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A Hot Approach to Flower Gardens

Pentas
Pentas

 Summer seems to arrive early in Florida with hot May days signaling an end to springtime flowers. As the heat returns gardeners have to pick some of the more durable replacement to replant their flower beds.

Luckily there are plenty of plants that won't mind the hot and eventually humid weather ahead. A few found at the local garden centers include blue daze, cat's whiskers, coleus, creeping zinnia, fire spike, gomphrena, impatiens, melampodium, pentas, purslane and torenia. 
When you have picked your favorites for the light levels found in your yard prepare the
flower bed for planting. Most summer survivors grow well in the sandy soils. But you can
stretch the time between waterings by enriching the soil with compost, manures and peat moss. 
Also add a light scattering of a general garden fertilizer before planting.

Set the plants in the ground at the same depth as they were growing in their containers,
moisten the soil and then follow these tips to keep the flower beds attractive.
Maintain a thin layer of mulch over the flower bed.
Water when the surface of the soil begins to dry to the touch.
Feed monthly with a general garden fertilizer following label instructions.
Remove declining blossoms to encourage new growth and flowers.
Control caterpillars and similar pests with natural sprays available at garden centers.