Florida has a long warm season and a shorter cool season.
We are now in our cooler months, which is a time to plant cool season annuals.
An annual is a plant that completes its life cycle in one season. These annuals offer bright color choices. They are plants such as pansies and petunias that might remind us of “up North.”
You can plant many annual, spring flowers January through April.
You may also want to mix spring flowers into your existing containers and landscape beds. When planting flowers in containers, choose pots that are large enough for the plants. Pots that are too small may dry out quickly, which requires more frequent watering. Flower pots that are too small may also stress plants by causing them to repeatedly wilt and bounce back.
Spring flowers planted in clumps or masses will look more dramatic than flowers planted in small groups or individually.
Be sure to find out if your spring flowers prefer full sun or part shade. For example, most wax begonias would prefer some relief from afternoon sun and grow best in a part-shade environment.
Have you ever wondered what a snapdragon tastes like? Consider planting a few edible spring flowers. Edible flowers add a nice touch when used as a garnish to soups, salads and other dishes. It’s fun to eat flowers with kids, and edible flowers can help them appreciate the garden.
Easy to try edible spring flowers include dianthus, pansies, Johnny jump-ups, and snapdragons. Do not eat flowers that have been treated with pesticides.
Some annual plants perform double-duty. Not only are they beautiful flowers, but they also provide nectar and pollen for pollinators. If you’d like to plant spring flowers to attract pollinators, try ageratum, dahlberg daisies, melampodium and zinnias.
Most spring flowers require little care. If you compost or amend your soil with organic matter, mix that in before you plant your flowers. You can apply a slow-release fertilizer, add a 2-inch to 3-inch layer of mulch around the base of plants to conserve water, and water when needed. Watering with a handheld wand or micro-irrigation may reduce damage to flowers that can be caused by overhead irrigation.
Perform routine pinching or “deadheading” to remove spent flowers and encourage the formation of new flower buds.
To deadhead flowers:
- Look for blooms or flower clusters that are past their prime and have already bloomed.
- Cut these back to a node with hand pruners or floral scissors (A node is a place on the plant stem where leaves develop).
- Make a cut just above the node and compost the spent flower stems.
This practice helps plants stay healthy, invest their energy into producing more flowers and keeps them from getting leggy.
As you deadhead your flowers, learn whether or not these old flower stalks contain seeds.
The seeds of some flowers may be planted easily in the garden, or in small pots, to provide you with more plants and more color.
Scout or check your garden for pests regularly. Many pests that affect spring flowers, such as aphids and mealybugs, may be treated with less toxic products, such as insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils. These products are available at local garden centers and nurseries.
Protect your plants during frosts by covering them with frost fabric, a sheet or blanket, or a cardboard box.
Don’t forget to enjoy your flowers indoors. Examples of spring flowers that make great indoor flower arrangements include snapdragons, dianthus, cosmos, delphinium and gomphrena. Use them, along with your garden greenery (palm leaves, fern fronds, shrub branches), to make inexpensive bouquets.
Share photos of your spring flower garden on our Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Facebook page.
Sources for this column included these IFAS publications, “Natural Products for Managing Landscape and Garden Pests in Florida” and “Gardening with Annuals in Florida.”
For additional information, or sources of information on this topic, contact or (813) 744-5519, ext. 54145.
Nicole Pinson is the Urban Horticulture Agent in Hillsborough County.
Published January 30, 2019
