abodes
GREEN SCENE
BRIGHTENING THE SPRING LANDSCAPE Season of renewal is time for plants of many colors by
LES HARRISON
S
pring is truly the season of renewal in Tallahassee, heralding the return of blooms and activities in the garden and about the yard. Now is the time to prepare for horticultural success. At the top of the list for managed landscapes is the installation of annuals and bedding plants. Moderate temperatures will make the work almost a pleasure. Warm season annuals offer an almost infinite variety of color, texture and plant forms that can be used to brighten landscape beds and add a splash of color to a porch, deck or patio if placed in containers. A few also make good cut
AGAPANTHUS
flower selections to enhance interior environments. In North Florida, most flourish for only a single season. These annuals can be damaged by late frosts or freezes, so they should be planted after the potential for frost has passed but with enough time to reach their peak maturity. March is typically an ideal time to plant bulbs in the home landscape. Some like caladiums can be planted all year but run the risk of damage if not protected from a late frost. Dahlias, crinums and agapanthus are also good candidates.
There are a number of cool season crops that can be replanted for FRUITS AND another round of production. Radishes are almost guaranteed to VEGETABLES have time to produce another crop. Other potential second harvests include kale, cabbage, broccoli and other brassicas. Of course, the yield will depend on the weather remaining cool long enough for the plants to properly develop. While February is too early to prune citrus trees, it is time to get the first round of fertilizer applied. Pruning will stimulate growth that could cause damage to the tree if there is a late frost or freeze. Wait until late March, at the earliest, to prune. This is the month to plant Irish, white or new potatoes, but hold off on sweet potatoes or yams. Potatoes prefer loose, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic pH in the range of 5.0 to 6.0. Care must be taken to ensure the root zone has adequate drainage. Areas of the home garden subject to periodic flooding should not be used for growing this tuber.
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March-April 2021
TALLAHASSEEMAGA ZINE.COM
RADISH
Some native trees add to spring’s splendor. Sparkleberries produce hundreds of tiny bell-shaped blooms that give the plant the appearance of a frosty wrap. Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboretum) is the only North American member of the blueberry genus capable of reaching the height of a small tree. Mature specimens can reach up to 30 feet in height and will take full sun or partial shade. Their bark is thin, flaky and brownish red, and often covered in lichens. The trunk may be multi-stemmed and given to wildly twisting shapes that SPARKLEBERRY offer a distinct contrast to straight trunked trees. The flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, is a subcanopy tree that grows in much of the eastern and southern United States. Blooms are commonly white, but there are pink and DOGWOOD red cultivars. The pink and red varieties are difficult to establish in North Florida. Sub-canopy trees commonly grow under much taller species and thrive in partial shade. Dogwoods reach about 30 feet in height but can handle direct sun. CRABAPPLE These trees are most commonly found in fertile, well-drained soil. They do best in neutral to slightly acidic soil with a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0, and they have a low tolerance for salinity. Local crabapples produce pink blooms with five dainty petals. The southern crabapple, Malus angustifolia, shares many characteristics with dogwoods. These sub-canopy trees reach about the same height, and both bloom at approximately the same time in spring. While usually found under taller trees, they, too, can handle full sun. Both trees provide food for wildlife in the form of their fruit, retaining the product of their blooms well into the autumn. Crabapple fruit has been used as the basis of jellies for hundreds of years but not for fresh consumption. Related to larger apples, the astringent, bitter taste of crabapples eliminates any possibility of it being a snack option.
Les Harrison is a retired University of Florida/ Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Wakulla County Extension Director.
PHOTOS BY LES HARRISON (SPARKLEBERRY AND CRABAPPLE) AND ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS: NAHHAN (AGAPANTHUS), STEPHANIEFREY (DOGWOOD), IRINA_GIRICH (RADISH)
Flowering native trees
