FLORIDA

Colorful Blooms Start changing your flowerbeds now. Cool days are perfect to set out violas (shown at right), pansies, petunias, dianthus, alyssum, snapdragons, and calendulas. Sow seeds of spring-flowering annuals such as poppies, bachelor's buttons, sweet peas, and larkspurs for additional spring blooms. In Central and South Florida where the days are a little warmer, set out plants of floss flower, baby's breath, dusty miller, gazania daisies, marigolds, salvias, torenias, ornamental peppers, and verbenas. Feed your plants with a fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro Liquid All Purpose Plant Food 12-4-8, Scotts All Purpose Flower & Vegetable Continuous Release Plant food 10-10-10, or Dynamite All-Purpose Indoor and Outdoor 18-6-8. Water every other day for the first several weeks to help new plants become established.

North and Central
Mulch--Leaves and pine needles will be dropping soon. Take advantage of these natural, nutrient-rich sources of mulch. Replenish mulch around all landscape plants to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Leave 12 inches of airspace around the trunk of plants, though, to prevent stem rot.
Oriental persimmons--Covered with bright orange fruit in the fall, this small tree can be quite attractive in the landscape. You can select trees in fruit now and plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Among recommended selections are 'Fuyu,' 'Hana Fuyu,' 'Hanagosho,' 'Izu,' 'Hachiya,' and 'Tanenashi.' If you also plant a 'Gailey' for pollination, you will have more fruit set. Feed lightly with a fertilizer such as Osmocote Vegetable & Bedding 14-14-14 in March, June, and early September.
Perennial salvias--These plants are at their peak now. Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) has numerous cheery red flowers and fragrant leaves. Mexican bush sage (S. leucantha) is covered with long spikes of purple or purple-and-white flowers. For something different, plant forsythia sage (S. madrensis) which has large spikes of yellow flowers. 'Van Houttei' scarlet sage (S. splendens) produces the most intense burgundy flowers, primarily in the fall. Select some for your garden now.

Entire State
'Autumn' philodendron--This beautiful houseplant echoes the colors of the season. Use it to brighten your home. Other selections include 'Black Cardinal' and 'Moonlight.' They all prefer bright, indirect light. Let the soil dry slightly between waterings.

Central and South
Watering--Fall is typically dry, so continue to water your lawn once or twice a week. Apply ½ inch of water at a time. Use rain gauges to determine how much water you receive naturally, and then adjust your irrigation to apply the balance.
Flowering vines--Fences, walls, arbors, and trellises provide good surfaces for growing a flowering vine. Some good ones that can take sun are queen's wreath, fringed Amazon vine, black-eyed Susan vine, yellow allamanda, bougainvillea, mandevilla, Mexican flame vine, and Cape honeysuckle.