Autumn is just around the corner, my gardening friends. Are you ready? A lot of people have taken up gardening as a new hobby this year, as a way to cope with stress and excess time at home on their hands – and we think that’s wonderful. Caring for your landscape and garden can be such a rewarding experience. Now that the seasons are changing, some of you newbies might be wondering what to do in your yard now. Here are a few tips for fall prepping:
- This is a great time to plant annual flowers and vegetables. Unlike up north, where you do your annual planting in the spring, the Florida fall and winter is the best time for tender, seasonal plants.
- If you have any trees or shrubs that need to be transplanted, now is the time to take care of that.
- Fertilize your lawn! August was a wet month, and all that rain has washed the nutrients out of the soil. So replace those nutrients, and while you’re out there, keep a close eye out for mole crickets, chinch bugs, sod webworms, and fungus. Now is also a good time to do any seeding, sodding, or plugging that needs done in your yard.
- Azaleas, camellias, gardenias, and ixoras would love it if you gave them a healthy dose of good acid-type fertilizer. If you have poinsettias, don’t prune them after mid-September.
If you need to check your soil’s pH (acidity) level, bring a dry sample into Doty’s Farm & Garden Supply in Winter Haven, and we’ll analyze it for you for free. It’s a wise idea to know your soil’s pH before doing any planting, so you can help your new plants (or transplants) thrive.
As always, we at Doty’s are here to help you make your lawn and garden dreams come true, so don’t hesitate to stop in with any questions you may have.
BIO: William R. “Bill” Doty is the owner of Doty Farm and Garden Supply Inc. Founded in 1954, Doty Farm and Garden Supply, Inc. has been there for every one of their loyal customer’s budding needs. Bill Graduated from Winter Haven H.S. and then Florida State University, where he learned invaluable lessons in listening, asking questions, and reading anything related to the family business. Bill shares his knowledge with his customers daily and our readers each month.
