South Florida November Gardening Guide

November is one of the best months to garden here in the Tampa Bay area. Cool, dry weather arrives and stays for up to six months. There are many flowers, vegetables, and trees which you can easily plant, grow and harvest during the winter, and that will remain beautiful year round.

The best place to start with your November gardening is your lawn. Keeping your lawn looking lush and green is the best way to maintain a gorgeous overall look. Most Florida turf requires fertilization in early to mid fall.

New lawn fertilizers which are most environmentally friendly and require less product can now be applied via your garden hose, making your job easier than ever. Keep an eye out for brown patches which may indicate fungus.

Plants to Consider in November Gardening

Flowers in Beds

Pansies, snapdragons and English daisies are three types of flowers which do well in cooler Florida temperatures. Plant them from early fall, and over the winter they will add beautiful splashes of color to your borders, containers, and gardens.

Remember, although your lawn may not need to be fertilized throughout the winter months, your flowers will love a rich compost soil or liquid fertilizer.

Vegetable Gardening in Raised Beds

Romaine lettuce, kale and broccoli can be planted in November and harvested in the late spring – and you won’t believe how flavorful fresh greens are! Radishes also grow well in lettuce beds.

All of these plants should be placed in full sun throughout the winter months or they will grow too sparse and spindly. Strawberries are another Florida favorite which you can grow easily over the winter.

Plant in November and you will be harvesting fresh berries from March until May.

 

Potted Plants

The best part about potted flowers and plants is that you can change their environment whenever necessary. In other words, if there is a hard frost or a cold snap which might normally kill the plant, simply bring the pot indoors!

Most potted florals will thrive in sunlight all winter long, but be sure to research the type of flower you are considering as to exact care requirements.

Bulbs

November and December are the optimum time to plant bulbs such as lilies, amaryllis and plumeria, which easily weather the Florida “cold” by being buried. These florals are great in pots or in flower beds. Unfortunately for many, unless we have an unusually cold winter, tulips do not do well in our climate as they do require cold conditions.

Palm Trees

If you are thinking of adding palm trees to your landscaping, it is best to choose from the varieties that are exceptionally low maintenance. Although palms grow well all year long, many need constant fertilizing in order to thrive.

There are some alternatives that can help your palm to thrive with only a couple of fertilizer applications each year.

Species such as saw palmetto, coconut palms, and cabbage palms will all do well through all seasons with very little care.

You may wish to have a lawn care service stop by and trim once or twice while you are gone, as our year-round growing season can result in overgrown leaves and fronds upon your return.

If you love gardening, South Florida is a great place to be. Our weather allows for truly beautiful lawns and gardens year round – and Big Earth Landscape Supply has everything you need to support you!

We invite you to shop our products online, and to stop by one of our 4 Tampa Bay locations for any questions you might have. We’re here to help!