Heat seeking annuals

By LYNN BARBER

FLORIDA-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING AGENT

Annuals provide a great opportunity to color-up your landscape, front porch and lanai, whether in the ground or in containers. Most Florida annuals last one season, not one year. There are both warm and cool season annuals. This article focuses on warm season annuals, which are so named because they are damaged by frosts and freezes.

You need to know your site conditions because these elements will help you make plant selection decisions that will save you time and money. Consider whether the planting area is in the sun, shade or part sun and part shade. Is the soil texture clay loam, sandy loam, sand or sandy clay? Is the area well drained, wet or in between? What is the size of the landscape bed you want to utilize? Once you have this information, you can make good plant selection decisions because if you purchase first and make these determinations later, the plants will not survive or thrive. That will cost you time and money to purchase replacements.

For plant selection, you may need to do a little homework on the plants you want; such as their mature size, whether they are warm season plants or cool season plants, need sun or shade, preferred soil type, etc. Just because plants are sold at a certain time of year does not mean they will thrive at that time of year in your landscape or are even viable for this area of the country, which is why a little research on your part may be worth it dollar and time-wise. This is easier than it appears. Access the University of Florida website http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu and you can type in specific plants and many other topics to review the information you seek. You can also order a free copy of The Florida-Friendly Landscaping Guide to Plant Selection and Landscape Design from Southwest Florida Water Management District at www.swfwmd.state.fl.us.

Site preparation is also important. Add 2 to 3 inches of organic matter to the soil surface. This can be peat, compost (processed worm, mushroom, cow manure) or a potting soil mixture. Top the compost with a controlled (slow)-release fertilizer according to the label, and mark your calendar when the next application will be needed.

Dig the hole for the plant so 10 percent of the container size is above ground level. Water the plant before and after it is planted. Space the plants according to their mature size, not how they look the day you plant them. Water as needed until the plants are established, which means you can see shoot growth. (It also means root growth, but it’s hard to see that when roots are below the ground!) Microirrigation works well for watering annuals, and be sure to direct the water to the roots and soil, not to the leaves or flowers.

Mulch the area so it is 2 to 3 inches deep when settled and pull the mulch away from the base of the plants. Mulch retains soil moisture, and this moisture next to the stem of the plant could cause damage and attract insects or disease. Mulch moderates the soil temperature, reduces runoff and erosion, improves the soil structure, suppresses weeds and enhances the beauty of the landscape.

I selected three warm season annuals that do well in central Florida. They include caladium, coleus, and wax begonia.

Caladium: This is a fast-growing bulb that can reach a height and spread of 1 to 2 feet. It prefers slightly acid to slightly alkaline soil pH of 6.0 to 7.2. Any soil texture works well. Soil moisture should be well drained. Caladium has medium drought tolerance and low to no salt tolerance. Different varieties prefers partial shade, full shade or full sun.

Coleus: This is a fast growing plant that can reach a height and spread of 1 to 3 feet. It prefers slightly acid to slightly alkaline soil pH of 6.0 to 7.2. Any soil texture works well. Soil moisture should be medium drained. Coleus has low drought tolerance and low to no salt tolerance. It prefers full sun and performs well in partial shade/partial sun. Propagation from cuttings is very easy.

Wax begonia: This is a slow growing annual that can reach a height and spread of one-half to one feet. It prefers slightly acid to slightly alkaline soil pH of 6.0 to 7.2. Any soil texture works well. Soil moisture should be well drained. Wax begonia has low drought tolerance and low to no salt tolerance. It prefers partial shade/partial sun.

For more information on annuals, see the University of Florida publication, Gardening with Annuals, by Sydney Park Brown, at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg319, from which this article was adapted. You may also be interested in The University of Florida Central Florida Gardening Calendar, which contains month-by-month information on what to plant, when to prune, fertilize, etc. To view this calendar, go to: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep450.

As always, if you live in a deed restricted community, follow the landscape or architectural control procedures before making changes. For more information about the nine principles of the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program or for assistance with gardening related questions, contact our office, 813-744-5519, and/or visit our website for information and upcoming events at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/upcoming-events/.

Get outside and garden! It can improve your attitude, health and landscape.