Florida is unique in the U.S. for having a very tropical climate, even though it does see some turning of the seasons. Because Florida is so warm and moist for most of the year, tropical plants are very common and entirely appropriate for Florida lawns. But there are some things you should expect from your tropical plants as temperatures cool, and you may need to take some precautions.

Do not prune in the fall or winter.

Even though Florida is still fairly warm, you don’t want to prune your tropical trees or shrubs during this time. Pretty much any tree or bush is going to need some pruning in late winter or early spring to prepare for new growth, but too much trimming or pruning when growth is slow could kill the plant.

August and early September are a great time to tackle some specific tasks in your Florida landscape. Getting these tasks out of the way now lay the groundwork for successful gardening and lawn care throughout the rest of the year and into the spring.

Give your roses some tender loving care.

If you have some rose bushes, you’re going to want to give them extra special attention this month. Add fertilizer, especially if you have not done so yet this growing season. You should also prune away dead, diseased, or insect ridden parts of the plants so that they can be healthy. If you’re lucky you might get another bloom out of your rose bushes before they go dormant.

When you are plotting the landscape for your new or renovated home, the choices for Florida-friendly tropical shrubs, trees, and other landscaping features can be overwhelming. While researching different types of shrubs, consider how you might put those shrubs to use. They don’t have to be just for decoration. Here are some ideas.

Gardening

Small tropical shrubs are a great addition to your garden, creating a natural border. If you have a raised garden for convenience, the shrubs can hide the stilts of the garden boxes.

Do you have some tropical shrubs in your yard? If so, you’ll want to make sure that you take care of them properly so that they can flourish and improve the look of your property. Part of maintaining your tropical shrubs is trimming them on occasion. This not only improves how they look, it also allows them to grow healthier by absorbing more sunlight and water. Learn below how often to trim your shrubs and the best way to do it.

Trimming or Pruning?

There is a big difference between trimming shrubs and pruning them. When you trim shrubs back, you are primarily doing so for the aesthetically pleasing effect, keeping them in a shape that you desire. This can be done almost any time of year, as long as you aren’t overzealous.

Wondering what to do with your CARES stimulus check? If you are still working full time or collecting the extra $600 a week in unemployment, your bills are probably already paid. That leaves many possibilities for your stimulus. One of the things you can do is refresh or improve your landscaping.

Landscape Design

If you are tired of your backyard, you might want to think about hiring a professional for landscape design. They will be able to help you plan your yard, including features such as water features, garden plots, and trees and shrubs. Landscape design is usually charged by the hour, or it may be a set price for design and installation.

When most people think of their landscape, they are considering what trees, shrubs, and plants are going to look the best and are suited to their tastes, but there are a lot of other more important things to consider when choosing landscaping features. 

In planning the landscape, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that you are actually manipulating nature. Mother Earth has her own designs for the area you live in, and your landscape and the landscape of the entire city is part of a delicate ecosystem. Of course, most people manipulate that ecosystem to have the lawn or landscape that they want, but it is still important to consider.