FLORIDA

Big Blooms
Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) offer bold color and are great container plants. In Central and South Florida they can also be used in the landscape for hedges or foundation plants. Hibiscus can be purchased as standards (plants trained to look like small trees). Good selections include 'Empire' (orange-red), 'Amour' (soft pink), 'Flamenco Flame' (double, red), 'Erin Rachel' (salmon-orange with a rosy center), and 'Cherie' (yellow-orange with a deep maroon center). Place plants in full sun, and water regularly. Feed with a fertilizer such as Osmocote Slow Release Outdoor & Indoor Plant Food 19-6-12 or Schultz Expert Gardener Citrus & Tropical Plant Food 10-4-10. --David W. Marshall

Entire State
Fertilizing vegetables--Feed plants once a month with a low-nitrogen product such as Scotts All Purpose Flower & Vegetable Continuous Release Plant Food 10-10-10, Bandini Vegetable Food 9-12-9, or Best Tomato & Vegetable Food 6-10-10. For an organic approach, try sprinkling a thin layer of mushroom compost or composted manure, such as Black Kow, around the bases of your plants.
Caladiums--Plant tubers of these colorful tropical foliage plants in partial shade to full sun. If you are placing the tubers in very sandy soil, mix in some organic matter such as compost or peat. Water several times a week. Fertilize every two months with a product such as Miracle-Gro Liquid All Purpose Plant Food 12-4-8. Too busy for tubers? Purchase plants in 6-inch pots for instant effect. Foliage colors range from almost pure white to variations of rose and red. The types with large, heart-shaped leaves are most popular in the landscape. Good selections for full sun include 'Florida Sweetheart' and 'White Queen.' Lance-leaf types include 'Pink Symphony' and 'Jackie Suthers.' Good strap-leaf forms include 'Red Frill' and 'Pink Gem.' Dwarf types, such as 'Gingerland,' are excellent in containers.

North and Central
Pruning--After azaleas finish flowering, cut back stems to encourage branching. For older plants that have developed bare bottoms, prune to within a couple feet of the ground to stimulate new growth. After drastic pruning, feed with a fertilizer for azaleas, such as a 10-6-8 formula. Water plants well during dry periods.

Central and South
Trees--Add these to your landscape now for shade and color. The Hong Kong orchid tree grows to a height of 20 to 40 feet and displays its magenta flowers in winter before foliage emerges. Jacaranda grows to at least 40 feet tall and produces spectacular lavender-blue flowers in late spring. After planting, water at least three times per week, thoroughly saturating the root-ball. You can taper off the watering frequency when summer rains begin, but don't let the new trees go for more than five days without water the first season after planting.