Spring Gardening Tips for Ponte Vedra Beach

Spring is here in Ponte Vedra and Northeast Florida - along with the pollen and the oak tree leaves. Here’s a quick list of things you should be doing to make sure your yard and gardens are in tip-top shape:

• Check your irrigation system to make sure everything is functioning properly and repair any broken sprinkler heads. Remember, water restrictions only allow for sprinkling two or three days a week depending on the county. It’s best to water very early in the morning so the plants have time to absorb the water before the sun comes up. Be sure to check St. Johns County water restrictions as well as the new lawn irrigation schedule for Duval County.
• Now is the time to plant summer bulbs like lilies, elephant ears, amaryllis, caladiums, and society garlic. These plants often do well in Ponte Vedra Beach, especially in areas that are not friendly to grass.
• Our St. Augustine grass is coming out of dormancy and will begin growing quickly. Make sure you fertilize your lawn this month.
• Consider a pre-emergent treatment for weeds in your gardens. It’s good to get a jump on the weeds before they start taking over!
• Remove the last fruit from your citrus trees so the tree has enough energy for next year’s fruit. Fruit trees should be fertilized several times a year, so go ahead and start that process.
• Start planting your spring and summer annuals but be ready to cover them in case we have one last freeze.
• If you want to planting perennials like pentas, lantana and blue daze, now is the time to get them in the ground so their root system can be well established before the summer heat.