Summer and rainy season are just around the corner, and the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s Native Landscapes & Garden Center Manager Becca Grotrian has some tips to help you prepare your native landscape.
Planting for Seasonal Residents
Many seasonal residents leave between April and June. If you’re leaving early in that window, it might be best to hold off on planting new landscaping. Newly planted natives, even those adapted to our region, need regular watering to establish themselves – up to a month for smaller plants and a year for larger ones. While summer brings rain, it’s not always frequent or consistent enough to rely on solely for new plantings.
Mulching Unplanted Areas
For areas that won’t be planted yet, consider mulching to suppress weeds and enrich the soil as it decomposes. Fallen leaves are a free, nutrient-rich option! However, avoid mulching in flood-prone areas, as heavy rains can wash it away. Seagrapes, strangler figs, and gumbo limbos are all shedding leaves right now – a perfect opportunity to use nature’s bounty for mulch!
Pruning for Hurricane Season
While we generally encourage letting native plants grow naturally to benefit wildlife, there are some exceptions. Keep an eye on your larger trees for any dead or broken branches that could pose a threat during a storm. Especially since many trees are still recovering from Hurricane Ian, consider consulting a tree company or arborist to examine them.
Pruning palms is discouraged, as their fronds provide valuable habitat for wildlife. If you do prune palms, only remove the older, brown fronds. Avoid the “hurricane prune” – cutting green fronds can harm the palm’s health.
Planting Guide and More Resources
To download our planting guide, which includes specific guidelines on watering to establish plants, best practices for planting and more tips, visit https://issuu.com/sccf3/docs/sccf_replanting_guide-final
