While much of the rest of the country is freezing, residents of South Florida are enjoying warm, beautiful weather during the winter months. The pleasant weather inspires many southern Floridians to do some winter gardening because after all, most residents of the area want the landscape of their homes to be as colorful and beautiful as the surroundings they’re fortunate enough to live in. If you are interested in improving the appearance of your outdoor space, here are some useful tips for winter gardening in South Florida.
Choose Plants That Thrive in South Florida’s Climate
The soil in Florida consists mainly of sand with some peat and limestone aggregates and the further south you go, the less fertile the soil is. Along with the unique soil conditions, the heat and humidity common in South Florida can make it particularly challenging to successfully grow a nice garden.
This is why you must choose plants that can thrive in this rather odd environment. Most plant tags include planting zone numbers that tell you what zones or areas in the country the plants are best suited for. South Florida is in zone 11 on the USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Therefore, you should choose plants that are designated as being good plants to grow in this zone.
Good Plants to Consider
Some of the plants that do well in Zone 11 include citrus and other tropical plant varieties. Other favorable plants to grow in the climate of southern Florida include:
- Pineapple guava
- Japanese holly fern
- Firebush
- Camellia hiemalis ‘Shishigashira’
- Yellow African bulbine
- Chestnut Cycad
- Purple lovegrass
Know When the Best Time To Plant Is
Because there’s nothing more disappointing than planting the ideal plant in the perfect spot only to watch in dismay as it withers up and dies, it’s important to know when the best time of the year is to put the plants you choose into the ground. Just as most plants come with zone range information, most also include planting directions which tell you when and how to plant. By following these instructions, your plants should do well.
It’s important to know that excessively wet soil can damage new bulbs. If you are planning on putting in bulbs when the soil is overly saturated with water, put off planting until the soil has drained well.
Hopefully these tips will help you with your winter gardening chores. Zito Landscape Design offers a wide range of South Florida landscape design services including consulting. So please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need some assistance.
Zito Landscape Design Can Help You Design Beauty and Privacy Into Your Yard
Depending on your landscape needs, you might want to vary the height of your hedge or privacy screen to make it more visually interesting. That means choosing trees and shrubs of different heights. When you’re looking into shrubs and trees, you’ll also need to consider how much sun and shade they get, as different plants have different needs.
