Summer officially starts next week, and South Floridians know what that means above all: Hurricane preparations. After you've got your safety plan, supplies, batteries, meds, and other sundries squared away, there's another summer task for South Florida gardens: preparing for the brutal heat that strikes from June through September.
If you're an experienced gardener, you followed the first rule of Florida Friendly landscaping: Right Plant in the Right Place. In this context, this primarily means the right amount of cover from the sun. The blistering heat will literally cook sensitive plants if put in direct sun. You're probably already familiar with plant labels saying things like "Full Sun", "Partial shade", and such. Here's the reality: In South Florida summers, every plant should be shifted down one notch. Full Sun plants will prefer partial shade, partial shade plants will prefer full shade, etc. The exception is plants that specifically evolved in arid environments like cactuses.
If you can, arrange it so your plants are shaded between noon and 4PM. Hopefully you planted them somewhere trees and structures will provide needed shade. If you didn't, consider how you can create shade. When we started our garden in bare earth, we created what we called "shade friends" out of two-by-fours and trellis panels to protect our plants while they established. The trellis allowed only a bit of the sun to hit the leaves at a time, and created enough shade for the plants to establish, and since they were portable, we could move them as needed. You don't necessarily need to build anything though; maybe you could move a container, or a piece of yard furniture.
Your watering schedule may need to adjusted. Plants that are not established ("established" means they survived an entire growing season) will need extra water. Watering is not just for the plants, it benefits your soil as well. Dry, baked soil won't hold water well, and will actively impair root development. If your soil is dry one inch below the surface, it may be time to water.
This is also the time to FERTILIZE. You won't believe the difference fertilizer will make in the growth and resilience of your plants. Fertilizer should only be applied during growing seasons, so this is the time to do it. Most SoFla soil is alkaline and lacking in nitrogen. Look for fertilizers that will acidify the soil and provide nitrogen. We fertilize twice during the summer, once in May and again in August. It is important not to fertilize near bodies of water or storm sewers. Fertilizer runoff is a serious issue affecting our waterways, and most of it comes from homes. Consult a professional if you have questions.
Here are some plants that have the needed strength to go real "full sun":
Euphorbias: plants like a crown-of-thorns are both colorful and close to indestructible. Plant them in a container and they can provide shade for other plants.
Muhly Grass adds a touch of unexpected color and can help mark borders.
Agave will survive just about anything you can throw at it. I like to trim the thorns because I don't like being stabbed by my plants. False agaves are almost as hardy as the real thing. NB: Agaves can get BIG. Plant with enough space for a full grown plant.
Dwarf Pandamus is a wonderful plant. Look for variegated varieties for a pop of color.
Crotons: So many varieties, so many colors, and one of the few plants that iguanas won't touch.
For color, and aroma, it's tough to beath a frangipani. As it grows it will provide shade for other plants too.
Bamboos are incredibly fast growing, and will be providing shade and beauty within months of planting. Not all bamboos will want to stay where you plant it, so make sure to get the right variety.
