Florida Gardening in June

Can you feel the heat? During these steamy summer months, us Gardeners should be exploring plants that love the hot Florida temperatures and be prepared for more garden maintenance. Let’s look at some plant options and tips to keep your garden in good shape!

What to Plant

Plant markers found at garden centers can be  misleading. It’s best to do research on what works in your area during the summer months and what areas of your garden need some TLC.  According to the University of Florida/IFAS, here are some flowers, herbs, and vegetables that are ideal to plant in Central Florida during June:

Flowers:

  • Celosia

  • Portulaca

  • Vinca

  • Coleus (not all are resilient)

Herbs:

  • Basil

  • Mexican Tarragon

  • Rosemary

Vegetables:

  • Okra

  • Southern Pea

  • Calabaza

  • Malabar Spinach

  • Sweet Potato

Palm Planting

June is typically the beginning of Florida’s rainy season and a great month to plant palms.  When purchasing palms, look for root bound signs. If the palm is root bound, don’t purchase.  When planting, dig a slightly larger hole than the roots and do not cover the base trunk with soil.  Cover just the roots or poor health will occur.

Pruning

Get out your pruning shears! By lightly pruning shrubs and trees, you can promote new blooms or growth.  Please take note the word lightly in the last sentence. Over cutting or pruning certain shrubs can be the equivalent of a death sentence.  Some trees and shrubs don’t need to be pruned, so do some research before giving your garden a haircut.

Deadheading encourages similar results in flowers.  Removing the spent or dead flowers or limbs allows flowers to redirect the energy to other parts of the plant.  

Pests

Plants get stressed with the heat and drought conditions.  Non-beneficial, a.k.a bad guy bugs, weeds and fungi are signs that the plant is under stress.  It may be the plant itself or the soil. Before you bring out the chemicals and go Jean-Claude van Damme on your garden, try improving the soil health with organic matter, such as compost, and/or Azomite.

**Please keep in mind, not all bugs are bad and chemicals will kill the good guys too!      

Propagation

Buying plants can get expensive.  A way to cut costs and grow your garden is propagation.  Love a certain plant or see one that is thriving? June is a great month to propagate through division or cuttings.  Check out my how-to tutorial on Florida Gardenista’s YouTube page for simple steps.

Fertilizing

In Brevard County, as well as many other counties in Florida, June 1st - September 30th is the blackout window for fertilizers.  According to the Brevard Fertilizer Ordinance, homeowners should not be applying fertilizers on their lawns, trees, or gardens during this time.  There are natural ways to boost your yard and garden health, such as Liquid Seaweed and Azomite. These two solutions are awesome alternatives to chemical fertilizers!

Live in Florida and aren’t sure what your local ordinance?  Scope out this easy to read Fertilizer Ordinance chart courtesy of University of Florida/IFAS.  

AM Gardening

Try to get out in the garden early in the morning before the heat and humidity crank up.  It’s surprising how the body can adjust to the rise in temperature if you start before it’s unbearable. Morning is also the best time to water your plants no matter what month it is.

Final Green Thoughts

Selecting plants that do well in the heat will minimize replanting, so look for the plants suggested above. Take your time with garden maintenance and stay hydrated! Listen to your body - heat stroke is a real thing during these hot summer months. But most importantly, don’t forget to step back and enjoy!



Kristy Buchler