First, forget about the myth that you can plant a (woody) native and then leave it alone and watch it grow. While natives are easy to care for in many respects, they still need care. This article is not the definitive on caring for your natives, but I am writing from my own experience and from experiences others have shared with me.
In the wild, many of our natives rely on microscopic members of the fungal kingdom called mycorrhizae. The mycorrhizae create symbiotic relationships with the plants, living in the plants' roots and capitalizing on the rich source of carbon while they absorb and process nutrients from the soil and make them available to the plants. This allows our natives to thrive in our nutrient poor soils, as nutrients are made available to them that they would otherwise not be able to use. This relationship can start at time of germination and continues throughout the plant's lifetime. The nutrients supplied by this relationship are at much lower levels than in nutrient rich soils. It is for this reason that our natives can thrive without much fertilizer once established in your yard, as they have evolved to need much less nutrients than those plants that grow in nutrient rich soils.
In cultivation, nurseries use relatively sterile potting mixes that do not have mycorrhizae and therefore, as all plants need nutrients, nurseries raise our natives with fertilizer. The plants become used to readily-available nutrients and often grow and mature much faster than in the wild. While mycorrhizae most likely live in all types of soil, even in your yard, the plants that you take home from plant sales have not had the opportunity to develop this relationship and thus may need help when planted. In most cases, yard soil is nutrient rich compared to our native soils, so our natives can become self-sufficient once established. Also, the plants will more than likely be able to develop a relationship with whatever mycorrhizae exist in the soil. However, for the first growing season, it is wise to provide your natives with a dose of slow-release fertilizer at least once or twice. This is readily available at your local retail gardening supply store. Use half the recommended dosage, as our natives do not need more than that. Once the plants have established themselves, they can survive without fertilizer. However, their growth will slow.
(Editor's note: According to Wilcox Native Nursery owner Bruce Turley,Natural organic fertilizer should be a first choice over slow release fertilizer, with slow release the next best thing. Chemical fertilizers may harm the necessary microbial activity the author promotes.)
Winter is dry and cool here in South Florida. Our natives have evolved to slow their growth or even go completely dormant during the dry season. Therefore, if you plant anytime from late fall to early spring, you will notice that the plants will not have the usual growth spurt one sees during the wet season, even if you fertilize and water.
But, if you are like me and can't resist that extra special native you happen along, then there are some steps you should take to ensure your plant establishes during this time of the year. Anytime you plant, you need to water your plants thoroughly right after you put the plant in the ground. During the dry season, water daily for the first 1-2 weeks. Then water every other day or so (at least 3 times a week) for another 2-3 weeks. Then water weekly for the next month. This should give the plant a good chance to grow new roots.
Watering thereafter can be based on how dry, windy and cool the weather is. If it is dry, sunny and windy, you may need to water weekly. If it is cool, cloudy, with a little rain here and there you may be able to extend the watering to once every two weeks, especially if you mulch. I do not use my irrigation system to water. Instead, I use my hose. A pain, but it is more water efficient and I do not water plants that have already been established and are jiving to the regular change of seasons.
After a native plant has gone through a full growing season, it can usually get through the dry season with little to no watering. Keep watch, however. I will douse those plants that I know like a little more water a few times over the dry season to keep them from completely going crisp on me.
If you plant during the dry season, I would provide a light dosage (¼ of the recommended dose) of fertilizer ONLY during the initial watering regime. Do not fertilize more than once, and once the plant is established, there is no need to fertilize in the dry season. The plants will not use it in sufficient amounts to make it worth your while.
If you are planting during the wet season, make sure the plants get watered every day the first week. After that, watering can be reduced to every other day for the next couple of weeks, and then down to weekly for the next month or so. Keep track of the weather and take turns with the rain as needed. You may find that Mother Nature will take care of all your watering after the initial week or two. Rain is better for your plants than city or even well water, which is another reason to avoid planting during the dry season. So, when you think you cannot stand one more hot, humid, summer day, remember how happy your plants are during this time of year and things will look much brighter... you may actually start looking forward to summer!
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Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society — Last Updated Aug. 19, 2009 Direct web site comments/corrections/suggestions to Pinellas FNPS Webmaster —Return to Top of Page— |