W24 ���������������������������������������� • Provide habitat for bees responsible for every third bite of food we eat • Curb water use in landscapes • Reduce water and air pollution • Beautify communities and roadsides • Contribute to a sense of place that is uniquely Florida ������������������������������ • Landscape with Florida native wild��owers and plants • Stop using pesticides, which can harm bees and other bene��cial insects • Greatly reduce use of fertilizer, which harms waterways and lakes • Ask your county to preserve roadside wild��owers • Work with lawmakers to preserve and conserve natural resources and lands ������������������ www.FlaWild��owers.org www.PlantRealFlorida.org www.FloridaWild��owers.com www.FNPS.org Photo by Troy Springer �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������ ������������������ This method distributes seeds evenly over the garden: • Fill a large bucket about halfway with sand or vermiculite; slightly moisten it. • Add half of the total seeds and mix thoroughly. • Starting at one end of the garden, spread the mixture evenly over the site. • Repeat the above steps with the other half of the seeds, but start spreading them from the opposite end of the plot. ������ ������������������������������������������������������������������ Walk over the site to ensure good seed to soil contact. If the area is larger, consider renting a sod roller. Seeds should remain on top of the soil or be covered 1��8-inch to 1��4-inch deep at most. Generally, the smaller the seed, the shallower it needs to be planted. Most seeds need light to germinate! Water seeds gently after planting to help settle them in the soil, then wait until spring for further irrigation if rain is not suf��cient for growth. ������ �������������������� Though some species will germinate quickly, others may need to rest in the soil for 3 to 4 months. In that time they will naturally receive the water and ��uctuating temperatures that will stimulate their emergence at the right time in early spring. ������ ������������������ Keep the planting site moist, but not wet. For loamy soils, that might mean watering 2 to 4 times per week with about 1��4 to 1��2 inches of water; sandy soils might need daily watering. Monitor the soil for moisture and adjust watering accordingly. After wild��owers germinate, irrigate with about 1��2-inch of water only if they show signs of drought stress. �������������������������������������� To minimize weeds, remove them by hand after wild��owers have emerged and been identi��ed. To help identify your wild��owers, photos of common young plants showing leaf shape and arrangement can be found on the Florida Wild��ower Growers Cooperative’s website at www.��oridawild��owers.com/pages/Planting-Information.html. ������������������������������������������ Many of Florida’s native wild��ower species are adapted to and perform well in soils with low fertility. Excess fertilization will promote vegetative growth over ��owering, might make wild��owers more susceptible to insect and disease pests, and will promote weed growth. If plants appear nutritionally de��cient during the growing season, a light layer of compost or several applications of a half-strength liquid fertilizer can be applied to correct the problem. ���������������������������������������������������������������������� Your wild��owers will reseed themselves if given the opportunity, so wait until seeds have matured before deadheading or mowing. For many species, seeds need 2 to 4 weeks to mature after plants bloom. Generally, seeds can be dried, stored in plastic bags at 40F, and replanted in the fall in your garden.
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