Timing
Considering seasonality is important in the home garden and landscape. Many plants have natural, internal clocks that sync with the seasons. Some grow in the warmer months and become dormant (think of a bear hibernating) in the cooler months. Some grow in the cooler months and go dormant in the warmer months.
If your plant is in season, it means it is actively growing.
Dormant plants are plants that are not actively growing and need less water.
- Watering and fertilizing dormant plants causes them to grow unnaturally. This can create stressed plants, and these plants may change color and should not be encouraged to grow.
For example:
St. Augustine grass is a warm-season grass and goes dormant in the cooler months.
If your grass:
- fades in color
- slows in overall growth in the fall and winter (helps to protect against the cooler temperatures, frost, and freeze).
Hold your hoses, this is common for warm-season grasses, especially after frost and freezes (this is normal and will remain off color until late spring).
- Refrain from the urge to fertilize, which will NOT turn the grass green, and adding these nutrients can encourage pests, diseases, and other problems during the growing season.
Florida Friendly Landscapes
UF/IFAS has a free Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program that is designed to teach you how to establish healthy, resilient, and beautiful landscapes that protect Florida’s natural resources. Follow the nine science-based principles to establish an aesthetic, environmentally sustainable landscape or garden.
- View the program’s Guide to Plant Selection & Landscape Design.
Benefits of a Florida-Friendly Landscape
- Reduced use of water, fertilizer, and pesticides, which saves money
- Properly selected and maintained plants thrive
- Provides habitats for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife
- Helps keep nutrient pollution out of our water
- Can be designed for low maintenance
- Aesthetically pleasing while protecting the environment
(List taken from Home Landscapes – Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program – University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences – UF/IFAS)
Read the next part: Ways to Water: Calibrate your System – UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County
Conclusion
By being mindful of how we use water in our gardens and on our lawns, we can help conserve this precious resource while keeping our plants happy and healthy.
For more information about water use and conservation in Florida, see Water Resources.
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