FLORIDA

Smart Tips for Watering
The month of September typically brings drier weather. Pay close attention to your containers this time of year, especially hanging baskets and window boxes. By now, the plants have grown out and their roots have developed fully, maximizing water usage. Daily watering may be needed. When rainfall isn't received, water lawns once or twice a week with ½ inch of water per application. Newly planted trees, shrubs, and flowers will need watering two to three times per week with water applied directly to the root balls of the plants. A micro-irrigation system, with an emitter at the base of each plant, is an excellent method for watering trees and shrubs.

Entire State
Lawns--Watch for sod webworm damage. These night-feeding caterpillars can create bare patches in a lawn literally overnight. When damage is suspected, look closely for the telltale signs of ragged grass blades chewed down to the grass stems. The pests curl up near the soil line during the day and are difficult to find. If your lawns are being damaged, apply an insecticide such as Bayer Advanced Power Force Multi-Insect Killer.

North and Central
Fall perennials--Plant any of a number of perennials for color this fall. Excellent choices include old-fashioned chrysanthemums, firespike (Odontonema strictum), lion's tail (Leonotis Leonurus), Philippine violet (Barleria cristata), cigar flower (Cuphea micropetala), anise-scented sage (Salvia guaranitica), Mexican bush sage (S. leucantha), forsythia sage (S. madrensis), and Mexican sage (S. mexicana). Fall-flowering vines include sky flower (Thunbergia grandiflora) and pink trumpet vine (Podranea ricasoliana). Plant all in full sun.

Vegetables--Seed mustard greens, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and radishes. Set out cabbage, collards, bok choy, and broccoli transplants. You can also plant onion sets now.

Central and South
Ornamental grasses--Add vertical accents to the landscape with ornamental grasses such as porcupine grass and zebra grass. Though the plants can tolerate a little shade, plant in full sun for best growth and flower head formation.

South
Flowering Trees--Brighten the landscape by planting trees that flower. The striking variegated foliage of the coral tree (Erythrina variegata) is reason enough to plant it. The leaves are green with bright yellow midribs and veins, but the tree also produces orange-red flowers in late winter or early spring. Salt tolerant and drought tolerant, coral tree can reach a height of 60 to 80 feet. The golden trumpet tree (Tabebuia chrysotricha) is a little smaller but is a spectacular sight when it flowers in late winter or early spring. The tree is literally covered with the brilliant golden yellow flowers. As the blooms drop, the ground beneath is transformed into a carpet of gold.