Gardening in South Florida operates on its own clock. April and May mark the end of the dry season and the approach of the summer wet season — and for gardeners, that transition changes everything. This is the moment to harvest what’s left of the cool-season garden, prepare for the punishing heat of June through September, and get warm-season tropicals and natives established before the rains arrive.
Think of it less as spring planting and more as spring pivoting.
Wrap up the cool-season vegetable garden
If you’ve been growing tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, or cucumbers through the winter and early spring, April is their last hurrah. As temperatures push reliably into the 90s and humidity climbs, most vegetables will bolt, stop setting fruit, or succumb to fungal disease. Harvest everything you can, pull spent plants, and add them to the compost pile.
Don’t feel defeated — this is just how the South Florida vegetable calendar works. Your next vegetable planting window opens again in October.
Heads up: Tomatoes stop setting fruit when nighttime temps stay above 75°F. If your plants are still flowering in late April but not fruiting, that’s why. The heat has closed the window — harvest what’s there and move on.
What you can still plant now
April and May aren’t a planting dead zone — they’re just tropical planting season. Heat-loving plants that would struggle in cooler climates absolutely thrive in what’s coming. Focus on tropicals, natives, and anything that loves humidity.
- Sweet potatoes — Love the heat. Plant slips now for a fall harvest.
- Lemongrass — Thrives in humidity. Divide and replant established clumps.
- Tropical basil — More heat-tolerant than Italian varieties. Great for summer.
- Moringa — Fast-growing edible tree. Plant from cuttings or seed.
- Boniato and malanga — Traditional South Florida root crops. Ideal planting time.
- Caladiums — Spectacular foliage for shady spots. Tubers go in now.
- Porterweed and firebush — Florida natives that bloom all summer and feed pollinators.
- Mango and avocado — Plant container trees before the wet season to establish roots.
Dig tip: Plant new trees and shrubs just before the rainy season starts — typically late May or early June. The summer rains do the watering work for you during the critical establishment period, and you won’t be hauling a hose through 95 degree heat.
Lawn and landscape tasks
April is one of the best months to fertilize your lawn in South Florida. St. Augustine, Bahia, and Zoysia grasses are all actively growing and will make excellent use of a slow-release fertilizer right now. Follow the Florida-friendly guidelines and avoid high-phosphorus formulas — South Florida soils are naturally phosphorus-rich and excess runoff harms local waterways.
Check your irrigation system before the dry season fully peaks. Adjust heads, fix leaks, and make sure coverage is even — you’ll be relying on it heavily through May until the rains take over. Once the wet season starts in earnest, dial back irrigation or your lawn will develop fungal issues.
Pest and disease watch
Whiteflies, aphids, and scale insects all ramp up as temperatures rise. Check the undersides of leaves on your citrus, vegetables, and ornamentals. A strong blast of water knocks back aphids; neem oil handles most soft-bodied pests without harming beneficial insects if applied in the evening when pollinators are not active.
Citrus greening (HLB) remains a serious threat across South Florida. There’s no cure, but keeping trees healthy and well-fertilized with a micronutrient-rich citrus fertilizer gives them the best chance. If leaves are showing yellow mottling or fruit is lopsided and bitter, have a sample tested through your county extension office.
Fungal disease season is coming: High heat plus summer humidity is perfect for fungal disease — powdery mildew, root rot, and leaf spot all peak in summer. Improve air circulation by pruning dense shrubs now, avoid overhead watering, and mulch beds to reduce soil splash onto leaves.
Your April-May checklist
- Harvest remaining cool-season vegetables before heat ends production
- Pull spent vegetable plants and compost or dispose of diseased material
- Plant sweet potato slips, lemongrass, caladiums, and tropical edibles
- Install new trees and shrubs before the wet season begins
- Fertilize lawn with slow-release, low-phosphorus formula
- Service irrigation system — adjust heads and fix leaks before dry season peak
- Apply fresh mulch to all beds — 2 to 3 inches keeps moisture in and soil temp down
- Scout for whiteflies, aphids, and scale — treat with neem oil in the evening
- Prune dense shrubs and hedges to improve airflow before humid season
- Check citrus for HLB symptoms and apply micronutrient fertilizer
- Program irrigation timer to reduce frequency once summer rains establish
South Florida gardening in April and May is about reading the season honestly. The cool-season window is closing, but a whole new palette of tropical abundance is opening up. Embrace what grows here naturally — native plants, tropical fruits, shade-loving foliage — and your garden will thrive in ways that gardeners in colder climates can only dream about.
