Winter is always a good time for new beginnings – especially for South Florida native plants and all landscaping in Miami. Making plans for the coming seasons can help property owners strategize plans for the perfect garden even if it is the coldest time of the year down here. Thankfully, our tropical weather supports a wide variety of plants and vegetables allowing us to flex our green thumb all year round.
Here are a few tips from The Billy Goat to get your gardening in Florida headed in the right direction this year.
Watch the Weather
Though winter is often the dry and coold month in Miami, we are still able to continue successfully gardening if we are wise about watching the weather.
Prepare for the chill by sheltering sensitive plants if the temperature drops below 32 degrees, especially if the forecast predicts rain, and never water grass or plants when it’s cold enough for frost to form outside. Consider covering flower beds and bringing fragile foliage like orchids indoors if it does precipitate or get too humid. Winter in Miami is dry but it’s still Florida – plan for sporadic rainfall accordingly.
Always a Good Season to Prune and Mulch
Winter in Florida is also a good time to trim and prune non-spring-flowering plant life while they are dormant. Cut cross branches and seed pods to improve the appearance and form of the
plant. Remember: “right plant, right place.” Remove anything unsightly during the winter so it doesn’t become bothersome as time passes.
Then apply a quick re-mulching to help the garden stay warm while maintaining good moisture levels as the year progresses.
Color the Landscape
Winter is ideal for planting varieties of tropical and subtropical bulbs. Tulips are also known for blossoming in spring even in the colder Florida climates. Contact seed and bulb companies to find whatever colors and varieties you’re looking for that will flourish all year. Consider annuals and beddings, too, for an evolving landscape that stays bright
A brilliant Florida-friendly plant that’s not native to the Sunshine State is the blue and white Plumbago. A staple of many gardens throughout Miami-Dade and Broward, it is also known to help breed butterflies that literally liven up landscaping.
Some herbs also thrive in Florida’s colder temperatures like dill, thyme, fennel, tarragon, and any of the mints.
Visit our Facebook and Blog
If you’re on the hunt for more fabulous ways to make your Miami garden the best it can be, call The Billy Goat and let us help your garden this season!
Check out The Billy Goat Gallery to see how we manage lawn care in Miami, keeping our clients’ grass green year-round no matter what, and visit our blog for more gardening ideas.
Or if you have some tips of your own, drop us a line on Facebook, we love to hear from the community.
