can start to amend our soil.

After the long spring and summer growing period, the soil should loosen to the depth of 6 to 8 inches to promote root growth and drainage. Aerate compacted areas to ensure air and water penetration.

We then need to put down a 1-inch layer of organic matter, compost or well-rotted manure, to improve soil structure and fertility. Apply a 1-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture, regulate soil temperature and suppress weeds. Central Florida soil is usually sandy and getting it tested at one of the universities or county extensions is the best way to find out what your soil needs for the proper PH.

Care will vary throughout the fall growing season. Depending on the plants you choose, always check the labels to see how much sun they will need. Keep these tips in mind when tending your flowers throughout the season. Your flowers will depend on you to plant them where they will get the sun they need. Plants that produce a bloom generally need four to six hours of continuous sun. Some flowering plants called mixed light can survive in shade or sun and will use less sun. 

If you are planting in shade, check the label to make sure your plants are shade plants and where to plant them. There are four levels of shade, dappled shade, partial shade, full shade and deep shade. Understanding these shade conditions will determine which plants will thrive. Most shade plants do not have blooms, they have colorful leaves or berries.

Next, we need to fertilize our gardens. This is usually done in late October or early November; the type of fertilizer depends on what you plant. Generally, a balanced 10-10-10- fertilizer is suitable for many varieties. Natural options would be compost, fish emulsion or bone meal. Fertilizing should be done at planting and then monthly. 

You need to check your gardens often for pests and diseases. While pests usually decrease in fall, there are some that still pose a threat. Common fall pests include aphids, cabbage worms and slugs.  Planting marigolds or nasturtiums in your garden can help attract beneficial insects. The use of neem oil, insecticidal soap or beneficial insects like ladybugs are all natural remedies. 

Supply water when needed. Fall weather can be cool and rainy, but that doesn’t mean new plants should not be ignored particularly if the weather has been dry or windy. All plants should be watered thoroughly after planting and continue to water until the ground freezes. If you water your plants before a frost, the moist soil will hold heat better than dry soil.

Now that you have prepared your garden and planted all your plants, you can enjoy a fall in bloom. You still must keep a constant watch over it. I hope these tips will help you to have a healthy and colorful garden clear through to winter. Happy gardening.