Central Florida Gardening Calendar-- April - June Planting Guide

Annuals

Seeds to plant in April: Celosia, Coleus, calliopsis, Crossandra, dusty miller, Exacum, Gaillardia, Gazania, hollyhock, Impatiens, Lobelia, Marguerite daisy, marigold, Nicotiana, ornamental pepper, Pentas, periwinkle, Phlox, Portulaca, Rudbeckia, Salvia, Streptocarpus, sweet William, Thunbergia alata, Torenia, Verbena and Zinnia.
In May, plant seeds of Celosia, Coleus, calliopsis, Crossandra, Exacum, Gaillardia, Gazania, hollyhock, Impatiens, Kalanchoe, marigold, Nicotiana, ornamental pepper, Pentas, periwinkle, Portulaca, Salvia, Torenia, Verbena, Vinca and Zinnia.
June is a hot month which limits planting of many flowers. For June seeding, choose hardy flowers: Celosia, Coleus, Exacum, hollyhock, Impatiens, Kalanchoe, marigold, Nicotiana, Ornamental pepper, Portulaca, Salvia, Torenia, Vinca and Zinnia.
The afternoon rains tend to shatter blooms of geraniums and can promote leaf spot diseases on many flowers. Use a general purpose fungicide labeled for flowers when frequent afternoon rains begin.

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Perennials And Bulbs

Bulbs to plant in April: Achimenes, African iris, Amazon lily, Aztec lily, tuberous Begonia, blood lily, Caladium, Canna, Crinum, Gladiolus, gloriosa lily, kaffir lily, shell ginger, society garlic, spider lily, tiger flower, walking iris and Watsonia.
For May planting: African iris, Amazon lily, Aztec lily, tuberous Begonia, Butterfly lily, Caladium, Crinum, Gladiolus, kaffir lily, society garlic, spider lily, walking iris and Watsonia.
In June, plant: African iris, Aztec lily, tuberous Begonia, Butterfly lily, Crinum, Gladiolus, kaffir lily, society garlic, spider lily, walking iris.

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Vegetables

In April, plant beans, cantaloupe, collards, okra, sweet potatoes, southern peas, New Zealand Summer Spinach, and peanuts for summer harvest.
The summer heat is tough on most vegetables but sweet potatoes, southern peas, peanuts, okra and Swiss Chard can be planted through June with success.
Harvest from winter and spring plantings.
Water during dry weather.
Continue applying fertilizer as a side dressing 6" from the plants along the side of plant rows at a rate of 5 weight oz. of 6-8-8 per 20 foot row.
Remove old crop debris to reduce insect and disease problems in the fall.
Prepare the garden area for fall planting.
If you have had problems with weeds, nematodes, or wilt diseases, then plan to solarize the garden for 6 to 8 weeks. Water, then cover the prepared garden area with clear plastic to trap solar heat and bake harmful organisms which live in the soil and cause plant problems. The garden area must be located in full sun to get the full effect of the heat.

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Fruits

Plant banana and other tropical fruits such as guava, papaya and pineapple to take advantage of the frost free growing season.
Containerized fruit plants can be planted throughout the year.
A variety of deciduous fruits can be grown here including some types of apples, peaches, pears, figs, blueberries, and persimmons. Be sure to select varieties adapted to Central Florida, since most popular northern varieties do not do well.
Continue to water as needed during the next few months which are normally dry. Even though regular afternoon showers begin in mid-June, check for adequate moisture in root zone.
Fertilize newly planted trees after new growth begins, about a month after planting.
First year citrus trees should be fertilized every 6 to 8 weeks.
Fertilize and prune blackberry and blueberry plants after fruit is harvested.
Keep weeds and grass away from citrus trunk.
Rake fallen citrus leaves and apply copper or benomyl fungicide in June if greasy spot has been a problem on citrus.
Rains trigger "June bloom" which yields low quality fruit.
In April, May and June, plant to harvest blackberry, blueberry, watermelon, Surinam cherry, 'Valencia' oranges, 'Honey' tangerine, and grapefruit.
In April, continue harvest of loquats, and strawberries. Peaches should be ripe.
Begin harvest of apples, avocado, bunch grapes, and mango in June.

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Landscaping

Sow seeds for Bahiagrass, Bermudagrass and Centipedegrass or plant St. Augustinegrass using plugs, sprigs or sod. Plant now only if you can water.
Landscape plants grown in containers can be planted throughout the year.
Delay planting balled and burlap palms until the summer rains begin. Keep the bud tied until it forces new growth. This keeps the young leaves from drying out until the new roots get established.
Remove old flowers to extend blooming.
Fertilize flower beds at planting time and then monthly.
Fertilize trees and shrubs which have not been fertilized yet this spring. Fertilize again late June and late September. Gerberas need to be fertilized every month from February to November.
Fertilize roses each time the plants produce a flush of bloom (about every 6-8 weeks).
Water shrubs if there is not much rain since this tends to be dry season until mid-June.
Cut back spring blooming shrubs, such as azalea, spirea, and camellia soon after they bloom. Don't prune azaleas after June.
Several light prunings with hand pruners over the summer will keep fast-growing shrubs such as Ligustrum, viburnum and Photinia looking neat. "Pinch" tips for compact growth. Poinsettias should be pruned several times from May through August.
Root 4" to 6" long softwood cuttings for potting in 6-8 weeks.
Check weekly for powdery mildew (crape myrtles, roses), black spot on roses, scale, aphids, lacebugs on azaleas, thrips on roses, spider mites on daylilies, chewing caterpillars on cannas and oleander and grasshoppers on lilies.
Scab fungus can cause tan bumps on stems of poinsettia and deform leaves.
Check for angular leaf spot on pittosporum and Ligustrum. On pittosporum, symptoms are light yellow to pale green and tan angular spots, developing first on upper leaf surfaces.
Psocids (tree cattle) cause harmless webs on tree trunks. Wash off with a squirt of water hose or whisk off with a broom.
Apply Bacillus thuriengensis (ex. Dipel, thuricide) to kill caterpillars and not affect most beneficial insects.
Spider mites, aphids, soft scales and other soft bodied insects can be killed using a spray of 2½ tablespoons each of liquid dish soap and vegetable oil per gallon of water. Repeat in 5 days for mite control, as needed for others.
Roses will need weekly spraying once the afternoon rains begin in order to prevent many diseases. Alternate approved fungicides weekly or as the chemicals are used up.
Apply magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) to poinsettias, gardenias, fruits and palms showing yellowing deficiency symptoms on oldest leaves.
The potted begonias you had in the house during the winter can be planted in shady areas of the yard.
Replenish mulch around all plantings (except annuals and citrus) to a depth of 3 inches.

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Lawns

Fertilize Bermudagrass in April and June using a water soluble nitrogen source.
Sharpen and balance mower blades.
Mow often and leave clippings on the lawn to recycle as natural fertilizer.
Check sick looking areas in the lawn for chinch bugs, webworms, brown patch or grey leaf spotdisease. Bring a shoe box size sample of the sod from the edge of the sick area to the Plant Clinic.
If mole crickets have been a problem in Bahiagrass, use baits late in the afternoon during late June and early July to kill the young ones. Use residual granules early in May for long term mole cricket control.

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